He is now 5’3″ after shooting up 2″ since before lockdown. Current bike is way too small (Islabike Beinn 26 small). I had a few options lined up before lockdown but now only just getting round to replacing the bike – only to find not much in stock anywhere!

So any good recommendations that are actually available to buy? So far all I’ve found in stock anywhere is a salmon pink Specialized rockhopper sport – and I don’t think he’d accept salmon pink!

I got my 12yr old a voodoo soukri from halfords. He was too big for kids bikes and too wee for adult ones. The soukri is sold as a ladies bike so has a shorter reach and fitted him well. 2 years on he is still riding it.

Halfords have the Carrera Vengeance is a small available for £325.

2nd hand Orange Five Diva if you can find one.

What is the bike going to be used for?
Budget?
Look for the right bike for the main purpose .. if he loves pump tracks a full suss will be terrible but if he loves DH a completely different bike.

My lad has been on a small adult size since 9 and now at 10 he rides my medium and even large frames when he wants as well. With the correct modern geometry its more about choosing the right length so although I wouldn’t recommend buying a large he can ride it fine so long as he doesn’t need to pedal sat down with my length cranks.
He rides my medium XC bike almost as much as me so its now got “dual cranks” so we just swap pedals over.

The Carrera hellcat for £350 is nicer than the Vengeance. Looking for cheap MTBs for boys to ride to school, don’t want anything great but not going so cheap it won’t last and I’ll spend all my time adjusting them. Problem is need xs adult bikes, think Carrera vengeance is my only option.

Mrs thebibbles has an XS Trek Roscoe 8, she’s 5’3″ and has the saddle as low as possible so something that size should do your son and have a decent amount of room to grow.

Cheers. Any idea where there is bike stock?!! Everything I look at is not available except for mega expensive bikes. Type – hardtail. He is not a serious mountain biker – we sometimes do a trail or general rides on paths etc.

The Trek Roscoe 8 looks great – a bit expensive for me. Budget about £500 – maybe £600 – I want something good or he won’t ride it – but need to bear in mind he could be 6 foot tall in a year or two! I’m selling the Islabike so should have at least £250 towards it from that sale.

Email the shops where there is a suitable bike and ask them when stock is becoming available?

but need to bear in mind he could be 6 foot tall in a year or two!

If you buy a used bike with decent components then you only need to buy a frame later and you can transfer all the expensive bits.

My lads full suss frame was £250 used (though I had to add a shock but obviously you wouldn’t for a hard tail) and I’ll sell this when he outgrows it and expect I won’t make a huge loss. I could end up selling the whole bike .. but I expect he will use my M/L next.

You’ll also find a used HT frame cheaper than that when it comes to upsizing time.

Cheers. I am not up to building bikes unfortunately – just riding them 🙂 All I can find in stock anywhere are a couple of near £700 bikes. A Frog 72 and a Cannondale Trail 5. Or the pink specialised lol. Some aren’t going to be available for months. So if anyone knows where there’s a good hardtail in stock around the £500 to £600 mark I’d be grateful. I did look at Halfords but nothing in stock the right size.

I built up a 2015 Canyon Spectral size XS for my 11yo, for £750 (pre COVID) which has been brilliant. It was just pure luck that it came up on eBay, but setting up a search for XS frames is a good idea. Bear in mind that parts are also suffering from the COVID tax.
Ps he’s 150cm (no idea what that is in those archaic numbers OP used 😉)

My 13 year old is running a small 2017 giant trance frame with bits I got together from Ebay and friends. Personally I wouldn’t buy a new one until he’s stopped growing as they only tend to get a couple of years out of the frame as he’s growing and resale value of second hand bikes is really poor nowadays.

Lol. 5’3″ is 160 centimetres :-). I’ve found a black (not pink!) specialised rockhopper sport – specialized concept store uk. In stock £499. I was going to ask if this store is any good at putting bikes together before delivery. But it’s already gone!

Ok I found something and spent more than planned lol. Kona Fire Hardtail 2021. The good thing is the medium sizing goes from 5’3″ (ie 160cm) so I’ve gone for a medium and it should last him I reckon. Then fit my other half when he’s outgrown it. £669. A lot more than I wanted to spend but heck you try finding a bike in stock! Also much better value I think than a Frog 72 at the same price. Bought from Wiggle. Hope it arrives ok. Delivery is currently almost 2 weeks.

This is it

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/kona-fire-mountain-hardtail-bike-2021?sku=105587701

We had a lovely Giant Talon 1W XS 26″ HT. Black with a pink stripe. My son loved it and was perfect sized for him. XS frames are hard to find and made in small numbers. I moved this one on to a lovely (small) work colleague. Don’t worry about paying a little more, you’ll get it back when you sell it.

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-fury-mens-mountain-bike-2020—red—s-m-l-frames-340550.html shows S available to collect in a box next Thurs or built by Sat 8th. £600

Same dates for S https://www.halfords.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/carrera-kraken-mens-mountain-bike-2020—blue—s-m-l-xl-frames-347654.html £400

Use British Cycling Covid code on your membership page to get 10% off above.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FBSUXC879LTD/superior-xc-879-ltd-29er-mountain-bike is £560 with “sizzling30” code.

To me, the Fury looks the best bet at £540 after code by some margin, almost makes me question my order of a (£405 with BC code) Voodoo Marasa I’m collecting tomorrow, given I’ve never had a “nice” fork or dropper.

Edit: And now I see a purchase was already made. 😆

That is really appreciated – thank you very much – sorry you did all that research and I’d got something but I’m sure it’ll help someone else. Yes the Fury looked good! I just hope I haven’t bought something too big!

Not wanting to upset your decision, however, the thing which put’s me off about the Kona is that it’s got a coil fork, which will be tuned for an average adult not a light 12yo, so it’s unlikely to give any effective damping.
The tektro brakes and microshift gearing are all reasonable compromises for the budget.
I guess we’re in difficult buying times and the kid needs a bike so you have to get something; maybe a 2nd hand fork upgrade at some time in the future might be needed (easy to swap out)

I am also wondering now as have found different sizing charts! Medium may be way too big with minimum size 5’6 on some charts. Confusing when there are different sizing charts – apparently there is an S/M size between small and medium that starts at 5’2”. But only seen small and medium listed to buy.

I know nothing about forks sadly. Other than it was a “better” suntour one than some of the others. So will it matter or make much difference just for general riding on gravel paths etc?

Also wondering about reach for brakes etc – is there any kind of gadget for helping with this if it’s a bit of a reach?

What kind of fork would you recommend and how easy are they to swap out? The review I read about the bike said it wasn’t good for heavier riders so thought it would be better for a nearly 13 year old.

I am also wondering now as have found different sizing charts! Medium may be way too big with minimum size 5’6 on some charts. Confusing when there are different sizing charts – apparently there is an S/M size between small and medium that starts at 5’2”. But only seen small and medium listed to buy.

The seat tube seems nice and short so length is more a choice than dictated.
However the cranks are very unlikely to be suitable length. It doesn’t give the size but I can’t imagine at 5’3″ they would fit anything longer than 160mm. I’m 5’10” can use 170mm max.. my 10yr old uses 145 to 150mm and is something like 5′.

I know nothing about forks sadly. Other than it was a “better” suntour one than some of the others. So will it matter or make much difference just for general riding on gravel paths etc?

What kind of fork would you recommend and how easy are they to swap out? The review I read about the bike said it wasn’t good for heavier riders so thought it would be better for a nearly 13 year old.

Unless the hubs have changable endcaps (unlikely with joytech) you need to find a tapered steerer but QR axles (100 front/135 rear). This is very limiting for choice especially for current models as almost everything semi recent will be thru axle and current mostly boost 110.

You can fit a straight steerer fork but that will require a converter headset lower.

Also wondering about reach for brakes etc – is there any kind of gadget for helping with this if it’s a bit of a reach?

Those levers have reach adjustment…

This just shows how ignorant I am about bikes lol. So the crank is the reach to the pedals? Any way of adapting that. I know when I ordered they asked for height and inside leg measurements at the time of order and Wiggle say they check the size you’ve ordered is suitable. Although they way the world is at the moment they may be a bit chaotic and both small and medium sizes are now out of stock since I ordered.

Is there any way of sorting the cranks?

Is there any way of sorting the cranks?

Yes, buy some new shorter ones…making sure they are the same fitment.

This is becoming one pricey bike by the time you changed everything to make it a smaller bike… apart from personally I think it will still be too big for him.

I am 5ft7 and ride either small or medium framed bikes..mainly small. The Kona size charts say the medium is 5ft6 to 6ft. Small 5ft to 5ft7

Where on their size chart is says small, medium I take that to mean that at that height you could ride either, but probably have to change stem/post type etc to get the right fit.

Can you send it back or to me accept that for some time he is going to be riding a bike that is too big that will hold him back ?

Just send it back if it doesnt fit. I’m 5’3 and I ride 170 cranks as I have long legs for a small person. A small will either come with 170 or 165 cranks, not 160. I ride a small MTB and a XS road bike.

I think you’d be better cancelling the Wiggle order before they ship it: too big and coil fork.
May I say respectfully that online bike buying may not be for you and that you’d benefit from visiting a store? Calling round all your local shops checking stock would be a good use of an hour.
If you want to stick with online, that Carerra Fury recommended above looks like a reasonable buy and it’s easy to take it back to halfords or even pop in to size it up.

What you really need to measure is OUTSIDE leg …
I’m not recommending you use this company but scroll to the bottom of this page and do the sitting against the wall thing.

Crank Shortening

Personally I just shorten solid ones for my lad but from a starting point of you not wanting/feeling up to to bolt a few bits on cutting and drilling sounds 10x more advanced.

I haven’t looked in detail at the Kona geometry and size charts.. my 10yr old is shy of 5′ and frequently rides my size M XC hardtail.. his own bike is a small but he will ride my medium-long or even my size large Enduro but very differently… and all these have low seatposts.

Yes I clearly got my charts muddled on different sites – the medium starts at 5’6″ so it will be too big. And there I was thinking I’d found a medium that started at 5.2″. It was the specialized rockhopper sport where the medium starts at 162cm. Looked at a lot of sites as hardly anything in stock anywhere. When ordering on Wiggle they ask for the height and inside leg measurements to set up the bike before shipping and make sure you’ve ordered the right size, so surely they will realise that if it’s for a for 5’3″ then it is the wrong size ordered and contact me? Or maybe not – because these are strange times.

Too late to cancel but can send it back when it gets here. Unable to go into bike shops right now due to the pandemic and our personal circumstances. Ordering online is fine though – if I get the measurements right! Halfords won’t deliver.

I did find a specialized rockhopper elite. More expensive – over £700.

Or a Cannondale Trail 5 – found one in stock. Bear in mind this isn’t for serious mountain biking – just bike rides basically – level trails and roads and through the odd field.

And there I was thinking I’d found a medium that started at 5.2″.

Size charts are just guides … and a hangover from roadbikes with modern MTB’s with sloping downtubes the “size” is more about length and how it’s ridden.
As I mentioned my 10yr old will ride his own small or my medium or medium long or my large so long as the cranks are short enough if he has to pedal.

Equally I ride from M to L and sometimes ride his bike.

Cheers! Can’t believe how hard it is to find a bike to buy these days!

I got sick of searching again and just want a bike here for him. It is tedious and time consuming and not enough choice. So I have maxed out my bank account and ordered the Frog 72 MTB – because it’s in stock and delivery is within a few days (unlike 2 weeks like most places). So have two bikes coming. One will have to go back. The Frog should be exactly the right size all round but the tyres might need changing. Rutland cycling has it in stock by the way.

This is where I read the Kona sizing by the way – further down the page. It says 5’2 to 5’7 is small/medium. Although presumably medium is more the 5’7″ end. Annoyingly the Kona in small was no longer available.

https://www.konaworld.com/fire_mountain.cfm

Anyway – two bikes coming. Shame I have to return one to get my money back!

Although presumably medium is more the 5’7″ end.

It all depends on the shape of the kid and to their confidence and proficiency.
My mate just bought a much bigger bike for his small kid I’m guessing 4’4″-4’5″, I picked it up for him yesterday.
He’ll be fine whether he can put his feet down or not because he’s experienced and in reality you never need to put 2 feet down. He’s putting some old 26″ wheels on it at first for riding rough downhill and enduro and keeping the 27.5 for less technically demanding until he grows.
He’s going to change the stem and put a shorter stem 35mm vs the 60mm on there which will cost £25 but then when he grows he can have the bigger wheels AND put the stem back on.

He’s putting the 140mm cranks from his kids current 24″ bike on and at some point in the future one of us will shorten the cranks that came with it to 155 or so… and we’d both expect this bike will be good for a full foot of growth.

Changing a stem is quite literally a few allen key bolts .. changing cranks you use a special tool but a bike shop should do the job for £15. (or £3 or so to buy the crank remover for the square taper cranks on the Saracen) (It’s literally 10 mins)

If the bike is on the large side then a shorter stem and shorter cranks will make a huge difference .. you can buy used off ebay or a new 35mm Nukeproof Neutron stem is £30 and a set of cranks £40 or so… if you buy used then you will be able to sell them later for little or no loss. (Same with used 26″ wheels you need the older quick release for that bike you need ones with disk hubs so he can use the brakes)

you can also rotate the bars slightly towards the seat and move the seat forwards in the rails (again literally a couple of allen bolts)

Cheers. Well both bikes arrived within a day of each other. One is being picked up for return next week still in its box. Keeping the one that’s the right size – which needs putting together – good we have nice weather! Hopefully it will last more than a year as he’s just had one big growth spurt. It’s basically a small adult – but it’s this one. Not my first choice but hard to find anything in stock.

https://www.frogbikes.co.uk/Mountain-Bike-Frog-MTB-72?whence=

The Frog has the right sized cranks and the tyres on the Kona are absolutely terrible anyway for anything more than a canal towpath. The used bike my mate bought used came with them brand new, they won’t even be used and like the last owner put back on to sell when its time.

Bike is great. Arrived in a few days fully assembled. All good. It’s very lightweight. Will post a photo when I get chance. There were about 6 in stock when I ordered and now it’s out of stock. Perfect sizing for 5’3 and also fits other half at 5’7 with saddle extended. The Kona was returned without opening the box. This pandemic is proving expensive.

Bike has gone down very well with the boy, as you’d expect. Only problem is the brakes aren’t sharp enough. (Hydraulic brakes). They do work but you have to squeeze hard and don’t stop quickly. A bit surprised with a new bike as I thought hydraulic brakes only needed bleeding every year or two. I know nothing about hydraulic brakes either! Any suggestions? Do they need bleeding or is it something to do with the discs? All we did after it arrived was wash it down with soapy water and hose it off (a Covid disinfecting exercise). Hope that hasn’t affected brakes somehow.

New disc pads take time to bed in and should improve after a few rides.

I got my 11 year old lad a gt avalanche 27.5 in small he loves it

So just let them bed in? It’s very slow trying to stop.