MTB for 13 year old?

[megaphone]

Looking for a MTB for a birthday present. He is a tall 13 year old and it needs to last him a few years, so medium size? He's a typical boy, so it will be chucked on the floor, left in the rain, etc. So nothing too good!

Budget under £300. Was looking at Carreras at Halfords, Spech Hardrocks, but they are low spec for the money, and very nicable.

So what options and any deals out there.

[SpamDisco]

Decathlon usually get good write ups for their bikes.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359112-mountain-bikes

[joshleb]

Similar thread here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Good luck

[JQ]

We recently took my 13yr old nephew to Grizedale where he picked up an ex rental bike for just over your budget for his birthday. He knows it's not new, but he's ended up with a much much better specced lighter bike than he would have if he'd bought new. They had a choice of makes and they let him out on the trails for the day to check he liked it first. We came back and went for lunch while they did a service and set it up for him before picking it up.

He's absolutely made up with it.

If there are any trail centres near you with rentals, it might be worth a visit.

[subsea99]

Always buy second hand on bikes as far more for your money,i picked up my 13y/o an orange 5 am 2009 for £700 and he loves it.

[gazza285]

The reason I race on a single speed is that my thirteen year old nicked my geared race bike. I've since swapped the 110mm stem for a 60mm, other than that, it's as I raced it.


I used this as justification for buying myself a new bike.