If anybody has experience of using a small pompino as a kids bike I’d like to hear from you…… hello Epicyclic 🙂

Daughter at 11 years.

Good wee bikes.

Nice one. How did the bike weight work out, nad how did she get on with SS?
Thinking of one for my daughter (also 11) but set up with flat bars for general messing around.

She didn’t have any problem with the weight or the single speed. It was simply a matter of gearing it ok. She did the ‘Puffer solo on a SS at 13.

(I offered her gears but she didn’t want them.)

Interetsing. How suitable as a general muck-around bike would you say the pompino is then, OK or could be better. A 14″ Inbred or similar is also an option.

The Pompino is one of the under-rated gems of the bike world IMO. It can do anything competently.

Everyone should have one in their shed, either SS or hub gear.

It handles well either on or off the road. Mine has seen plenty singletrack use and felt good. Obviously you have to allow for the skinny tyres if you do that.

If I had to have only one bike, it would be a Pompino.

If it was a USA product, it would have a fancy name, flasher paint, and a big price.

epicyclo +1 – they’re ace bikes! I bet your daughter’s is lighter and faster than any of her friends’ bikes. And really robust too.

Here’s LadyAlex riding her small disco one I built for her recently:

A small Inbred might be a bit too much to handle for a youngster due to the extra length and weight.

Are the Pompino’s lighter than a comparable sized inbred/456 then?

Simon, that looks great. How did you put disks on it or is a Pompetamine?

Yes they’re a lot lighter than an Inbred, especially a 456!

Alex’s is a Pompetamine, and mine’s a 120mm Pompino “upgraded” with a Pompetamine fork:

I can see a plan coming together 🙂

If only I could afford an Alfine 😥 – I reckon it could be the perfect bike for a girl wanting a cool do-it-all bike.
Simon, although disks look great, can you fit rim brakes to the Pompetamine? I’m just thinking that as they’re lighter (and daughter #1 is pretty small) they’d do for now and i could upgrade to disks later.
Similarly, could I build a SS and then fit an alfine hub later if funds allowed?

Unfortunately the Pompetamine frame is disc only, so you’d need to bodge something with bolt-on V-brake bosses: Yuk!

But yes the Pompetamine is Alfine-ready – I think that was the point of it!

Pompino – 120mm rear end
Pompetamine – 135 rear end.

You can’t get an Alfine into a Pompino, but you can get Sturmey-Archer 3 speed or 5 speed hubs in there no problem. I have a 3 speed in mine and it’s all that is needed. The S-A hubs are much lighter than the Alfine which is an advantage for a child.

OK, so possible combinations are:
Pompino: no disks, SS or SA hub, 29″ wheel only
Pompetamine: disk only, SS, SA or Alfine, 26″ or 29″ wheel.

Pompino would seem to work out the lightest but with fewer options.
I’m sure there’s a disadvantage to 26″ wheel (not sure what it is) but I’m thinking a 26″ wheel might be better for youngsters – would this work?

My daughter was ok on the 700c wheels. The small frame is small enough for most kids that age.

Simple bike, don’t over egg it.

How small a frame would you need for a 5’7″ shortie?

I’m sure there’s a disadvantage to 26″ wheel (not sure what it is) but I’m thinking a 26″ wheel might be better for youngsters – would this work?

It will reduce standover a little, but not materially (if using road tyres). Most 650c wheeled road bikes also tend to have a shorter wheelbase, which obv you can’t change. However, it will have an effect on gearing – check Sheldon.

How small a frame would you need for a 5’7″ shortie?

I’m 5’7″ – I ride road bikes in the 52-54cm range (depending on top tube length). So, might be worth working round that area in the equiv Pomp sizing. Not ridden a Pomp, though (much as I’d like to).

Don’t go thinking you’d get a 29″ wheel in them!!! 700x35c is max tyre size – probably not much different to a 2.5″ tyre on a 26″ MTB wheel 🙂

Think a Pompetamine would be any good for my 5’3″ GF? I have an Alfine/disc/26″ wheel donor bike.

Would be very interested to know the BB height, standover and head angle of the small frame?

I have an Alfine/disc/26″ wheel donor bike

The pedals might drag on the floor if you stick 26″ wheels and narrow tyres on it!

I just measured Alex’s bike and the BB height on 700x32c tyres is 11″ with standover at 29″ measured from the ground through the BB to the top of the toptube. Don’t know the head angle, but the steering is perfectly fast on my large frame – it might be different on the small frame, I can’t ride that at all due to chronic toe overlap with my manfeet using 170mm cranks.

The pedals might drag on the floor if you stick 26″ wheels and narrow tyres on it!

With normal tyres it should only be about 10mm lower if that. I’m sure the cranks aren’t 175mm plus…

29″ in the standover is still a bit too high though, especially if I plumped for a longer fork.

With normal tyres it should only be about 10mm lower

700c = 622mm diameter, 26″ MTB wheels = 559mm diameter. So you’ll be looking at a 31mm lower BB but with increased standover clearance of course.

especially if I plumped for a longer fork

Presumably to compensate for the smaller wheels? Sounds like a monster!

700c = 622mm diameter, 26″ MTB wheels = 559mm diameter. So you’ll be looking at a 31mm lower BB but with increased standover clearance of course.

but regular tyres will add at around 20mm to the radius, hence my 10mm figure

especially if I plumped for a longer fork

80-100mm air fork to save her delicate wrists…

Sounds like a monster!

Wait until I get into putting on some cruiser bars…

any small pompetamines I can borrow?

I’m not sure what you mean by “regular tyres”. The Pompetamine takes up to 35mm according to On-one. I’m starting to think that you might be better off with a mountain bike!

I could try to put a 26×1.85″ into Alex’s Pompetamine if you want. Not near Nottingham are you?

I run Schwalbe Marathon Racers 40mm in my Pompino. Just can’t have the wheel all the way forward, but that’s not really a problem.

As requested by Ted, here’s a 26″ tyre in a small Pompetamine:

It’s a 26 x 1.85″ WTB Nanoraptor on an XC717. I think it’s a bit too close for comfort, but it would work. BB height would drop about an inch from 700 x 32c.

Thanks for doing the test Si. I’ll put build pics up once I’m done but off on holiday for 3 weeks tomorrow so it’s not going to be for a while.

Frame/forks/wheels look lovely in white and duaghter #1 likes it a lot! A quick standover test (with simulated tyres!) last night showed that, although she’s just under 5′ now, she will be OK and by xmas it will probably fit her perectly 🙂

Pompino – 120mm rear end
Pompetamine – 135 rear end.

You can’t get an Alfine into a Pompino.

Lies…

mk1 pompino’s are also 135mm rear spacing, if you can find one.

Saccades – Member
“…You can’t get an Alfine into a Pompino.”
Lies…
mk1 pompino’s are also 135mm rear spacing, if you can find one.

I knew that – my son is riding around on my first Pompino (135mm).

But they are not available now except secondhand, and likely to be well used by now.

Sorry if it came over a tad harsh – I forgot to put 😉

Only 2nd hand true but therefore cheaper and as it’s a steel frame a cheap powdercoat and it’s back to new.