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You don't always have to have the most expensive high-tech bike to enjoy biking. But imagine you had to pedal a 30-kilo lump through the terrain. If you had a suspension fork that barely moved and brakes that you had to pull with all your might to slow down on a downhill gradient. And that's supposed to be fun?
Suitable children's mountain bikes and bikes from 12-20 inches are available from these online shops:
It's a similar story for children, because the little ones are on the road with such big bikes when we convert the weight of cheap children's bikes to a full-grown biker. A six-year-old, weighing around 23 kilos, usually has to struggle with a children's bike weighing well over 10.0 kilos: bulky frame tubes, lead-heavy stem, cranks, handlebars and seat post add up to a nasty lump. Fortunately, there are now a number of companies that have addressed this issue and produce sensibly equipped bikes for children and teenagers as well as for off-road use. Unfortunately - but also understandably - these come at a price. Committed parents have to invest around 1000 euros to see their offspring grow out of these expensive racers in no time at all. Although such children's bikes can usually be sold at a high price as second-hand goods, many parents are still put off by the purchase price. The problem is that just because children's bikes are smaller doesn't necessarily mean that the add-on parts are cheaper.
Tuning focus for children's bikes: function instead of haggling over grams
Dedicated pappis can still help their offspring to have a functional speedster without having to dig too deep into their pockets. Tuning is the magic word. Before haggling over every gram, the basic functions should be optimised. Are the shift and brake levers easy to reach and operate? A few simple steps and a high-quality set of continuous Bowden cables and outer sleeves often help to bring the controls up to scratch. Hydraulic disc brakes make work much easier for children's hands, but retrofitting them is very time-consuming and expensive. With a set of light and voluminous folding tyres, you can catapult both weight and handling to a better level - but that's just the beginning of how you can make children's bikes better. There are virtually no limits to the tuning potential, and therefore also to the riding fun.
Where it pays to screw: Tuning 1x1 for children's bikes
- Tyres
- (Spring) fork
- Cranks
- Cockpit
- Control centre
Tyres for children's bikes
The number one tuning part, especially on children's bikes. In most cases, heavy clincher tyres are fitted, which can save up to 700 grams per bike - where it is particularly important. If you regularly ride off-road, you should also keep an eye on the damping and grip of the tyres. Especially on bikes without a functioning suspension fork, wider tyres provide safety and comfort. Very important: adjust the tyre pressure! If the offspring take over from their dad, you're guaranteed to feel like you've been jackhammered! A good 1 bar (20 inch) to 1.4 bar (24 inch) is enough.
Suspension fork on children's bikes
Suspension forks are cool and often a real "want-to-have" factor for kids. However, when viewed objectively, they are usually nothing more than a cumbersome block on inexpensive bikes. With the low weight of children (especially 16 and 20 inches), very few cheap forks work, but they are heavy as lead. Better, even if uncool: Ditch the suspension fork and replace it with a rigid fork. This saves up to 1.5 kilos! Combined with a voluminous front tyre, grip and comfort are even greater than before. Alternatively, there are also light and fluffy retrofit suspension forks - but they are not cheap.
Cranks on children's bikes
27 gears! This is also a popular selling point for children's bikes. However, a drivetrain with one chainring, i.e. seven to eleven gears, is completely sufficient. Triple cranks are not only unnecessarily heavy, but are usually unused by the little ones anyway - complicated shifting logic that distracts from the essentials, and often children simply lack the strength to operate the derailleur. However, retrofit cranks are not cheap, but are available in the right length and are significantly lighter. Expert mechanics shorten old solid cranks and cut new pedal threads.
Cockpit of the children's bikes
The front of children's bikes is usually very high, so riser handlebars often make no sense. A straight cross-country stem (often found in private collections or cheaply on eBay) improves the geometry and saves weight. If necessary, shorten to a suitable children's length. A width of 550 to 600 millimetres (20 to 24 inches) is suitable for good off-road handling. At the same time, parents can look for a suitable stem. A short model provides safety off-road, and cheap stem/handlebar combos also add unnecessary weight, as do the saddle and seatpost.
Control centre: tuning cables, grips and levers
Shifting gears and braking are essential elements of biking, so they should work smoothly and without effort. Fit continuous, high-quality Bowden cables and outer casings to minimise the force required to operate the gears and brakes. Brake levers can usually be turned closer to the handlebars, which is important for small children's hands and should be checked at the time of purchase. Attention should also be paid to handlebar grips: If you fit adult models, you ensure that the brake and gear levers move too far inwards. Shorten them or buy children's models!
The best tuning parts for children's bikes
In the jungle of accessories, it's not easy to spot suitable components for children and their bikes. We have put together the best components that guarantee happy children's eyes.
Tyres
Clearly tuning part number one! Little investment, little effort, huge benefits. (1) When it comes to weight reduction and easy rolling, there is hardly any way around the Rocket Ron from Schwalbe: the folding tyre in 24x2.1 inch weighs 445 grams, so in many cases you can save 300 grams in no time at all - per wheel! Price: 32.90 euros.
(2) The Kenda Small Block Eight is only slightly heavier, blessed with super grip and plenty of volume and is available in 20 and 16 inches as well as 24 inches. From 17.90 euros (wire version), 398 grams (20x2.1 inch)
(3) Wider, coarse-tread tyres for tougher terrain are not easy to find for small children's bikes and therefore smaller wheels. Maxxis offers the Highroller and Minion DHF tyres in 24-inch and 2.4 and 2.5-inch widths respectively. However, at over a kilo each, these only make sense in lift-supported bike parks. A good compromise for off-road rides is the Schwalbe Fat Albert, which is also available in a 2.4" width in 24". Price: 57.90 euros. Weight: 709 grams
Forks
Most suspension forks that are installed in the 300-400 euro class are better replaced. However, suspension forks that really work for children's weights are rare and expensive.
(1) If you are prepared to invest 300 euros, the 1st-Ride carbon suspension fork is a buttery-soft 100 mm suspension fork for 16- or 20-inch bikes, which responds cleanly even with children and is not heavy. 299 euros, 1490 grams.
(2) A rigid fork is cheap and light, e.g. from Kania-Bikes for disc brakes, cantilever brakes or as a combination version. In 24 inches, the lightweight rigid fork costs from 89 euros, from 615 grams.
Lightweight pedals for children's bikes
The weight factor should not be the top priority here. The pedals fitted to children's bikes generally offer little grip and are also poorly mounted. Normal platform pedals are usually too big.
(1) The pin models from 1st Ridesold by bike manufacturer Propain. 49.50 euros, 215 grams. Trekking pedals, such as the Rose Pro 79 pedals, are somewhat gentler, even on children's shins, and therefore a good compromise. 37.95 euros, 254 grams.
Cranks, saddles and grips
(2) A new crank is not cheap - but it really saves weight, especially when replacing heavy triple models. The VPace Max children's crank, available in 130, 150 or 160 millimetres, fits 20- and 24-inch bikes, from 129 euros, 680 grams including chainring and bottom bracket.
(3) No child needs thick knobbly saddles on their bike. Dad's old Flite-Titanium may save weight, but it is oversized for the little ones. It's better to go for a lightweight children's model. Our tip: Selle San Marco Concor Dynamic Junior Team, 56.99 euros, 202 grams.
(4) Short and thin silicone handles are also available from VPace for 12 euros, 46 grams.
"For 50-100 euros, you can quickly save a kilo on a children's bike - outdated standards make it possible."
Interview with Sebastian Tegtmeier, founder of the children's bike brand Supurb.
BIKE: What makes a good children's bike?
Sebastian Tegtmeier: First and foremost, the geometry has to be right. The good news is that with most bikes around 400 euros, there is no reason to complain. You can hardly find really bad geometries in this price range. In addition, the individual components have to fit: A relatively wide handlebar and a short stem give the youngster confidence off-road. Even if this seems wide at first, I recommend 550 mm wide handlebars for 20-inch bikes and 600 mm handlebars for 24-inch bikes.
What else is being done wrong?
Children react very sensitively to unsuitable crank lengths as they lack the leverage ratios of adults. 127 millimetres on a 20-inch bike and 140 on a 24-inch bike have proven their worth. Too little time is invested in these details, and this leads to annoyance among children. Even worse are cheap shifters and Bowden cables: If you don't have enough thumb length or strength to operate the gears, the whole bike won't work.
Do suspension forks on children's bikes make sense?
On cheap models, you can find extremely simple mechanical products that are made from low-quality materials. Theoretically, I can build a fork that works for 18-kilo bikers, but not for the price. The high-quality manufacturing required to create added value for the kids is very expensive. That's why we offer our 20-inch bike with a rigid fork as standard and only offer the high-quality and correspondingly expensive MRP Rustler as an option.
Why is a rigid fork better for children's bikes?
This saves weight, and with voluminous tyres and the right air pressure, I get enough damping to have fun off-road. Hardly anyone really needs a suspension fork on a 20-inch bike, unless the kids regularly ride root trails or in the bike park. But what the dad has, the junior wants too, of course.
What tuning tips are there for simple children's bikes?
The good thing is that children's bikes are based on very common or old standards. A square titanium bottom bracket or 600-millimetre handlebars no longer fit on any bike today. In the age of telescopic seatposts, carbon seatposts have also become obsolete. These parts are super cheap second-hand, I quickly saved a kilo for 50 to 100 euros.
Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
