# 24" bike for 9yr old



## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

I've read about all I can find on here concerning the preformance bike frames and people's build-ups. However i'm not sure how the performance brand bikes compare to everything else.

This bike looks pretty good but I'm not that familiar with the Performace brand.
Performance Boys Holeshot 24" Kid's Bike - Kid's Bikes

or this one;
2011 GT Stomper 24" Kid's Mountain Bike - Kid's Bikes

They both seem nice. I went out to the specialized store yesterday and the giant store today. those are nice bikes but both shops were limited in selection and I would really like to be as close to $200 as possible.

And yes I have poured over craigslist here in vegas and in southern utah for the last month with nothing that really stood out. I am watching a Trek MT220 on ebay but I'm not sure if it'll go for less than $200 or if it's even better than the new ones at that price.

After seeing several LBS brands, including the department store ones (DBX, Mongoose, Diamondback, and Nishiki) they all seem cheap and super heavy and very similiar to each other. The only ones that really stand out are the $400-500 kids bikes.

Any suggestions or help?
Thanks.


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## Thustlewhumber (Nov 25, 2011)

Keep a lookout for Scott Scale Jr's, they are phenomenal bikes for kids. Avoid Trek kids bikes, as the front fork really only compresses under about 300 lbs of pressure. Specialized are good because they come with 1x6 or 1x7 gearing and a chain guide to keep the chain from falling off.


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## geek81 (Jan 3, 2011)

Alot of 24" Hotrocks just popped up in the Los Angeles area in the $80-150 range. Could get one of those and upgrade a little. Not too far from Vegas.


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## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

I like the specialized bikes but driving 8 hours there and back plus the $100 in gas is going to make most of the deals not very good.

I saw that someone put up a Marin Bayview here in vegas last night. Is that a good bike compared to the others? I also just realized that the GT bike I was looking at on Performance cannot be shipped. Damn.


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## geek81 (Jan 3, 2011)

from reading the forums, it seemed people were happy with the marin hidden canyon, so I'd assume the bayview would be a decent choice.


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## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

I've also been considering taking her straight to a 26" bike. My daughter is 9 (turning 10 next month) and is 4'-5" tall with an inseam of 25.5". I'm kind of finding out that she is at the upper end of the 24" bikes. Some of the woman specific frames in 12 and 13" frames seem to be about her size if not a smidgen too big. I like this Jamis bike; 2009 JAMIS BICYCLES - TRAIL X2

What do you guys think about the 26" bikes for her? getting ahead of myself?


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## geek81 (Jan 3, 2011)

nelsonccc said:


> I've also been considering taking her straight to a 26" bike. My daughter is 9 (turning 10 next month) and is 4'-5" tall with an inseam of 25.5". I'm kind of finding out that she is at the upper end of the 24" bikes. Some of the woman specific frames in 12 and 13" frames seem to be about her size if not a smidgen too big. I like this Jamis bike; 2009 JAMIS BICYCLES - TRAIL X2
> 
> What do you guys think about the 26" bikes for her? getting ahead of myself?


Quite a few threads on here discussing that... went through the same dilemma with my son who is 4'6", ended up going 24" because he has a few younger siblings to pass the bike onto, and he didn't seem quite big enough for a XS 26.

The Specialized Myka is an option as well.


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## boomvader (Nov 27, 2006)

nelsonccc said:


> I've also been considering taking her straight to a 26" bike. My daughter is 9 (turning 10 next month) and is 4'-5" tall with an inseam of 25.5". I'm kind of finding out that she is at the upper end of the 24" bikes. Some of the woman specific frames in 12 and 13" frames seem to be about her size if not a smidgen too big. I like this Jamis bike; 2009 JAMIS BICYCLES - TRAIL X2[/url]
> 
> What do you guys think about the 26" bikes for her? getting ahead of myself?


I ended up buying a 26" Specialized for my son last year for Christmas. He turned 10 this past July. I considered a 24", but the LBS I deal with suggested I go with a 26er for him. Best decision ever! He has really thrived on it and will be able to use it a few years!

Cost was about $500. Even has disc brakes!


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

One thing you have to take into account is what kind of riding? I see some local kids that the bike shop convinced parent that the 26 XS was ok- no way. I can see them having trouble on paved roads, no way I'd take one of them on the trails with me.

I'm actually back tracking a little. I have everything to build a sweet XS 26er with 24 inch wheels, but I may pick up a 24 inch bike, swap all the light parts onto it, when hes ready for the 26 inch frame move everything over and sell it..

I want him to learn good bike handling. He's doing well so far, but I do notice him get a little more daring with his sister's 16inch under him.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

There are many things to consider 24", 26er w/24" wheels, small 26er. It really comes down to can your child handle the bike. I'm one of the folks who built a 14" Sette Reken then put 24" wheels on it. My son is approximately 51 inches now and he handles the 14" Reken with 24" inch wheels like a pro. He was on a 2009 HotRock 20 for a year and half first, but could not climb aggressive hills, seemed to fall over roots and was getting frusrated. He even said to me "my bike is holding me back" so, for his 8th birthday in August of this year, I built the bike for him. It is absolutely incredible how he has improved. He rarely falls now, powers up the hills that he could barely walk up just a few months ago. We ride in Hartshorne, a park in NJ, there are east coast black diamond trails and he can ride up and down all of it. Yes, once in a while he walks up, but don't we all. So, in a nutshell, it comes down to your child, if he's been doing it for a while on a 20, and larger bike will be a sgnificant improvement. One last thing, most of the time crank length is overlooked ... the average 8-10 yearold kids will not ride very well on 165mm cranks. I bought pre-shortened 140mm triple cranks, then put a bash guard on. I've seen some 24" bikes come with 165mm cranks. Good luck!
Both of the bikes you listed are pretty heavy. But, if that's the best for you and your child, it's a step in the right direction.


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## matt1976 (Sep 9, 2007)

What will the bike be used for exactly? I would assume for beginner xc type trails with some climbing? But we really need to know this to offer good opinions. 
My boys have both a GT Stomper and a Marin Bayview Trail and they are very nice machines. But for what we use them for we had to upgrade them quite a bit to bring the weight down and get out of the ridiculously upright riding position they come with stock. If they were just riding them to school, on bike paths or fairly flat gravel roads, the bikes would have been fine as they came.
Hope that helps you narrow it down.


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## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

matt1976 said:


> What will the bike be used for exactly? I would assume for beginner xc type trails with some climbing? But we really need to know this to offer good opinions.
> My boys have both a GT Stomper and a Marin Bayview Trail and they are very nice machines. But for what we use them for we had to upgrade them quite a bit to bring the weight down and get out of the ridiculously upright riding position they come with stock. If they were just riding them to school, on bike paths or fairly flat gravel roads, the bikes would have been fine as they came.
> Hope that helps you narrow it down.


She currently has been riding a pink Next 20" kids bike. She rides it to school a few times a week and we've also gone out a bunch to a 4 mile flat (no technical) singletrack section and she seems to do okay on that with her 20". She's very athletic and skinny and lanky.

She's been asking to come with me on my longer rides and to do more dirt singletrack. My plan is to get her either a 24" or xs26" and take her to Cottonwood with me. There are some basic flat singletrack trails with gentle climbing and a few rock obstacles but nothing serious and a long flowing downhill with a few rocks to navigate around. Knowing her like I do I suspect that she will really enjoy this on a real mtn bike and I think after a few trips we'll start gradually uping the difficulty and length of the trails.

I feel that at her current size she's right at the threshold of a xs 26 instead of a 24, however; I'm sure she would be able to handle a 24 mush better but I worry that she would quickly plateau and need something bigger and better..

Hope that answers your questions.


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## dirkdaddy (Sep 4, 2007)

I found a Marin Bayview Trail on craig's for $100 : ~)

Still had nubbies on tires, probably less than 20 miles on it. showroom. tires are street oriented but we have not changed them yet daughter learning to ride it well. Has reasonable fork (Scott's is better but its costly bike) and good brakes, decent wheels, good crankset and drivetrain, its pretty light weight. The Scott bike is the most impressive for that size if you envision racing but the Marin if you can find one is a great frame and all around good bike for kids of that size.


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## surftime (Nov 15, 2010)

got my son a 26 inch bike when he was 9 (about 4'8 at the time - its a crappy Trek 3700 - i think its 13 or 13.5 inch - or XS. For the 20 and 24 inch wheel bikes i highly recommend a Scott - as others have said they are sweet, light, and the forks DO work for light riders - my 6 year old loves his.

your daughter is a little shorter so its up to you - either way the bike will look big on her. But my son does handle the 26 inch wheels super good - honestly as good as me on my 29er when we do tight single track. So if she is a good rider i dont think you need to be concerned about her handling the bike - just get a super short stem and straight seat post slammed forward.


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## matt1976 (Sep 9, 2007)

nelsonccc said:


> Hope that answers your questions.


It does. I would try to get that Marin on Craigslist. It will be good for the use and at 4' 5" much easier to handle off road. She may be able to ride it as long as two years and then you'll still be able to get $80-$100 back towards the 26" bike.


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## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

So I had decided to just go with a Jamis X2 trail femme with 26" wheels @$315 . I'd found a good deal on it and then...Saturday morning I check craigslist and somebody had posted a Scott Voltage 24. It wasn't exactly what I wanted but for $100 I felt it was a good compromise. The bike is in great shape. Just needs a little tender love and care. Plus I feel that my initial budget of $200 allows me to put a little money into it. It definitely needs new brakes, cables, housing, and grips. Picked all that up at Pricepoint for $50. Pretty happy.

I am having a hard time finding a good kids saddle (the one on it is pretty beat up). Anyone know of a good site to get kids saddles and a site for 24" mtb tires?

Thanks for all the replies!


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## boysan1968 (Feb 10, 2011)

I just put this saddle on my son's bike, he says it's much more comfortable than the original on his Scott Spark 24.

Velo Scion S1 Juvenile Saddle at JensonUSA.com

Tires really depend on the terrain, what are the typical riding conditions?


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## boysan1968 (Feb 10, 2011)

This site has a good selection of 24 inch tires...

-24"- Bicycles, Bike parts, Mountain Bikes, BMX, Road Bikes, Haro Bikes, KHS Bikes, Felt Bikes at Niagara Cycle Works


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## hammy35 (Jan 2, 2009)

I just toiled over this too... 24" or xs 26"? New or used+upgrades?

Mine is a seven year old girly girl who is just over 48" tall now. She has the legs for an XS standover, but the top tube length is a problem, so on to 24".

I was torn between the Scott Contessa Scale Jr (26 lbs, suspension fork) and the Raleigh Ivy (24lbs, rigid fork). Since she has a sister a few years behind her, I went with the Scott. It seems to be a better overall bike and the LBS support is better at the Scott dealer than the Raleigh dealer. It's just been ordered, so I don't have any feedback yet.

EDIT, just saw you went with a Scott. Glad you found one! :thumbsup:


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## KMan (Dec 30, 2003)

Anyone know the weight difference between the Scott Scale Jr and the Specialized Hotrock A1 FS?

I'm kind of torn between these two bike.......The Scott dealer is further away and looks like I'd have to pay full retail plus sales tax. The Specialized dealer is much closer and in Delaware so no sales tax and I may me able to get a small discount on the A1 or 20% off the Hotrock 7 or 21 speed since they are stock in store (sale this weekend).


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## xc71 (Dec 24, 2008)

hammy35 said:


> I just toiled over this too... 24" or xs 26"? New or used+upgrades?
> 
> Mine is a seven year old girly girl who is just over 48" tall now. She has the legs for an XS standover, but the top tube length is a problem, so on to 24".
> 
> ...


Great choice on the Contessa. My daughter is on the 24" & its a great bike, fork is very plush.The only mod I've done is cut - yes you have to cut, the big ring off. This simplified the shifting, lost a little weight and most important made it much safer.Its not if but when they open up the back of their leg on the big ring.The big ring is also completely useless on 24" bikes, they'll never use it.The other thing I'm looking at is going with a wider riser bar.


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## xc71 (Dec 24, 2008)

KMan said:


> Anyone know the weight difference between the Scott Scale Jr and the Specialized Hotrock A1 FS?
> 
> I'm kind of torn between these two bike.......The Scott dealer is further away and looks like I'd have to pay full retail plus sales tax. The Specialized dealer is much closer and in Delaware so no sales tax and I may me able to get a small discount on the A1 or 20% off the Hotrock 7 or 21 speed since they are stock in store (sale this weekend).


If you are comparing the Scale RC jr 24" to a 24" A1 FS, I'm guessing 4-5 lbs. difference.
The Scale RC has really nice light wheels, I weighed them off my son's Spark RC (same wheels) a couple of years ago.


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## nelsonccc (Jan 1, 2011)

Ended up just getting a cheap avener from amazon. Looked okay. If it doesn't work then I'm only out $8. Ended up with an awesome bike. I put the following on;
Azonic red seat post clamp
new ODI ruffian grips (gold)
new white cable housing
all new cables
my old x4 rear derailleur
new single digit 5 avid v brakes
my old specialized handlebar (cut down)

I also pulled the old fork off and re-painted it white. Then I got some new red Scott stickers off of Ebay and put those on there. I've got to say that the new white cables and the bright red/white fork are really nice! It's the little things as well, I used shiny gold cable crimps and they add a nice little touch. Took forever to get the cables and shifting all smooth but it's golden now. Almost looks like a new bike. There are a few paint scratches in the black but I'm going to touch those up today. I hope she likes it!


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## landsbee (Dec 23, 2009)

Look for an old Specialized with 24" wheels, they rules, best regards Daniel


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## usr666 (Jul 13, 2004)

I know this thread is over a year old but I'm now in the same boat. My 8, almost 9, year old wanted a mtb and I found a barely, barely, used 26" XS Kona Cinder Cone very very cheap so I snagged it. The frame sizing is just about right since she is kinda tall for her age but the wheels and crank are throwing is beyond what she could handle right now. I'm thinking about getting a 24" wheelset (bike is disc) and a shorter crank to pop on there till she can move up to the 26" wheels. Any thoughts on this before I invest some cash? Will it work ok or is it going to be still too big?


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