getting kids on the road

[tsarpepe]

I have a vague memory of this topic being discussed, but couldn't find a thread. Wanted to ask the hive for advice on how to start an 8-year-old with road biking. My son's current ride is a 20-inch wheeled Trek, single speed. He's outgrown it already, and I want his next bike to be something more road-specific, with shifters, etc. So tell me, dads, what did you choose for your sons and daughters?

[JStonebarger]

Our local devo team revolves around cyclocross.

[Skenry]

I have a vague memory of this topic being discussed, but couldn't find a thread. Wanted to ask the hive for advice on how to start an 8-year-old with road biking. My son's current ride is a 20-inch wheeled Trek, single speed. He's outgrown it already, and I want his next bike to be something more road-specific, with shifters, etc. So tell me, dads, what did you choose for your sons and daughters?

Fuji had a couple great road bikes for young ones, the Ace both a 24" and a 650. With the explosion on Fuji/Performance they got blown out during the close. My local shop had pallets full going out for like $75 each at the end. It shouldn't be too hard to track one down at an online closeout place/ Amazon affiliate. Even at twice that they'd be a great deal.

As for getting him out on it, Dad's are only cool for so long. Look around to see what the 10 and 12 year olds are riding. Chances are it's a BMX bike and those are pretty hard to outgrow.

Don't push it, because if he doesn't ask for it, he probably won't ride it.

[cash05458]

obviously it is for much younger...but did see this fisher price pedal and learn thing for kids and thought a good and cool idea...sorta zwift for 3 and 4 year olds...

https://www.fisher-price.com/en-us/product/think-learn-smart-cycle-drp30

good video...https://smedia.webcollage.net/rwvfp/wc/cp/1550184851812_003ed086-9be1-416f-87d4-08f9288724d7/module/mattel//_cp/products/1489528509881/tab-cc0c373b-658b-4be3-90a4-dd785e0485c7/49fb2b5e-3e6d-4350-964e-0120dd2380ef.mov.mp4full.mp4

[pdmtong]

My daughter was also 8 at the time she started trying other cycling disciplines. This was 12 years ago so presumably there are more choices today to help kids learn discipline specific skills.

Road - even back then then a handful of 24" wheeled road bikes. Trek KDR1000, Felt F24. Blue. Today Pinarello makes a kids 24" By the time daughter was 10 she could do 30/2500' with me. No way you would want to do that on a mtb.

Note: the 8sp front sora shifting requires a lot of lever throw - too much for her small hands. At the time we had to stop to shift back into the big ring.

Note: since at 8yo he doesn't know the rules of the road like a driver does, make sure you are explicit as to his position on the pavement. I always followed my daughter to make sure I didn't drop her and tell her exactly when to do what until she got more experience

Mountain - plenty of kids mtb. By age 10 she was on full-suspension hydro disc. she started single tracking with me on a 20" specialized hardtail at 5yo

Lift-assisted downhill - Specialized made a kids 24" single pivot DH bike with 1x8 and discs. that bike was a blast for her at Northstar

CX: Redline makes a kids 24:" cross bike. we never bought that. she just raced her mtb.

[tsarpepe]

Don't push it, because if he doesn't ask for it, he probably won't ride it.

That's a whole different topic, for which we can open another thread. But yes, I am very much aware of the tricky balance between my enthusiasm and his inclinations.

[ntb1001]

I have 4 kids and have all of them on the road, and all have raced.
They all started with normal kids bikes...BMX...etc..
Also I would have a road bike for them, either small 24”road bike with down tube shifters, or a 650c wheel sized bike with Shimano Sora brifters.
I live close to rual roads, so once out of the area, the roads are fairly safe as long as they learn to ride predictably and straight.
Lots of fun...some kids take to it easier than others though. My kids are now older now, 21, 19, 17, and 14. Racing has stopped, but they at least still ride for fitness...and I can’t keep up with any of them!!





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[old fat man]

My barely 9 year old moved from a 24 inch wheeled Woom 4 mtb to an older Trek postal replica 24 inch wheeled road bike when he decided he wanted to join the local youth road cycling team. He still uses the Woom for cx and mtb.

The Trek was a free hand-me-down from a friend so the price was certainly right. It served him well and he quickly figured out how to ride on the hoods and drops. As others noted, the 8 speed Sora is hard for the small hands to shift. Clean, smooth cables and housing are key! 35+ mile rides with me and with his team on that thing have been no problem though.

As a tinkerer, I've had to resist the urge to pimp it out. Thankfully, the 24 inch wheels with old Shimano 8 speed hubs are a strong limiter. Also, this Trek has the awkward 24 inch wheel size. It came with destroyed tires and I had to resort to some Schwalbe racing wheel chair tires to get it back up and running. More than 500 miles and the tires and bike are doing great.

[tsarpepe]

I guess my main dilemma is this: do I go through the 24-inch stage or try to jump over it to 650b?

[ultraman6970]

You can find frames in size 45 now a days, sometimes is more sincere just go straight to 700c eventhought the saddle will be all the way down. After a year those frames will be swapped if your kids grow quick. My kids used a ridley xs for less than a year... next summer they will be in my size of bikes... i even have a 59 frame in a box just in case.

As for parts, for me was campagnolo to keep everything in the same line, veloce or anything like that will be more than enough for kids, the nice about the old veloce is that the levers are a lot smaller than shimano's.

Ifyou have everything shimano, well is obvious what brand you have to go, besides is easier to find a lady's size 45 with all shimano than a frame size 45...

[pdmtong]

I guess my main dilemma is this: do I go through the 24-inch stage or try to jump over it to 650b?


If your budget allows bite the cost to allow the kid to ride the appropriate size. IMHO it makes a huge difference in riding confidence

After 24” my next step got daughter was

Road: specialized 44cm with 700c

Mtb: 26” Santa Cruz Juliana full suspension disc. Today would choose 27.5.

Around here plenty of opportunity to accomplish this via Craigslist

[Hilltopperny]

I started my daughter on a Fuji ace when she was around 7 or 8. I did not own a car at the time and lived in a small village, so we rode our bikes everywhere. I started her on the local bike trail to get used to the bike and then migrated to very low traffic roads.

She outgrew the Fuji after a couple of seasons and I bought her a 48cm wsd Cannondale Synapse which she still has and fits quite well at 15. The Synapse is a much better quality bike than the 650c Fuji, but the Ace did get us started on the road. She hasn’t really been road riding much since hitting her teens as she prefers the mountain bike trails when we get the chance to ride. Good luck!




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[old fat man]

Going from 20 to 650c is a big move. You should be able to find a 24 inch wheeled road bike for cheap. If I didn't need mine for the next son, I'd ship it along to you.

Ideally, go 20, 24 then 700.

[tsarpepe]

...besides is easier to find a lady's size 45 with all shimano than a frame size 45...

I found locally a women-specific Felt, 43cm/650c. But what will my boy say when he sees, right on the top tube, the sticker that says FIT WOMAN :eek::confused::eek::confused:

[ultraman6970]

Put another sticker on top of the other and good to go. :P

[tsarpepe]

Gotta find a sticker that says GENDER BENDER

[ultraman6970]

Sand on top and make like an arrow on top using some spray paint, or vinyl paper?