Near-adult wheels, still built for a young rider.
For riders who have outgrown a 24in and are not yet ready for an adult frame. Seven gears, brakes they can reach, and a frame light enough to manage on their own, so they get the speed of a bigger bike without stretching to control it.
Will it fit?
| Height |
145 to 160cm |
| Inside leg from |
66cm |
| Ages |
10 to 13+ |
| Weight |
10.75kg ready to ride, with pedals and kickstand
|
Bigger wheels roll over rough ground more easily and hold their speed, so the same effort takes them further. What usually comes with them is weight. At 10.75kg ready to ride the Hopton 26in stays light enough to lift onto a rack or carry up a step, and the reach, the bar width and the brake levers are all still set for a young rider rather than an adult.
What you get
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Shyre Junior Fit on 26in wheels. Shorter cranks than an adult bike, a narrower bar and levers set for their hands. You get adult sized wheels on a frame they can control.
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6061 aluminium frame and forks, 10.75kg ready to ride. Light for a 26in bike, and weighed with the pedals and kickstand on.
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LTWOO 7-speed drivetrain with a thumb shifter. An A2 SL rear mech worked by one shifter on the right, with a low gear for the climbs and enough at the top for a flat run home.
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Tektro V-brakes with short-reach levers. The lever blade sits closer to the bar, so a smaller hand can get right round it and pull hard enough to stop properly.
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Double-wall alloy rims and a sealed-bearing bottom bracket. Double-wall rims stay true through kerb drops far better than single-wall, and sealed bearings keep grit and winter road salt out of the moving parts.
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250mm micro-adjust seatpost with a quick-release clamp. Raise the saddle a few millimetres at a time as they grow, with no tools needed.
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26in all-round tyres and a kickstand. Happy on roads, gravel and light trails.
Why not just buy an adult bike
It seems like the obvious next step, but it rarely works well. A small adult frame puts the bars too far away, which pushes their weight onto their hands, and the brake levers are set for an adult grip. A rider who cannot brake comfortably rides more slowly and enjoys it less.
A bike that fits properly does more to keep someone riding at this stage than anything else you can buy them. Letting them choose the colour helps too.
How to measure their inside leg
Stand them against a wall with their shoes on. Hold a hardback book between their legs, spine upwards, and raise it until it sits comfortably. Measure from the top of the spine to the floor.
This is more reliable than age. Children of the same age can differ by 15 to 20cm in height, and as much again in leg length.
It arrives 90% built
A basic tool kit is in the box and there are assembly videos to follow.
