# 24" or XS 26"?



## slammedsled (Jan 17, 2010)

My 9yr old needs to step up his game. He is riding a 20" Trek mtn lion with alot of trick parts, but he is way to big for it at 4'4". He is also an avid BMX'er since age 4 and rides a local 10 mile ride every week. My point is he is not new to riding and I have no worries about him when we ride.
Now with that said I have one LBS telling me that I should skip the 24" and find a extra small 26" so he can grow into it while another tells me even if he fits a 26" he probably couldn't handle it as well and get a 24'. For the record he has done the 10 mile rides and raced BMX with the 1st LBS and 2nd has no idea of his riding level.
Again, he is 4'4" and 9 yrs old. I'm sure many of you have been in this situation, opinions/options?

Now I will muddy the water a little. my older (11yr old) son needs a new bike as well. he currently has a Diamondback Octain24. Now I know you will say "oh, give it to the younger son and buy the older a new 26". Here is the problem.
(1)The Diamondback is a nice neigborhood bike and has been on some trail rides but I think my younger son can ride better then the bike will allow.(make sense?) and upgrading parts could cost as much as just getting a better bike.
(2)as the younger brother he is used to getting hand-me-downs so it is nice to get him something that was not his brothers first, even if not new.
(3) His older brother has moved on to "team sports" and while he still rides alot he doesnt need much more then an entry level bike or a better hand-me-down.

So I think I have decided the older son will get a e-bay,used local,whatever, 26" name brand and the younger, well ?, 24" or XS 26"?


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

Well I bought a XS Specialized Frame for my son, got some nice disc hubs and having them laced to Aeroheat 24 inch rims. When he out grows the 24 inch rims, I'll have the same hubs relaced to 26 inch wheels.

Buying used on EBay, I'll build a better XS 24er for little over buying a stock cheaper XS 26.

Just a small example, I got the 2008 Specialized Hotrock M4 frame with a light 100mm Manitou Skarub fork, bb & headset for $175, Full set of BB7s with cables for $60 XT drivetrain for $60.

So it's really up to you.


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## PA Quaker (Aug 23, 2011)

Go with the 26" as long as he feels comfortable on it. If he is an experienced rider, he will be able to control it just fine, and he can ride it much longer. Also there are a lot more decent options without getting into customization.


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## Reposado Man (May 31, 2005)

I didnt really have a choice -- Santa Cruz donated a womens XS Juliana for my daughter's school auction so of course I had to jump on it. Ended up getting it for $150 and pieced it together with various parts from the pile and friends' generous sponsorship. 

She's 11 and only about 4-8. The seat has to be slammed pretty much all the way down and forward.. But she seems pretty comfortable on it and if she grows up to typical Asian female height, it might be perfect when she's a teenager. (If she has any interest in mtb, which may be a long shot!)

(Sorry about the rotated image, not sure how to fix it.)


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## GMF (Jan 10, 2004)

Reposado Man said:


> I didnt really have a choice


No... No you did not. Very sweet ride and I would have done exactly the same thing!


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## Reposado Man (May 31, 2005)

Thanks, G! She likes riding it, but she's always asking me if we can paint it. I guess gold ano doesnt do it for middle-schoolers these days.


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## lemus (Aug 17, 2008)

xs frame is the way to go....My daughter is nine also...i found her a used 13in specialized frame on craigslist for 75 bucks....slam the seat all the way down....she already grew into it,so im glad i skipped the 24in tire


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## slammedsled (Jan 17, 2010)

After alot of online searching I found that a Specialized Myka womans xs (13") 26" wheels is about the same size as most 24" wheeled bikes we looked at. Today we visited some bike shops and found one for him to sit on and it fit great, and as long as no one tells him it's a girls bike he will be happy with it! (does not look girly) Now just waiting on bike shop to get one with disc brakes and his Christmas will be bought!


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## KMan (Dec 30, 2003)

Have you taken your son to the LBS to let him ride an XS bike?? That would be the 1st and only thing I would do and ignore all the recommendations you get here. I'm in the same boat. 7 1/2 year old son is riding a 20" Jamis which is way too small for him. I figured an XS 26" bike would be the way to go as well....took him to the LBS and the XS 26" was just going to be too big for him.....so I'm stuck finding a 24" bike that he'll probably ride for a year....maybe a year and a half.

I also have an 11 year old daughter that is on the very small side although just a little bigger than my son. I was able to get her a small Focus 26" MTB (going to be an xmas present).....this will eventually be his hand me down if the growth pattern works in my favor 










Michael


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

KMan said:


> Have you taken your son to the LBS to let him ride an XS bike?? That would be the 1st and only thing I would do and ignore all the recommendations you get here. I'm in the same boat. 7 1/2 year old son is riding a 20" Jamis which is way too small for him. I figured an XS 26" bike would be the way to go as well....took him to the LBS and the XS 26" was just going to be too big for him.....so I'm stuck finding a 24" bike that he'll probably ride for a year....maybe a year and a half.
> 
> I also have an 11 year old daughter that is on the very small side although just a little bigger than my son. I was able to get her a small Focus 26" MTB (going to be an xmas present).....this will eventually be his hand me down if the growth pattern works in my favor
> 
> ...


Did you try a XS 26 frame with 24 inch wheels?


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## slammedsled (Jan 17, 2010)

TwoTone said:


> Did you try a XS 26 frame with 24 inch wheels?


yes Kman, I had him try a Specialized Myka womans XS 26" fit like a glove.


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## TFitz (Jun 21, 2008)

I've been selling bikes for 10+ years (parttime) and have found that when kids pass 4'6" they can easily ride an XS 26er. Really skilled kids, maybe a little smaller.


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## KMan (Dec 30, 2003)

Thanks, the last few post seems to have some good ideas and thoughts. My son is 50 1/2" (4'2") so that would really be pushing it for a XS 26" bike. I like the idea of putting on some 24" wheels for the extra stand over (what are the lightest 24" rims available)? I could buy some Asian hubs for $100 and build them myself. I'm also concerned about reach even switching to 24" wheels. Do the WSD bikes (like the Specialized Myka) have a shorter reach? That might be the best idea if the do - something like a Specialized Myka with 24" wheels.

Michael


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

KMan said:


> Thanks, the last few post seems to have some good ideas and thoughts. My son is 50 1/2" (4'2") so that would really be pushing it for a XS 26" bike. I like the idea of putting on some 24" wheels for the extra stand over (what are the lightest 24" rims available)? I could buy some Asian hubs for $100 and build them myself. I'm also concerned about reach even switching to 24" wheels. Do the WSD bikes (like the Specialized Myka) have a shorter reach? That might be the best idea if the do - something like a Specialized Myka with 24" wheels.
> 
> Michael


Be very careful buying 24 inch rims. Several different types, like mini BMX ect..

These are the best lightweight 24 rim I could find that fit a Mountain style tire, not the skinny BMX ones.
Every Bicycle Tire - 24" Velocity Aeroheat (507)

You can get 30-50mm Down hill stem to help resolve the reach issues.


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## alex_sdca (Apr 6, 2009)

Per advice in another thread I contacted ebay seller chasertech and got two of the alex ace 20 24" rims. They are correct for mtb tires. Under 70 bucks for two rims incl shipping. They weighed a little over spec at 406 and 409 grams each.


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## BKiller Fantom (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm in the same boat with my 9 year old. Seems like a 24 would only last a year or so at this rate.


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## slammedsled (Jan 17, 2010)

Well ended up wanting the Specialized Myka 13" frame, 26" wheel.Went to LBS and had him test fit and all was good, could stand flat footed on it (standing) but it was a rim brake model. So while I wait for them to put together the disc model they said they had in the basement (now been 3 weeks with no word) I ended up going to another shop that had the disc model in stock. While there and discussing the issue with the guys there they showed me a 13" Hardrock Sport Disc, we took measurments and the only diff was less then 2" of standove. The guy said "I have so many of these in stock I will sell it less then the Myka rim break model" (about $150. off!) SOLD!


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## luvdabeach2001 (Nov 11, 2011)

A few years ago we picked up an XS26" for the older son and a 24" for the young son. They rode them for awhile and then they sat, all our bikes did. They have both now outgrown both bikes. If they decide to ride now that I am riding again I may try to build up the 26" to fit. Longer stem and longer seat post to until I can afford to get them bigger bike(s). Money is the issue and their desire to ride, not looking to fork over $500 and then have it sit again.


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## 4kat (Oct 20, 2011)

Went through the same deal with my 9 year old girl, I am going with a xs 26 inch chromag frame that we are going to build over the winter as a father/daughter deal. when she outgrows the xs, we will buy another frame and build from there using the parts from the xs.


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## steve447 (Mar 18, 2009)

*24" or XS 26"*

Great thread here. Faced with rooty trails I decided that my 8 year old needed a decent fork and big hoops. He had been riding a 24" Specialized HotRock. I found a 13" frame, 26" wheel GF Mullet with hydro brakes, parted out most of the bits, stripped and powdercoated the frame then built it back up with scavenged parts from my old bikes and the local mtb forum, refurbished and painted where needed. Here are the approx build costs

GF Mullet $100
Powdercoat $60
Carbon bar $15
XC disc wheelset $20

hand me downs: 160mm truvativ cranks, tires, 2001 SID fork

sold mullet tires, rims, seat, bars, cranks etc $60

So, all in around $150 (except the hand me downs which would add maybe $120 purchased used) for a bike that looks new, is color customized for my son and weighs in around 25lb

If you enjoy it and can take the time to source and sell parts you can end up with a great deal. For sure this approach is not for everyone, it takes time and patience. My son seems super happy with his new big boy bike, just need the trails to dry out!!

For my 12 year old, who is on the shorter side, I picked up a 13" Specialized Myka which fitted him great but I decided to do upgrade him to discs and a decent fork so am in the middle of a custom build for him based on a used 14" Performance Bike Access frame I picked up for $65 with a hollowtech crank set.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Great thread here. I've been wondering about my daughter, who's 8 (turns 9 in April) and is on the tall side, as to whether her next bike should be a 24in or a small 26in.

I was in the LBS on Sunday and she tried a small (13') Specialized Myka and that fits her perfectly. What I am not so thrilled about is the $520 for the disk version that still only has a 3x7 drive train.

I'm likely to be migrating my own bike from 26er to 29er in the Spring so there will be a lot of potential hand me down components to upgrade this bike over time - such as XT shifters, XTR mechs, Hope/Mavic wheelset, carbon bar, Pace carbon suspension fork, though my old 3x8 drivetrain is beginning to get a bit long in the tooth (most of it is from the mid 90s) so I may get her a new 3x9 as I would like her to have enough gears to tackle some of the more challenging terrain here in Colorado.

My concern was though she may fit a small 26er would she be big enough to handle it on more technical trails. Might she still be better off with a smaller 24in wheel bike? I think the answer is probably not. She seemed real comfortable on the Myka and she can stand flat footed all the way to the stem. Sticking with a 26er would allow me to pass down components when the time is right as well.

So any other recommendations for frames/bikes like the Myka out there. One issue is that she is a girl and a lot of MTBs are set up for boys. So I am really looking for small women's bike. Ideas?

In the mean time I will start looking through ebay/craigslist.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

Well if you have the parts to hand down, this may be a choice
diSSent ALC KD Junior 26er Frame - PSYCLESTORE

If I didn't already have so much money into a really nice 24inch wheel set, this is the way I'd go at this point.

Think of it as the 29er for kids.

I talked to a few guys at my LBS and they all think hand me down drive trains are fine. What skips and isn't smooth for a 150lb plus person, most likely won't be with a 60lbs kid riding it


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Yes I should have parts but that frame is outside my price point...


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

If anybody's interested, there a beautiful XS Kona Pahoehoe(?) on fleabay with a 24" wheelset and disc brakes for $250 buy it now. I'm kicking myself bc i just bought a used Giant for my son which i will have to upgrade to fit my criteria and will winding up spending more than the total of the Kona!:madmax:


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## Yamaho1 (Oct 20, 2011)

Buy the Kona, sell off the other frame and goodies. Win - Win!


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

The wife would castrate me! Even if I explained the attributes of the bike and the idea of the boy growing into the bike I would get the "You have no concept of money" speech!


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## Yamaho1 (Oct 20, 2011)

I get that too. 
Then I explain that its for their skills 'Development'. With the cost of living and skyrocketing gas and insurance costs not sure the kids will have the same luxury of car ownership as us and they'll be relying on bikes alot more. They "Need" these bikes and all the goodies for their cycling skills.

So far its working, but she's starting to catch on.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I would like to get the 13" Specialized Myka disk for my daughter but my wife is immediately of the opinion that "we not spending that on a kids bike.." I've an uphill battle ahead of me.

However my question is this. My 8 year old fits it perfectly now. How many years might I expect the 13" frame to last before I need to upsize it? I need to get my facts straight before battle ensues...


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## TFitz (Jun 21, 2008)

Kerryn, she should fit the XS Myka until she hits 5'2" or so. Your 8-yr-old may fit a lot of other (cheaper) 13" bikes as well, but the Myka will have the best stand-over clearance. Maybe you could drop down to one with rim brakes?

PS I sell both Trek and Specialized, and this issue comes up often!


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## jaja (May 12, 2006)

This thread is a few weeks old--I'm hoping a few are still reading it.

Can someone who has tried putting 24-inch wheels on a small (or x-small) frame designed for 26-inch wheels tell me how well that works? I assume your are building 24'' disc wheels? If you have photos, please post.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

Here are photo of my son's Sette Reken, XS 14" frame, with 24" disc wheels I laced up. He rides it in black diamond trails each weekend, he is 8, and approx 52 inches. I also have a 24" Rocky Mountain Reaper, but he prefers his reken. Also, short cranks are extremely important, 165MM are too big for a small dude. I went to a guy who shortens cranks, we went to 140mm. If you need the link, let me know.


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## jaja (May 12, 2006)

Thanks, that bike looks great. I realize some of these bikes are often built with components people have on-hand, but can you estimate what this build cost you? I see the frame is available at Price Point for $99.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

jaja said:


> Thanks, that bike looks great. I realize some of these bikes are often built with components people have on-hand, but can you estimate what this build cost you? I see the frame is available at Price Point for $99.


Keep an eye on ebay, every once in a while you find good deals, just takes time.

I have a similar build using a RockHopper frame and had to buy everything, ends up in the $600-$700 range depending on the deals you find.


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## IAmHolland (Jul 8, 2010)

It varies *alot*, and it varies by the person doing the buying. I added the cost of powdercoating to mine, as my son wanted a different color, and of course I "needed" a cool stem to go with it (Easton Havoc $90). Powder coating is another $100-$150 or so, depending on where you go. 

I also bought a new SID for my son, I didn't really want to buy used, so that's a bit more than a used fork. As you can see, it's entirely up to you and what you want to do. I did cheap out on hubs though, but all told I am a bit over $1K USD.

So, you see, it really varies alot. It can be as cheap as you can find, or as expensive as you want by buying all carbon/Ti stuff brand new.

I haven't built my wheels yet, so I don't have pictures. I have the parts, just not the time. I also haven't decided between XS 26" and 24" frame. I have both on hand, the XS 26" is the one that is powdercoated. The 24" is a backup, just in case the fit and handling just doesn't work out.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

IAmHolland said:


> It varies *alot*, and it varies by the person doing the buying. I added the cost of powdercoating to mine, as my son wanted a different color, and of course I "needed" a cool stem to go with it (Easton Havoc $90). Powder coating is another $100-$150 or so, depending on where you go.
> 
> I also bought a new SID for my son, I didn't really want to buy used, so that's a bit more than a used fork. As you can see, it's entirely up to you and what you want to do. I did cheap out on hubs though, but all told I am a bit over $1K USD.
> 
> ...


Funny that's what I'm doing, looking for a 24 as a back up also.


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## jaja (May 12, 2006)

I'm def. intrigued by the idea of building up a Sette for my son. I think he would fit a 14'' frame w/ 26'' tires. I have an extra set of disc wheels, but not much else. $99 Setter frame. What's a decent fork that won't break the bank?


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

Take a look at Bluesky Cycling dot COM, they have the Rockshox XC30 for a little over a $100. On my son's, The R7 on my son's bike was mid $300's, the cranks, were $100, the rims I got cheap, $7 each, spokes about $50, Tires $12 each, mostly everything else I had. If I had to buy it all, I'd say the bike is in upper hundreds.


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## Duntov1967 (Jan 14, 2012)

IAmHolland said:


> *It varies *alot*, and it varies by the person doing the buying.* I added the cost of powdercoating to mine, as my son wanted a different color, and of course I "needed" a cool stem to go with it (Easton Havoc $90). Powder coating is another $100-$150 or so, depending on where you go.
> 
> I also bought a new SID for my son,* I didn't really want to buy used*, so that's a bit more than a used fork. As you can see, it's entirely up to you and what you want to do. I did cheap out on hubs though, but all told I am a bit over $1K USD.
> 
> ...


Yes it can vary much. I spend alot of time on Ebay looking for really good light stuff at cheap prices. It takes patience to find obscure listings that I can get on the cheap. Last night I scored an XTR titanium 11-34T cassette for only $41. Typically these go used for $80-$100 and cost over $200 new.

I am trying to decide on new or used for the forks. I fear that a used fork is high risk for having to spend $$ to get them in shape. A new SID or R7 may be in order. Some can be had for a good price if you don't mind buying directly from Asia. :thumbsup:


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## osmarandsara (Jun 26, 2006)

*24 vs. XS 26*

My kid just turned 11 and was also debating a 24 vs. a 26 in. bike. Then this beauty came up in the classifieds of my local mountain bike forum ...I picked it up for 2 bills......
[















Its an 06 Giant Rainier W 13.5 inch and its in immaculate condition. The bike has been sitting in a garage the last 5 years, the tires look brand new. A few of the specs:

Fork Marzocchi EXR, 100mm travel (air sprung)
Avid BB-5 disc front/Avid BB-5 disc rear brakes, Avid FR-5 levers 
Crankset Truvativ Isoflow, 22/32/42 teeth 
Rear Cogs 9-speed, 11 - 34 teeth 
Headset 1 1/8" integrated Aheadset 
Rims WTB Dual Duty


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## mikeg212001 (Mar 14, 2012)

*My daughters "new" bike*

A few months ago, I picked up a 24" trek mt 220, for my daughter, for a good price. She liked the bike, but was borderline on being too big for it. She is 9, almost 10, and about 4' 8.5" tall. My nephew, roughly the same size, just got an XS frame, 26" fuji, and it fits him good. I kicked around the idea of selling the trek, and trying to find a decent XS frame 26" for my daughter. About a month ago, I was scouring craigslist, for deals, when an ad came up, for 3 MTB's for $120. I jumped on it, and ended up with a giant rincon, and 2 specialized hardrocks, one of which happened to be and XS 13" frame, with 26" wheels! I sold the giant, and other specialized for $200 each, and sold the trek for $130. Now, she has an awesome fullsize MTB that will last her for a while. She loves it, I just have to make it more girly, so, my buddy that owns a graphics company is going to re-do the stickers in hot pink/purple. I also have some spare parts, to do some upgrades! I will add images, when i have a higher post count..:skep:


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