Choosing a bike for my son

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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Mar 29, 2018
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an XS 26" wheel XTC? Nice!

Gotta love how all those bling weight saving touches have been negated by fitting a 1250g DH casing rear tyre :ROFLMAO:

Awesome buy for the money
 

nappa

Member
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Oct 22, 2018
99
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Farningham, kent
went with a Norco Fluid 4.3 HT Plus 2019 Kids Bike

norco-fluid-43-ht-plus-2018-kids-bike-red-EV337764-3000-2.jpg



and a full face carbon lid Troy Lee Designs D3 Freedom Carbon Mips Full Face Helmet

troy-lee-designs-d3-freedom-carbon-mips-full-face-helmet-black-grey-EV326147-8570-1.jpg


Now im skint lol
 

nappa

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Oct 22, 2018
99
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Farningham, kent
Some if the best times ever with my kids was cycling , looking back now Iam glad I spent what I could on thier bikes , priceless memories now

and these days its harder to get the kids to come play with things we do...

I have done it all, Para for 13 years, motocross, motor racing including BTCC, large scale jet flying, 1/8 scale rc buggy racing the list goes on...
 

Norange

Active member
Jul 29, 2018
337
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Wiltshire
an XS 26" wheel XTC? Nice!

Gotta love how all those bling weight saving touches have been negated by fitting a 1250g DH casing rear tyre :ROFLMAO:

Awesome buy for the money
Yep, seller did say, you may want to swap out the tyres, but they’re good for dh... To be fair they’re 24s so probs only a kilo(y)(y)

She gets uplift from the ebike, so the extra weight adds stability.

Would totally agree, every weekend am out riding with her, we have a picnic, see some nature, visit different places.

Nappa, I have a towwhee, which is basically a tuned bungee with tough outer covering. Dunno if your son is happy under his own steam, but as mine is only 7 it means we can get loads more in. Did 550m of descent last ride out, about 5x what she could cope with on her own.
 

nappa

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Oct 22, 2018
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Farningham, kent
Yep, seller did say, you may want to swap out the tyres, but they’re good for dh... To be fair they’re 24s so probs only a kilo(y)(y)

She gets uplift from the ebike, so the extra weight adds stability.

Would totally agree, every weekend am out riding with her, we have a picnic, see some nature, visit different places.

Nappa, I have a towwhee, which is basically a tuned bungee with tough outer covering. Dunno if your son is happy under his own steam, but as mine is only 7 it means we can get loads more in. Did 550m of descent last ride out, about 5x what she could cope with on her own.

Sod that he can peddle on his own :)
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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I tow my son on his balance bike behind the E-Bike from time to time on a local field, he loves it.
 

nappa

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Oct 22, 2018
99
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Farningham, kent
I got my boy's bike today, nice bike.... And was totally shocked on how big the brakes levers are, there 2 big for me let alone my boy.

No adjustment nothing, this bike is meant to be for younglings... he can't even reach the lever.

Has anyone got a recommendation for some replacements?



IMG_5792.JPG
 

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
1,266
1,279
Herts, UK
Sorry, but this is why you have to choose carefully with kids bikes - too many from the non-specialists still have poor geometry, silly levers and adult sized cranks, whereas the Frog, Isla and Whyte posted earlier all have kid specific components and geo. You pays your money...
 
Last edited:

nappa

Member
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Oct 22, 2018
99
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Farningham, kent
Sorry, but this is why you have to choose carefully with kids bikes - too many from the non-specialists still have silly levers and adult sized cranks, whereas the Frog, Isla and Whyte posted earlier all have kid specific components.

Thank you that's very helpfull
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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Surrey
I got my boy's bike today, nice bike.... And was totally shocked on how big the brakes levers are, there 2 big for me let alone my boy.

No adjustment nothing, this bike is meant to be for younglings... he can't even reach the lever.

Has anyone got a recommendation for some replacements?



View attachment 7941
According to Tektro those levers should have reach adjust:

TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Products

Screen Shot 2018-11-21 at 08.20.41.png
 

nappa

Member
Patreon
Oct 22, 2018
99
64
Farningham, kent
WOW I have just looked its a tiny nut in there and it works....

Well done mate top find and u have saved me a few quid, defo owe u a beer if we ever meet

Thank you big time.

On the other side, there is nothing in the manual about it and what a stupid thing to do to put a tiny nut in there. they should at least put a sticker on there.
 

R120

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Apr 13, 2018
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Surrey
Yes its not obvious is it - on the plus side it looks like Norco have put some thought into speccing those brakes, as they are a specific short reach model with 81-85mm of reach vs the 91mm of reach on the standard version of that lever.
 

Swissrob

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2018
326
298
Switzerland
Good choice. Now you can start on the upgrades ;-))

As the head angle is pretty steep and it is a coil fork you could look at a second hand Rock Shox SID (maybe a 27.5" fork) and 26" front wheel, you will save a kilo or so and improve the handling, it is also a good way to increase the size as he grows. A budget dropper seat post is also worth considering, I know with my boys that they would go a lot further with the seat in the correct position but it is a pita stopping to change this. All of these parts can then go on the next bike.
 

Swissrob

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2018
326
298
Switzerland

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