[twitter007]

Hi,

My older son has outgrown his IslaBike Beinn 26" small bike https://www.islabikes.com/product/uncategorized/beinn-26-age-8/.

He is 5' 2" tall with an inseam of 30.5" and weighs 92 lb. We are looking for a new bike for him to ride primarily around the neighborhood and on dirt trails. He is not into mountain biking so we are thinking of getting him a hybrid bike. Primary consideration is a lightweight bike which will fit now and for next 3 years and budget is less than $800.

I'm not sure if we should go for a bike specifically made for teens or go for an adult bike with XS frame. There are a number of kid specific bike brands in UK but I haven't seen many in US. Islabike no longer sells in USA. Frog still sells through some retailers and we are considering Frog 78. But nobody stocks it locally, so we will have to order it and hope it works out.

Any recommendations or advice is appreciated.

 

[svinyard]

A sick BMX like a Cult Gateway 18" is only around 285$. Note that sizing is way different for a BMX bike. My nephew is a neighborhood-esk rider (no mountain biking) and I helped get him on. He was 5-3 and fits him great with plenty of room to grow. Pretty sweet bike at a nice price point. BMX is the ultimate gateway to biking fun instead of just transportation riding . If I was to go back in time, I'd have never let my parents buy me a gravel road/mtb bike and ditch my BMX. Plus he can ride it on skate parks/pump tracks or whatever else sounds like fun. They also will fit him a lot longer than a traditional bike. He'll struggle with standing and pedal for a minute maybe but after that realize the awesomeness he's been missing and start launching curbs like its the 80's all over again .

Oh or maybe a Dirt Jumper? I have a Calibre Astronut (not shipping internationally anymore unfortunately) and freaking love it. You could get a Airborne Crohawk 26" DJ for about 700$. So much fun around the neighborhood. Again, a sweet gateway to MTB too...AND you get a DJ too .

 

[twitter007]

thanks svinyard. I might buy him a cult gateway for fun but he also needs one for the longer rides like when he is riding with his boy scout troop.

 

[svinyard]

thanks svinyard. I might buy him a cult gateway for fun but he also needs one for the longer rides like when he is riding with his boy scout troop.

Gotcha, well yeah that makes sense. For the Boy Scout bike, take a look at the Vitus Nucleus 27 line. Very cost effective but decent hardtails for that. Plus he could MTB on it too. At 5-2 he's probably a Small I'm guessing. Some of the XS can be pretty short frames.

Vitus

 

[twitter007]

I looked at Vitus line but it's primarily sold in UK. Any recommendation for folks in USA?

 

[svinyard]

I looked at Vitus line but it's primarily sold in UK. Any recommendation for folks in USA?

You can get a Vitus delivered for free in about 5 days to USA typically straight from Chain reaction cycles or Wiggle. No big deal.

Rocky makes the Soul 10 which looks nice but I think it has a crappy coil fork that I'd avoid entirely.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

I put my 9½ year old (4' 8", 26" inseam) on a Small women's Marin Wildcat 27.5, intentionally right on the margin of what fit. I swapped on a shorter stem and cranks to better suit him, and also replaced the fork's coil with an air spring. I'm not suggesting that bike specifically, but your kid is definitely opening up to adult sizes, increasing your options.

 

[twitter007]

Looks like Vitus Nucleus 27 VR is out of stock everywhere. I waited couple of weeks but it doesn't look like it will get back in stock anytime soon. Any other recommendations for less than $1000. I have never ridded a mountain bike so don't know much about them. From what I've read recently, it looks like a XC bike will work much better compared to a trail bike for my son.

Chair reaction has these two in my price range:

Marin Nail Trail 6
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com...trail-6-27-5-hardtail-bike-2019/rp-prod186794

Vitus Nucleus 275 VRS
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com...leus-275-vrs-mountain-bike-2019/rp-prod173154

Any feedback on these two or any other in less than USD 1000 range? Thanks in advance.

 

[svinyard]

I didn't do a deep look but I'd go with that Marin Nail Trail 6 bike. Looks good for a kid getting into it! Marin makes a good product and I like that its a 1x drivetrain, shimano brakes etc.

Maybe you buy yourself the same thing and get after it?

 

[twitter007]

Thanks for your help. I just ordered the Marin bike. Hopefully, wife will let me order one for myself as well ;-)