Useful Information

Dave has over 8 years in the mountain bike industry, and more than thirty on a mountain bike!

The below articles are a collection of his thoughts and opinions which may be helpful.

How to buy kids’ bikes

Some of the most frequent questions I get asked is “can you recommend a bike for my child”, and “is this second hand bike worth buying”. My answer is usually more lengthy than people expect, but that’s because there have been several very recent changes in the bike industry that must be appreciated before any window shopping start.

If you read on, I’ll explain why you need to get the right bike for the child, when and how the big changes occurred and where some good value buys can be found.

why getting it right matters

The bike is a child’s first taste of freedom. Whether that’s scooting ahead of parents on a walk around the park, or heading to a jump spot to hangout with teenage friends, the bicycle is the first big extension to a child’s world of independence.

But it only works if the process is fun! If the bike is heavy, hard to pedal or just awkward to ride, the fun element will quickly be replaced by misery and the bike will be relegated to the shed.

What to look for

Let’s look through the bike and talk about what you need to know:

Frame:

Suspension, gears and fancy brakes are all the trimmings on the tree, but the crucial part of any bike is the frame. For many years people assumed the frame was just a hangers for the fancy parts, but over the last 4 years the shape of frames (known as “geometry” in the trade) has evolved massively and brought huge benefits, especially for kids.

“How does moving a few pipes around” you may ask? It’s all about fit. “Modern Geometry” (as it’s known) has made the bike’s wheel be further apart, placing the weight of the rider more central to the bike. This means it is easier to pedal up hill due to better traction, and far harder to fall off “over the handlebars” as the rider’s weight is more central. These two factors add up to a massive increase in FUN! So the first thing you need to look for is “Modern Geometry”. Most bikes made after 2022 will have this.

Brakes:

There are two types of brakes. The older “V Brake” style work on the rim of the wheel, but are heavy on the lever and strain the child’s hands. It is far better to go for Hydraulic Disk brakes, which operate the same as a motorbike brake. These are more powerful and far lighter to use, meaning less fatigue and more FUN!

Gears:

The days of bikes having 20-something gears are over! Modern bikes have one chainring on the front, and 10,11 or 12 on the back. This gives all the gear range you actually need. It’s worth checking the bike has shorter cranks fitted to match the child’s size. Anything around or under 160mm will suit a 14 yr old or below.

Suspension:

Less is more! I can happily geek out about suspension all day, but let’s just say if you don’t weigh anything, it simply won’t work! A suspension fork is worth having to increase control, save arm fatigue and make riding more FUN (that theme again), but make sure it is air sprung so you can adjust the pressure so the “spring” matches the child’s weight.

New vs used

During the COVID years, bike sales increased dramatically, forcing up prices. Amazingly, the cycle industry completely failed to identify this trend as a temporary uptick, and ramped up production. This has left the market saturated which means there are plenty of new bike bargains to be had.

Due to the risks associated with buying secondhand, I would highly recommend a non-expert buys a bike new, or gets an experienced friend to look it over first. Bike shops vary in attitude from genuinely helpful, to rude and aloof. Pop into your local one first and see how you feel. If you’re not comfortable, try another.

Oversupply has also crashed the value of secondhand bikes, making eBay or Marketplace seem appealing. I would advise serious caution in these markets, as although a bike may appear shiny and “good as new”, it can easily be hiding or sitting on £100’s of needed work. If you’re not happy to assess this, take a competent friend, or buy new!

If you must, the first rule of buying used is to forget anything made before 2020. The recent changes in geometry have rendered earlier bikes virtually obsolete, and the price crashes mean you can get a much more modern bike for a very good price. Also anything of this age will be needing a serious service with £100’s of work and parts, unless the seller has done this and can provide receipts.

The second rule is ignore any statements of “worth £1000’s new” - That’s what it cost, and has no reflection on current value. Bike design has moved on so far in recent years that a £500 bike today is more capable than a £5000 bike from 2018.

Some examples

Now we’ve set the ground rules, let’s learn what to look for. I’ll sort these by wheel size, as that’s what dictates a child’s bike.

14” / 16”
For a kid’s first bike, light weight is everything. While there are expensive models in this size with disk brakes and gears, I would recommend single-speed (no gears) and V-Brakes as enough for your kid to have fun. Light weight and a low stand-over height (so it’s easy to get on) are key.

Good brands include Isla Bikes, Frog and the main Big Players in the MTB world. Avoid anything with cartoon characters or stablisers, as these are heavy beasts which will quickly become off-putting.

20” / 24”
This size child has more choice, and there are some seriously good bikes in this size range. The Direct Sales companies NukeProof and Vitus offer some of the best designed and great value bikes in this size. Other Big Players also have good models.

Crucial points to look for are disk brakes and front suspension on the 24” size. Avoid Full or Dual suspension at this age, as this kid won’t be heavy enough to make it work, and it just adds weight. Make sure the bike has proper Child Size Flat Pedals. This keeps their feet in the right place and reduces the risk of bouncing off.

26” / 27.5”
This is the most difficult and dangerous market to buy in, as there are a lot of older frame designs still lurking, especially in 26” bikes in the used market place. However, there are a number of manufacturers who have created modern geometry XS frame sizes in this wheel size, allowing young riders the benefits of recent developments. Good examples include Orange, Whyte, Nukeproof and Vitus. There are others.

A child at this size will need front suspensions forks. Fox and Rockshox are top brands, but X Fusion and Suntour work fairly well too. Just make sure the fork is Air Sprung so you can adjust it as they bulk up.

Be wary of buying something for the “to grow into”, as riding too large a bike can be uncomfortable as dangerous through lack of control. It’s frustrating when they grow 6” overnight, but that’s what kids do…

29”
By this size they are probably taller than you and riding harder. The things to look for here are geometry and sturdiness, as every jump will be whipped and crashes will be common. Unless your yoof is a gentle rider, avoid ex-hire hardtails as these are simply not built to withstand teenage angst. They will get broken. Look instead for “burly” or “hardcore” hardtails that have stronger frames and robust wheels.

Full Suspension is desirable to many riders at this age, and can make a real different on tough descents. If they are riding hard, this is worth the money, but prepared for a routine maintenance pivot bearing and forks/shocks service at least once a year. This will cost from £300. Time for them to get a job…