Canuck

Any tips on what to look for? He is tall for his age but average weight. I'm looking for "mountain bike" style but he'll likely use it on roads more than trails.

blwyn

For kids I think mountain bike style is the way to go. Put some smooth tires on it for road riding. Kids will be doing jumps and the like, the mountain bike will hold up better.

Ebbtide

If you have not made your purchase (its been a week):

13 year olds can be very hard on a bike, I know I was and have the scars to prove it (and to think it took us a hundred years to figure out we should put helmets in kids :confused. I would not expect any bike to last more than 2 seasons, either by growth, theft, abuse, or just use (I would guess the later). So, I would not spend too much because in a couple of years he'll need another, before the "driving" bug hits him.

Anyhow, I went to a Dick's Sporting Good store (I hope you have one in your area) and they had a bunch of "entry level mountain bikes" from $149.00 on up. Most had very nice features that would have brought the price into the $500.00 range a few years ago. Such as suspension, grip shifting, eyelets, and pretty decent rims with lots of spokes. The "Moongoose" and "GT" Brand (I've always liked "GT" bikes with that hip triple triangle designed frame) market their products to folks wanting something more than the Walmart and K-Mart offerings. At least when something breaks on these bikes it is worth fixing, and in some cases, upgrading. On the bargain brands its almost as cheap just to buy a new one. I also think these bikes are comparable to the mid level brand's (TREK, Schwinn, Raliegh, and the like) low end products, but for $50.00 to $100.00 less.

You will also need to plan to change the tires as blwyn suggest. Not to mention the repair kit, tube, helmet, pump, and other gizmos. I would also consider bottle and a cage so he stays hydrated this summer (its important).

I will caution you in making sure you get the right sized bike for your Son. An ill-fitted bike can make the whole experience of cycling horrible. At the very least make sure he has the clearance when he stands over the top tube.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Spire

Canuk,
I think the response entirely depends on your budget. How much are you willing to spend on it?

MichaelW

Specialized do some excellent entry-level bikes that are up to serious use.

Kev

Giant also makes a few nice models, and Kona makes a great FS for kids.

steveK

I disagree about changing the tires. Most stock monuntain bike tires are fine for the road. They may be a bit rougher riding, but that kid is going to want knobbies on his bike! I think you should check local bike shops and sporting goods stores for entry level bikes. Sportsmart has a nice K2 on sale for just over $200. If you can get to Costco, I recommend their Motiv Vertical for $250. Its a decent entry level full suspension bike with a Mozo fork, linkage rear suspension and Sram grip shifters and derailleurs. My advice is stay away from the $100 specials at the local X-Mart stores. They have cheap frames and poor quality everything. Here's a link to a guy on ebay who is selling some Schwinn Mesa DS bikes. He has a few every week lately. https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=27948 These are very nice bikes with good components.