My sister is looking for a new bike for her 14 year old and has a £150 budget. I’m happy to put in another £50 to try and get him something decent.

Anyone come across anything new that looked passable? I’m thinking rigid 29er would probably do the job.

Or if not, anyone got something that would shine up nice enough for a birthday present?

How about the extra large (or maybe large) £130 XLA frame if you have access to enough spares to build it up as a flat bar? https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXXLAFMSET/planet-x-xla-alloy-cyclocross-frameset

Have a look on Facebook market place, you might get a Boardman around the 200£

What’s he want to do on said bike?

Probably avoid Ebay. Bikes always seem to sell for over the odds on there.

I’ve found some good bargains on Gumtree. It’s just a case of keeping an eye on it and getting lucky.

He lives in Southsea so I think mostly it’ll be cycling round to mates houses and the odd family ride. Nobody else in the family rides off road so think it’ll mostly be road but he wants chunky tyres just because…

With the sea air it probably needs to be as rust friendly as poss. No suspension, hub gears probably an idea but might be hard on the budget

Maybe an unwanted second hand hybrid
May be cheaper than a mtb

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/st-520-mountain-bike-275-yellow-id_8360662.html

As much as it would make sense to find him a second hand rigid singlespeed 29er, he’d probably not thank you for the loss of street cred he’d suffer as a result.. mountain bikes are the “in” thing just now amongst the yoot, if you start him with something new you at least know nothing will need replacing for a while.

Carrera Subway would probably do the job. Look out for a sale or go secondhand. Loads of them bought on bike to work with good intentions to commute then basically not used. I picked up one in ok condition really cheap (650b wheelsize the newer ones / 26er are older ones). It’s a low end mountain bike frame with slightly more road friendly parts.

Subway 1 is mechanical discs and has a steel fork – the Subway 2 I think has hydraulic brakes and an alloy fork. So the 2 is lighter and better at stopping.

BMX for Southsea skatee park

Carrera Subway would probably do the job.

Yeah, something like this or a mid-range hybrid.

I got a very nice Giant Rapid for under your budget a while back, basically the flat-bat version of the Defy.

Subway is a good shout. Given he’s a teenager and it’s inevitable he’ll leave his bike out in the rain and Southsea spray do you think gun gear is better option or not much in it?

Halfords ended their recent sale on Friday just gone, you could have had a Carerra for ~£200 with cashback and/or BC membership card.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/tag/carrera

No one else think it’s odd that the OP has a 7ft 2″ baby that can ride a bike?

Check Gumtree. Loads of folk buy on the cycle to work scheme and then realise they don’t like biking 6 months down the line. They sell the bike having done next to zero miles and half price. I bought a Voodoo Bantu for my nephew early last year. Got it for £225 which is half price. Looked like brand new. Got decent reviews as well.

Second hand voodoo marasa might be worth a look too.

Just giving this a bump as time running out and not found anything yet 🙁 budget gone up to £250…