I feel like every bike I try to buy for the kid is impossible to buy…
I’m also looking for anything that I can buy for a the cost of single kidney rather than sell both. 👿

There is a load of requirements and current state below…. but presumably the kids I see at FOD Enduro bought them somewhere….. I’m checking Pinkbike… am I missing somewhere these are “secretly” advertised or is it mostly parents selling to other parents when their kid has outgrown???

Requirements are pretty simple…. (I’d have thought)
It needs to pedal on climbs … it needs a dropper and it needs to descend on uplift days. I’d like the chainstays to be shorter than my 27.5 … and him to be able to chuck it about

He has a 24er XC frankenbike at the moment … which will be kept for XC which he fits perfectly (for XC but he can’t get his bum far enough back on the 29er length chainstays 430mm)… and he’s currently 130cm

I have a complete drivetrain and brakes spare…. (and more) including cranks …. I can live with using his current wheels at least for now… and with a bit of messing and minimal cost they can take any combo of axle…. hence I’m leaning towards frame only….

Use of the bike is likely 70% trail with climbs and 20% uplift … the other 10% being using his current bike.

Off the list for pedalling uphill are Kona Stinky (which noone has ever claimed can be pedalled) and the Commencal which isn’t AS heavy but unlikely to fit the 70% use….

Evans as the sole Norco importer have in their wisdom stopped selling the Norco 4.2 … and I don’t think he’s big enough to throw about the Norco 6.2

He’s possibly in the size for a Trek Fuel EX Jnr…. but it can’t be fitted with a dropper and its only 90mm travel … (I’m OK selling one kidney for the dropper…. downhill is fine… uphill is fine but anything combining them we keep stopping to put the saddle up/down….by itself I guess it’s not the deal breaker but its still only 90mm travel and seems a bit marginal for the uplift days and too heavy for kids XC at least for a few years yet…

The Propain etc. (24/26) all seem to defeat the other driving force behind this which is getting away from superlong chainstays…. anything that takes a 26 seems to suffer this… though I’m mystified as to why they can’t get it shorter than my 27.5 (430mm)

I’d buy a used Lil Shredder Phenom – a new one is both kidneys…. but I figure I’ll find hens teeth before I find one of those.

With that in mind I’d settled on buying a Transition Ripcord Frame.
Can’t find one anywhere in the UK.(or the whole bike)… plenty of places claiming to have them but non actually do and I keep getting told Windwave (the Transition UK distributor) are not importing any more .. A couple of places have accepted an order …. (and my money) but then sent a “sorry we’ll (eventually) refund you unless you want to choose something else at the same cost” (Yep sure I’ll stick him on the 29er you are recommending as a replacement)

I found onein Germany yesterday and paid (by CC) …. I’m just waiting for the sorry email in German…. call me a pessimist but they say 2-3 weeks so that sounds like a order rather than in stock…. and I don’t know if that puts this in the same category as the UK though they have a different distributor. 🙄

Transition say “speak to Wavecraft” …. Wavecraft won’t even answer emails.

I’m also getting his aunt to check Poland and Eastern Europe…

Anyway, I guess at this point that means if I’m looking to import from Europe anyway I might consider other options or just abandon the whole idea and wait until he fits a Norco Fluid 2.6 (assuming Evans don’t stop important them next year)?

Kids bikes shouldn’t have a long list of requirements. Let it go fella 😀

Offspring #1 went from a 24 inch frakenbike straight onto an XS Giant Stance. Only 120 travel but has done the job for him.
dropper and some spares bling made it a fine bike.

i miss-read that and was going to suggest you give madonna a call..

Just make them ride any old junk and they will appreciate it when they finally get something that works well.

unless money is no object you are going to have to compromise on something

+1 for the giant stance bought the 11yr old one last yr in a small fit the dropper and its grand with plenty of growing room ,can get on c2w so it only cost 600 (for some reason my work dosnt charge for final payment or any extended hire)

Offspring #1 went from a 24 inch frakenbike straight onto an XS Giant Stance. Only 120 travel but has done the job for him.
dropper and some spares bling made it a fine bike.

Thanks, but I tried him on a 27.5 XS (Whyte T-130 SLX) just to see and he’s miles off … 🙁

Meanwhile the slightly larger option (which he’d grow into but I think is too big right now) of the last Norco 6.2 in the country has just been sold as well… (and is apparently not going to be restocked)

If Lewis fitted an XS I’d have sold you his ripcord

If Lewis fitted an XS I’d have sold you his ripcord

Yep 😀 thanks … and Lewis has 20cm on Ollie….
Still waiting to hear from Germany…. but if not I’ll have a friend call Monday.

Incidentally the last Norco 6.2 in the UK has just gone (literally while I was on the phone to Evans) and it apparently (really helpful guy phoned the purchasing dept) is now classed as a “dead item” and won’t be re-ordered.

I didn’t ask if that included 2018 models….

If you’re looking at some of the Liv full susses be aware that with the frame design and internal dropper the post doesn’t go that far down before it snags.

+1 for XS stance. Worked well enough in the alps