Make sure it’s not a Fox fork

Thanks for that tip, that works for me because they are generally v expensive, but I’ll stop looking around for those.

I think the main issue will be the damper side. At 58kg I struggle with forks feeling too harsh; Charger damper 1, and Charger 2 both wide open are just about OK for me but not perfect.

At 35kg you will need to use a very light oil, or even modify the damper to allow more oil flow.

I remember reading on some old threads (that I can’t find any more) about using light weight oils on an air fork for kids. Might be something with a bit of trial and error. Also, over the next few years he’ll hopefully grow into it a bit more (goodness knows he eats me out of house and home, still skinny as a rake though)!

In an ideal world you’d get a coil fork as they are plusher and would give you better small hit sensitivity, but getting springs for low weights isn’t very easy.

Thanks Akira and you raise an important question over coils that I have been mulling. I have considered this as I’ve seen some cheap 2nd hand rockshox 30 medium coil forks (I guess because people upgrading to air) and thought about getting an x soft coil, but I’m not sure if he’s still just too light for it? Or are there other aftermarket coils that would work at his weight?

Thanks for the input, I’ll give it a miss. As posted in the classifieds now.

FYI – less blurry pic here:

Ok, ta, sounds like a miss then. I’m looking for a 27.5 inch light (so<2kg) air fork.

QR would be handy as I have some QR 26 wheels (although they are a bit heavier than I would like) to put on then now (and idea to change to 27.5 wheels as he grows) but if I have to try and get a 15*100/110 then that would be ok too.

And nothing too pricey. Seen newish Suntour Raidons or older Rockshox TK silver just in the price bracket but open to suggestions. He’s light (9yo, about 35kg) so I’m going to need to change our old etc I believe. But very happy for any suggestions as to what to look out for.

It’s definitely chipped of that’s what you mean

It’s exactly that some one got heavy handed removing it. Not sure what you mean by indented?

I sorted my fram – got a new Brand X one. Fork is the main problem at the moment (thought I had sorted one, but hadn’t!)

I’m getting there, but still trying to sort the fork on this. Any opinions on a Suntour Radion 27.5 fork. Seem to be not too much heavier than say a reba and relatively robust. Do you think these can be adjusted down to be usable for a 35kg kid? Thanks

Nothing at all that can be done? I’ve seen people say they can fill in stone chips a bit, but not sure if the scrape would just leak oil anyway?

Any ideas for a cheap way to resurrect it?

And are the lowers likely to have been damaged too? I’m wondering if at least the lowers might act as reasonable spares for another 26″ fork I have.

Ok, going for that chainring, another item off the list…Back to headset!

Trying again with the image:

View post on imgur.com

Quick question – does this look ok to more learned eyes in terms of not being too worn:

@dogthomson That was the height mine was when he just turned 8, he’s now 4ft 10 less than a year later! It is a bit of an awkward height in terms of you might only get a year out of a 24 inch bike. I don’t know if you can do a small 26inch build and put 24 inch wheels on it to start with (like the suggestion for me to get a 27.5 inch frame and start with 26 in wheels).

On the subject of 24″, I just found a rockshox hydra fork that I thought I had lost – I got it for the 24 inch build that I never got around to doing, 1.3kg and nice motion, think its 80mm travel. Anyone any idea what it might be worth??

Thanks again @rossburton for the suggestion. The ZS56/30 all appear out of stock there too, humph. But will keep an eye for when back in stock.

Thanks @rossburton.

Another q question – would https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/brand-x-headset-44-56iiss-sealed/rp-prod130950 work with the brand x frame if using a straight steerer.

If so, annoyingly that one is out of stock, so if there are alternatives in that price range, much appreciated!

Cheers

I think I’m tempted to go with 152 for now, he’s coming from 140 so it’s probably a better step. And I’ve found some bmx cranks at 160 that aren’t too pricey that he can move to in time if needed.

Regarding chainring, is it a 104bcd narrow wide that I need (going on the Suntour Junior + 11speed shimano xt). And would there be any major problems with getting used – the chainrings that I’ve had always seem to last forever?

Just measured the blighter and according to the highpath website he needs 160mm cranks. I was planning on the £30 Suntour jobby, but they are 152mm. Humph. Anyone know any half decent make of cheapish 160mm cranks, most seem to start at 165mm+?

Cheers, I had flicked through the manuals and decided the 05-08 Reba’s must be the right one so thanks for the confirmation. It seems to have quite a nice motion to it, any advice @cookeaa for looking after it. Think I need give it a service and who knows when it was last done! Any ideas on best place to get seals etc.

The pintrest pic suggests its a 2005, but other pics of 2005 look differnt on the graphics. And thanks on that re Trailhead…

Thanks everyone, very helpful.

I went on the trailhead part of the rockshox website and it wants a serial number in the format “Ex: 16T73323397″… Or am I looking in the wrong place?

Thanks for those links, they are helpful for (slowly) improving my understanding of what is going on inside a fork, but also on the travel adjustment.

Ta for the thoughts stevextc. Seems like I’ve narrowed it to a few options with the safety in knowing that none of them are truly terrible, they just are going to take different amounts of money, time and effort!

Bit more searching and found some cheaper 27.5x QR, along the lines of a (i) Rockshox 30 TK Silver solo air 100mm travel and (ii) TK 30 Gold solo air with 110mm travel.

Anyone know if these can be adjusted to 120mm travel?

I know these re low end forks, but they appear light enough and I think could be good enough to start with I think as long as they will be ok with a lightweight kid.

I’m not so keen on the 27.5 tyre on a 26 fork. To be clear my convoluted plan is

1) Oldest on 27.5S frame +26 120mm Reba fork +26 wheel. I **think** based on A-C differrence this would throw the front geo down by 10mm vs 27.5 120mm fork +26 wheel.
2) When he grows get a 27.5 wheelset with the right hub for a thruaxle + 27.5 fork.
3) Youngest inherits 26 fork +26 wheels. In time he would move to 27.5 wheels + fork.

Upsides – overall probably easier than re-hubbing the wheel I have, or finding a decent used affordable QR 27.5 fork and cheaper than a new wheel, and push the problem of finding a 27.5 fork to another point in time (and the ££ to another time). The cost of the extra 26 fork that I will get and sell in many years time is low (seen one that is happily inside budget) and I’ll get plenty of use out of it.

Downsides – Geo impact. What else am I missing?

But really appreciating the comments – as you can tell, I’m a bit rubbish at this, but got to start somewhere.

Thanks both, so the weight shouldn’t be an issue then.

Regarding the 26 fork idea, there was some additional background thinking which is why I was exploring it. in that once he’s done with the wheel, my youngest would soon be migrating to a 26 wheel and that’s why I don’t mind doubling up on fork purchases over time (and spreading the cost over a few birthdays!). So if I did get a 26 fork would 120mm be too low for the geometry?

Thanks for that, I had forgotten about the highpath website. I’ll remeasure his inside leg and have a consider.

My two posts above the fork are a bit messy, so those can be ignored and I’ll re-ask with some updated info below…

The wheel I’d like to use them with is a 26 on an A2Z hub, which is QR, so I assume a 9×100. I understand that I can’t adjust this to take a thruaxle.

So my thoughts are either a 27.5 QR fork, or is there a way to make a 26 QR fork work , and then I can sort out a 27.5 fork when ready to move to 27.5 wheels? I’ve been offered a 120mm 26 QR Reba, but I assume that this will actually drop the front by 19mm? Is that going to look daft or mess up the ride; I suppose you could space up the bars so those are level.

My second thought is weight. He’s approx 35kg, which I imagine means that any fork is going to have it’s work cut out. I think from memory of looking at 24″ builds that you can change the oil so they are just about effective at this weight? Is that right?

Correction, so the front wheel is a Stans Alpine on an A2Z hub. Currently using a qr and I make it right 110m between very edge of hub (I e where qr goes in).

One further question, now switching to forks… I’ll need a 27.5, ideally tapered fork. The 26 wheels (Crest Alpine) I have are on standard novatech QR hubs, but most of the forks I see are some kind of through axle. Is there a way to get the wheels to fit on those through axle forks without changing the hubs on the wheel?

Thanks so much for this. the CRC Brand X frame is looking good right now…

I’m getting some resistance from the wife who is (maybe rightly) picturing a half built bike, a frustrated dad and a sulking teenager. But, I’m still keen and I probably need to get costs a little straight first…

Question on chainset: I’m keen to get an appropriate crank length and https://www.amazon.co.uk/SR-SUNTOUR-T-202-Chainsets-Mountain/dp/B0029MP3AO was suggested in another thread. What BB is going to be needed. Also if I wanted to run a 1×11 config, can I just swap out the middle ring, or is there a way to lose the other rings for aesthetic and weight reasons. Or happy to have another economical suggestion on crankset.

Thanks so much for this, really helped me know what to do. So now I’m looking for a small/15 inch frame for 27.5 wheels, but put on 26 wheels and the CRC frame looks very good.

Question on the fork. That CRC frame suggests a 120mm fork. Numpty question probably but it’s it ok to get 27.5 fork and put on 26 wheels (I’ll be using disc brakes).

Thanks, I’ve been leaving to that idea actually. And the CRC one looks interesting.

One quick question, seen a couple of trek (marlin4) and specialised (hotrock). Are the frames on those not too heavy. I can see the overall weight of the bikes is large, but can’t tell if that’s just heavy components!

And he’s measured up as 4 ft 10 today, so wondering if the CRC small will be too big, or does putting 26 wheels on it fix that?

A look around eBay isn’t finding too much of interest. Is a Scott voltage junior any good? Stock weight is heavy though, so not sure if it’s heavy components or the frame or what…

Thanks for the replies, realise I probably should have mentioned on the lookout for a HT.

Any HT suggestions (looking for second hand, happy to also take a whole bike if not too expensive and upgrade from there).

Thanks for the replies. The suggestions here showed me stems that I didn’t know even existed. Picked up a cheap BBB that hinges in front of the step (BHS 29) so will try that. If I need a bit more height or the reach isn’t quite right will then try a different one!

“The other thing worth noting is for a 104 BCD crank 32T is about as small as you can remove without having to remove the crank…

So if you want flexibility its a couple of minutes to fit a larger chainring … without the hassle of removing the crank to do so.“

I was going to with the hoy crank chainset – so it come in 32t or 36t; doesn’t look like an easy switch over for that one.

Thanks again all, I have the 32T chainset as that was my thinking, but only have a few days to change my mind; so it is helpful to take stock!

OK, thanks for the posts, that is somewhat reassuring – although my sprog will be a bit younger and I fear that he won’t slow down his vertical aspirations.

Rossburton – that is exactly the line of thinking I have been using to justify this folly to my wife. It’s only that I need to invest in some wheels which won’t be transferable that I am now pausing.

One other side question – I’m planning on going 1×11 on it. Picked up a decent priced XT mech and a sunrace 11-46 cassette for reasonable money. What the verdict from experience, 32T or 36T front chainring?

Hmm, I’m at the stage of looking for a bit of reassurance as I’m getting a bit concerned about how long my sprog will be in a 24 inch bike!

Anyone here with tall boys/girls and can advise as to how long their kids have spent on the 24 inch wheel format bike before moving on…

My sprog has just hit six and just over 125cm and going up fast. I only got him a 20 inch bike last Xmas! <span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>I was planning on starting the build (collecting bits and bobs now though but haven’t got the wheelset) around December this year so its ready for Spring next year. Just concerned that we will spend effort putting a bike together, respray etc and then he’ll be out of it in a year.</span>

Was just on the Isla website and noticed that they’ve changed the Creig to be 11 NX speed and 11kg (instead of 10 speed and 10.5kg).

Wondering what people think of that  – have those with little ones found a 11-36 10sp cassette sufficient (which is what I was thinking of using) or have they found instances when 11-42 would be required – and if so when?

I’m thinking 11-36 will be sufficient for most needs throughout the lifetime of the 24 inch bike (which he will be in around this time next year), maybe a bigger range on the next 26 inch bike down the line…