Kids DH bike
- Thread starter Kntr
- Start date
update:
i finally got noah out on some real DH trails the other week and he tore it up on his hardtail and apparently felt comfortable enough to gap from rocks in the rock garden into a berm. i think he'll be ok on a HT until he can fit on a 24" FS rig. i was amazed at how smooth he was taking the wet trail. i tried to get video from more technical sections but the bottom fell out of the sky on our last run, the run i had planned on using to session different sections. anyway...the little guys CAN handle fairly rough DH on a hardtail, especially on high volume tires with low psi....that is, as long as they have a decent fork to suck up the big hits from the front.
i finally got noah out on some real DH trails the other week and he tore it up on his hardtail and apparently felt comfortable enough to gap from rocks in the rock garden into a berm. i think he'll be ok on a HT until he can fit on a 24" FS rig. i was amazed at how smooth he was taking the wet trail. i tried to get video from more technical sections but the bottom fell out of the sky on our last run, the run i had planned on using to session different sections. anyway...the little guys CAN handle fairly rough DH on a hardtail, especially on high volume tires with low psi....that is, as long as they have a decent fork to suck up the big hits from the front.
Hell yeah!! That's great!!
I took my little 6 yo girl up to Big Mountain last week. She rode all the way to the bottom which is about 8 miles. She had a few crashes but did pretty well. Here are a few pics. The handlebars turned and poked her in the stomach. It doesnt look like a bad crash but watch carefully and you will see what happened. She cried a little but got back up and rode the rest of the way down. Not bad for a 6yo girl.
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The little girl rode SilverStar and Whistler and kicked butt. She complained about her brakes the entire time. Her hands were hurting due to the crappy brakes. She did 3 full runs at SilverStar and by the last run she did a small wall ride. When we got home I decided she needed a new bike. I ended up getting her the GROMHIT. Its 5" of travel via air so I can adjust the pressure. The bike is a little big, but she will be able to ride it next year no problem. Here is a pic from the Specialized website. I got it used but it looks brand new. The previous owner put Juicy 7s on it.
That thing looks sick!! You got a link to the site page, probs being blind but I'm struggling to find it!
Kanter, great story and stoked on your daughters bike.
awesome great to see the kids - and girls - getting into it.
She's going to enjoy it big time.
We went riding with my buddy and his kids the other day. His old oldest, which is 9 yo, is getting pretty brave on the skinnys.
And a pic of our shuttle rig. I bought this car for $500 just for mountain biking. My buddy made the rack for me for free.
My little girls bike. She just turned 7yo. The bike is a little big.
And a pic of our shuttle rig. I bought this car for $500 just for mountain biking. My buddy made the rack for me for free.
My little girls bike. She just turned 7yo. The bike is a little big.
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A bmx bike for dirt jumping made big improvements for my sons skills on a mtn bike.
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If anybody is looking for one Scott has the Park Jr 20 back in stock now. We should be getting ours any day now.
Already looking at upgrades for it. As a 25 lb bike for my daughter would be like a 90 lb bike for me.
Anybody have any advice on who could customize some cranks for me. I have an old pair of XTR M950s that I'd like to turn into 140s, would also like to machine the outer chainring (which i also the spider) down into a bash so she won't get her leg ripped open by a chainring she can't even use. Looking for light BMX tires too.
These look like some good tires - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24641
Already looking at upgrades for it. As a 25 lb bike for my daughter would be like a 90 lb bike for me.
Anybody have any advice on who could customize some cranks for me. I have an old pair of XTR M950s that I'd like to turn into 140s, would also like to machine the outer chainring (which i also the spider) down into a bash so she won't get her leg ripped open by a chainring she can't even use. Looking for light BMX tires too.
These look like some good tires - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24641
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We got the Scott. Turns out advertised weight was off by 2 lbs. I stripped it down to the frame and went through the parts bin. Ended up with this. Finished weight (with OEM tires) is 24lbs 15oz. Other than the tires, the only part I can really see replacing is the seatpost. Hopefully it's as heavy as the bars were, but I doubt it. I'm thinking with the new tires, weight should be 22.5 or so.
Can't believe I had just the right FD.
I don't see anymore standard 1 1/8" headtubes in my future, so why not use this?
I'm leaving all of the gears on for now. Will see which ones she actually can use and delete a few if they prove unneeded. I'm not sure that her balance will be good enough to use the really small gears, and not sure if she can push the big ones. Might get a Middleburn XTR spider and an MRP chainguide if that proves to be the case.
Can't believe I had just the right FD.
I don't see anymore standard 1 1/8" headtubes in my future, so why not use this?
I'm leaving all of the gears on for now. Will see which ones she actually can use and delete a few if they prove unneeded. I'm not sure that her balance will be good enough to use the really small gears, and not sure if she can push the big ones. Might get a Middleburn XTR spider and an MRP chainguide if that proves to be the case.
nice little rig, she'll love it
She is 4'4".
Why would I want to put that fork on her bike. I took the spring out of it and run it on just air. It works awesome. Ya, its a little heavy. Her bike weighs 31 lbs.
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You wouldn't want that fork. It's for 20" anyway. I saw it last night on e-bay. Gotta be the nicest 20" fork I've ever seen, but a little pricy at $600!
kids bones are rubber. toss em a bmx bike and theyll still be faster than us
I have traveled this path... : )
PM me and I'll give you my number and we can talk it through. I went through a few different builds for Cierra before we found the right mix. She started at age 7
Below is a pic of the first rendition of her XS Heckler on 24" wheels. It morphed a bit with lighter parts as I could get the money and sponsors to help out.
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Thanks, but didnt you read the entire post? I got her a sweet Gromhit. Pics above.I have traveled this path... : )
PM me and I'll give you my number and we can talk it through. I went through a few different builds for Cierra before we found the right mix. She started at age 7
Below is a pic of the first rendition of her XS Heckler on 24" wheels. It morphed a bit with lighter parts as I could get the money and sponsors to help out.
my boy is finally big enough for a 24 so i'm getting rid of his 20" steed.:
x post from south forum...but applies to parents of lil' monkies who are having a hard time finding a good bike for their young ripper:
i hope this isn't too spamy but i figured that there are several parents of up and coming young groms that could use a hard to find 20" mtb with real suspension and brakes. those of you that know me and noah know that his 20 is pretty pimp for a youngin'.
i have no idea how much i'm asking for it but it won't be much...just passing on a cool bike for another cool kid to ride.
specs.
frame: specialized hotrock 20
fork: rock shox SID air (adjusted for ~55lb rider)
brakes: Rear- magura hydraulic rim/ front - avid mech disc
drivetrain: shimano xt short cage der., shimano trigger shifter
lock on grips
eason h-bar
A BUNCH OF 20" TIRES (dh/street/block 8, several brand new)
Thompson seatpost
tubby's custom textured urban camo paint job
so anyway..i thought i'd give southeast parents first dibs on a great starter bike. i just built up a p-grom for noah since he's officially outgrown this hotrock. it has served him very well and we can't wait to pass it on to another grom!
the main change from these pics are the fork and hbars.
oh yeah...his new dj/street steed
x post from south forum...but applies to parents of lil' monkies who are having a hard time finding a good bike for their young ripper:
i hope this isn't too spamy but i figured that there are several parents of up and coming young groms that could use a hard to find 20" mtb with real suspension and brakes. those of you that know me and noah know that his 20 is pretty pimp for a youngin'.
i have no idea how much i'm asking for it but it won't be much...just passing on a cool bike for another cool kid to ride.
specs.
frame: specialized hotrock 20
fork: rock shox SID air (adjusted for ~55lb rider)
brakes: Rear- magura hydraulic rim/ front - avid mech disc
drivetrain: shimano xt short cage der., shimano trigger shifter
lock on grips
eason h-bar
A BUNCH OF 20" TIRES (dh/street/block 8, several brand new)
Thompson seatpost
tubby's custom textured urban camo paint job
so anyway..i thought i'd give southeast parents first dibs on a great starter bike. i just built up a p-grom for noah since he's officially outgrown this hotrock. it has served him very well and we can't wait to pass it on to another grom!
the main change from these pics are the fork and hbars.
oh yeah...his new dj/street steed
haha..i got the frame used from a local grom and built it up with spare parts. i tried riding it but the 13" frame and 24" wheels don't work to well for me
and yes..that fork rocks! i cut springs, added some miscellaneous plumbing parts, swapped out the SPV oil with 2wt......it's like an adjustable monster T for a kid
Crappy pic in the garage with the phone, but this was completed last night. It's for a 12 year old boy about 5'2". He's a kid that I volunteer with for Big Brothers.
Yeah, bc then maybe YOU will start to ride again as well!
Great seeing you up at N*. See if you can swing a SoCal trip this winter.
Pretty sick little kids rig. 18" or 20" wheels capable.
This is for a really young kid, maybe 5 thru 11 years or so.
Frame and Fork $1600 for the full suspension model.
$1200 for the hard tail.
http://lilshredder.com/2012_LIL_Shredder_Frames.html
so trick:
spendy, tho.
spendy, tho.
I sure wish those lil shredder's were available when Noah was that age...but then again, he had a pretty sick 20"
Noah has shot up this past year so I put 26's on his Big Hit Grom and he LOVES it! We did some fast, technical DH up at Mt. Lemmon in Tucson the other week and he was shredding.
The Pike and 26's make for a pretty sick grom bike
after a .7 mile hike-a-bike up some nasty water bars...about to start a 70 minute decent
Noah has shot up this past year so I put 26's on his Big Hit Grom and he LOVES it! We did some fast, technical DH up at Mt. Lemmon in Tucson the other week and he was shredding.
The Pike and 26's make for a pretty sick grom bike
after a .7 mile hike-a-bike up some nasty water bars...about to start a 70 minute decent
Those Groms are hard to come by. I've been trying to track one down. I need to figureout how to get one of these in the US and A.
http://www.commencal-store.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=10125626
http://www.commencal-store.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=10125626
There are a few of them on pinkbike:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1053014/
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1053014/
They're pretty much all "Local Delivery Only" and 2000 miles away. I tried to buy the one in Bromont, but it was already sold.
I like the FSR Gromhit better than the single pivot Gromhit.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?arc=2008&spid=34374