Choosing a decent bike for a growing 11yr old (151cm tall)

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I'm on Deore 10sp now, I would like a slightly wider range, Advent X or Deore 11sp would be nice.
Yeah Deore 11 would have been better... but for kids, they dont care, stick them on a 6spd and they crank it up the hills anyway.

The 10spd has a bit more leeway before the gear indexing goes out, 12spd is just too tight for adventurous kids and lower lever NX, nevermind SX has an abundance of play that doesn't make sense.

You are tall so your young fella is about to do some growing. Dont believe what the manufacturer says about the minimum height, take him to a bike shop and let him have a ride on a few (if they have any bikes).

Mine at 10 were on 27.7 small HT's, they were 150cm a year back at 13 and 14yrs and got a Med Canyon Spectral and M/L Remedy 8, now both around 160cm at 14 & 15 they have sprouted about 8-10cm in the last year... they will overtake the old bloke in 2021 at this rate.

He will easily go on a small 27.5 and you can make adjustments to make it fit, 32mm stem, slide the saddle forward, fit a cheap dropper, narrower bars and you might even stretch him to a Medium.

One of the people who bought my 2 x Kona Kula's, turned up with the little girl, an 8yr old girl. She fitted on the bike with the seat and dropper fully slammed, zero stem, narrower bars.... big grin, no idea she was full gravity chick rolling DHF/DHR WT front and back.
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
Yeah I'm thinking the same, unfortunately manufacturers haven't caught on to the new geometry wave and don't base their sized on seat tube and reach. My son fits better height wise better on my XL Ragley than he does my wife's Medium Trek Marlin!

Anyhoo, when will manufacturers realise that children barely change gears on the rear let alone the front and start speccing 1x drivetrains across the board? And tapered steerers, how much more expensive can that be? I should list this in things I hate!

Anyhoo, all the decent bikes in my price range that have 1x drivetrains are all sold by 99Bikes and they don't ship out of their local area and all my local bike shops that sell Merida, Norco etc have closed down. Bums.
 

blacksp20

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Mine at 10 were on 27.7 small HT's, they were 150cm a year back at 13 and 14yrs and got a Med Canyon Spectral and M/L Remedy 8, now both around 160cm at 14 & 15 they have sprouted about 8-10cm in the last year... they will overtake the old bloke in 2021 at this rate.
Just found out my 9yo is 147cm and he’s riding a 26” small Giant hardtail. I’m in for a world of hurt. Better start stocking up on cheap XL frames.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Just found out my 9yo is 147cm and he’s riding a 26” small Giant hardtail. I’m in for a world of hurt. Better start stocking up on cheap XL frames.
18 months or so ago, my youngest (#2 son) came to me during a dual slalom race at the Melrose Fat Tyre Festival, I was being the responsible parent with a beer in my hand and 6 already knocked back... he had no back brake.

Heyyyyy take my L Santa Cruz Hightower LT... he was like a dog with 2 dicks :p The dropper was down but he must have been around 150cm'ish at that stage, he didnt look lost on the large 29er and ended up winning 'B' class on it.

Both my boys M and M/L enduro bikes fit me now, I am 176cm and they are both (just measured them) 167cm so it wont be long till they are looking Large bikes.

I would definitely look at a bike thats on the fringe of nearly too big and drop back the stem to zero, puts short bars on ect...

They grow like beansprouts at this age, I guessed they were 160cm 4 posts back and they are actually 167cm.... only 8-9cm short of looking me eye to eye :)
 

nzhumpy

Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
I just got one of these for Mr 10 in a small, looked a bit big to start with but after 1/2 hour riding about on it he was comfy as.

It's a few hundred more than the Polygon but for a full Shimano 11sp group and the fact they had it available sold me, the only thing it needs is a dropper in a few months after his next growth spurt and it starts looking too small.
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
I just got one of these for Mr 10 in a small, looked a bit big to start with but after 1/2 hour riding about on it he was comfy as.

It's a few hundred more than the Polygon but for a full Shimano 11sp group and the fact they had it available sold me, the only thing it needs is a dropper in a few months after his next growth spurt and it starts looking too small.
Norco would be my first choice but both dealers have closed in Cairns and 99Bikes don't deliver outside of the cities :(

But if I could then I'd probably swap that group set with mine ;)
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
New bike time for my son is about a month away!

We're looking at these two (subject to availability which will probably be none).

Norco Storm 2
More XC oriented, Shimano Deore M4100/5100 10sp drivetrain, QR skewers, coil fork, internal dropper routing

Merida Big Trail 200
Hardcore hardtail geometry, Shimano Deore M4100/5100 10sp drivetrain, straight through axles, boost rear, coil fork, internal dropper routing, tubeless compatible rims (not tyres)

He's 152cm tall now, I was thinking of buying a bit big (Medium) so it would last. He's already riding his Mum's medium Trek Marlin on the trails so hopefully this shouldn't be too bad.

Thoughts?
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
New bike time for my son is about a month away!

We're looking at these two (subject to availability which will probably be none).

Norco Storm 2
More XC oriented, Shimano Deore M4100/5100 10sp drivetrain, QR skewers, coil fork, internal dropper routing

Merida Big Trail 200
Hardcore hardtail geometry, Shimano Deore M4100/5100 10sp drivetrain, straight through axles, boost rear, coil fork, internal dropper routing, tubeless compatible rims (not tyres)

He's 152cm tall now, I was thinking of buying a bit big (Medium) so it would last. He's already riding his Mum's medium Trek Marlin on the trails so hopefully this shouldn't be too bad.

Thoughts?
Wait...what...

Yaw not 11 years old?
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
Well I can knock these on the head unless someone is driving from Brisbane to Cairns in July?

99bikes won't let a courier pick up due to manufacturer shipping restrictions.
 
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