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standard ones seem to weigh about 10-11kg??
thought to buy a 2nd hand one and upgrade it but cant find 20" rigid forks with 1 1/8 steerer..
Carbon cycles used to do 20" carbon forks.
These: http://www.carboncycles.cc/index.php?p=587&
Orbea mx 20 is a good bike, my kids loved theirs.
ok thanks.
hes got an early rider 16 which he loves but he needs gears to do the forest rides and not die!
Not exactly boutique but the Carrera Blast is a great 20" bike. My 6 year old lad loves his.
i'll have to see whats available here in switzerland.. wasnt going to go boutique but 10-11kgs is taking the mickey..
You can buy a Frog fork for about £30-35 - just ask your local dealer to get you one. They're nicely made, very light and available in any colour Frog do.
I got a Frog 60 MTB cheap off eBay but it came with a steel suspension fork that nearly weighed as much as the rest of the bike so that's gone in the bin (well in the loft) and the nice rigid fork has gone on with a set of decent Maxxis Maxx Daddys and a very short stem. Now suits him pretty well and is a much better bike. Just a shame about the gripshift & freewheel but they'll get replaced in time.
Orbea MX20 does look the best on paper - much better specced, better looking and far cheaper than an Islabike though the residuals* are probably not quite as good.
*How much of a middle class T*** does that make me sound?! 😳
The other thing i liked with the Orbea was the trigger shifter, rather than a crappy twistgrip that no kid can use..
Orbea MX20 does look the best on paper - much better specced, better looking and far cheaper than an Islabike though the residuals* are probably not quite as good.*How much of a middle class T*** does that make me sound?!
Meh. Kids bikes are not bought like an adult bike - they are bought in the full knowledge that in a couple of years, they will be sold again. As a result, residuals matter.
One good thing about this is that kids bikes depreciate really heavily (** Islabikes excluded) so if you can pick up a s/h off-brand bike, you'll certainly be quids in and can throw a few quid at a few choice (and probably weight-saving) upgrades.
If you do choose to buy a used Islabike, I've tended to look for the ones that need a bit of work - they're surprisingly cheap to get parts for and you can nearly always turn that tired looking example from Facebook into a mint, perfect bike with a very modest expenditure. And of course, when you sell it on, you'll be asking top dollar (quite fairly) for a really good, refurbished model. I reckon there's a few quid to be made here on Islabike resale!
Even things like the updated saddle (which always marks the older bikes from the newer ones) are only £15 from Islabikes. (Well worth the investment too as they are much comfier!) In fact, my son's running one on his entirely non-Islabike as it's cheap, reasonably light and perfectly sized for him.
The other thing i liked with the Orbea was the trigger shifter, rather than a crappy twistgrip that no kid can use..
Absolutely. Frog use them too. In fact, only Islabikes remain stubbornly attached to these god-awful 90s throwbacks :-/
nicolaisam - MemberThe other thing i liked with the Orbea was the trigger shifter, rather than a crappy twistgrip that no kid can use..
not used a recent one then, my wee boy had no issue using the grip shift on his riprock 20.
poah - Membernicolaisam - Member
not used a recent one then, my wee boy had no issue using the grip shift on his riprock 20.
More than most people to be honest
found that trek do a superfly 20... 8kg..
cant find a frame/fork that i can then build up.. crazy
Hoy bonaly with upgrades is pretty light and capable.
There's a alloy Saracen frame and seat post with disc mounts plus a pair of rim brake wheels in my garage. No forks. Maybe other bits. 20 quid plus however they get to you?
Commencal Ramones 20 €329 9.9kg
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Theres a disc version for a shocking €649
Does look nice though
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My 6yo Daughter has no issues with the grip shift on her Carrera Luna - it's a decent SRAM one.
Only issue is the 7sp freewheel - but changing it to a wide range one helps slightly with the steeper stuff.
Goldigger - Member
Theres a disc version for a shocking €649
Does look nice though
The Commencal Meta is lovely and the geo is much the best that I've found so far (no 15" rear end like an Isla) and certainly the looks most like a bike I'd like to ride myself. The price isn't that outrageous when you cost it out especially when the qty of material is the only thing separating it from an adult bike ie the labour time is the same no matter what size the bike is and these are built in much smaller qtys so the scale is against you. Do you think you could build that for approx £150-200? Commencal will need to to make any profit.
Anyway, how cool does this look?
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I've just got my son a BMC 20inch bike. Frame is great and everything on it is quality. It has a sealed shimano bottom bracket. BMC being Swiss you should be bike to find one around.
looking for new 20" wheel bike options for my daugther at the mo.
Must admist the Canyon Offspring 20 looks really nice, but it comes with a heavy price tag 😯
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We went with a singlespeed ramones 20 about 2 1/2 years ago, it's been jumped, skidded and dropped, raced, raked and generally abused, but loved more than any other bike. Loved so much we are building a 24!
Don't think he ever got this kids style though
Any decent light 20inch wheels that will take a 10spd cassette?
I had to build a wheelset to get something light.
240 hubs, alienation deviant rims. 1.5mm spokes, ghetto tubeless set up on schwalbe Moe joes.
The price isn't that outrageous when you cost it out especially when the qty of material is the only thing separating it from an adult bike
The difference is I wouldn't put that kit on it.... (if buying separately)
However the whole weight price thing is what it is.... the frame isn't where the weight comes from (it's just not big enough to make a real difference) but most the rest of the stuff is the same as an adult (and the bits that aren't like rims are only marginal on the weight saving)
By that I mean a M6x50 is what it is.... etc. (unless you go exotic)... and a rear mech or shifter weighs the same regardless of the bike.... I had a similar discussion on forks for the RST F1rst and why is it so heavy at 1670g... (other than the 120g of canto mounts) ... the answer is the steerer weighs the same, the drop outs etc. and really the parts that are actually smaller don't weigh much anyway....
Sure a SID WC is lighter (and the 1" difference from 24/26).... but then its £1000 vs £150 ... even a new standard SID CSU is twice the price... and 90% of the weight
Commencal do really well offering frame only... (at least on the 24.).. and its amazingly cheap but if I was buying a 20 today I'd probably get the Orbea as a made up bike... or the Commencal frame only
Have to agree on the kids v adults weighweenie game, there are very few kid specific products out there so other than the frame being a few grams lighter due to shorter tubes (but al the main sub assemblies being the same) and the rims and tyres saving a bit due to the smaller circumference there's not a lot else to skimp on without spending crazy money.
The Orbea, Commencal and Hoy full builds are such a step away from the heavy brutes that we see so often, It's not a bad old time to be a kid with a bike savvy parent.
Hoy bonnaly 20inch, comes in at 8.8kg. Just bought one for my youngest after being impressed with my eldest's Hoy 24inch.
[url= http://www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/kids/junior/junior/mantra-junior-2-0 ]Saracen[/url] mantra looks like a good sorted kids bike also
Looks like you could just swap the 20" wheels for 24" on the Kona Shred 20, when the time is right...?
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My 6 year old is loving his Hoy bonally.
ebay all the way.
Picked up a genesis caribou jnr a while ago for £185. Upgraded the stem and bars for peanuts (25.4 thomson & Easton carbon monkeylites). Weighs a shade over 23lb and goes up or down anything. 2.4" creepy crawlers at 6psi are draggy for sure but it's his go to bike unless he's bmx racing.
Looks like you could just swap the 20" wheels for 24" on the Kona Shred 20, when the time is right...?
Two totally different frames? No way the 20'will take 24 inch wheels
Two totally different frames? No way the 20'will take 24 inch wheels
Look at the difference in space in the rear triangle and how far the tyre is from the top of the bridge on the fork..
The 20" looks like it has the same spacing between the front and rear axles.
I might have to investigate, if I can just buy some 24" wheels (longer crank) in 18 months rather than another bike...
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Look at the difference in space in the rear triangle and how far the tyre is from the top of the bridge on the fork..
It looks that way from the side but if you look from the top I can almost guarantee there will be the cross piece stopping you....
Even if you could then what does that say for the bike geometry ???
My kids XC Cannondale 24 had the same chain stay length as my T-130 .... (to the mm)
It looks like you should be able to fit a bigger wheel... but you can't... its all blocked...
It's JUST possible to fit a very very skinny 26 road/indoor tyre on the back to stick it on the turbo trainer.... but tolerances are so close you couldn't ride it except perhaps on the trainer... however from the side view there would seem to be the possibility of sticking a 27.5 with a 2.4 tyre on....
20-24 vs 24-26 .... its 4" vs 2" (and a bigger difference as a ratio) and 2" is huge ...
Your child out grows the frame not the wheels
It looks that way from the side but if you look from the top I can almost guarantee there will be the cross piece stopping you....
Just cut it out...
But WHY would you want to keep the frame ????
Commencal sell the 24" frame for 99 Euro's
Out of the supplied what would you POSSIBLY want to keep.... the bike is specced with trash... not even worth putting in the spares bin or trying to sell. (You can't really sell something that costs as much to ship as buy new which applies to the tourney stuff... )
Weirdly the only part you'd possibly want to keep are the cranks which are sized for a 24er... ....
They are all £5-6 for shifters, mechs etc. so its not a great expense so much as ruins the ride... they are pretty much made of plastic and mild steel... and according to shimano not made for off road use but simply to look like MTB kit... (at least they are honest)
The Spinner Grind ...I can't really say.... we just stuck rigid for the 9 months Jnr was stuck on a 20er....
You can buy a SLX group set pretty cheap and sell the cranks as new... but[b] I honestly think by the time they fit onto a 24er you will be really pleased to get rid of the 20! [/b]
(For us the time from just fitting a 20 with the saddle slammed to just fitting a 24 with the saddle slammed was 9 months) Yep I know a lot happens in 9 months ... that's how we get the little buggers...
Buy a USED 20.... use it and sell it when you can move up......
Specifically Kona, they are not known for making light kids frames... the Stinky is a tank... and by all accounts a great DH rig and I never heard of one being damaged... but it can't even be pedalled on the flat... as its incredibly heavy.... (but then its a DH bike)
Frame and Forks
Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminium Butted
Fork: Spinner Grind 1 Coil Spring 65mm
Rear Shock: N/A
Drivetrain
Front Derailleur: N/A
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney 6-speed
Cassette: Shimano Tourney 14-28T 6-speed
Chain: KMC Z50
Crankset: FSA Alloy 140mm arms
Bottom Bracket: CH-52 Square Taper
Braking/Shifting
Shifters: Shimano Revoshift 1x6-speed
Brakes: Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc (F+R) 160mm Rotors
Brake Levers: Tektro Novela Alloy
Wheels
Rims: 20” Alloy Double Walled, CNC Brake Surface
Hubs: KT Alloy, 10x135mm (R) / 10x100mm (F)
Spokes: Steel
Tyres: Schwalbe Little Joe 20x1.4” (F+R)
Finishing Kit
Handlebar: Kona OB Alloy
Headset: FSA Press-in
Grips: Kona DJ, Jr.
Stem: Kona OB Alloy
Seatpost: Kona Alloy 31.8mm
Saddle: Kona DJ
Pedals: Nylon Platform
I've already shown my oldest the Ramones 20, to which he commented.. "it's the same as mine, ohhh it's got suspension".
He has the Ramones 16.
That's the one he will get (20), it will pass down to our youngest when he's old enough along with both his balance bikes and the 16.
That's how it worked here, showed him the 24 and he thought brilliant its a big version of what I've already got and love, the joy of him ready Chris Hoy flying Fergus books is he knows about disc brakes and nice tyres so that's on the list too!
Commencal have some 2018 bikes up on their site now.
RAMONES 20+ SHINY RED 2018
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Might go for this new model, doesn't have the crap suntour suspension forks, but the 2.6 tyres should overcome that..
Used Trek MT60. Fabulous bike, very adjustable with twin crank drilling. First alloy children's bike. I've bought about half a dozen now for family and friends.
Ours was handed down twice before being sold and sold again!
im liking that commencal!
will have a think - anyways the season in switz is pretty much over as its cold now...so he'll grow more and should be ready for this in 2018.. we'll see.
Got my daughter an orbea MX20 for £150 on ebay the other week, immaculate
She loves it, and I'm quite jealous, it's a lovely little bike, great matt black/pink/blue/yellow colourscheme (that's the bit that important to kids)
The internal cable routing is better than any of my bikes have had, frame is beautifully hydroformed and light
Even has little bosses on the down tube for a crud catcher type mudguard (yet to find one small enough though) and a nice little CX style chain catcher to stop the chain coming off, cranks, brakes, grips etc are all child sized just like on Isla or Frog
My daughter got the hang of gears before she even got to the end of the street and finds them light enough to change no problem and I can't get her off it now
She had a 16" Frog before which I sold for £30 less than what we paid new, after over 3 years, so the Orbea ended up costing me £20!
Bike is so nice in fact I would seriously look at orbea for my next bike, if the adult ones are as well thought out they have to be worth a look
sssimon - Member
That's how it worked here, showed him the 24 and he thought brilliant its a big version of what I've already got and love, the joy of him ready Chris Hoy flying Fergus books is [b]he knows about disc brakes and nice tyres so that's on the list too![/b]
That's one of our issues, he knows about disc brakes and suspension.
He specifically wants both these on his new bike! Particularly suspension as he asked what it does and I said it let's me go over the bumps faster! If it let's him go faster he wants!
Have book marked the guy in Poland who distributes the spinner air fork, will drop him an email and if the price is right possible go frame only and build up.
Can we get a 10spd cassette on a kids wheel?
Assuming kids bikes are 135mm standard and use a compatible freehub?
If I need to build a set of wheels, any recommendations on rims and hubs?
Looked at those ALIENATION BMX Deviant Rims, strangely says front use only??
Most kids frames will be 135 now. My first project build was a NOS Scott nitrous 20 with a 130mm rear spacing. I squeezed a 135 hub in there though.
Anything below 8 speed will be freewheel...not free hub.
That deviant rim says front only as BMX bikes tend to only run a rear *rim* brake. Essentially read "front only" as "disc brake" only.
I have a set of 20" deviants on 240 hubs. I also built a 16" aeroheat velocity wheel on slx hubs.. I'd go with whatever your budget allows.
@ Iain1775
Any chance you could weigh the orbea MX20 please?
Which one did you get? Team disc looks nice.
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Goldigger
Just bought my lad an MX team (non disc) last week.
Its bang on 8.5kg on the luggage scales.
I've put a smaller 40mm stem on to reduce the reach.
I'm really impressed by it tbh.
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Cheers, that's good news I was hoping it was no more than 10kg. As it's lighter even better.
Is there plenty of room for a bigger tyre? Stock is 2.1?
There's some kenda 2.6 20" tyres but think there only OEM.
Yeah would think so, looks like there is plenty of clearance
Came across this Dawes academy last night, has the spinner air forks fitted and weighs 9.4kg
Normally £500 can be had for £380
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I contacted the polish distributor for the spinner air forks, two models available 50/80mm travel €120/€125 delivered, I'm thinking £380 for the above is a good buy.
Commencal sell the 24" frame for 99 Euro's
I can't seem to find the 24" frame on the commencal site, is it just out of stock or have they stopped selling it?
Went for the orbea team disc, it was cheaper than the commencal.
Main reasons I went for it are:
1.Tubeless rims
2.Cassette is a freehub rather than freewheel screw on, so option to fit a 9spd cassette/shifter out of the parts bin.
3.Shimano Hydraulic disc brakes rather than cable actuated ones. Read numerous reports that the tektro cable disc brakes are crap.
Will probably chop a carbon bar down and fit that.
Sounds good, my lads been getting on really well with his at mtb club
I changed the surprisingly heavy slippy small plastic pedeals for
The below last week (they look 5 weeks to arrive)
Nice platform size for a 6 year old, light and not as sharp as the normal pins on flats
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272330449321
I was just looking at those Wellgo KC001 and 008 this morning.
Will have to get the 001 as the 008 only available in white!
Used Trek MT60 if you can find one. Asexual silve and white, double drilled cranks and adjustable stem. They tend to get handed down. First alloy 20 inch frame. Kona hula is another good bet.
http://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=ec272ecf-5391-40da-b474-2da647bc5e74&parentid=undefined
Pfffft
Needs moar Lefty...
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/another-kids-24-bike-trying-to-be-a-bit-different-work-in-progress
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-2015-cannondale-race-24-kids-junior-mtb-with-upgrades ]Selling our 24" Cannondale Race[/url]
Here my lads orbea team disc mx20
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Only thing I don't like on it is what appears to be a long cage rear derailleur.
Is there a short cage 9spd derailleur that I could replace it with?.. something like the Zee 10spd.
That cage is great at picking up sticks and all sorts and jamming up the jockey wheels.
older 105