Single speed for a kid?
11-21-11, 10:56 AM
#26
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My local velodrome does this thing called Velokids, where they have 8-16 year olds practicing riding skills and do a little bit of racing. If you're close to one, might be something to look into if he's interesting in kicking other kids' butts (I sure was at that age, in the pool though) and you could get him a flip-flop hub for the singlespeed on the road part.
11-21-11, 11:36 AM
#28
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I had a ghetto single speed BMX / road bike hybrid (I unno what those are) when I was 9 yo.
For now I don't see the point in giving your kid a track frame. Those aren't forgiving if you bang it around / crash and your feet aren't long enough to hit the ground before your balls hit the top tube / won't know how to balance out fast enough. Which kids tend to do, and no offence to the riding skills of your child, but very prone. Just seems more economical and SAFER IMHO.
Also. Here's something to consider: When I was 9 and I saw a 9 yo kid riding a track frame with obviously no muscles to speak of, I'd have laughed. There's the social aspect to a bike for a kid, too, unless he's only going to ride it for training purposes or something (in which case a roadie or a fixed gear would suit him better)
For now I don't see the point in giving your kid a track frame. Those aren't forgiving if you bang it around / crash and your feet aren't long enough to hit the ground before your balls hit the top tube / won't know how to balance out fast enough. Which kids tend to do, and no offence to the riding skills of your child, but very prone. Just seems more economical and SAFER IMHO.
Also. Here's something to consider: When I was 9 and I saw a 9 yo kid riding a track frame with obviously no muscles to speak of, I'd have laughed. There's the social aspect to a bike for a kid, too, unless he's only going to ride it for training purposes or something (in which case a roadie or a fixed gear would suit him better)
11-21-11, 11:46 AM
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This thread makes me feel like my family was poor. Am I the only one that rode Walmart bikes until I was 15??
11-21-11, 12:36 PM
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Back on topic, I think the OP should get a BMX for his son. Little kids like to do wheelies, stoppies, hop curbs, and trow their bike on the gorund when they stop. I wouldn't want my track frame to go through all that. Also, I'd imagine your son will soon outgrow whatever bike you get him so might as well get something cheap and durable.
11-21-11, 12:47 PM
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11-21-11, 02:33 PM
#32
Just smang it.
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You could wait for the Leader Pharaoh frameset to come out. It's a durable fixed gear/single speed frame that uses 26" wheels. I'm no expert on FGFS (fixed gear freestyle) frames but I believe the Pharaoh isn't the first 26er and there may be others available. It should meet your needs for size and would definitely stand up to any abuse a kid could throw at it. They're meant to be jumped, dropped, and thrashed.
11-21-11, 04:19 PM
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while im off topic... that new leader looks pretty fun.
11-21-11, 04:20 PM
#35
cowboy, steel horse, etc
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Dang, I was riding bikes from Sears 'til I was 16, no Walmarts in town back then. Then a scored sweet BMXer from a police auction.
11-21-11, 04:25 PM
#37
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Nope. 90% of the stuff at police auctions I've been to is unclaimed property. Only a little bit of olde stuff from the cop shoppe.
Cops do roll Spinergys tho!
Cops do roll Spinergys tho!
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 11-21-11 at 04:29 PM. Reason: is/are flub
11-21-11, 04:31 PM
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You could wait for the Leader Pharaoh frameset to come out. It's a durable fixed gear/single speed frame that uses 26" wheels. I'm no expert on FGFS (fixed gear freestyle) frames but I believe the Pharaoh isn't the first 26er and there may be others available. It should meet your needs for size and would definitely stand up to any abuse a kid could throw at it. They're meant to be jumped, dropped, and thrashed.
11-21-11, 04:31 PM
#39
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If I recall correctly my first actual bike was a weird ass bmx/atb hybrid thing.. it was a single speed but basically the size of an ATB.. was weird. I liked it a lot as a kid though, being as I don't bunny hop much or do things I consider silly now I don't think I'd care for that bike...
11-21-11, 07:59 PM
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All the comments and ideas have been great, thanks. Any idea when the Pharaoh is coming out? I think that is exactly what we need.
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