Son is 12 and about 5′ and growing quickly. He rides a Beinn 26 (Large) off road and is starting to think about “what’s next”. (He has his Mum’s old roadbike too). He’s pretty competent off road and is thinking hard tail. Whilst he’s got reasonable skills, he’s pretty puny and not that strong. My concern is that anything in his price range* is going to be a bit of a heavy beast. I have a further dilemma – the inevitable wheel size discussion!

I’m not averse to building something up, or looking second hand…

…but wondering if anyone else has come through the same transition recently and come up with something good. If we do go down the building it up route any specific suggestions for configuration: wheels, shocks, 1×11? and frames?

* I will subsidise it, and he’ll sell the Beinn26, and he’ll make up the rest. But I’m guessing we are looking at something in the the £400-600 range. If there was something amazing I’d put more in, within reason.

He’s 12 and you’re making him buy his own bike ya tight sod!!

Build one up with him, something like a 45650b if you’re after a trail bike. Or a giant anthem off Paul’s cycles for £900, in true STW style of completely ignoring your budget!!

He’s 12 and you’re making him buy his own bike ya tight sod!!

its a way of developing his understanding of the value of money (and ensuring he respects the bike and locks it up etc!). He bought the last bike too!

Build one up with him, something like a 45650b if you’re after a trail bike.

yes thats the sort of thought I was having, but I didn’t want to steer STW down the default OnOne route!

Or a giant anthem off Paul’s cycles for £900, in true STW style of completely ignoring your budget!!

Ignoring the budget is one thing… …but going to full suss… (oh, and obv. he can’t have a better bike than me 😉

Youngest is a large 10 and we recently sold his Islabike Beinn 26 and got him a Genesis Core 20, with a 14 inch frame. His 13 yr old brother got a Cube Acid with a 15 inch frame a year ago. Both 27.5. Makes a big difference to their ability downhill but a chunk heavier on the climbs. Both on 3×10 deore groupsets.

They both ride a mixture of techy natural stuff and are happy on a tame red like GT.

The bikes both retailed around £700 but discounts were negotiated

Yeah, my son is now 15, but 3 years ago I saw a Orange Pure7 in a sale at £700. It was a LOT of bike at the time for the price and the way he was growing I thought that he’d use it for a couple of years and then grow out of it (leaving me a frame to use for myself……I’m a sneaky bugger!)

It did get to the point where he needed a different frame (the P7 is too short In the TT for him) and he’s used the orange as a donor bike to build up a 456. However, he’s now got the bug and has replaced the forks and wheels so far.

I think you need to get a really decent standard bike which you give him (I believe a crap bike will kill his enthusiasm really quickly) but let him work to upgrade it if he decides he wants to – a lesson in how much things cost as well as prioritising where he wants to spend his money.

Not sure if this is what you were asking about……

Ps: after a day at BPW he’s now trying to figure out how to get a FS frame to transfer his kit onto. Got him! Ha!

Just bought this for my 10 yr old. Only done a few miles. 1×10, crank bro wheels, Rockshox revs, formular brakes.
Covered the cost with the sale of his 24″ bike, some of his Xmas money & half off dad. He now wants to look after it much more.

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I think you need to get a really decent standard bike which you give him (I believe a crap bike will kill his enthusiasm really quickly) but let him work to upgrade it if he decides he wants to – a lesson in how much things cost as well as prioritising where he wants to spend his money.

Not sure if this is what you were asking about……

Bod – I am totally in agreement – he won’t be riding something rubbish. I guess I’m looking for suggestions on bargain bikes or key components that are well suited to smaller folk, not too heavy and affordable.

26″ a few bargains to be had now 27,5 is the new black. Both mine have had orange 5 ,no.1 has just had dale trigger for xmas. Just make sure you have plenty of gears to make it easy on the climbs ,good for the soul to clean a few climbs

BMX; otherwise he’ll be a mincer for life and he’ll end up having to pay for skills courses once he gets to middle age.

Jump bike frames?

My GF rides a Dialled Bikes Holeshot, which is basicly a really small hardtail, reynolds 520 frame, etc.

Built up with light-ish 26″ bits it’s a hoot on singletrack.

26″ a few bargains to be had now 27,5 is the new black.

I did wonder about that. I’m still on 26″ myself so have no major qualms with it – but will the trail still come alive for him? 😉 I also have a spare set of recon forks if we are struggling for budget…

Just make sure you have plenty of gears to make it easy on the climbs ,good for the soul to clean a few climbs

OK, so 3×10 rather than 1×11 then… …I’m looking forward to him pushing his old fat dad up the hills for a change!

[/quote]BMX; otherwise he’ll be a mincer for life and he’ll end up having to pay for skills courses once he gets to middle age.[/quote] He’ll be a mincer anyway – its in his blood! However the question isn’t does he need a BMX – its what MTB.

Dialled Bikes Holeshot

thats most of the budget on the frame…

So that leads to a different way of looking at the problem. Rather than pick specifics. If you were splitting up your £600 budget for a light 12 yr old’s MTB where would it go…

Frame £150?
Forks £ 150?
Wheels £ 150?
Chainset etc £ 100
Brakes £ 50
Saddle, bars etc £ 50

Yes I know that doesn’t add up to £600! Which bit would you skimp on? Which bit would you spend more on?

Built my lad an Inbred with some of my old parts and a new frame and other bits for about £300. He’s a tall, skinny, non sporty 12 year old, it weighs 30lbs and could easily come down a pound or two with some simple parts swaps.

He still finds it way better than his 35lb Decathlon bike he had before.

He’ll be a mincer anyway – its in his blood!

😀

Scrimp on the frame since he’ll grow out of it eventually.

Go for an alloy 4x frame like a Nukeproof/Yeti/Santa Cruz etc. Lighter than steel, geometry decent for a small chap, perfect with short travel forks.

Rebas or SIDs, or even old marzocchis for reliability

26″ wheels obvs.