Little Monkeys
- Thread starter TreeSaw
- Start date
Hey! We are getting Lucas a mountain bike next month for his 8th birthday and are having debates about what he needs. We want to take him to Whistler next year, and he is riding xc at home well. Hubby is looking for disc brakes, full suspension. But what we are finding in a reasonable price range for a 20" bike is front suspension, pull brakes. I also think we should go up a size to 24", but he can't touch the ground with both feet on one yet (I'm sure it'll happen the week after we buy the bike). Opinions?
Check out Spawn Cycles, Lil Shredder, or a specialized Grom Hit FSR, Both my kids (9) have been on the grom hit now for just over 2 seasons. They're still a bit big for them, but they manage and have plenty of fun as well as control on them.
My above pic is my 9 yr old son who is tiny, just turned 9 Aug 31. He's about 50" (estimate, can get actual) and weighs about 55lbs.
The 24" wheels will roll through the braking bumps and chunder much better than a 20" bike, even if its a hair too big. I'd assume whistler would have plenty of rental options, i'd look into that as well.
This is more all mountain than it is downhill.....also pretty pricey....but certainly a great option for the kiddos.
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11347583/
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11347583/
Sweet! Thanks for the tips, I will check out Spawn--haven't heard of them. Something all mountain is definitely more what we are looking for, as we only get up to DH a few times a year, but have XC out our back door. I think we should sneak him into an REI or something and have him sit on the bikes again. I just think he'll outgrow the 20" wayyy too quickly.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Spawn only makes hardtails. I misread that part. The grom FSR is a great bike, but we don't use it much for pedaling it's a hair heavy in stock form.
@Kntr made a lot of mods to his daughters bike to lighten it up significantly, not sure how much she has pedaled hers though. She's still on that bike with 26" wheels last I checked and she can shred.
I wish kids bikes were cheaper and grew with the kids!!
@Kntr made a lot of mods to his daughters bike to lighten it up significantly, not sure how much she has pedaled hers though. She's still on that bike with 26" wheels last I checked and she can shred.
I wish kids bikes were cheaper and grew with the kids!!
Expandable bikes? I like it!
Step One: Attach brackets...
She ended up with teal bands, she is very happy with her color choice.
She ended up with teal bands, she is very happy with her color choice.
Looking through some old pics, I found this of MadDog doing her best Vanna White next to the car she declared would be hers some day.
This was 2 years before I ever even considered owning a Corvette, scary.
This was 2 years before I ever even considered owning a Corvette, scary.
Nice, I need to check in to see how Marshall is doing on his.
I'm surprised I didn't see any pics of the little monkeys in costumes for Halloween...
Here's my little mini me as a dinosaur.
Also, the wifey wanted to do some family Fall pics. Ahhhhhh... ain't we so cute
Here's my little mini me as a dinosaur.
Also, the wifey wanted to do some family Fall pics. Ahhhhhh... ain't we so cute
I've got my little ripper doing night rides on his balance bike now. He just turned 4 in August!!
A little update.
Xander rode Mom's tr450 (size small) at mountain creek a few weeks back at the ESC finale. While he wasn't able to clear the jumps as well, and it was sprung for mom, he said it rolled through the braking bumps much better for him than his 24" wheeled grom hit FSR did.
It was ridiculously huge on him, but I think I am going to either search out a demo XS for him, or do some sort of ultra light franken build on a small framed 26" DH bike.
I think he'll ride the grom hit for another season. Then we'll list it for sale and do a build together over the winter.
@kickstand: keep me in the loop for the Grom hit sale!
Not really "little" any more...
Attachments
Heh. Not the first person to recommend such a route...
Brats in a tree...Empire Mine State Park, birthday hike.
Forgot this little gem. He's 18 months already. Damn.
Spam time: my wife, Jessica, is now hawking kids books for Usborne. Mariko has a couple of their books from pre-hawking times and they're actually pretty well done.
http://g4245.myubam.com/ <-- please buy wares from her if you are in search of reading materials for your kids, and hate the library or somesuch
http://g4245.myubam.com/ <-- please buy wares from her if you are in search of reading materials for your kids, and hate the library or somesuch
looks like i can finally join the club!
Join the club of buying books from my wife's Usborne store! Actually, the books are quite decent. Mariko likes the book sets, where there's a box that looks like a thick book that contains 9 tiny books. Each tiny book is about an animal: I am a tiger/my home is in the jungle/I eat meat/my baby is called a cub/I roar, etc.
i'll buy it if they have one about chupacabrasJoin the club of buying books from my wife's Usborne store! Actually, the books are quite decent. Mariko likes the book sets, where there's a box that looks like a thick book that contains 9 tiny books. Each tiny book is about an animal: I am a tiger/my home is in the jungle/I eat meat/my baby is called a cub/I roar, etc.
Dude! PICS!!!
I can't believe Syd is 9 now!!!! Alex is an adorable terror at 2 (3 in May). Where does the time go?
Top picture is first day of school (kindergarten and second grade)
Bottom pictire same kids same rock 10 years later graduation day.
She followed me through the dirt, turned around just in time to see her auger in pretty good. Babies first dirt crash. I'm so proud.
Last edited: