MTB for my 11 year old any suggestions???

Birchyboy1234

Hi all,
I am in the market for a MTB for my 11 year old son, I have £300 or so to spend. I am after a 16" frame as he has been measured up at the MTB centre at the forest of dean when we hired a Cube one!
Any suggestions? I was thinking Halfords for a Carrera or it there a better buy out there for that sort of money!

Thank You

Steve

The Rookie

One 16" frame is not the same fit as another, to get the same length (actually the important measurement) he made need a 13" in another brand.

He must be pretty tall at 11 to need a 16" (like 5'8" min), if he's not that tall it's going to be too big.

Personally I'd go used at that age, they can grow out of a bike in 9 months if you are unlucky!

Birchyboy1234

Cheers for the reply.
He's 5ft 3" but he fitted the cube that we hired no problem and we tried a few. There seemed to be a bit of growing room in the 16" because we had the seat down. I get the thing about the different makes/sizes differ. I guess i will have to get measured up depending on the make. He also fitted the 14" no problem but the seat was a bit higher!
It's for his B'Day so didn't want to go second hand but maybe i will.

Cheers for the reply!
Steve

Birchyboy1234

How about this....

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/k ... ort-e-bike

It's 14"

The Rookie

I'm 5'9.5" and ride a 16", my ETT is about the same as a Cube Analog although I do have a setback seatpost that will add about 20mm, it still seems very big for someone 5'3"!

The Boardman linked to is pretty poor value to be honest.

What budget?

Birchyboy1234

About £300

paul.skibum

I'm 5'6 and ride a 16" and its fine so for me - would probably be OK for 5'3 too.

But a long top tube bike will make reach tricky and weight distribution all of which makes biking harder - stand over and all that kind of bs is probably what a hire place looked at and does not equate to a good fit.

I'd look second hand if I were you - more likely to get good value, lighter bike. Be prepared to shop around. Classifieds here, pink bike etc are you friends.

Birchyboy1234

Thanks for the reply!

Diddly

Get yourself a new bike and give him your old one. That's what I did with my 12yr old son. He's riding my old spesh fine. I'm 5'7" and he's about 5'1". The spesh has a really low standover height which was handy. plenty of growing room too.