Opinions on new bike for 12-yr-old boy

Hi all,

I'm a regular reader of this newsgroup and I know you get asked your
opinion a lot on new bikes. I have googled but not found any answers to
my questions really, so here goes ....

My son is 12 next week and I've been looking for a new bike for him. We
are looking at mountain bikes because we live on the edge of the Mendips
and he is likely to spend most of the time off-road with his mates.

I want to buy him a reasonably good adult bike with a small frame. He is
small for his age, so he would need 13" or maybe 14" frame. We had
narrowed our options down to two choices at our LBS:

1) Specialized Hardrock Sport 13" (£300)
2) Giant Rincon 14" (£260)

He likes the specialized the best but hasn't actually tried out either
bike because they didn't have the small frame sizes in stock. They have
ordered the specialized for us to try out but it will take 3 weeks to
arrive. I prefer the specialized as well, and I think that a 14" frame
is probably too big for a mountain bike for him.

Does anyone have opinions on either of these bikes, or any
recommendations for any others. Any other things I should look out for -
is there an FAQ anywhere? Is this is a sensible amount of money to
spend? I am expecting that the bike will do him for a good few years,
and that other family members can also use it occasionally (none of us
are tall!).

If it were you, what bike would you buy?

Thanks for any help.
--
Rgds
Colette

in message , Colette A. O'Brien
') wrote:

I'm a regular reader of this newsgroup and I know you get asked your
opinion a lot on new bikes. I have googled but not found any answers to
my questions really, so here goes ....

My son is 12 next week and I've been looking for a new bike for him. We
are looking at mountain bikes because we live on the edge of the Mendips
and he is likely to spend most of the time off-road with his mates.

I want to buy him a reasonably good adult bike with a small frame. He is
small for his age, so he would need 13" or maybe 14" frame. We had
narrowed our options down to two choices at our LBS:

1) Specialized Hardrock Sport 13" (£300)
2) Giant Rincon 14" (£260)

He likes the specialized the best but hasn't actually tried out either
bike because they didn't have the small frame sizes in stock. They have
ordered the specialized for us to try out but it will take 3 weeks to
arrive. I prefer the specialized as well, and I think that a 14" frame
is probably too big for a mountain bike for him.

Bike sizes don't work like that any longer. Because geometry is not longer
standard, a 14" bike from one manufacturer can be bigger than a 20" bike
from another. You really do need to try him on the bike - and make sure he
isn't too stretched on it.

The Specialized Hardrock is OK value for money. Giants are usually also
reasonable value for money, but I don't know this specific model.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; my other religion is Emacs

Colette A. O'Brien said the following on 16/02/2007 13:39:

1) Specialized Hardrock Sport 13" (£300)
2) Giant Rincon 14" (£260)

He likes the specialized the best but hasn't actually tried out either
bike because they didn't have the small frame sizes in stock.

I can comment on the Specialized Hardrock because I have one (albeit a
bigger frame size and, er, one or two upgrades!) It is a good bike to
get going with, and will do him well - I've completed the MBR trail at
C-y-B on mine without it breaking! Specialized bikes generally seem to
have more bike for your money than other brands, and come out well in
magazine reviews.

Get the Specialized! Ultimately though, you are doing the right thing
in getting your LBS (who are they?) to get one for him to try out. It
doesn't matter how much you like the look of a bike if it just doesn't
fit, and as I'm sure you know there's more to bike fit than just the
frame size.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Colette A. O'Brien wrote:

My son is 12 next week and I've been looking for a new bike for him. We
are looking at mountain bikes because we live on the edge of the Mendips
and he is likely to spend most of the time off-road with his mates.

I want to buy him a reasonably good adult bike with a small frame. He is
small for his age, so he would need 13" or maybe 14" frame.

Does anyone have opinions on either of these bikes, or any
recommendations for any others.

One that might be worth a look is the Islabikes Beinn26 (see
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/beinn26.html) which is
specifically designed with growing kids in mind. No personal
experience, but Islabikes have a good reputation for making Real Bikes.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

I have just got my 10yo daughter a Giant Boulder in WXS (13" frame).
She can ride it comfortably, though that will improve dramatically
over the next few years as she gets bigger.

I'd expect the XS Rincon to be fine for your 12yo. We run 13" trek
3500 at the local Go-Ride club and they fit most ages from about 10
up.

...d

Colette A. O'Brien wrote:
Hi all,

I'm a regular reader of this newsgroup and I know you get asked your
opinion a lot on new bikes. I have googled but not found any answers to
my questions really, so here goes ....

I have an upgraded variant of the Specialized so I can comment on that
only. I'm perfectly satisfied with the bike. Based on your OP, I'd guess
your son would be likewise.

-paul

"Colette A. O'Brien" writes:

Hi all,

I'm a regular reader of this newsgroup and I know you get asked your
opinion a lot on new bikes. I have googled but not found any answers
to my questions really, so here goes ....

My son is 12 next week and I've been looking for a new bike for
him. We are looking at mountain bikes because we live on the edge of
the Mendips and he is likely to spend most of the time off-road with
his mates.

I want to buy him a reasonably good adult bike with a small frame. He
is small for his age, so he would need 13" or maybe 14" frame. We had
narrowed our options down to two choices at our LBS:

1) Specialized Hardrock Sport 13" (£300)
2) Giant Rincon 14" (£260)

He likes the specialized the best but hasn't actually tried out either
bike because they didn't have the small frame sizes in stock. They
have ordered the specialized for us to try out but it will take 3
weeks to arrive. I prefer the specialized as well, and I think that a
14" frame is probably too big for a mountain bike for him.

Does anyone have opinions on either of these bikes, or any
recommendations for any others. Any other things I should look out for

Decathalon have a big range of decent quality, reasonably priced, own
brand bikes. The catch is that the ones in the UK are more expensive
so you really need a trip to France.

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:59:09 +0000, Peter Clinch
wrote:

Colette A. O'Brien wrote:

My son is 12 next week and I've been looking for a new bike for him. We
are looking at mountain bikes because we live on the edge of the Mendips
and he is likely to spend most of the time off-road with his mates.

I want to buy him a reasonably good adult bike with a small frame. He is
small for his age, so he would need 13" or maybe 14" frame.

Does anyone have opinions on either of these bikes, or any
recommendations for any others.

One that might be worth a look is the Islabikes Beinn26 (see
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/beinn26.html) which is
specifically designed with growing kids in mind. No personal
experience, but Islabikes have a good reputation for making Real Bikes.

I have three Islabikes in my pool, including two Beinn 20s. I am
delighted with them. They are lightweight and robust and use quality
components. I shall be buying at least another three in the next
year.

In message of Sat, 17 Feb 2007, Tom Crispin writes
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:59:09 +0000, Peter Clinch
wrote:
I have three Islabikes in my pool, including two Beinn 20s. I am
delighted with them. They are lightweight and robust and use quality
components. I shall be buying at least another three in the next
year.

Thanks to everyone for their comments, lots of food for thought. The
Specialized bike we were thinking of is not going to arrive for 3 weeks
so it gives us time to look around a bit.

I must say that Islabikes look very good. Is the only option either to
order online or to travel to Wolverhampton to try them out?

The LBS say that they will ensure any new bike is adjusted perfectly to
suit my son's size etc. and I am wondering if I will be able to achieve
the same thing by myself.

--
Rgds
Colette

In message of Fri, 16 Feb 2007, Paul Boyd writes
Get the Specialized! Ultimately though, you are doing the right thing
in getting your LBS (who are they?) to get one for him to try out. It
doesn't matter how much you like the look of a bike if it just doesn't
fit, and as I'm sure you know there's more to bike fit than just the
frame size.


The LBS is the Somerset Bike Centre in Weston-super-Mare. I wasn't
impressed with all their staff but they have an almost-retired man there
called Dave who is really helpful. One of them stood my son over a 16"
bike, and didn't comment at all on the fact that he had no
crotch-clearance over the top bar at all. Another said that a 13" frame
would be way too small when I think it's about right. But I suppose it
depends on the bike.

They said they'll adjust the bike for his height, reach etc. and service
it after a few weeks when they can make any further size adjustments if
anything is uncomfortable. This is the sort of thing I need because I
won't be able to do that myself - mechanically I am pretty useless.

I don't know that much about bikes, which is part of the problem. But I
know enough to know that it is important the bike fits him and he can
ride it comfortably. I've had experience of riding a too-big bike myself
and it's not fun.

Thanks again, I'll let you all know what we go for in the end.
--
Rgds
Colette