Rocky Mountain Kids Bike Review
If you’re looking to get your kid into mountain biking, the first step is buying a good kids mountain bike. This will help them get comfortable on the trails and build their confidence when riding technical features.
Rocky Mountain’s Reaper is a legit full-suspension mountain bike built for pint-sized shredders. It comes in 24 and 26-inch wheels, and has real all-mountain geometry to shred the rocky trails Hurricane is famous for.
Sizes
For kids who want to ride like the pros they see on TV, Rocky Mountain has a full-suspension bike made just for them. It’s called the Reaper and is available in 24-, 26-, and 27.5-inch-wheel sizes. It’s equipped with a RockShox fork and rear shock to handle serious all-mountain shredding.
The Reaper also has a proprietary RIDE-9 frame adjustment system and a suspension package that’s geared to the needs of youth riders. This means that it can easily be adapted to a younger or older rider, which makes it a great choice for families with multiple children.
Kids bikes should have a low standover height, which is the distance from the ground to the top tube of the frame. This ensures that your child can straddle the bike and reach the pedals comfortably. The crankarms should be short so that your child can use them comfortably. They should also be able to reach the shifters without having to extend their arms.
Geometry
Rocky Mountain kids bikes feature a lightweight frame with proper geometry for smaller riders. This is a key factor for young children to feel confident on the bike and enables them to get more out of it. A low standover height and short reach help the kids to feel comfortable. This is a good thing because they will have more fun and can learn how to ride faster.
A rigid fork on this kids bike is a smart choice because it will save weight and money over a suspension fork. A rigid fork is also less maintenance-intensive than a suspension fork and will not require frequent service.
Another great thing about this kid’s mountain bike is that it features an interlocking clip system for maximum security. This feature will increase the safety of your child, especially if they are riding on steep trails. Rocky Mountain has also included a quick-release axle for the front wheel and a seatpost collar for easy adjustments.
Suspension
Rocky Mountain’s kids bikes offer a great opportunity for young riders to experience the fun of mountain biking. They feature a tough and lightweight aluminum frame paired with a 50mm Suntour suspension fork, an internally geared hub with 8 speeds, and grippy Kenda MTB tires. The frame includes junior-sized contact points for a comfortable fit, and the front axle and seatpost collar have quick releases for easy adjustments.
Until recently, most kids mountain bikes were basic hardtails with low-end components. However, more and more brands are offering high-performance full-suspension mountain bikes specifically designed for kids. Rocky Mountain’s Reaper line is a great example of this trend. This fully capable mountain bike is available in 24-inch and 26-inch wheel versions. The Reaper features a RockShox Monarch R air rear shock with 130mm of travel and a RockShox Raidon air fork with 120mm of travel. The Reaper also features a proprietary RIDE-9 system for geometry adjustment. This allows for suspension progression as the rider grows.
Price
Buying a kids mountain bike is not cheap but the quality of components can make a big difference in your child’s enjoyment and ability. The Frog bikes are a great example of this – they’re a UK brand (shippable to the US) that makes high-quality, kid-sized mountain bikes with Tektro disc brakes and Vee Tire Co tires.
In recent years, smaller brands have filled the void of high-performance kids bikes. Rocky Mountain has now joined the party with their Reaper line of full suspension bikes that feature great spec for younger riders.
There are three frame sizes to choose from and the Reaper is compatible with both 24 and 27.5 wheel size frames. It’s an ideal kids mountain bike for groms who want to shred the trails like the pros they look up to.