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I’m looking for an inexpensive but decent hardtail for my son. He hasn’t shown much interest in MTB before, but he needs a new bike anyway for the Sussex gravel/forest trails ride as a family (which he loves) and he’s started saying he’d like to try riding trails with me too. He’s 13yo & 170cm.
The Vitus Nucleus VRS and Nukeproof Scout Race (27.5 versions) are pretty cheap on CR currently at £499 and £849 respectively. I’m leaning towards stretching the budget for the Scout (more travel, fatter tyres, slacker, shorter ST, and a few other things) but I’ve not ridden either.
Any thoughts on either of those for the lad, at those prices? Thanks.
Fazzini jnr jnr has the Vitus (not VRS) and its great for what he needs, but if he wanted to do more stuff like me the gearing would let him down at 8 speed. I'm a fan of Vitus on value for spec alone. (I have no idea of what Sussex gravel/forest is like though).
Cheers. Our family rides are OK on a rigid hybrid but suspension forks don’t hurt. Both the VRS and Race are 10sp Deore which is alright.
Vitus Sentier 27 might be worth a look - £100 cheaper than the Scout but a nice spec. Have just bought 8 bikes for a group I work with - had a great deal on some Ragleys but went had a single small Sentier as the Ragleys were M, L or XL.
We looked at the Nucleus but have had loads of problems with the SR forks on some other bikes we've used so went for the RS option - only issue is not knowing what brakes it'll turn up with - the Clarks are fine but the original spec said Shimano.
We are looking at getting another 8 bikes now but TBH the Scouts do look like a cracking deal!
This is a tricky one.
Both will be awesome bikes for a 13-year-old. The NP has a better fork & geometry and a few marginal improvements elsewhere (and more street cred if it matters). Both would want a dropper adding.
You could follow the traditional child bike-buying approach of getting him the large Scout so he can "grow into it" - and then he'll also be really progressive now with long reach and a 63deg head angle.
IMO there are downsides to the more progressive geometry, it makes the bike feel sluggish and less engaging on flatter trails, especially with bigger tyres. Be realistic about what he'll do with it.
That's a valid point... but... my experience is that so long as the bike is light-ish and doesn't have soggy suspension (not a problem with a hardtail obvs), a 63deg-ish head angle should still feel fine on flatter trails.
I'm sure either of these frames would be fine for the boy though. A 66.5 degree HA would have been a godsend when I were a lad.
Thanks for the comments. Very helpful!
As well as the traditional ‘grow into it’ plan, I also have a cunning ‘grow out of it’ plan too. I’m only 2cm taller than him, so I’ll have a bargain hardtail when he gets too big for it.
My 1 bike is a FS 29er, and I love it but don’t find it easy to manual. I’d like a 27.5 too 😀
Really good comments. Thanks again.