Children's MTBs: Which mountain bike children need - tips for promoting young talent

The search for a children's mountain bike has already driven many parents to despair. The purchase decision is often more difficult than with MTBs for adults. No wonder, as there are even more factors that play a role than with adult bikers.

Firstly, choosing the right size: what size frame and balance bike does my child need? There is now nothing on the market for children's bikes that doesn't exist. Then there is the question of the area of use: light sports equipment, all-round bike or pure downhill rider, hardtail or fully?

Closely linked to this is the question of the weight and price of a children's bike. Kids grow quickly. If parents don't want to spend a small fortune every year to put a new bike under the Christmas tree, the best thing to do is to inform themselves extensively and keep an eye on the second-hand market.

But the gauntlet continues when buying a children's bike: What equipment does a children's MTB need and at what age does a suspension fork make sense? Last but not least, parents also need to ensure that their offspring develop a personal relationship with the bike. Children love playing with speed and movement when mountain biking. However, if the spark of their enthusiasm is to develop into a lasting passion for the sport, even details such as the colour can be decisive. We have compiled the most important information on children's mountain bikes and provide parents with buying advice to help them keep track of all these questions in the jungle.

The children's MTB - what size does my child need?

Just like adults, young mountain bikers need sports equipment in the right size for them. It is relatively easy when small children are still travelling on balance bikes. There are now also models with adapted geometry and appropriate tyres that are suitable for off-road use. While large 29-inch wheels have become established for adult bikers, the wheel size on a children's MTB must in turn match the frame size. It's not easy to find the right size in this two-dimensional system.

Specialised mountain bikes for children are available with wheel sizes from 12 to 29 inches. However, depending on the model, the largest bikes will fit from 142 centimetres tall at the earliest. Children also benefit from the better rollover behaviour of large wheels and are usually better integrated into the bike during sporting activities. There may also be a financial advantage: If you treat children to large wheels as early as possible, it tends to take longer for the child's body to outgrow the bike size. However, if the balance bikes are too big in relation to the child's height, handling the children's bike will quickly become unwieldy. To avoid insecurity, it is best for the balance bike size to grow with the child. Some frame platforms also allow you to switch between two wheel sizesso that the bike can fit longer.

Most manufacturers provide reliable Recommendations for the minimum and maximum body sizes for a single frame size. As children also have different bodies with particularly long legs or short torsos, many manufacturers sensibly add the inseam length. The saddle height and stem length can be used to fine-tune the fit - but there are limits to this. For example, on a small frame with large wheels, the saddle can only be lowered enough to allow the rear wheel to turn freely.

The maximum seat post insertion defines the minimum seat height for a children's bike. The following formula provides an approximation: Seat height = crotch length x 0.885. Manufacturers do not always specify the minimum seat height. In this case, the seat tube length can provide information. However, a few centimetres must be added for the saddle and the non-retractable head of the seat post. A saddle that can be lowered a long way provides safety when learning riding technique and taking on the first challenges on the trail. High-quality MTBs for children from around six years of age therefore sometimes come with a retractable Vario seat post. Here, too, the minimum insertion depth and the maximum stroke of the seat post must of course be taken into account. If children can stand on the ground above the top tube, this is a good sign that the frame has a suitable standover height.

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How much suspension does a children's mountain bike need?

Suspension elements are heavy - especially if they are supposed to be cheap. If you are mainly travelling on easy terrain, you should therefore a rigid fork bike with good tyres favour. With low air pressure and well-damped tyres, children can also cope off-road on a rigid fork hardtail. A suspension fork only makes sense when the trails become more challenging and the riding technique improves.

Children learn faster on a lightweight bike with a rigid fork and enjoy pedalling for longer on tour. The more off-road use is required, the more sense suspension forks and even rear suspension make on a children's mountain bike. If children show an interest in the cross-country disciplineHowever, in favour of speed and athletic development, it should stay with a hardtail for the time being.

The selection of full-suspension children's bikes is very large today. If you regularly shred through the bike park and tackle rough trails, you will keep better control on a fully and tire more slowly. In any case, it must be possible to adjust the suspension of children's bikes to a low body weight. Forks and shocks with steel spring damping are a no-go on children's bikes. Air suspensions with air suspension are not only significantly lighter, but can also be adjusted to the light weight of children. Unfortunately, suspension forks with air damping are rarely found on inexpensive children's MTBs. Suspension parts for kids are characterised by a special damper tune that makes the suspension usable for light body weights.

If children ride mountain bikes, how much should the MTB weigh?

Every parent knows it: children quickly lose interest in unpleasant tasks. They want to learn by playing instead of making a conscious effort. When kids discover the sport of mountain biking for themselves, motivation and handling are largely determined by the ratio of body weight to bike weight. A bike that is too heavy will quickly become unloved in the corner.

If children want to have fun on a mountain bike, the following applies to bike weight: the area of use is decisive and less is more! Depending on their size, 13 kilos may still be okay in the bike park. It should be a maximum of ten kilos on tour, otherwise frustration will set in. On cross-country bikes for children, lightweight parts are in good hands. Unfortunately, these tuning parts also break and are quite expensive. However, parents who tinker with their bikes themselves can invest once in lightweight add-on parts such as handlebars, stem, seat post and saddle and transfer these to the larger bike as their offspring grow. Due to their low body weight, children place less load on the tyres. This means that puncture protection can be reduced somewhat in favour of weight reduction.

>> Here we present the 10.5-kilo prototype of the Nize Full Suspension 24 children's enduro <<

Let's not kid ourselves: Even the best children's bikes are relatively heavy for children compared to their body weight. If an 80-kilo adult rides through the countryside on a 13-kilo bike, a 40-kilo child would need a mountain bike weighing just 7.5 kilograms to achieve the same ratio.

Or even more serious, but unfortunately an absolute everyday reality: if a small, 20-kilo Child is travelling on a ten-kilo bicycle. For an 80-kilo adult, that would be comparable to a bike weight of 40 kilos. Without a motor, it's no fun - whether you're young or old.

Speaking of the engine: Of course, there are also e-MTBs for children these days. This can make sense if the children are supposed to keep up with their parents on a family tour. However, the latter must be aware that the weight and speed will affect the child's safety and make it more difficult for them to learn riding technique through coordination.

The price: How much does a good children's mountain bike cost?

The bad news first: a good mountain bike for children doesn't come cheap for parents. Depending on the size, prices start at around 500 euros. For a really light hardtail or a suitable fully, it can easily be as much as 3000 euros. That's a lot of money. Especially when children are still growing and may not have any siblings to pass the expensive bike on to.

Good children's bikes are also in high demand on the second-hand market and real bargains are rare. However, the high resale prices can put the often only slightly higher new prices into perspective. For example, if parents buy their child an MTB for 2000 euros and sell it again for 1500 euros, this could have been a better investment than a bike for 500 euros that has to be sold off cheaply in the end.

Mountain bike enthusiasts like mums and dads will of course know that a high-quality children's bike is money well spent. After all, a mountain bike for children is more than just a means of transport or a toy. If you want to get your offspring interested in sport and the MTB scene in the long term, you should invest. Reasonably equipped children's mountain bikes start at new prices of around 700 euros for hardtails and around 1500 euros for fullys. It should also be said that a great children's bike can also delight the parents. Many families develop a real passion for good, child-friendly equipment. In the best case scenario, parents manage to infect their children with this passion so that they can appreciate the high-quality mountain bikes.

What equipment does a mountain bike for children need?

Small children's hands need thin handlesto be able to hold the handlebars properly for off-road use. Many manufacturers even install special children's handlebars with a reduced diameter of 19 millimetres in the grip area. Depending on the size of the hands, a grip diameter of 22 to 26 millimetres may be suitable for children.

Short fingers require brake levers with small grip widths. It is best if the brake lever has an ergonomic shape and can be adjusted in reach. Disc brakes require little manual force and are therefore also ideal on a children's bike. Children can quickly learn the necessary dosage with a little targeted riding technique training.

Single drives have established themselves in most areas of the mountain bike scene. They also make sense on a children's MTB because they are uncomplicated and light. However, a tour is only fun for children with the right mountain gear. Frustration or motivation is not determined by how many gears the cassette has, but by the gear range. Drivetrains with a gear range of at least 420 per cent have proven their worth. Small chainrings with 28 or fewer teeth make the climb much easier. The crank length should correspond to about ten per cent of your height. A Q-factor of around 150 millimetres is recommended for child-friendly leg guidance. Of course, a good children's bike also has an ergonomic saddle and non-slip pedals.