[natepac]

I’m looking at a new bikes for my 10yo son this Christmas. He’s outgrowing his 24. Looking for a Hardtail. I had initially planned on an XS or S 27.5 until I saw this video

. It looks like the reach on most of the 27.5 will be too long. We ride mainly XC. I’ve looked for used bikes but it only looks like people are getting ride of their entry level Trek Marlins and availability is few and far between on new bikes BUT there are a few Giant STPs around. I though the STP was more of a park/dirt jump bike but thoughts on it for a XC/trail bike? I know that they say that “26 is dead“ but my first real MTB was 26 and after all he is just a kid. There is a local mtb club he has expressed interest in next year when he goes into 6th grade but who knows by then he may change his mind. I know the STP is not a XC race bike but does it really matter at that age?

 

[chiefsilverback]

The STP 26 is similar in spec and geo to the Nukeproof Cub Scout 26 that my 10yo rides, and he uses it for both the DH park and 15 mile XC rides with 2000'+ climbing.

I know lots of people put their 10/11yo’s on 27.5 and even 29, but at 4’7” my son was only just tall enough for the cub scout and I’ve yet to find something he can’t ride up/down/over.

 

[nwa bike dad]

Are you talking about racing xc or more a reference to a style of riding? My son is a normal sized 10 year old. He has a 27.5 XS Pivot Mach 6 for Enduro and a S 29" Pivot LES for XC. The larger wheels for xc are definitely a plus if he is racing. He will have virtually no chance of competing in a xc race on a 26" wheeled bike. If not racing disregard.

The biggest issue he had when we biked him up from 24" to 27.5" was jumping. The bigger bike took a little bit on that stuff. Drops, racing, pedaling, tech were all better with the bigger wheel.

 

[chiefsilverback]

OP - I'm planning to get my son a sub $1500 bike for Christmas
Reply - My son has $10,000+ $7500 worth of Pivots

 

[svinyard]

How big is your kid? And can you describe what he is riding or what he/you is hoping to be riding in the future? Is he XC Racing (or planning to) or just riding XC terrain etc?

 

[fly4130]

As a huge proponent of having a DJ bike in the stable I say get the geared STP. It is the one bike he wont outgrow from a holistic perspective. He would need a proper sized trail bike as he sizes up as the STP would suck to pedal around as he gets taller. Well, let me rephrase. A proper trail bike would be much better to pedal. And he would have a dirt jumper that is more DJ-sized for him in a few years.

 

[nwa bike dad]

OP - I'm planning to get my son a sub $1500 bike for Christmas
Reply - My son has $10,000+ worth of Pivots

The LES was used and we got it in Facebook Market for $1800.

 

[chiefsilverback]

The LES was used and we got it in Facebook Market for $1800.

OP - I'm planning to get my son a sub $1500 bike for Christmas
Reply - My son has $10,000+ $7500 worth of Pivots

I fixed it!

 

[TimTucker]

From experience seeing what kids are riding around at local XC races here, the kids with super light bikes and bigger wheels are usually the ones at the front of the pack.

It's a bit of a chicken and egg thing, though: there's a significant overlap between kids who get more serious about riding and parents who go overboard on their bikes.

Lots of kids that have fun racing on bikes at a wide range of price points and wheel sizes, though.

 

[natepac]

He just turned 10 and is 4’9 and 1/2. We live in NW Florida where it is relatively flat. There are no mountains here to call it mountain biking so I consider it XC or trail riding. As far as the local kids mtb team I was thinking it would give us an excuse to travel, camp and ride different trails. Its not meant to be super competitive but more about just competing. Maybe when he gets to high school if he has an interest in racing we could get a 29xc race bike.