Trail bike for 7+ year old. 20 or 24 inch? What's out there?

[jerlane]

I'm curious if you guys are letting your kids ride some of the nicer mountain bikes as their "daily drivers?" I'm not afraid to spend a bit more for a decent bike especially if they retain their value well, but it would be pretty painful if the bike were to walk away from the park or a friends house. I'm not sure how much I can rely on my kid to lock the bike up well.

[bio-smear]

I'm curious if you guys are letting your kids ride some of the nicer mountain bikes as their "daily drivers?"

This is a very good question and the answer is "fuck no."

These bikes will be for shredding on our property or trips with dad to the trails. My kids are young and don't yet have the sense for "everybody wants to steal my shit" that I've been burdened with in my life.

[bio-smear]

I I highly recommend checking out the Nukeproof Cub Scout 24: https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/.../rp-prod202633

Maybe throw in a cheap Brand X dropper while you're on CRC and you're fully styled: https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/.../rp-prod159176

That Cub Scout is gorgeous. I'm a huge sucker for yellow.

I appreciate everyone's input. Looks like my response post I had drafted got abandoned in my tab shuffling. The Jeffsy 24 and Ripcode are so badass....maybe in the next 2 years. Right now I definitely want them on hardtails to build a foundation.

The Giant/Liv STP 24 looks like a decent option but TBH I hate going to LBS, and it's an hour away in Duluth. That's what I liked about the Spawns; the box showed up, you assemble, and go. No offense to my LBS bros.

[VTskibum]

I'm curious if you guys are letting your kids ride some of the nicer mountain bikes as their "daily drivers?" I'm not afraid to spend a bit more for a decent bike especially if they retain their value well, but it would be pretty painful if the bike were to walk away from the park or a friends house. I'm not sure how much I can rely on my kid to lock the bike up well.

Generally I do give them a bit of leeway to ride around to friends houses in my neighborhood now and then. Though neither are riding a YT Jeffsy, Trailcraft, or Spawn which would probably change my tune. Ironically my daughter has a $150 BMX bike that she only rides on our pump track, would have her ride that thing to friends but our neighborhood is hilly enough to pretty much require gears. Interestingly basically none of the other kids in my neighborhood ride bikes as a result, many have stupid electric scooters or worse electric razor motobikes.

[Meconium]

Cub Scout price is a bit wank for US customers. Now that they have US distribution, not sale eligible?

[Dantheman]

The Jeffsy 24 and Ripcode are so badass....maybe in the next 2 years. Right now I definitely want them on hardtails to build a foundation.

Dude, get the Jeffsy, that price is just silly. You will not regret it, especially since you said lifts are going to be involved. I know a boatload of kids that got FS bikes at your kid's age and every one can descend like a fucking demon now. The old "start on a hardtail to build skills" idea is as silly as making kids ski powder on skinny skis. Sure, keep a BMX and/or DJ in the stable, but a FS absolutely will not inhibit skill development. I got yer "foundation" right here: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b5b97fb111.jpg

Also, all due respect to the Ripcord as it broke new ground in this territory at a time when no major bike company offered anything similar, but Transition hasn't updated it since it launched 8 years ago and it's a dated bike now. If you can find a great price on a used one, sure, but when YT is selling the Jeffsy for $1600 NIB you should get the Jeffsy all day long.

[bio-smear]

I got yer "foundation" right here: https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b5b97fb111.jpg

Holy shit! That's sick!

[MarcusBrody]

I'm curious if you guys are letting your kids ride some of the nicer mountain bikes as their "daily drivers?" I'm not afraid to spend a bit more for a decent bike especially if they retain their value well, but it would be pretty painful if the bike were to walk away from the park or a friends house. I'm not sure how much I can rely on my kid to lock the bike up well.

My son rides his Woom Off 4 everywhere, including to school where it's in a somewhat locked fenced area but not locked up itself during school hours. If we go to town on our bikes, we usually have cable locks, which aren't very secure, but would prevent it from walking off. I'd be very grumpy if it was stolen, but bike theft isn't gigantic in our town so we risk it. If it was one of the $1500 FS bikes, I might think differently.

[Touring_Sedan]

I'm curious if you guys are letting your kids ride some of the nicer mountain bikes as their "daily drivers?" I'm not afraid to spend a bit more for a decent bike especially if they retain their value well, but it would be pretty painful if the bike were to walk away from the park or a friends house. I'm not sure how much I can rely on my kid to lock the bike up well.

Yes, the boy rides his bike to and from school as well to friends homes in the neighborhood. We're in a pretty low crime area. His bike is also Airtagged.

[stapes]

Subscribing for future reference. Recently turned 8yo may need a new bike this year, although I’m hoping it can wait until next year.

[Meconium]

20/24” FS “Trail bikes” is kind of like the fog of war. Depends on what family or kid gravitates to.
In my mind FS kid trail bikes don’t really exist other than the Maxwell. 140mm 30+lbs kid “trail” (park bikes) probably kick ass for strapping on a full face and hitting the parks, jump lines and shuttling.
But 8-10mi rides with an 8–10 year old 50lb kid with a mix of climbing/hikeabike is more of a struggle bus recipe for not wanting to pedal much…… ever.

Guess I went more the XC/trail hardtail direction and or bikes more appropriate for longer days pedaling vs the down because I’m a curmudgeon. Worked out, kid like to mtb. If more into the youtube/red bull stuff I would have gone that direction without too much killjoy.

I’d spend the extra money on some bike camps vs extra bling bike if push came to shove.

[grskier]

I was about to pull the trigger on a jeffsey for the 10 year old, that would get passed to the 7 year old next year or the year after, but a friend just hit us up with a diamondback sync'r 24" for next to nothing. It only solves like 1/2 of the "problems"... but it's better and it's 1/8th of the price I was about to spend.

[bio-smear]

The old "start on a hardtail to build skills" idea is as silly as making kids ski powder on skinny skis. .

I'm not sure I agree. I spent all my formative years on a BMX bike because...MTBs just didn't exist. Maybe Fisher and Ritchey were chasing each other around but we'd never heard of it in rural Oregon.

Later when I did discover MTB it was years of hardtail action. Then I built a small-for-me build for trials and street. I had more fun on that bike shredding campus...

I don't want to play battle of the old guys but there's just something about a hardtail with good short geometry that makes for a good all-arounder. Plus, everyone should know how to rock-in a hard landing on a rigid frame. I dunno, maybe you are right. Insert a 20" BMX to satisfy that stuff... If ever catch my kid taking off the brakes though I will confiscate it.

All my new bikes dreams area on hold as the wife also needs an upgrade. Still beating on my old 2007 Norco Six for everything.

[El Chupacabra]

Hardtails are awesome. Everyone should have at least one.

N+1...

[skinipenem]

Anyone know the approximate standover height on the jeffsy?

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

[schuss]

Hardtails are awesome. Everyone should have at least one.

N+1...

Seriously. I ride my hardtail 90% of the time because the trails are pretty mellow in my immediate vicinity.

[Dantheman]

I never said no one should own a hardtail. I own one and love it. But, it wouldn't want my only bike to be a hardtail and most kids are limited to N=1. Also, that current Jeffsy price is basically the same as a nice hardtail. In two years that bike will resell for at least $1200.

[Doremite]

40% off sale 24”

https://www.clearybikes.com/products...Pt8Y%3D.Hhku2y

[carlh]

Tempting but how is it 27lbs. A woom off air is only 23

40% off sale 24”

https://www.clearybikes.com/products...Pt8Y%3D.Hhku2y

[Dantheman]

Heavy fork and plus tires.

[Duffman]

So jumping on this , got my son a Cannondale Cujo 24 last year. Def adequate for our local trails, but wanted to do a few cheapish upgrades. He could use some lower gears fro climbing , so was curious how hard it would be to cheaply go to a 10 or 11 spd setup. Also any advice on cheap but decent hydro or better mech brakes? This is also his every day ride around town so don't want to go crazy with the $$$

[Meconium]

MicroShift makes wider range 8spd Cassettes for under $30. You might be able to just clean up the rotors and try a different pad and clown bike it to bed them in yourself if comfortable riding that thing downhill on the road.

Shimano BR-MT201, basic TEKTRO hydraulics or Magura can be cheap from Europe.
Probably get a set of any of the above for under $100 online.

[Dantheman]

So jumping on this , got my son a Cannondale Cujo 24 last year. Def adequate for our local trails, but wanted to do a few cheapish upgrades. He could use some lower gears fro climbing , so was curious how hard it would be to cheaply go to a 10 or 11 spd setup. Also any advice on cheap but decent hydro or better mech brakes? This is also his every day ride around town so don't want to go crazy with the $$$

Cheap brakes:
https://www.jensonusa.com/Magura-CT4-Brake-Set
https://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-BR-MT201-Disc-Brake

MicroShift makes some really cheap wide-range 10 sp drivetrains. You could probably also get a Deore 11-42 10 sp setup for under $150.

[VTskibum]

Those Shimano MT201 are phenomenal for the $$$. Running them on my dirt jumper and my daughters bike. Tektro makes some pretty good ones at low cost.

Second or third Microshift drivetrains for kids bike.

I also added a Manitou Markhor 26" fork for my daughters bike which has been great upgrade. Light enough and running very low fork air pressure is decent vs the rigid fork it replaced.

[grskier]

Well... this is why those YTs were cheaper last few weeks:

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-...65cm-4555.html