I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
OK, this has come around sooner than I expected but oldest son (9 in Jan) is fast growing out of his GT Stomper with 20" wheels and No2 son (5½yrs) is itching to step up from his Ridgeback MX14 to the Stomper and initial trials show he can handle it surprisingly well.
I have considered the jump to full sized 26" wheel bikes but that idea just isn't going to fly so the reality is an interim bike on 24" wheels is the requirement. A few hrs web searching has turned up 4 bikes I would consider suitable.
Decathlon Rockrider 5.2/£170
Jamis x.24/£200
Ridgeback MX24/£240
GT Aggressor 24"/£300
There is also the Specialized Hotrock 24/£270 but it looks a bit odd to me and until I saw him sat on one I can't see it being in the running.
Favorites at the moment have got to be the Ridgeback in first place and also keen on the Jamis, the double chainset seems a wise compromise at an age where gear understanding and choice might be less than ideal. The Decathlon bike is the sensible choice as it is the least worrying for theft reasons at a time when he is likely to start riding to mates houses and similar trips in the next couple of years. I have to admit the GT, while being the dearest, is difficult to ignore. With 4 GT bikes already in the household we obviously have a softspot for the marque and the 20" Stomper has been, and continues to be, a cracking bike.
Has anybody got alternative suggestions or experience of these bikes? I am just wondering if anything else should be on the list before we start trekking around shops trying to see them in the flesh?
I have considered the jump to full sized 26" wheel bikes but that idea just isn't going to fly so the reality is an interim bike on 24" wheels is the requirement. A few hrs web searching has turned up 4 bikes I would consider suitable.
Decathlon Rockrider 5.2/£170
Jamis x.24/£200
Ridgeback MX24/£240
GT Aggressor 24"/£300
There is also the Specialized Hotrock 24/£270 but it looks a bit odd to me and until I saw him sat on one I can't see it being in the running.
Favorites at the moment have got to be the Ridgeback in first place and also keen on the Jamis, the double chainset seems a wise compromise at an age where gear understanding and choice might be less than ideal. The Decathlon bike is the sensible choice as it is the least worrying for theft reasons at a time when he is likely to start riding to mates houses and similar trips in the next couple of years. I have to admit the GT, while being the dearest, is difficult to ignore. With 4 GT bikes already in the household we obviously have a softspot for the marque and the 20" Stomper has been, and continues to be, a cracking bike.
Has anybody got alternative suggestions or experience of these bikes? I am just wondering if anything else should be on the list before we start trekking around shops trying to see them in the flesh?