9 Year Olds First Mountain Bike - Help Needed Please!

[YellowRoses]

Hi. My son is 9 years old and small (132cms). He has always had Islabikes but for the past year has ignored his Islabike Beinn 24 as he can't see past his BMX. He loves going to the pump tracks with his BMX, however he is now asking for a Mountain Bike, mainly as he likes to do jumps and in particular says he would like a 'jump bike' (whatever that is?). This request is also driven by his friends. I noticed a couple of his friends have an Islabike Creig 26 which he can ride but it does look too big for him. However, those bikes are too expensive for us and there are not many available secondhand.

Can anyone recommend a cheaper alternative to the Creig 26, or some other good bikes that are easier to come by second hand. Also, it has to be 'cool' by a 9 year olds standards if anyone knows what this would be! I have no idea of any technical terms of cycling/bikes. I have simply followed the Islabike sizing and bought these secondhand as he grew older so it was simple. Thanks

 

[vickster]

Ridgeback do kids MTBs eg
https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/ridgeback-mx24-varrb2180
or https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/ridgeback-mx20-varrb2178 (perhaps too small)

if you’re in London, second hand here for example
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...994356?hash=item28a2add9f4:g:-wIAAOSwK8NfuTe1
or Winchester
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...090838?hash=item3b526f3756:g:Th0AAOSwEvhfuogM
or Warrington
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...685946?hash=item3fee48c47a:g:5LEAAOSwzZZftOjA
Or....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...581509?hash=item366f012b05:g:jAoAAOSwoUBfuLwE
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...568998?hash=item1f1a42c2a6:g:HysAAOSwuXJfumsE
(there are others too depending on location )
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...cat=0&rt=nc&Wheel%20Size=24%20in&_dcat=177831


or a Voodoo from Halfords
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bikes/voodoo-bakka-mountain-bike---24in-wheel-251402.html

you've also got Frog bikes but they’re not cheap and pretty much sold out (like lots of new bikes)

£1000 for a kids Islabike is even if they do keep their value!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Best get your facts right as you don't want to buy an uncool bike but I thought a 'jump' bike was a specific type of BMX often ridden without a saddle but could be completely wrong, so best check with your son exactly what he defines as a 'jump' bike. We bought our grandson a Wild bike from Go Outdoors in the Black Friday sale 2 years ago (I think) https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/cycling/bikes/kids-bikes/br:wild-bikes/ Can fully remember the story but I think they are designed by an ex-Carrera designer who wasn't happy there was nothing for his children, they are ergonomically designed for the kids, in the sense the brakes are short reach, low stepover to get on etc.

But whether this is what your son wants is another matter

 

[YellowRoses]

Ridgeback do kids MTBs eg
https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/ridgeback-mx24-varrb2180
or https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/ridgeback-mx20-varrb2178 (perhaps too small)

if you’re in London, second hand here for example
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...994356?hash=item28a2add9f4:g:-wIAAOSwK8NfuTe1
or Winchester
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...090838?hash=item3b526f3756:g:Th0AAOSwEvhfuogM
or Warrington
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...685946?hash=item3fee48c47a:g:5LEAAOSwzZZftOjA
Or....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...581509?hash=item366f012b05:g:jAoAAOSwoUBfuLwE
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ridgebac...568998?hash=item1f1a42c2a6:g:HysAAOSwuXJfumsE
(there are others too depending on location )
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Ridgeback+kids+bike&_sacat=0&rt=nc&Wheel%20Size=24%20in&_dcat=177831


or a Voodoo from Halfords
https://www.halfords.com/bikes/kids-bikes/voodoo-bakka-mountain-bike---24in-wheel-251402.html

you've also got Frog bikes but they’re not cheap and pretty much sold out (like lots of new bikes)

£1000 for a kids Islabike is even if they do keep their value!

The ridgeback one looks great and its exactly the price we were looking to pay. Thanks so much!

 

[YellowRoses]

Best get your facts right as you don't want to buy an uncool bike but I thought a 'jump' bike was a specific type of BMX often ridden without a saddle but could be completely wrong, so best check with your son exactly what he defines as a 'jump' bike. We bought our grandson a Wild bike from Go Outdoors in the Black Friday sale 2 years ago (I think) https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/cycling/bikes/kids-bikes/br:wild-bikes/ Can fully remember the story but I think they are designed by an ex-Carrera designer who wasn't happy there was nothing for his children, they are ergonomically designed for the kids, in the sense the brakes are short reach, low stepover to get on etc.

But whether this is what your son wants is another matter

My son thinks a Jump Bike looks similar to a mountain bike but with fewer gears? I have no idea and not even sure if what is in his head actually exists, he probably heard people mentioning them at the BMX track. He is getting a Mountain Bike end of . He is still young and can choose a 'Jump Bike' once he is a bit older. I will show him the bike you mention and the Ridgeback one linked above and he can choose what is cool as I like them both. Thanks for your help

 

[Jody]

Ebay is littered with jump bikes. Look for something like in the link below and he will be more than happy. Depends how tall he is.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Custom-J...520636?hash=item1aaaca173c:g:F7kAAOSw8NtfukqU

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Ebay is littered with jump bikes. Look for something like in the link below and he will be more than happy. Depends how tall he is.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Custom-J...520636?hash=item1aaaca173c:g:F7kAAOSw8NtfukqU

Is the 0 supposed to be after the 35?

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

My son has a jump bike it is a very specific kind of bike as illustrated by Jody above.

 

[MichaelW2]

Jump bikes are hard tail, the full suspension equiv is slopestyle. These are mostly 26" wheel size ( a few 24") and singlespeed. Designed for jumps and stunts that may break a std trail sus fork.
Very brand conscious part of the market with some cooler small playas. The ebay link to an Evil is one such cool brand.

 

[Jody]

Is the 0 supposed to be after the 35?

You want quality kit for £35?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

You want quality kit for £35?

Maybe not but I wouldn't pay out £350 for a scratched badly rattle canned framed bike that possibly has no provenance of ownership either, but then again I am a tight wad, I do not see the value in cycles & lots of other things people are prepared to pay for.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

This is the sort of thing people riding jump bikes end up doing, fairly soon. I wouldn't want my son doing that on a £35 bike. They may look simple but they really are built to take a lot of punishment. But I wouldn't want my son doing that at the age of 9 either, regardless of the bike!

 

[Jody]

Maybe not but I wouldn't pay out £350 for a scratched badly rattle canned framed bike that possibly has no provenance of ownership either,

That's pretty much jumps bikes in a nut shell. Doesn't really matter about the frame age/condition as long as they are strong and have the right geometry. It's usually more to do with the kit that's strapped to them and the overall package.

Used - frame £50, forks £100, wheels £100-150, cranks £30, XT brake £40-50, bars/stem/headset £80, tyres minimum of £20+ each.

 

[YellowRoses]

Thanks everyone, you have all been so helpful. It is really appreciated. It is much clearer now. Looking at everything I think the Jump Bike is really for when he is older, stronger and bigger. His ability just now does not really warrant spending out on a quality Jump bike especially given he has his BMX for now at the pump/bmx tracks. I can see however how he likes these bikes the picture above makes it look like a great sport.

I will get him a mountain bike to start him off going on smaller woodland tracks first. Doing big jumps like shown above can stay in his imagination for a while yet .