BMX for a 12 year-old

[pincher]

I'll admit it, I'm confused! My son wants a BMW to replace the ridiculously heavy bike that he has now grown out of. We went to a shop yesterday and he sat on a couple - one seemed really small (I understand the fashion is to have the seat as low as possible) and the other that looked as though it was OK, got a suck through the teeth from the shop assistant and that as it was a 20.5" top tube it would probably be too big for him. He's dead-on 5' and could reach the handlebars whilst sat down just fine. Apparently, you stand up more nowadays and sitting is just for a little rest in between standing up?

I don't want us (he is paying half out of his birthday money) to buy a bike that is going to be too small in a year but equally, I don't want to buy one that is effectively an adult-sized bike and that he is uncomfortbale on. Should we be looking at this size or something a touch smaller??

This is what he sat on yesterday - http://www.mongoose.com/nor/legion-l40-20082

[ecsrobin]

If it was me I'd get this: http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/67271/Easter... unless things have changed mongoose were considered bottom of the pile when I was in the scene and it was definetley considered the parents choice bike the other advantage with the bike I've posted is it has a slightly shorter top tube.

But yes the assistant is right on a BMX the saddle is purely for a clamp or for sitting on when chatting it's not for when your riding.

However someone with more recent BMX knowledge will hopefully be along shortly.

[550Anniv]

...funny enough, I am in the same boat, in the fact that I am looking for a BMX for my 13 year old. He like going to the local skate park, so it needs to be fairly tough, but not too heavy. Been looking at Verde BMX bikes, so may go for one of those.

[550Anniv]

...funny enough, I am in the same boat, in the fact that I am looking for a BMX for my 13 year old. He like going to the local skate park, so it needs to be fairly tough, but not too heavy. Been looking at Verde BMX bikes, so may go for one of those.

[AlmostUseful]

pincher said:

I'll admit it, I'm confused! My son wants a BMW to replace the ridiculously heavy bike that he has now grown out of. We went to a shop yesterday and he sat on a couple - one seemed really small (I understand the fashion is to have the seat as low as possible) and the other that looked as though it was OK, got a suck through the teeth from the shop assistant and that as it was a 20.5" top tube it would probably be too big for him. He's dead-on 5' and could reach the handlebars whilst sat down just fine. Apparently, you stand up more nowadays and sitting is just for a little rest in between standing up?

I don't want us (he is paying half out of his birthday money) to buy a bike that is going to be too small in a year but equally, I don't want to buy one that is effectively an adult-sized bike and that he is uncomfortbale on. Should we be looking at this size or something a touch smaller??

This is what he sat on yesterday - http://www.mongoose.com/nor/legion-l40-20082

BMX bikes aren't designed for kids, so have a look at 16/18" wheeled bmx's as they would suit him more.

I'm 6' dead and I ride a 21" bmx, I can see why the sales guy said it would be too big for him.

[ecsrobin]

AlmostUseful said:

BMX bikes aren't designed for kids, so have a look at 16/18" wheeled bmx's as they would suit him more.

I'm 6' dead and I ride a 21" bmx, I can see why the sales guy said it would be too big for him.

But if he goes 16/18" bike they'll be changing it within a year or 2. Me and my mates were all riding full size bikes at that age.

[AlmostUseful]

What's wrong with changing it in 2 years?
Does my head in when parents by bikes for little Johnny to "grow in to".
"Yeah, we'll buy you a bike but it won't be the right size and you won't enjoy it as much as if you had the proper one, but if it'll save us a few quid then we're happy."

Proper bug bear of mine when I was selling them.

[RicharDC5]

To save money

I was bought a Haro Cozmo for my 13th birthday and it fit me fine. Rode around on that bike for 10 years!

[raceboy]

A 20" wheel bike will be fine, but a 20.5" toptube might be a little too big, but this can be offset by fitting a shorter reach stem, and possibly smaller bars, the original bits can be put to one side and fitted in a year or twos time.
The most important thing to look for is as much chro-mo tubing as possible and as little Hi-Ten steel, Hi-Ten is heavy...really heavy, and a heavy childs bike is a big problem especially a BMX that is going to be jumped and hopped about. Then look for things like 3 or 2 piece cranks and not heavy/uncool one piece cranks.
If you haven't got a good BMX shop locally look for a mail order place selling 2013 or 2014 bikes with a massive saving over 2015 stock, and the spec can sometimes be better, with more 'branded' components than 'ownbrand' stuff.
Some 'new' bikes might come fitted with a front brake, this is not designed to be left on....either take it off or don't fit it in the first place, it'll probably just be loose in the box anyway.
I'm guessing a budget of about £200 and at that level finding full chro-mo is a push but this isn't a bad bike.
http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/55769/Diamon...

[pincher]

Thanks for the comments - I really don't think a 16"/18" wheel bike is going to last him 5 minutes. If I got one of those, I'd be buying another one in the summer (sorry all you bike salesmen but that's not happening! )and this suggests a 20" wheel is the one to get and this reckons that anywhere between 19.75" and 20.75" is the correct top tube length.

I'll take a closer look at Winstanley as they seem to have quite a few and will look at ones with cro-mo and 2 or 3 piece cranks

Budget is around £250, so if anyone sees any good deals that might fit the bill (other than the ones already mentioned), then please do add them to the thread

[ecsrobin]

pincher said:

Thanks for the comments - I really don't think a 16"/18" wheel bike is going to last him 5 minutes. If I got one of those, I'd be buying another one in the summer (sorry all you bike salesmen but that's not happening! )and this suggests a 20" wheel is the one to get and this reckons that anywhere between 19.75" and 20.75" is the correct top tube length.

I'll take a closer look at Winstanley as they seem to have quite a few and will look at ones with cro-mo and 2 or 3 piece cranks

Budget is around £250, so if anyone sees any good deals that might fit the bill (other than the ones already mentioned), then please do add them to the thread

Good decision :thumbs:

[raceboy]

Word of warning about Winstanleys, their website is good for looking at stuff, but they have a habit of listing stuff they haven't actually got, and on 'last year' stock they aren't going to get anymore.
Don't rely on the website and don't order without phoning first.

If you do find something bang a link up and we'll have a look, been riding BMX for over 30 years.

[jonlk]

raceboy said:

Word of warning about Winstanleys, their website is good for looking at stuff, but they have a habit of listing stuff they haven't actually got, and on 'last year' stock they aren't going to get anymore.
Don't rely on the website and don't order without phoning first.

If you do find something bang a link up and we'll have a look, been riding BMX for over 30 years.

If Evans have got an item Winstanley have listed they'll price match it.

[pincher]

Revisitng this as we still haven't got one!

Been browsing and found this Daimond Back. Is about £30 less than anywhere else I can find (plus a tenner delivery).

Any good?

[ecsrobin]

pincher said:

Revisitng this as we still haven't got one!

Been browsing and found this Daimond Back. Is about £30 less than anywhere else I can find (plus a tenner delivery).

Any good?

Unless things have changed a lot in the last few years then Diamondback are at the wrong end of the average manufacturers.

[pincher]

I thought that was Mongoose?!?

Why is this so difficult?

ETA - It's more Cro-Mo than Hi-Ten and in all honesty, my boy is no Andy Ruffell (showing my age there!), so he's unlikely to be table-topping every five minutes

Edited by pincher on Monday 25th May 18:26

[DozyGit]

Pincher, always go for chrome moly frame. I was reading the forum for something unrelated, but will PM you.

[ecsrobin]

pincher said:

I thought that was Mongoose?!?

Why is this so difficult?

ETA - It's more Cro-Mo than Hi-Ten and in all honesty, my boy is no Andy Ruffell (showing my age there!), so he's unlikely to be table-topping every five minutes

Edited by pincher on Monday 25th May 18:26

Haha mongoose and DB lol

To be fair pick a price and most manufacturers will offer a similar standard of bike. Brand names rise and fall in popularity so someone may be better to assist there.

As mentioned CroMo is what you want.

Buying a bike is hard enough for us buying our own bikes as the choices are huge its even harder when it's for your son. Find a bike see if he likes it and click buy.

[With these feet]

Whatever you buy its going to be heavy! My 8yr old wanted a 20" bmx so I got him one - a Haro with all the bits, pegs etc. He has ridden it 3 or 4 times as I later bought him a new Cube MTB when he outgrew his 16" Hotrock. The BMX is waiting till he can ride it. The big names of yesteryear are no longer the main players and the prices can be eye watering. The Haro was/is within your budget but is bigger and heavier than my Kuwahara ET rep!

I was riding a Burner when I was that age, admittedly it wasnt a trick bike so size wise fitted ok.

[trails]

What’s he going to do with it is the most pertinent question; if he isn't going to to ride it 'properly' and just ride the streets then the DB will be fine. Entry level modern bikes are waaaaaaaaaaay stronger than their counter parts back in the day so snapped top tubes are a relative rarity.

Source have a sale on at present, nice guys and probably a little bit of extra kudos for your boy when he tells his friends where it came from

http://www.sourcebmx.com/en/gb/BMX-Bikes/c-515.asp...

A quick browse and the FBM Ignition looks to meet your criteria...

http://www.sourcebmx.com/en/FBM-Ignition-BMX-Bike-...

Edited by trails on Tuesday 26th May 12:53