Garilia

My 13 year old son recently learned how to ride a bike using my wife's Jamis Boss Cruiser (7 speed Nexus shifter). For some reason, he never learned on any of the smaller bikes his brothers all learned on.

He's really taken to riding lately, and I'd like to encourage him by getting him a bike.

I'm looking for suggestions for an all around bike that would mostly be used on pavement, and possibly light trail/off road in the neighborhood of $300. I don't want to spend too much, as I do not know how long this phase will last, and how he will take to different kinds of riding.

joejack951

How handy are you with bike maintenance/repair?

mstateglfr 

https://www.diamondback.com/insight-2 disc brakes, good stock tire size.
$360 delivered.

Or this for $330
https://www.diamondback.com/insight-1


You would need to create free account at Dback's discount corporate site. Probably not much from a local retail shop thatll be cheaper.
A hybrid will allow for good gear range, ability to go relatively fast on pavement, and give relativley good stability on crushed stone paths.


Trek's most entry of hybrids is $360 https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...colorCode=grey





The other option is find a used small 700c hybrid or a 650 wheel for the right price that fits. Totally random based on whats around though.

Garilia

I can do some. I have access to some guys who can wrench really well though.

Garilia

I see the Trek at $360, but the Diamondbacks list for much higher than you posted. I created a registration for Diamondback. Is there a separate link for their discount program?

joejack951

This should be on your list then: Save up to 60% off new Road Bikes - Gravity Avenue FX | Save up to 60% off new road bikes

mstateglfr 

CYCLE4TAW

its actually the same code for Raleigh too. Both brands are owned by the same company.
https://www.raleighusa.com/partner

Garilia

Hmmm, I'll have to look at the Raliegh as well. Diamondback tells me that discount code is invalid.

mstateglfr 

https://www.diamondback.com/partner
CYCLE4TAW

You have to go to the bottom of the main page, toss your name and email in as well as the code and create a password.
...i may have sent you the wrong URL originally.

Garilia

Aaah, since i created a regular account, it will not accept the corporate code.

Garilia

I fixed it by creating an account under another email.

therealjoeblow

The Giant Escape 3 is about $20 less than the Trek FX, and is equipped about the same in the drivetrain, but uses a much nicer threadless headset and stem, versus the quill on the FX...

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/escape-3

It's a pretty decent entry level bike for a 13 year old for $340 USD.

Cheers
TRJB

JonathanGennick 

Maybe something like this from Raleigh:

https://www.raleighusa.com/redux-1

I like it for the wide tires and rigid fork tnat seem good for urban riding, some curbs and such, and even some light singletrack.

mstateglfr 

Hey, that is a cool 1x8 for sure! Simple and clean.

tornado60

Does he like the Jamis? If so maybe just look for another one he can call his own.

Garilia

He'd like something a little faster.

Garilia

I saw that today. The only thing is since he's a new rider, he's not sure of what fits him. So I don't know if I'll order something he hasn't sat on. We did test a few Schwinns (Sierra 2 and Voyageur 3) tonight at the LBS where I bought my Jamis Quest. He liked the Sierra 2. But i want him to sit on a few more (besides, I need a week or two to pull the cash together)

roogie

We went the Trek FX for my 12yo son, he has not interested in off-road at all. He got to pick the color which was a big point for him. He loves the FX, he's not my mechanically inclined kid, not like his little sister that helped me install a belt tensioner on my wife's Altima.

roog

Garilia

He's tech savvy. He's helped me build three computers, where his immediate older brother (6 years older) wasn't interested. A little more about him

He's average height for his age, around 5'4". I'm 5'9" and his three older brothers are between 5'10" and 6'0". So we'll see where he winds up.

I'm not opposed to looking at bikes at Target, Walmart, Dicks...but it's hit or miss at those stores if they allow you to take the bike down, make a seat adjustment...

He has his own strong opinions about what he likes and dislikes. He's always been the hardest kid to take shoe shopping (picky about color) and this is from the time he was a toddler. He doesn't care what his friends are riding. he rides with some younger kids in the neighborhood (because that's who's out riding) as well as with his boy scout troop. I took the troop on a 14 mile ride at Shark Valley (Everglades National Park) this past Saturday and he was not self-conscious at all riding his Mom's bright yellow mixte frame cruiser amidst all the boys riding ""cool" looking flat bar hybrids from Trek, Giant, GT, and Diamondback.

Of the three bikes he sat on and test rode in the parking lot, he liked the Schwinn Sierra 2, which is a comfort bike. If I was able to pull the trigger on the purchase right then, i would have, but since I can't for a couple of weeks, I want him to explore his options. He liked the look of the Raleigh Redux 1 and Redux 26 online, but with him, I worry about him liking a bike once he sits on it.

MRT2

I would look for a quality used bike as your son is still growing, so anything you get for him this year will likely be too small in a year or two. What specifically you get depends on what you find.

For my own son, we got him a used Trek 800 (no suspension fork) which he rode for a few years between 5' and 5'5" tall. Then, I just let him ride my late 90s era Bianchi Advantage for a few years. Height was 5'5" to about 5'10". In between, he took up mountain biking and started with a used Schwinn Moab, later upgraded to a Kona Cinder Cone for riding on trails. For riding around town, he now rides an early 80s Gitane that somebody modded with brifters and an 8 speed freehub sometime in the late 90s to early 2000s. He is currently just a little shy of 5'11" tall. This bike should be fine through about 6'1" or 6'2". Hopeful this will take him through high school, maybe it can even be a campus beater for him when he goes off to college.

Garilia

So,after three weeks of online research, visiting 4 different bike shops, scouring the used bike ads, and getting my Mom to kick in some money to buy her grandson his first real bike, I was able to increase my budget. The bike he fell in love with and we bought this morning is a 2016 Specialized Sirrus Sport Disc. Was able to get the $700 bike for $560.

Specialized Sirrus He loves the bike, and my wife is happy with the purchase. So all is good. Looking forward to some father/son and family rides.

mcours2006

That's an awesome bike for a 13 y/o! Don't lock that anywhere cuz that's totally theft-worthy.

Garilia

Yup.

JonathanGennick 

That's about 10,000 times better than what I had at 13. Great choice. It'll fly on the pavement. Give your mom a hug

Garilia

Hah! You and me both Jon. I was riding flea market bikes sometimes with mismatched pedals at that age. I always hug my Mom.