Consider the circle the child rides in. Being a trail steward and having been involved with kids lessons and NICA teams I've seen stigma - jealousy, animosity - when one kid's bike is even 2x let along 3x - 10x more than the others are riding. On the parts, I have a lot of my own and the same involvement with the kids at scale. Fancy parts break just like basic ones. The bike park and lessons facility where I'm a recent retired director has had great success guiding families towards what I call or consider Deore, 10 speed or NX level bikes.
Small Full Suspension for 13yr old
So at the beginning of COVID my son was just growing out of his 24”. I just happen to walk into a local shop and found a Giant Talon in an XS (hardtail). Within weeks he busted the Sun tour shocks and started having issue with the derailleur. I replaced the Sun tours with a set of Rock Shox and then he started having brake issues. I finally got everything back in order and just decided that I need to find something that can stand up to just how hard the kid rides. Back in April, I came across a Trek Roscoe 8 in Tucson that was way more than I wanted to spend as it was close to $2000, but I did get it. This bike is a really beefy hardtail that he throttles on trails and not a single issue as of today. The Roscoe 8 is a very fun bike for him that can handle everything that he dishes out.
Now the kids id just about to outgrow the Trek and I’m looking around for a full suspension for him. I know if go into a gateway full suspension it’s going to limit his progression and I’ll probably be looking for yet another damn bike or constantly upgrading it. I’ve narrowed down a few bikes below that I’m starting to review and research with a hope that I can find one of them by October. Do you guys have any thoughts or suggestions on a solid mid-priced full suspension trail bike? I’m thinking around 3400 will be at the top of my price range, but need it to withstand my boy on these Arizona trails.
Trek Fuel EX 7
Kona Process 153
Rocky Mountain Instinct 30
Thanks,
Now the kids id just about to outgrow the Trek and I’m looking around for a full suspension for him. I know if go into a gateway full suspension it’s going to limit his progression and I’ll probably be looking for yet another damn bike or constantly upgrading it. I’ve narrowed down a few bikes below that I’m starting to review and research with a hope that I can find one of them by October. Do you guys have any thoughts or suggestions on a solid mid-priced full suspension trail bike? I’m thinking around 3400 will be at the top of my price range, but need it to withstand my boy on these Arizona trails.
Trek Fuel EX 7
Kona Process 153
Rocky Mountain Instinct 30
Thanks,
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
Well the kid has no friends that ride MTB and is not a "name brand" kid. I have no issue in a spend like this to support interest outside of games or being a teen looking for something to do. Please don't take this wrong, but I'm not looking to the forum to judge me on how much I spend on my kid... but more so a perspective and experience with certain bikes.Consider the circle the child rides in. Being a trail steward and having been involved with kids lessons and NICA teams I've seen stigma - jealousy, animosity - when one kid's bike is even 2x let along 3x - 10x more than the others are riding. On the parts, I have a lot of my own and the same involvement with the kids at scale. Fancy parts break just like basic ones. The bike park and lessons facility where I'm a recent retired director has had great success guiding families towards what I call or consider Deore, 10 speed or NX level bikes.
You brought up decent bikes from decent manufacturers - they all make good stuff these days. There was no intention to be judgmental. I passed on the experience from being one of the starters of kids programs, lots of spent doing support, kids support at scale, and recently retiring as one of the directors of a bike park. Also lots of experience from leading a sizable IMBA chapter.Well the kid has no friends that ride MTB and is not a "name brand" kid. I have no issue in a spend like this to support interest outside of games or being a teen looking for something to do. Please don't take this wrong, but I'm not looking to the forum to judge me on how much I spend on my kid... but more so a perspective and experience with certain bikes.
Put simply, all the popular surviving bike brands make good stuff. Mid-level parts work better than the best used to work. If your kid breaks stuff and wears stuff out as mine do you can also have fewer hassles finding parts.
Much appreciate the insight and feed back sir and can totally understand where you're coming from.You brought up decent bikes from decent manufacturers - they all make good stuff these days. There was no intention to be judgmental. I passed on the experience from being one of the starters of kids programs, lots of spent doing support, kids support at scale, and recently retiring as one of the directors of a bike park. Also lots of experience from leading a sizable IMBA chapter.
Put simply, all the popular surviving bike brands make good stuff. Mid-level parts work better than the best used to work. If your kid breaks stuff and wears stuff out as mine do you can also have fewer hassles finding parts.
You probably just want to get him on a few of the bikes. They're all going to do the job just fine but they feel kind of different. Especially because he's still not a huge kid, any of these bikes might feel pretty big for him, even though they're the right size. The jump from a hardtail to a full squish can feel like jumping into a tank, especially if you're popping up to a 29. First and foremost, he needs to be comfortable.
That said, the Process has the coolest color paint in the green.
So very true regarding your tank and comfort comment. I just bought my first full suspension a few months back and it was a 29'er. Loved the bike, but felt very awkward at the correct size and even came off of a HT 29'er. Sold the bike and found a nice full 27.5 and still getting used to the having that rear cushy thing, but it for sure feels better.You probably just want to get him on a few of the bikes. They're all going to do the job just fine but they feel kind of different. Especially because he's still not a huge kid, any of these bikes might feel pretty big for him, even though they're the right size. The jump from a hardtail to a full squish can feel like jumping into a tank, especially if you're popping up to a 29. First and foremost, he needs to be comfortable.
Yeah, really hope to get him on a few bikes before making a spend, even if we have to wait things out.
Fit is going to be a little more difficult than you may think. He's moving from a bike with shorter reach and steeper head tube angle with a slacker seat tube angle. Reach for a S is only 364mm.
Old last generation geometry.
Better new bikes have slacker head tube angles and longer reach with steeper seat tube angles.
15.5 Fuel has 415 or 420. Kona 27.5 S has 430 and RM has 430 S with 29 wheels or 433 for 27.5.
And he's had the major benefit of 40mm inner width rims and 27.5+ 2.8" tires. That cuts crashing and adds cornering traction. Makes climbing easier also. I don't see rims that wide on these fs bikes.
One option is a larger Roscoe 8. Your dealer should work a trade for you because of a growing kid.
There are better hardtails with current geo and a better fork. YouTube channel Hardtail Party has info/reviews and offers bike consulting. Link.
For fs I'd look for a 1st gen Evil Following. They ran small. Also an earlier gen Ibis Ripley.
Both have DW designed rear suspensions. Used they should be in your price range.
2017 Evil Following For Sale (pinkbike.com)
Also new an Intense 951 trail.
INTENSE 951 Series Trail
Old last generation geometry.
Better new bikes have slacker head tube angles and longer reach with steeper seat tube angles.
15.5 Fuel has 415 or 420. Kona 27.5 S has 430 and RM has 430 S with 29 wheels or 433 for 27.5.
And he's had the major benefit of 40mm inner width rims and 27.5+ 2.8" tires. That cuts crashing and adds cornering traction. Makes climbing easier also. I don't see rims that wide on these fs bikes.
One option is a larger Roscoe 8. Your dealer should work a trade for you because of a growing kid.
There are better hardtails with current geo and a better fork. YouTube channel Hardtail Party has info/reviews and offers bike consulting. Link.
For fs I'd look for a 1st gen Evil Following. They ran small. Also an earlier gen Ibis Ripley.
Both have DW designed rear suspensions. Used they should be in your price range.
2017 Evil Following For Sale (pinkbike.com)
Also new an Intense 951 trail.
INTENSE 951 Series Trail
Dang, thanks man for all the thought. I'm going to start looking at those too and see what I can find out here. I just found a shop about and hour from me that rents Rocky Mountains and Treks by the day, I may try to get one for a few days and see how things fit and feel.Fit is going to be a little more difficult than you may think. He's moving from a bike with shorter reach and steeper head tube angle with a slacker seat tube angle. Reach for a S is only 364mm.
Old last generation geometry.
Better new bikes have slacker head tube angles and longer reach with steeper seat tube angles.
15.5 Fuel has 415 or 420. Kona 27.5 S has 430 and RM has 430 S with 29 wheels or 433 for 27.5.
And he's had the major benefit of 40mm inner width rims and 27.5+ 2.8" tires. That cuts crashing and adds cornering traction. Makes climbing easier also. I don't see rims that wide on these fs bikes.
One option is a larger Roscoe 8. Your dealer should work a trade for you because of a growing kid.
There are better hardtails with current geo and a better fork. YouTube channel Hardtail Party has info/reviews and offers bike consulting. Link.
For fs I'd look for a 1st gen Evil Following. They ran small. Also an earlier gen Ibis Ripley.
Both have DW designed rear suspensions. Used they should be in your price range.
2017 Evil Following For Sale (pinkbike.com)
Also new an Intense 951 trail.
INTENSE 951 Series Trail
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
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