Australian Mountain Bike — December 01, 2017

(Jacob Rumans) #1
http://www.ambmag.com.au - 113

WORKSHOP


SUSPENSION TUNING
Even after you have set your kids
fork and shock up to the correct sag,
suspension tuning is also another
tweak that you could do for the really
keen young rider (or parent!). Most
forks and shocks dampening can be
adjusted to work under an extremely
light rider. Speak to your local
suspension service centre for more
advice if you want to go down this road.

KEEP IT SIMPLE
Converting the bike to 1x
means they can concentrate
more on riding and less on
changing gear. It will also cut
out a bunch of weight from
the bike as well. There is a
selection of different after-
market cassettes to still give
your kid a decent range to
climb up those hills.

BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER


If you are passing down your old bike that’s just
a little bit too big, you could always go down a
wheel size. This 26” fork is running a 24” wheel
in it. This will improve stand over height, and also
give you the option to switch back to the original
wheel when they have grown. I wouldn’t do this
to every bike out there, but if you think it would
be an option, check with your local bike shop
that it won’t cause any issues – namely in ground
clearance on full-suspension.


CORRECT
CONTACT POINTS
Saddles and grips
are small and cheap
modifications that help
small bodies get comfy.
Thin grips will help your
kid hold on, and a smaller
bodies require smaller
saddles.

DROP-IN JUNIOR!

There are a few
companies that make
really short dropper
posts. These are small in
drop and overall length.
Free download pdf