has added to their kids’ bike lineup again for 2022, rounding out a dozen models in their premium Future Pro lineup.Now includes a wider range, from the 12-inch wheels of the new Scale RC Walker balance bike to the 27.5-inch alloy Spark XC bikes, and gravel, enduro and light rigid mountain bikes for all wheel sizes in between.
has offered a plethora of kids’ mountain bikes over the years, and in 2018 added some top-of-the-line Future Pro models.The performance line has now grown to 12 Future Pro kids’ bikes with wheels ranging from 12″ to 27.5″ to fit riders of all sizes—consisting of a light alloy frame, kid-sized components, and finished with a top-of-the-line RC class Adult bike similar pastel paint job
The most recent addition is the €280 RC Walker, a 12-inch wheeled balance bike.What do you get for €50 more than a standard ?
Under its iridescent paint, the RC Walker replaces a 6061 alloy fork (on top of the hi-10 original) and a set of lighter alloy wheels with sealed bearing hubs, each with just 12 spokes.Almost a full kilogram has been reduced to a claimed weight of 3.3kg.
The $999/€999 Gravel 400 is also on par with the Future Pro, because really anyone looking to buy a kids’ single handlebar bike probably needs as much performance as possible.Especially since, one of the most difficult problems with getting younger kids to ride farther is balancing a lighter overall bike weight with reasonable specs and affordability.
did a great job starting with a 6061 alloy frame and fork, a claimed 9.5kg 24″ wheeled gravel bike with 1.5″/38mm Kenda Small Block 8 tires, Shimano 2×9 drivetrain, 46/34 wide x 11-34T gearing and mechanical Tektro disc brakes.It also comes with racks and fender mounts for more adventure, but doesn’t really have much room for larger tires.
Another addition for 2022 fills the line of rigid alloy RC mountain bikes at the show.grade.There are now four models, each relying on the idea that a simple light bike is one of the best options for a growing child.Don’t mess with any suspension, just simple components, light alloy wheels and lightweight high volume MTB tires – 16, 20, 24 and 26 inch versions.
All use lightweight folding shell tires with Speed ​​rubber, even the small ones.
The smallest are 16×2″ tires and a simple 5.64kg single-speed and V-brake setup, complete with the €500 RC 160. The €900 RC 200 was upgraded to 20×2.25″ tires and a Shimano 1 × 10 with hydraulic disc brakes, weight 7.9 kg.
For 24-inch wheels, some parents choose to buy a bike with a suspension fork.But it’s hard to beat the 8.9kg fully rigid aluminium RC 400 with 24×2.25-inch tires and a Shimano 1×11 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes for €999.Even bigger, for the same price of €999, the RC 600 has the same 1×11 specs, just bigger wheels and 26×2.35-inch tires, and a claimed weight of 9.5kg.
The Alloy Kids is nothing new, having debuted only a year and a half ago.But you can’t ignore their modern geometry, and the flip chip even lets you switch from 24-inch to 26-inch wheels as your child grows, along with 140mm of fork and 130mm of rear wheel travel tuned for lighter kids.
Either wheel size version sells the same for $2200/€1999 in Shimano 1×11 and X-Fusion build specs.
For the Future XC Pro, there’s also a €2900 alloy Spark 700 with 27.5-inch wheels and 120mm front and rear for smaller XS riders, and a 12.9kg X-Fusion + SRAM NX Eagle.
But I can’t help but wonder how tall a kid would need to be to fit the new, 29er-only redesigned Spark with a hidden rear shock, and even with the longer 120/130mm of travel, it’s only 24mm of standover height , and is cheaper starting at just 2600 euros…