Starter mountain bike for 11yr old

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Stef 1

Senior Member
Location
Cotswolds, UK
HI - looking to purchase a mountain bike for my 11 yr old son.
I know it's not just a simple as buying a 'mountain bike any more, but being a road cyclist I don't know much about them.

Budget is around £250 with a little flex. He's growing quickly, so don't want to spend too much more as he'll grow out of it pretty quick.

He'll be riding to school during the week, with a little trail stuff with his mates a weekends.
I'm thinking a hard tail, adult XS or small, and preferably something better than Halford heavy gas tubing....

Any recommendations?

Many thanks
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Have you looked into the bike club https://thebikeclub.co/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7crs-sLL4wIVTbTtCh0WKwYKEAAYASAAEgImmvD_BwE?
it's a child bike hire scheme where they send you a bike, when your kid outgrows it, you send it back and get a bigger size. They use frog bikes which have a good reputation as kid specific bikes
 
OP
OP
Stef 1

Stef 1

Senior Member
Location
Cotswolds, UK
Thanks both - been looking at Frog bikes previously. The new price push it out of budget a little, and the re-club ones re out of stock... also I think as he's 11, by the time he's out grown it, he will have have outgrown Frog.

I'll check out the Decathlon one now - thanks for the link.
 
If you want vfm Decathlon are hard to beat. The Rockrider falls right into your budget. Lifetime frame warranty
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/st-520-mountain-bike-275-grey-id_8378535.html

I'd go for the Rockrider 700 IMHO - For not that much more money it's better specced, with a wider spread of gearing, trigger shifters and mechanical disc brakes.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-700-kids-mountain-bike-24-id_8327645.html

I've messed about with one in-store on a few occasions as I'd been thinking about one for myself as a mucky weather bike. I'm a bit of a shortarse, but having just shelled out for a hybrid, another N+1 really isn't on the agenda right now, especially since I'd have to replace the crankset etc as what it comes with doesn't suit my needs.
 
OP
OP
Stef 1

Stef 1

Senior Member
Location
Cotswolds, UK
SO, I stretched my budget a tiny bit and ended up getting my son a ORBEA MX 27 XS 60 2019. Got a great deal from a Euro bike shop (sorry LBS, but my budget wouldn't stretch that far).

Had to check over the build, switch the brakes etc, but overall very happy.

He's at the smaller end size-wise for that bike, but it does fit and he can ride it well (with room to grow for a year or two) - no need for a dropper just yet!

Two weeks in and he's loving it. Great to see his bike confidence growing and he's becoming more adventurous each time we go out.

Worth a look at if anyone looking for similar.

Cheers
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Decathlon are good. Can't fault my son's small Carrera Vengeance - had it since he was 11, and he's nearly 19 now. Been a good bike
 
Top Bottom