She’s been on islabikes since toddler days but now outgrown her beinn 24. Would have gone for a beinn 26″ without hesitation except…she doesn’t like the colours(!).

Isla’s “proper” mtb (creigg?) fits the bill in all areas other than budget (it’s £700, budget is ~£400).

She’s had a go on a friend’s bike (26″ wheels, 14.5″ / xs frame) and it fits OK. Looking at either:

– new/used complete bike;
– build.

I have various bits lying about for latter so main question there is a good, light, xs frame. Again either new or second hand; would also consider respray of SH frame if in good nick structurally but a bit tired on the paintwork side.

Main thing other than size is weight – as light as possible. Most of her riding is Glentress blue with a little bit of red creeping in. So doesn’t need anything gnarly.

Cheers.

Merida?

My pretty tall nine year old daughter is heading towards the same. She’s going to be onto 26″ wheels soon, from her 24″ Carrera Blast.

So I’ve been gradually been accumulating parts for a while. Looking for good deals on CRC/Wiggle etc, some goodies off the Hong Kong ebay sites, and of course, the good old classifieds on this very site

I got her a Pace RC325 frame, Nice and light, very compact, with a low stand-over. It was dispatched off to the powder coaters. £40 later and she’s got the colour of her ladyships choosing too.

All I’m short of really now is a decent set of forks. Actually…. I’ve not had a proper look on the classifieds today

EDIT: Just looking at Carreras, this looks nice and low standover and a cracking spec for that offer price Carrera Vulcan

You bugger. You’ve got me thinking now!!! 😉

Have exactly same dilemma , just bookmarking this for history. 😉

Can’t speak from experience but I would be looking at a frame only, given the situation.

At 400 quid I would have thought any compete ‘proper’ bike is not going to be light, also not sure how widely xs size would be available in the entry level ranges.

Buying frame only, especially waiting for something second hand, should mean a nicer, lighter frame to hang stuff from. I’d highly recommend putting something in the ‘wanted’ section here, I’ve had really good results, even when asking for something pretty specific.

scott contessa’s have a nice lightish frame

I got my daughter a second hand XS Cannondale CAAD4 after she outgrew her beinn 24, cost around £300 IIRC. short stem, short cranks, wound in the reach adjust on the brakes, serviced the headshok and replaced the oil for 2.5wt and away she went.

then she started high school and the bike has been out once in the last 2 years.

It’s not cool for girls to ride their bike to high school apparently.

Only read the title, but I reckon an 11 year old daughter would be the most practical thing to have next.

@buck53: good suggestion thanks, done! http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wtd-xs145-light-mtb-frame-for-10-year-old-daughter?replies=1#post-5029233

@lovewookie: she looking to get rid of it then?!?

@nedrapier: “Only read the title, but I reckon an 11 year old daughter would be the most practical thing to have next”.

Just snorted tea over keyboard! Not very professional, some quizzical looks from colleagues…

Only read the title, but I reckon an 11 year old daughter would be the most practical thing to have next

Or trade her in for new bike?

Something like this in 14inch:

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/kona-fire-mountain-hardtail-bike-blue-id71342.html?gclid=CMLsw5rowLcCFdLItAodV3YAQQ

Sell the heavy forks, tyres and wheels and put some decent s/h kit on – Fox or Mazocchi airs, 500g tyres and you’ll have a nice bike – did this for my son and daughter and it worked out really well

my two are on cheap alloy frames from th’internet (one from CRC and one Handsome Dog) made up with parts I’ve upgraded or removed from my bike – the youngest’s got an old XT mech and a 9sp XTR trigger ‘cos I’d run out of gripshifters 😳 🙄

Needs an air fork though

Built one of these up from spares when mine was about that age, they are really nice frames: Schwinn Mesa

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/.HandsomeDog-XC01-Frame_6479.htm

I’ve been riding one of these in a 14″ flavour for about 5 years now. All second hand kit from this forum. Cracking ride for delamere forest, canal paths and the daily work run.

only read the title..

What’s the budget..?

A new leg is always a good place to start IMO, two if the budget will stretch that far

It’s not cool for girls to ride their bike to high school apparently.

I push my daughter to nursery past the school, and have just realised all the kids on bikes are always boys. Shame.

Still, if we make sure our daughters grow up with bikes they can always come back to it if/when they’re ready.

Just built my 10 year old a new to him rockhopper fame. Quite old frame, but in good nic. This frame is a 15″,but he had a 13.5″ rockehopper before that. Lovely and comfy frames, better than the 14″ scandal his brother has as the top tube on those is very long.

Built up with 2×9 from my old bike (xt and new deore cranks from rosebikes), some magura air forks and some roval controle wheels (got these at bargain price).

Great and light bike, will try and post pic when I get the time.

Simone

Is puberty not just around the corner…

That will bring with it its very own upgrades – upgrades from sweet little child to complete and utter mentalist aka woman.

I’ve now got a 24inch kona stinky for the boy -10yr old. Ditched the dual ply minion 2.4 tyres and super heavy Marrzochi fork for now (probably take them to the alp). Put on an old RS Reba. He’s now trying to jump off anything he can find and his mum had to ride in front of him at Swinley since she couldn’t watch riding behind him hammering round the berms!

My lad, who is now 11, went up from a Beinn 24 to a Beinn 26 a while back… but I wanted to get him something with some suspension to give him more confidence downhill. It’s not easy, as most entry HTs are heavy, and many don’t come in XS. In the end I managed to get him a 13″ Rockhopper, which with a short stem and narrower flat bars seems to be about right, though it’s been a challenge getting the front end low enough. Ideally I’d have got something with an air fork as even the soft spring on a Dart 3 gives very little travel as he’s so light… but that starts to get expensive. Budget for this was about £275 with mods.

What about an ex hire bike from Glentress? I got a Genisis Core for number one daughter a couple of years ago for £400, I think they may be a bit dearer now but still good value.
Keep an eye on the classifieds here as well, small bikes seem less common but I managed to get a 14″ Scandal for number two daughter from a nice chap on here at a very good price, it’s better specced than my own bike!

Abernethy has a great range of Mountain Bikes for sale, from £150 to £310, some of which are only 5 months old! Contact the office on 01557 820261 or barcaple@abernethy.org.uk for more information.

Some are 13.5″ Giant’s of various kinds I am informed…

I bought a 14″ pompetamine frame/forks and new 26″ wheels and used some spare stuff to build her a singlespeed.
It weighs almost nothing, has two ratios (takes a couple of mins to switch using a surly tugnut for tensioning), stops on a sixpence thanks to stroker trail brakes and looks cool.
If money becomes available I’ll put a hub gear on it but for now it’s fab.

Untitled

Got a picture now, just finished this build for my 10 year old. 24.7lbs as its on the picture (heavy padals, seatpost and saddle!). Its built around a 15″ rockhopper frame (I think an older ladies frame). Cost about £350 to build, but I still had the brakes, shifters, headset and tyres in the shed.

Hey moniex. How tall is your son, if you don’t mind me asking? Thinking of building something up for my son from the parts bin but I a worried a 26in wheel frame will be too big.

Hi Hopster, I will measure him in the morning, but I think he is about 1.45m at the moment (picture was taken today). This is his second 26″ bike though, he had a 13.5″ rockhopper before this, I think since he was about 8 and 1.35m ish. Only really changed to this slightly bigger frame as is was blue (his favorite colour) and I got a decent price for the other bike. I do believe this blue one to be an old womens frame, so I think the top tube is the same as the 13.5″ frame he had before this.

Short stem, shorter cranks, not too wide bars and air forks are the key I think. Light wheels if you can get any cheap. his other rockhopper had duke air forks (rockshox) and they worked great and were not expensive.

This was the other one:

Again, go for a small frame with a short top tube. We also have a 14″ scandal (his big brothers) and that is not as suitable as it has a long top tube. Ok now he is 12, but not so good for the little ones.

Will measure him tomorrow, including the inside leg.

We are in Norwich, travel to sherwood and Thetford quite a if you want to give the bike a try.

Simone

Hi Simone,
Just got back from a ride. Measurements would be great if you have time. Its his birthday later this month and I might try and get it built up before then.

Cheers

Used Giant Talon 2W if you can find one in XS/S. We have a Talon 1W and it is an absolute joy. Before that we had a Kona Blast Deluxe in 14″ frame. Heavy forks, but it never struggled at Afan, Cwmcarn or Swinley when ridden by my 10yo.

I built this for my 11 year old daughter:

Jessie’s Turner Something by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Mostly 2nd hand bits, but over your budget still. She’s 12 now and already outgrowing it. Lighter is definitely better at that age IME.

^^ blimey Alex, glad my daughters have gone back home to their mum just now, I’d have lost next months salary had they seen that,,, nice!!

Giant XTC in extra small.
Or any 26″ wheel frame where the top tube carries on past the seat tube to the seat stay, so its one straight line from headset to wheel.
Then add an old air fork.
Both can be got from ebay for less then your budget.
Thats what I did for my 10 yr old anyway.

Alex why go for full sus if lighter is better (which I very much agree with btw) – does your daughter need full sus?

Went through this a coule of months ago with my 10yr old son, we built up a 13″ Rockhopper from a mix of new & used parts came in around £350

Link to original post: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bike-build-with-pics

Because I saw the frame and couldn’t resist! She’d be fine on a ht but she loves this bike so I’m glad I did. It is not a light frame even in xxs but with an air hock, light wheels etc its still a decent climber and a hoot downhill.

Have you had a look at “Frog” bikes?
LINKY
Supposed to be in a similar vein to Islabikes.

Thanks all, lots of good stuff. Have found a 2nd hand creig in good nick so hard not to go with that. Though daughter did say “aww, I thought we were going to build a bike together!”. Gulp. How do you say no to that….? (yeah I know, you don’t…).