You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Im after a full suss MTB for my youngest. Im now after a very small 26" bike, i managed to drop lucky many years ago and got a rare 14" Orange Five.
Just after some other options on what i could get him?
My neighbour just picked up a 26" 14" Five last night for their 9 year old...They are fabby wee things.
Liv Embolden. That was our choice in around the 10 years old time.
If I could get another that would be the prefect option, just doesn’t seem like they come up that often
My 10 year old is still on a 24" Specialized Hotrock FSR with a set of Pace forks. Slackens the front nicely - proper little enduro weapon!
That said, he's getting to the point of being too big for it now but I have a small Cove Hustler almost ready for him to jump onto when he's big enough...
We had a xs Giant Trance and was great. Only potential issue is the straight 1 1/8th steerer but we didn;t need to change the forks as it nice had 120mm fox ones. Would recommnd though.
What matt said, orange five 26er in xs or diva. Great bikes that cost a lot of money 10 years ago that are very reasonably priced. Solid, strong frames, usually well specced and simple linkage to maintain.
Marin make a kids FS with 24 inch wheels, but can take 26.
A mates daughter has just about out grown hers & daughter number 2 is very keen to get hold of it.
It also benefitted from a few upgrades from mum & dads bikes.
I have a Commencal Meta Hip Hop in small I could be persuaded to part with. Hope/Stans Wheels, Air Pikes, dropper and 1 x 9. PM me if you want pics and details.
Standover is low and head angle is pretty slack. I'm 5'6 and it's too small for me really.
My son has been riding a small Orange 4 since he was 11, it fits him fine with a One-up dropper.
Mondraker make one (that takes 24 or 26) as do Marin (Rift Zone JR), didn’t Forme make one?
The YT Jeffsy Primus looks nice.
While buying an older XS bike is cheaper, you’d hope the newer ones would probably have better geometry but you never know with kids bikes.
Marin make a kids FS with 24 inch wheels, but can take 26.
Rift Zone jnr or Hawk Hill jnr.
Bloody great things.
My lad has a Marin Rift Zone Jr. He's had it since they first came out, he's now 9, still on 24" wheels and will be for a while yet. He is very light but the suspension does move well but depending on the terrain. Upgraded the brakes to some Hope X2's because they were spare and put a kids Brand X dropper on it. I also change the tyres for normal use as the fitted ones are quite draggy, fine for BPW though. Should hopefully see many years of use and be still worth a couple of quid when he grows out of it.
A miserable day at BPW in Feb 1/2 term
<p>His current bike is 24inch wheels and he is quite tall - just under 5ft so im thinking an XS with 26inch wheels - he has just added he wants full suspension also 😭</p>
Just after some other options on what i could get him?
Depends what he's riding really.
We had a XS adult 27.5 with 26 wheels and 142mm cranks/120 dropper from his 9th birthday.. no idea what size he was (or is).
Currently for sale (not so stealth ad)... as he's just nicked my medium
160/150 Pike front 150/140 rear.
26" spank race rims / thomson dropper / 11sp XT/SLX / 2 pot XT/SLX brakes.. optionally with some 27.5 wheels.
If that's the sort of thing you're looking for ? It's done everything from Fort Bill DH to XC rides
Dropped you a PM for info
Iv decided what to do...finally 🙂 Im going to try and get a Small Orange Five around the 2012 age and give my youngest the 14"
Iv got one week to get one sorted...off to the classifieds:)
+1 on the Marin - a couple of my kids' mates have had them.
Also there's a Norco that does the 24-26" option.
My kids went straight onto an XS 27.5 hardtail and were immediately quicker than any of their mates with smaller wheels regardless of suspension.
I am looking at anything, I was even considering a small YETI this morning - my eldest loves his FIVE and I think I’d only get him to part with it for another FIVE, my youngest wouldn’t care he would be up for any alternative
I scored an extra small MK1.5 Bird Aeris for the eldest last week. He's a small 10 year old but with shorter cranks and 26" wheels (and the seat post as low as it'll go) it's a perfect fit that'll grow with him over the next few years and then pass straight on to the youngest. I know they don't come up all that often but it's an absolute belter of a bike if you can find one.
Don’t only limit yourself to 26” frames on the Orange Five. My 10yr old of average height fits the newer 27.5” model, but runs 26” wheels in the frame/fork. Short stem and cranks, fits a treat and is a bit more future proof as he grows into the larger wheels.
Plus the geometry on the newer ones is a lot more fun and fork options are plentiful.
He is on the 15” 2015 model