Vet This 1st MTB Decision or School Me Accordingly

[SchralphMacchio]

You can set him up on a Medium frame with 780mm wide bars and a 50mm stem, after 1-2 growth spurts put an 80mm stem on it. It should last until he’s 5’ 11” before his knees start getting too close to the bars to be fun.

Personally I think FS for a 12 year old is a bit silly, but I’m sure I’ll be eating my words and getting my daughter a nice one well before that age ... (I mean I’m planning on building her a backyard pump track next year and she’s not even 1 yet)

I agree with 26 or 27.5” wheel suggestions for that age. They have a lower center of gravity and easier to manipulate / play around with while learning bike skills.

Giant and Diamondback make the best bikes for the money. I don’t know that Giant is evil, I mean sure it’s the largest bike manufacturer in the world, but are they waging brand terrorism like Backcountrydotcom? Seems like anything you spend will be an upgrade on what he’s on now, what’s more important is if you can upgrade yourself too and ride with him!

Edit: additional thoughts, used sub-$1k 110-130mm travel bike with midlevel components, if he breaks the thing then by the time he’s 5’ 11” you’ll know he’s ready for a legit 140mm+ travel bike. If he doesn’t, you’ll help him save for college and maybe he’ll want a nice car before a nice bike.

[54-46]

Along these lines, and not just for the OP, I have a 26” Titus Racer X (L) around if anyone around the Bay Area needs a formerly great but inexpensive and real MTB bike that size.

[XXX-er]

it depends on the kid, my youngest was easy on any gear and after a year stuff would not even be broken in, the oldest kid it would be broken

[SchralphMacchio]

Additional thoughts on 780-800mm wide bars, you can get lock on grips with screw in bar plugs, and slide the lock ons in to like 750mm width and move out by 5-10mm on each side every few months or so. It might look silly, but I remember how many growth spurts I had from 12-15!

I’m about to try this strategy out on my 800mm bars on my winter/loaner bike. I like my bars around 760 or so (I’m 5’ 8”) but taller riders will appreciate the 780-800 range.

[bodywhomper]

Edit: additional thoughts, used sub-$1k 110-130mm travel bike with midlevel components, if he breaks the thing then by the time he’s 5’ 11” you’ll know he’s ready for a legit 140mm+ travel bike. If he doesn’t, you’ll help him save for college and maybe he’ll want a nice car before a nice bike.

^^does this exist? As FS? If it exists as a FS, how about as a HT, but obviously I little bit less $$$?

[SchralphMacchio]

For 26” medium frame it shouldn’t be that hard to find a early 2010’s Stumpjumper, or like an SC Superlight or similar sub $1000, with mixed Deore/SLX/Sram X7 components, and a Fox Float CTD and Fox 32 fork (or RS Monarch shock and RS Recon fork).

I got lucky but I bought my first FS bike, a 120mm Norco Fluid with Deore components for $850 used after 2-3 seasons. This was 11 years ago before the rampant price inflation in the industry. Still, I bet a used 26” Trance or Anthem SX can be found sub $1000 with decent components.

[SchralphMacchio]

Bodywhomper, where are you gonna be riding? Hoot? Downieville?

[bodywhomper]

Bodywhomper, where are you gonna be riding? Hoot? Downieville?

This would be for a 14 year old. 5’6” at the moment. Riding would be local: eg, round mtn, yuba trail, pioneer trial and spurs (eg, hoot, Scotts), maybe some bike parks, and many other trails I’m not going to list. If he gets really into it, maybe we’ll venture further up the hill and also to forest city. His interests are pretty vast and specific interest in riding ebbs and flows at the moment. I’m not convinced that a FS is a good investment for him. He just outgrew an old HT.

[alewi11]

Any interest in an old medium Transition Covert with a beat to hell frame? Would come with a coil and air shock. Has the old Pike coil on it and a newish 1x drivetrain. Needs a crankset though. $300

[mattig]

Not for a Christmas present probably.

He's actually so happy with the CL beater I found that I might be off the hook until summer. Got a pair of skis in the attic that I picked up on mega clearance at stp with a code that will work for x-mas.



Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[alewi11]

Nice. Waiting till summer is probably the best call anyway. He could easily be 6 inches taller by then.

[bodywhomper]

Somebody is selling a dmr trailside (26") by me that looks like a nice build on an older but still bomber frame. It looks like a slack geometry, too. Under $500. I'm under the impression that it's not too stupid to be buying 26" bikes if the rest of the bike is all good. Especially for a kid. This is kinda what i have been lookibg for.

Thoughts and feelings?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums mobile app