carleton

I don't need anything race spec, but I'd like something lighter than the 30lb bikes that are out there. It's hard to watch my boy struggle with such an unnecessarily heavy bike.

Maybe something he can use and still grow into over the next year or two. He's not doing much as far as tricks go. Just hook slides, wheelies, and going fast.

My budget is $400 or less.

jsharr

Redline has some of the Flight line of bikes in the low to mid $400 range that weigh in around 21 lb. I would think that most race bikes with aluminum frames and narrow tires would weigh in the low 20's though.

tyler11

somtimes its good to start out with a kinda heavy bike
mi first one was about 40 poounds

carleton

Thanks, I'll look into them.

My first BMXs were about 30 lbs in the 80s. But, 30-40 lbs for a 9 year old is too much. He can't even lift his current Giant brand, high tensile steel mini bike off the ground, much less control it. I don't think 4130 will be much lighter. I think aluminum will be appropriate. Especially being that his biggest trick is a hook slide

andymac

If you decide to go the race bike route, most junior/expert race bikes are sub 20 pounds and can be picked up used for under 300, you can even get some new for less than that. Take a look at the FMF ones on EBay, they are no longer making bikes under the FMF name so the remaining stock is being sold off quite cheaply. The Redline Flight that was mentioned is actually one of the more expensive complete race bikes and will run 600+, the Redline budget model is the Proline.

However, despite being light, kids race bikes are not well suited to most of the riding that kids do, they are very task specific. If all your kid wanted to do was go fast then he would be able to really motor on one ... but.. The tires are narrow and unforgiving as they are meant to be run at high pressure, and they are an odd diameter that is not common in most bike shops. Finding tubes and replacement tires is not easy and skidding will take the tread off them in no time. For kids starting out, they are harder to wheelie and manual than a lot of other bikes as they are relatively long and the narrow tire means that it will go off to the side a lot easier. The stock gearing is meant for a race that starts out of a gate with a steep start hill, you can change it of course, but out of the box the gearing is tough for a kid to get moving.

I would not worry too much about weight, it is more about the bike fitting the rider than anything else. My son can wheelie his 35lb Norco Kompressor mountain bike with a 5lb suspension fork for a block or more, he is lucky to keep the front end up on his 17lb race bike for more than 10 feet. He can barely get the wheel off the ground on my 21lb race bike. The problem most kids have with BMX bikes is that their parents get them the "he will grow into it" size so you end up with a 4 and a half foot tall 10 year old that weighs 70 lbs trying to ride a bike with a 21" top tube and 175mm cranks. If they are reaching for the bars then they are not going to be able to pull the front end up as they can not get their butts far enough back and the long cranks mean that they will be bouncing up and down like mad. I would suggest you look into an appropriately sized BMX like a We The People Nova 18"

carleton

Thanks for the advice andymac.

I, too, whole-heartedly believe in a properly fitting bike. I was thinking 18.5 TT for him. I didn't know of the tire and gearing considerations of race bikes.

Where can I get a WTP? Is it mailorder only or can my local shop order it from Quality Bike Parts?

andymac

18.5 is about right for a kid up to about 5 feet and you probably want to be in the 165mm range for the cranks.
Not sure about who carries the We The People. I was able to find one locally in Vancouver, Canada for a friends kid. I know they are available online through places like JR Bicycles.

jsharr

Good catch Andy, I meant to type Proline, not Flight. BTW, here is my son on his old school Redline Micro Mini. He much prefers this bike to his Haro.

tyler11

just sayin
22-25 pounds would be good

carleton

Riiiiight. If I'm paying $600 for a bike he'd better be winning medals and trophies with it instead of jumping curbs and leaving it outside all night.