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Went out with a family we know for a little ride with their kids. Their eldest daughter has a new bike but it’s a Halfords 26” jump bike which weighs a tonne (I think it’s an X Rated branded one), it’s singlespeed with too high a gear and the cranks are almost as long as her legs (I think she’s around 11yo).
She is really struggling to ride it mainly because of the cranks. She just can’t make the top of the stroke of the crank without her bum raising off the saddle!
They don’t know anything about bikes and either were sold an unsuitable bike by a rubbish salesperson or they didn’t have any choice.
I reckon the one thing I could do is fit shorter cranks with a lower gear. Is there any place I can get some for about £20 as I can’t really stretch to any more. I have some square taper BBs spare though. I think I might need 140/150 length but anything is better than the 175 on it!!
All I can find so far is much more expensive models.
I’d love to just get her a different bike as the whole family likes cycling and they can’t really afford what we would call quality bikes but this kids bike is making her not want to cycle at all. ☹️☹️
frog bikes?
they all have non replacable 32t chainrings..
but theyre £19.50.. square taper.. decent quality alloy arms.. steel ring.. comparatively light.. and come in a load of different lengths.. 🙂
https://www.frogbikes.co.uk/spares/cranks-bottom-brackets/replacement-cranks
i fitted a set to my daughters tag-along.. and they've been great!
St John Street Cycles, (Google for SJS Cycles) are a super resource for all sorts of unusual parts. Probably hard to beat the Frog recommendation though.
Samox 140mm with 30t n/w chainring from Freewheel - OE for Saracen Mantra 2.4.
I would add that I bought the Samox ones to replace a set on a Raleigh Performance 24 that had been bent. The lowering of teeth from 32 or 34 to 30 made a massive difference to my 7yo's climbing. On the first ride after fitting, he climbed the Red climb to the Talking Heid Stone at Ae without stopping or dabbing. Impressed.