Questions and a little advice required on modern MTBs
Discussion
Hi folks
I want to get my daughter a new bike for Christmas. She's almost out grown her current one, which incidentally weighs a bloody tonne.
I've had a quick look on the Evans and Wiggle websites, and it seems that bike weights are either not disclosed or are f
king ridiculous. The first one I looked at was a GT Avalanche at OVER thirty pounds!
I looked at one or two others to find that often the weight is not disclosed or it's stupid. There's a firm called Orange who used to make decent and reasonably light bikes when I was young, but they don't even specify the weight on their own website, which can only mean one thing.
What has happened? One of the prime reasons for getting her a new bike, aside from the size, was to get something lighter.
When I were a lad, weight was pretty important - it now appears that no one gives a fk. Ok, I've only just started looking, but I'm still shocked. Even the bottom of the range ones used to weigh around 28-29lbs or so. I appreciate that front suspension will add a little weight, but with the advances that I would have expected in other areas the overall weight should have dropped.
Instead of a nice, simple, light weight bike, for about five hundred quid or so, it appears that she's gonna be getting a 30lb behemoth with tractor wheels, a hundred fking gears and bigger brakes than a fking MX bike, and all for the princely sum of about ten fking grand,
Where did 26" wheels, caliper brakes and 24 gears go? Simply justification of the vastly higher prices? My bike manages fine with normal wheels, brakes and gears and still weighs about 23lbs with front suspension.
Am I just coming across as a miserable old Luddite?
Does anyone have a good MTB suggestion for a 5" girl - expect she'll grow a bit soon so am probably looking at a small frame size, not XS. They don't even specify the seat post height in inches these days!
Front suspension is required, but none of the other bks, just a nice capable mountain bike. Ideally comfortably under 30lbs! Had set a budget of £500 or thereabouts, but that seems unrealistic.
Thanks
I want to get my daughter a new bike for Christmas. She's almost out grown her current one, which incidentally weighs a bloody tonne.
I've had a quick look on the Evans and Wiggle websites, and it seems that bike weights are either not disclosed or are f
king ridiculous. The first one I looked at was a GT Avalanche at OVER thirty pounds! I looked at one or two others to find that often the weight is not disclosed or it's stupid. There's a firm called Orange who used to make decent and reasonably light bikes when I was young, but they don't even specify the weight on their own website, which can only mean one thing.
What has happened? One of the prime reasons for getting her a new bike, aside from the size, was to get something lighter.
When I were a lad, weight was pretty important - it now appears that no one gives a f
k. Ok, I've only just started looking, but I'm still shocked. Even the bottom of the range ones used to weigh around 28-29lbs or so. I appreciate that front suspension will add a little weight, but with the advances that I would have expected in other areas the overall weight should have dropped.Instead of a nice, simple, light weight bike, for about five hundred quid or so, it appears that she's gonna be getting a 30lb behemoth with tractor wheels, a hundred f
king gears and bigger brakes than a fking MX bike, and all for the princely sum of about ten fking grand,Where did 26" wheels, caliper brakes and 24 gears go? Simply justification of the vastly higher prices? My bike manages fine with normal wheels, brakes and gears and still weighs about 23lbs with front suspension.
Am I just coming across as a miserable old Luddite?
Does anyone have a good MTB suggestion for a 5" girl - expect she'll grow a bit soon so am probably looking at a small frame size, not XS. They don't even specify the seat post height in inches these days!
Front suspension is required, but none of the other b
ks, just a nice capable mountain bike. Ideally comfortably under 30lbs! Had set a budget of £500 or thereabouts, but that seems unrealistic.Thanks
Tribal Chestnut said:
Hi folks
I want to get my daughter a new bike for Christmas. She's almost out grown her current one, which incidentally weighs a bloody tonne.
I've had a quick look on the Evans and Wiggle websites, and it seems that bike weights are either not disclosed or are fking ridiculous. The first one I looked at was a GT Avalanche at OVER thirty pounds!
I looked at one or two others to find that often the weight is not disclosed or it's stupid. There's a firm called Orange who used to make decent and reasonably light bikes when I was young, but they don't even specify the weight on their own website, which can only mean one thing.
What has happened? One of the prime reasons for getting her a new bike, aside from the size, was to get something lighter.
When I were a lad, weight was pretty important - it now appears that no one gives a fk. Ok, I've only just started looking, but I'm still shocked. Even the bottom of the range ones used to weigh around 28-29lbs or so. I appreciate that front suspension will add a little weight, but with the advances that I would have expected in other areas the overall weight should have dropped.
Instead of a nice, simple, light weight bike, for about five hundred quid or so, it appears that she's gonna be getting a 30lb behemoth with tractor wheels, a hundred fking gears and bigger brakes than a fking MX bike, and all for the princely sum of about ten fking grand,
Where did 26" wheels, caliper brakes and 24 gears go? Simply justification of the vastly higher prices? My bike manages fine with normal wheels, brakes and gears and still weighs about 23lbs with front suspension.
Am I just coming across as a miserable old Luddite?
Does anyone have a good MTB suggestion for a 5" girl - expect she'll grow a bit soon so am probably looking at a small frame size, not XS. They don't even specify the seat post height in inches these days!
Front suspension is required, but none of the other bks, just a nice capable mountain bike. Ideally comfortably under 30lbs! Had set a budget of £500 or thereabouts, but that seems unrealistic.
Thanks
Are you sure she needs front suspension? My daughter's Giant has it and it never moves because she's not heavy enough. She is a featherweight though...I want to get my daughter a new bike for Christmas. She's almost out grown her current one, which incidentally weighs a bloody tonne.
I've had a quick look on the Evans and Wiggle websites, and it seems that bike weights are either not disclosed or are f
king ridiculous. The first one I looked at was a GT Avalanche at OVER thirty pounds! I looked at one or two others to find that often the weight is not disclosed or it's stupid. There's a firm called Orange who used to make decent and reasonably light bikes when I was young, but they don't even specify the weight on their own website, which can only mean one thing.
What has happened? One of the prime reasons for getting her a new bike, aside from the size, was to get something lighter.
When I were a lad, weight was pretty important - it now appears that no one gives a f
k. Ok, I've only just started looking, but I'm still shocked. Even the bottom of the range ones used to weigh around 28-29lbs or so. I appreciate that front suspension will add a little weight, but with the advances that I would have expected in other areas the overall weight should have dropped.Instead of a nice, simple, light weight bike, for about five hundred quid or so, it appears that she's gonna be getting a 30lb behemoth with tractor wheels, a hundred f
king gears and bigger brakes than a fking MX bike, and all for the princely sum of about ten fking grand,Where did 26" wheels, caliper brakes and 24 gears go? Simply justification of the vastly higher prices? My bike manages fine with normal wheels, brakes and gears and still weighs about 23lbs with front suspension.
Am I just coming across as a miserable old Luddite?
Does anyone have a good MTB suggestion for a 5" girl - expect she'll grow a bit soon so am probably looking at a small frame size, not XS. They don't even specify the seat post height in inches these days!
Front suspension is required, but none of the other b
ks, just a nice capable mountain bike. Ideally comfortably under 30lbs! Had set a budget of £500 or thereabouts, but that seems unrealistic.Thanks
When we were looking for a bike for her we looked at the Genesis Core, was a decent ride
Islabike are lightweight but the cheaper ones don't have front suspension. The Pro range are pricey...
Cubes were nice, but a little heavy at the budget end.
Have a look at Trek Dual Sport. It's a range for smaller riders. My son has one. It's on 26" wheels and has reasonable components (no suspension though) and it's a good weight (25 pounds). He could fit on a 26" wheeled adult bike but the wheelbase was so long his back was almost horizontal!
http://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/city-bikes...
As soon as you fit suspension the weight goes up quite a bit.
http://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/city-bikes...
As soon as you fit suspension the weight goes up quite a bit.
Honestly I wouldn't be buying her a new bike considering she's likely to grow out of it after a few years.
Check local Gumtree and your £500 will go a lot further even after taking it to a proper local bike shop for a check over and any replacement parts fitted.
Although the Trek linked above looks decent!
Check local Gumtree and your £500 will go a lot further even after taking it to a proper local bike shop for a check over and any replacement parts fitted.
Although the Trek linked above looks decent!
Frog 73 (assume this'll fit) for £305 / 22 lbs and £195 budget for second hand forks on eBay?
https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/h...
Probably about 24 lbs all in?
https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/h...
Probably about 24 lbs all in?
Thanks guys.
Some good suggestions there, plenty to think about. Those Frog bikes look good - they seem to correct all the points that I was grumbling about. Would be nice for them to have a front derailleur, however I can always add one later. Swapping the front forks would also be a nice little project for her. Front suspension is not necessary, but will be nice to have.
In terms of her growth, I expect she'll get to about 5'5-6", if that, so it would be nice to be able to buy a bike now that will grow with her. At worst she can pass it on to one of her cousins when she has out grown it.
Some good suggestions there, plenty to think about. Those Frog bikes look good - they seem to correct all the points that I was grumbling about. Would be nice for them to have a front derailleur, however I can always add one later. Swapping the front forks would also be a nice little project for her. Front suspension is not necessary, but will be nice to have.
In terms of her growth, I expect she'll get to about 5'5-6", if that, so it would be nice to be able to buy a bike now that will grow with her. At worst she can pass it on to one of her cousins when she has out grown it.
schmunk said:
Frog 73 (assume this'll fit) for £305 / 22 lbs and £195 budget for second hand forks on eBay?
https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/h...
Probably about 24 lbs all in?
That looks great but the geometry isn't designed to take forks.https://www.frogbikes.com/lightweight-kids-bikes/h...
Probably about 24 lbs all in?
I think this would be my choice:
Dawes Academy 26 - only 11.26kg and Evans should match Winstanleys Bikes price of £549
https://www.evanscycles.com/dawes-academy-mtb-26-2...
Similar to the Islabike Beinn 26 but £200 cheaper (unless they have an ex-display model in):
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/bikes/item/cre...
The new Verenti range from Wiggle are very light, slightly heavier than Islabike but half the price :
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti/kids-bikes/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti/kids-bikes/
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