KneesUp
Guru
Having watch her ride her bike this weekend, I've concluded that LittleKnees will be too big for her current bike after what seems like the annual summer growth spurt.
I hadn't realised kids bikes are generally sized by the wheels - perhaps it wasn't that way when I was a kid? - anyway, she currently has a 20" wheel bike, and as I understand it the next step up is a 24" wheel bike. She's quite taken with one in Decathlon with mudguards. However, it weighs 14.9kg according to Decathlon, which is a preposterous amount for her to haul about. Her current bike weighs about 13kg I think - it's about the same as my utility bike anyway, so it's no surprise she gets tired going uphill.
Last year I built up a bike for me by buying a frame and then picking up bits here there and everywhere. She was fascinated by the project, and I wondered if I could replicate it to make her next bike, and perhaps get her a lighter bike, for less money, and in the process she could learn a bit about how bikes fit together, which she seems interested in. My thought process was to buy an older 'quality' frame (probably a 'ladies' one as she likes the low cross bar on her current bike) and work from there - as long as it takes decent width tyres and mudguards it will do I guess - I was thinking a late 80s / early 90s 'womens' rigid MTB would be ideal if they are small enough - so we finally get to the question - would a very small 26" MTB frame be ok for someone about 135cm (4ft 6-ish) or would I need to find a 24" version do you reckon? Cheers.
I hadn't realised kids bikes are generally sized by the wheels - perhaps it wasn't that way when I was a kid? - anyway, she currently has a 20" wheel bike, and as I understand it the next step up is a 24" wheel bike. She's quite taken with one in Decathlon with mudguards. However, it weighs 14.9kg according to Decathlon, which is a preposterous amount for her to haul about. Her current bike weighs about 13kg I think - it's about the same as my utility bike anyway, so it's no surprise she gets tired going uphill.
Last year I built up a bike for me by buying a frame and then picking up bits here there and everywhere. She was fascinated by the project, and I wondered if I could replicate it to make her next bike, and perhaps get her a lighter bike, for less money, and in the process she could learn a bit about how bikes fit together, which she seems interested in. My thought process was to buy an older 'quality' frame (probably a 'ladies' one as she likes the low cross bar on her current bike) and work from there - as long as it takes decent width tyres and mudguards it will do I guess - I was thinking a late 80s / early 90s 'womens' rigid MTB would be ideal if they are small enough - so we finally get to the question - would a very small 26" MTB frame be ok for someone about 135cm (4ft 6-ish) or would I need to find a 24" version do you reckon? Cheers.
