What size mountain bike should I buy for my 11yo son? And how much might I have to pay for it?

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Yul

He's reasonably tall. I thought I might try to get a good 2nd-hand one on eBay. Any thoughts on that?

Answer
The best way is to get measured up at a bike shop, alternatively you can take a measurement yourself:

http://www.bicycledoctor.co.uk/faq_framesize.html

The measurements don't have to be exact but there should be "crotch clearance" when he stands over the frame of the bike. When you have bought a bicycle spend some time setting up the seat and handlebars to the best position, it makes the difference between a comfortable bike and an uncomfortable bike.

Ebay is not the best place to buy bicycles unless you can see the bike up-close before you commit to buy; I wouldn't say it's a bad way to buy a bike, because there are some bargains on Ebay, but the cheapest and best bikes are more often sold through the free-ads and classifieds - you can also try MTB forums.

Be warned real MTB's are NOT cheap! You'll see a lot of mountain bikes sold brand new for under $100 that look very pretty but fall apart a week later - avoid them like the plague. Real mountain bikes start in the four-figure price range.

Look for secondhand hard-tail MTB's (front suspension but no rear suspension), kids grow fast so there are lots of them for sale going cheap.
Prices vary a lot but you could buy a good one anywhere between $50 and $500 - I swear some people throw bikes away for want of a new inner-tube so keep your eyes open!

Can I use a cannondale v500 as a road bike?

linux love

i have a cannondale v500 bike. it is a mountain bike (it has mountain wheels and tires on it) i would like use it as a road bike. that means putting road wheels and tires on it? can that be done?

Answer
While you can't put road wheels on it, you can do what many other have done. Putting a set of narrow 26" high pressure slick road tires. That is a simple and economical way to give your bike a big boost in speed for the road.

Your bike will never be as efficient as a road bike but a couple guys in my club do this and can stay in the pack on rides. If you will still ride off road it's best to get a nice light set of MTB wheels so you can switch out wheels quickly. I do this for tooling around town, riding with the kids etc. even though I have a road bike too.

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Can I use a cannondale v500 as a road bike?

best kids bike mtb image

linux love

i have a cannondale v500 bike. it is a mountain bike (it has mountain wheels and tires on it) i would like use it as a road bike. that means putting road wheels and tires on it? can that be done?

Answer
While you can't put road wheels on it, you can do what many other have done. Putting a set of narrow 26" high pressure slick road tires. That is a simple and economical way to give your bike a big boost in speed for the road.

Your bike will never be as efficient as a road bike but a couple guys in my club do this and can stay in the pack on rides. If you will still ride off road it's best to get a nice light set of MTB wheels so you can switch out wheels quickly. I do this for tooling around town, riding with the kids etc. even though I have a road bike too.

were can i buy a cove stiffee fr bike in seattle?

mtb kid

Wheres a good shop that has cove bikes? If i cant find this bike what is a similar freeride hardtail thats good for all mountain?

Answer
@I: Are you thinking of some other brand? Cove is based in North Vancouver, B.C. In fact, I live almost within shouting distance of the shop! :-) It's just a couple hours drive north across the border from Seattle.

@mtb kid: Probably the easiest way to find an authorized dealer in Seattle is to phone or e-mail either Cove headquarters in B.C., or their U.S. distributor (Empyrean Distributors, based in Arizona). See the links below...

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How many itches should I get for a bike my height?

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In Love wi

I am getting a bike and I need one for my size. I am 5'2 tall. I need to know want itches or size of the bilke might explain for you. I using the bike for bike riding with my boys on our bike path and around the area has well. I be having a little trailer in the back you can use on the bike for pulling children. I have a three year old that still doesn't know how to ride his bike,

Answer
Actually, only kid's bikes are measured by wheel size. Frame size is used for adult bikes. Unfortunately, you don't mention what kind of bike you're getting. But, in general, you want a road bike you can easily stand over, flatfooted with 1" of room to spare. MTB bikes are usually bought in a smaller size than that.

Bike shops will be glad to ensure you a good fit for your new purchase.

What is a good bmx bike for a 13 year old?

Beer Can

I'm only a beginner, in fact I haven't even started yet. I can ride a bike and I am very coordinated. I'm only 5 feet tall, so take that into consideration. And I'm looking for quality, but affordable prices

Answer
Based on your age and request for affordable I did a search for you. I'm really stressing the affordable here, but trying to get good worked into the mix.

I did a brand neutral search, I set the upper price to $150, searched for BMX and looked for the lowest cost one that didn't make me want to blow chunks just looking at it, and I found one.

I found the Diamonback Viper.

It's not that great, lose ball BB, one piece crank, freewheel, and an all on steel plate for a chain wheel. It meets the affordable request you asked for and it is better than a Wal-Mart bike, though not by a lot.

For $50 more you can get a Session that has a better chain wheel and a cassette hub.

These are "rock bottom" bikes. These are better than buying something from Wal-Mart or Academy, but they're still not "good".

Right at $300 I found a Kink Launch which is getting out of the rock-bottom zone.

These are Internet prices. I guarantee unless you live in an expensive area like Beverly Hills you're going to find better deals than this locally than on the web, you're just going to have to do some hoofing it between bike shops and what have you.

You are better off looking for good deals on Craigslist than buying a new one for your first bike if you don't have a ton of cash. Some of these Old School BMX bikes are quite good, and if you find one in good shape you set yourself apart as having a cool classic. Often you'll find brand new bikes someone bought and decided not to use and just want rid of, or a spoiled rich kid who didn't want a Haro BMX like their parents got them, they wanted a Specialized MTB. Of course they sell the Haro when their parents buy them an MTB.

I put an example of a really awesome deal on Craigslist in my area I would snatch up in a second if I were in the market for a 20" BMX (my old large self rides 24" cruisers now)

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