[dragbike]

My son is currently riding a 24" hotrock. It has a crap suspension fork that I once weighed at coming in at nearly 6 pounds. The fork on my bike only weighs a little less than 4 pounds!

Anyways, I'm starting to plan a build on his first 26er. So far I have a 14" Giant aluminum frame and a set of light wheels that I built up with parts garnered off ebay.

When it comes to the fork I'm not sure which way to go. I've been watching ebay for old RS 63mm Sids(around 3 pounds), but I can't believe what these things are selling for! Does anyone else know of any other options when it comes to light suspension forks- new or used?

On the other hand I can't help but think my son doesn't even need a suspension fork. He's a 9 year old afterall. When I was 9 I was riding around jumping and stuff on a 40# POS.

I see aluminum rigid forks on ebay for around $60 that weigh 2 pounds or less.

Opinions are welcome.

 

[gravitylover]

Go rigid and put a 2.4 or bigger tire up front and run it around 20 psi.

 

[traffic002]

My son is 8 and I'm looking to move him from his BMX mini bike to a trail bike.

I'm purposely looking for bikes with rigid forks as that's all they need.

Since this is a project bike, I'm also possibly leaning towards convertible my wife's XS Rockhopper frame for him. In which case I will be looking at a chromoly rigid fork.

 

[wycough]

Check my build log Another Performance Access. Origin 8 steel fork 1100+ grams and like $80 at local bike shop.

 

[wycough]

Sorry...2.0 tire with it at 20psi

 

[AKamp]

He will like a suspension fork with a lighter tire better, it will ride better than a rigid fork with a big fat heavy tire. I thought about sticking a rigid fork on my sons bike just so he would learn his bike handling before giving him any suspension, but I had an old Sid laying around so I through that on instead.

 

[Cary]

Manitou Skareb.

 

[TwoTone]

He will like a suspension fork with a lighter tire better, it will ride better than a rigid fork with a big fat heavy tire. I thought about sticking a rigid fork on my sons bike just so he would learn his bike handling before giving him any suspension, but I had an old Sid laying around so I through that on instead.

Holy Thread Resurrection.

How do you guys find these 2 year old threads and why do you post in them?

 

[AKamp]

Wow no kidding. Don't know how I stumbled across it and didn't even bother looking at the date

 

[coopdad]

These threads get resurrected because it is a timeless problem and one that will probably not be solved any time soon: limited options to heavy useless suspension forks on kid's bikes. I think it is good that they are resurrected though as it keeps us from re-answering the same question over and over.