Recommend me... - SV650.org

24-01-11, 02:42 PM

..a mountain bike for my son.

11th birthday coming up next month and his whole life he has had hand me downs and bikes from freecycle.

As he will be cycling to high school from September we have decided to treat him.

Budget is £100 to £150. Needs to be 24in wheels. Best I can find so far is this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...Id_165602#dtab

Reason I like this one is it only weighs 10kg. Jake is a bit weedy see so don't want anything too heavy.

So, any thoughts on Apollos or can you find me something better?

24-01-11, 06:19 PM

Definite no on anything that claims to be full suspension front and back at that price. It isn't very well suspended and just adds weight and means less spent on other components

If it's for riding to school the suspension won't matter though.

I found this hardtail Giant which is a good manufacturer, from Wiggle. Weight is 9kg according to the Q & A. It probably doesn't look as cool as the full suss though.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-mtx-22...oys-bike-2010/

Edit: Also just noticed the frame is also lightweight aluminium which won't rust like the steel Apollo.

Most kids I see riding around town use BMXs like this one. They go to the local park which has a BMX dirt track for them to amuse themselves

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec025208

Good luck with finding a bike, I'm sure he'll be well chuffed with whatever you buy.

24-01-11, 06:24 PM

My 11 and 8 yr olds both have apollos which they use mainly on gravel tracks around local parks.

For usual kids stuff they seem perfectly adequate, brakes and gears work well and the kids have no problems with them.

pookie · 24-01-11, 07:09 PM

I have been quite impressed with the little kids bikes at decathlon. I would have liked an islabike but the decathlon bikes seems quite well thought out.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/24-inch-bikes-3962539/

andrewsmith · 24-01-11, 07:16 PM

I'd put your head into your local cycle shop, the bikes at halfords are a pig if something breaks as they're the only supplier of the parts.

I've got a giant mountain bike that is about half the weight of the equivalent apollo and only a little bit more expensive.

Edit, just looked at their website and they don't do the style I've got now, but have a race derived style to most the bikes.

24-01-11, 02:42 PM	#1
Gordon B Guest Posts: n/a	Recommend me... ..a mountain bike for my son. 11th birthday coming up next month and his whole life he has had hand me downs and bikes from freecycle. As he will be cycling to high school from September we have decided to treat him. Budget is £100 to £150. Needs to be 24in wheels. Best I can find so far is this http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...Id_165602#dtab Reason I like this one is it only weighs 10kg. Jake is a bit weedy see so don't want anything too heavy. So, any thoughts on Apollos or can you find me something better?

24-01-11, 06:19 PM	#2
Venom Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Recommend me... Definite no on anything that claims to be full suspension front and back at that price. It isn't very well suspended and just adds weight and means less spent on other components If it's for riding to school the suspension won't matter though. I found this hardtail Giant which is a good manufacturer, from Wiggle. Weight is 9kg according to the Q & A. It probably doesn't look as cool as the full suss though. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giant-mtx-22...oys-bike-2010/ Edit: Also just noticed the frame is also lightweight aluminium which won't rust like the steel Apollo. Most kids I see riding around town use BMXs like this one. They go to the local park which has a BMX dirt track for them to amuse themselves http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec025208 Good luck with finding a bike, I'm sure he'll be well chuffed with whatever you buy. Last edited by Venom; 24-01-11 at 06:24 PM.

24-01-11, 06:24 PM	#3
kellyjo Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Recommend me... My 11 and 8 yr olds both have apollos which they use mainly on gravel tracks around local parks. For usual kids stuff they seem perfectly adequate, brakes and gears work well and the kids have no problems with them.

24-01-11, 07:09 PM	#4
pookie Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Essex Posts: 938	Re: Recommend me... I have been quite impressed with the little kids bikes at decathlon. I would have liked an islabike but the decathlon bikes seems quite well thought out. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/24-inch-bikes-3962539/ __________________ "an unedifying exercise in postmodern, operatic grunge" Was - 2000 Candy blue sv650s -2003 Sonic silver sv1000s Gone - 2007 Wildfire Orange Ninja zx6r Now - 2010 Triton blue sv650s -Back to the future

24-01-11, 07:16 PM	#5
andrewsmith Member Mega Poster Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Just south of salad dodging country Posts: 7,750	Re: Recommend me... I'd put your head into your local cycle shop, the bikes at halfords are a pig if something breaks as they're the only supplier of the parts. I've got a giant mountain bike that is about half the weight of the equivalent apollo and only a little bit more expensive. Edit, just looked at their website and they don't do the style I've got now, but have a race derived style to most the bikes. __________________ RIP Reeder 20/07/1988 - 21/03/2012. Always missed squire!!! Every year we meet old friends, gain some new ones, lose old ones and you always remember them all. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

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