Help needed - son's Christmas present!

[copels]

HI there

I want to get my 13 year old son a new mountain bike for Christmas.

Looks like he can get away with an 18" frame so I was looking at:

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-avalanche-comp-2016/

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-540-mountain-...

Main use is cyclying to school, paper-round and easy trails (with me) on the occasional weekend.

I was hoping to come in around £300 and I'm waiting for Black Friday deals to come out

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

[vwsurfbum]

How tall is he?
18" is a tall MTB, i'm 5'10" and use a 17" frame?

[joshleb]

Is he into biking on his own much?

At that age I was into jumps and the like so liked to get a smaller frame than I need so it looked like a dirt jumper, and could put the seat up when needed for cycling.

Parents bought me a bike for my 14th bday, but they spoke to the bike shop about what size, and they got me a large size frame, not ideal for jumps!

[sjg]

Indeed, mountain bikes have got smaller by the traditional seat tube measurement. Reach and stack (or rise) are the key ones these days - ie. relative to the bottom bracket, where are the bars in the horizontal plane (reach) and vertical plane (stack)? How big or small the frame is doesn't really matter as long you have enough standover and have a comfortable position when sitting. Many go with S/M/L/XL sizing these days rather than any one measurement.

Best to take him to check fit, else most brands have sizing charts to give a good idea of which size for a given height. Try not to be tempted to go too big as something to "grow into".

[copels]

Thanks for your comments.

I'm afraid I had fallen into the trap of something to grow into...

The Halfords man thought 18" was OK but I'll measure him tonight and let you know!

[vwsurfbum]

yeah (generic Halfords comment here) but they always seem to size up on frames, ammount of kids i see on too big carreras

[Your Dad]

My parents bought me a 23" frame Emmelle when I was 12. Would still be too big for me now.

[boyse7en]

I'm 5'10 and have been riding 17" frame MTBs for the past 25 years. Unless he's a massive 13 year-old an 18" will be far too big for him.

If you can stretch the budget a tiny bit this one

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s182p6823/CUBE-AI...

Is available in a 16" frame (and an 18" frame, in case he is nearly 6ft) and looks good. I've been riding a Cube MTB for a few years and it has been really good

Edited by boyse7en on Friday 18th November 13:51

[copels]

boyse7en said:

I'm 5'10 and have been riding 17" frame MTBs for the past 25 years. Unless he's a massive 13 year-old an 18" will be far too big for him.

If you can stretch the budget a tiny bit this one

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s182p6823/CUBE-AI...

Is available in a 16" frame (and an 18" frame, in case he is nearly 6ft) and looks good. I've been riding a Cube MTB for a few years and it has been really good

Edited by boyse7en on Friday 18th November 13:51

Hi Boyse7en

I really like the Cube bikes - nearly bought one for myself.

I'd have definitely gone for this if it had disc brakes

Steve

[copels]

Hi guys

I measured him tonight and he's 5'3". I guess 18" is too big so what do you suggest?

The GT bike in my original thread has just been reduced....

Thanks

[gradeA]

At 5'3" you'll be looking for 14"/XS frames.

[copels]

OK - looks like 16" frame it is then - thanks for all your help.

I've narrowed it down to these 2 - any thoughts?
I'll wait for tomorrow in case there are some good Black Friday deals.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-540-mountain-...
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

[Benmac]

copels said:

OK - looks like 16" frame it is then - thanks for all your help.

I've narrowed it down to these 2 - any thoughts?
I'll wait for tomorrow in case there are some good Black Friday deals.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-540-mountain-...
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...

Both decent value bikes for the money that should last. I prefer the B'twin from a looks perspective.