# XS 26inch Frame for 24inch wheel build opinions needed please



## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

Ok so I have a line on a older Specialized Women XS frame. I'm asking the guys that have build XS 26ers or those that looked into it and choose not to.

What do you all think? The women's frame gives it a shorter top tube, still about 1/2 inch longer than a 24 inch bike, but at the same time about 1/2- 3/4 inch shorter than the men's XS frames I'm finding.

Chain stay is about the same.


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## rollis (Feb 24, 2007)

I would still go with 26" wheels because unless you can find a 24" disc ready wheelset you will have problems mounting V-brakes.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

rollis said:


> I would still go with 26" wheels because unless you can find a 24" disc ready wheelset you will have problems mounting V-brakes.


Already have 24 inch disc wheels.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

TwoTone,
You and I traded posts a while ago when I posted my son's Reken w/24" wheels. While the top tube in paper is about a 1/2 inch to 3/4 of an inch longer than the women's XS, my son appears to be doing fantastic with the bike in the woods/trails. He is riding the Black sections of Hartshorne in NJ (some steep & deep, logs, etc), climbing hills he could not climb on his 20" and he is generally more pumped to ride each weekend. He has many years to grow and the frame will stay with him for a bit longer. I doubt your child would feel a 1/2" or so in TT length. As always the choice is yours, but I'm not unhappy at all with my build. One thing I recommend is to find short cranks of have them shortened. A long crank will impact a smaller child's riding. See here:
Crank Arm Shortening


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

RSabarese said:


> TwoTone,
> You and I traded posts a while ago when I posted my son's Reken w/24" wheels. While the top tube in paper is about a 1/2 inch to 3/4 of an inch longer than the women's XS, my son appears to be doing fantastic with the bike in the woods/trails. He is riding the Black sections of Hartshorne in NJ (some steep & deep, logs, etc), climbing hills he could not climb on his 20" and he is generally more pumped to ride each weekend. He has many years to grow and the frame will stay with him for a bit longer. I doubt your child would feel a 1/2" or so in TT length. As always the choice is yours, but I'm not unhappy at all with my build. One thing I recommend is to find short cranks of have them shortened. A long crank will impact a smaller child's riding. See here:
> Crank Arm Shortening


Thanks for the advice, it's tough to make a decision. I just found a 15 Specialized Hardrock also, full bike with disc and mavic wheels for a good price. Since I have the 24 wheels, it's temping to just to buy that and save the 26 inch wheels for later.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

That may be an option depending on your childs size. My son cannot ride my wife's 15", it's bigger and the standover is almost 27". That's almost 2" more than the reken. Good luck in your decison.


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## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

Old post but same question... A 26" for my son with 24" rims....

The 24's are junk and tons of 26 out there.

With the 24's does it make the steering diff? Steaper head angle?

How is the handling? My son would just go and not say anything....


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

I decided against it. I went with a 24 inch Marin Bayview Trail Disc and glad I did.

Here's my build:
http://forums.mtbr.com/families-riding-kids/update-marin-bayview-trail-disc-build-819323.html


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

As long as you build both wheels the handling should be fine, my son has 2 bikes, a 14" Sette Reken 26er, I originally built with 24" wheels (still that way for the time being) and a 2009 Jamis XCR Race size 13" 26er. The Jamis had 24" wheels since I built it last fall however we just put 26" wheels on. The nice thing is kids are very resilient and adaptable, my son rides both bikes really well, even though the Jamis is a smidge big right now. He rides some serious trails with me here in NJ, a few trails are labeled black diamond (not sure how they rate trails, but I guess for the park, it's the most difficult) with nice uphills and great downhills. I had a Rocky Mountain 24" Reaper built up until a few weeks ago (deciding whether to sell the frame and disc wheels) which is a true 24" and my son felt minimal difference in that and the 26er frames built with 24" wheels.


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## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

Ok... And the forks you left alone? No lower travel or anything?

I have some nice 24's and I thought. 24 will be a temp anyways.

I was looking for a 13/14 maybe 15" worst case....

He will be 9 soon...


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

On both bike I am using disc brakes so 26" forks work fine. The Jamis XCR has a 100mm Manitou R7 with the ABS+ damper, the Reken now has a RockShox Tora 318 Soloair also at 100mm since that was the spec for both frames. Here are some photos (both are slightly out of date a bit since the R7 and 26" wheels went to the XCR, most of the other stuff remains the same on the Reken except it has the Tora.


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## NS-NV (Aug 15, 2006)

@RSabarese, how tall was your son when he started on the 14" Reken?

100mm fork?

Thanks


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

He was around 51". He is about 54" + or minus now. The R7 is a 100mm fork.


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## NS-NV (Aug 15, 2006)

Perfect. Thanks!


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