Kids Road Bike

bob

There is probably no easy answer to this question but any thoughts
greatly appreciated.

My son, 12 going on 13, is desperate to have a road bike to replace his
outgrown hybrid. He has as yet not yet started to grow fast but it can't
be far off. I have had a look the Islabike Luath 700
http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/luath700.html which seems very
nice but the Islabike people warn me that he may not fit it for very
long.

I was wondering if I should perhaps get him a small adults bike that may
be bit big at the moment but which he would grow into soon. He fits
reasonably on my wife's bike which has a 19.5" frame (in old money).

Is this a reasonable approach? Can anyone suggest a range of road bikes
which have these smaller sizes?

I await the awesome power of the hive mind.

Cheers

--
geomannie

Tom Crispin

On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:11:39 +0100, bob
<downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk> wrote:

>There is probably no easy answer to this question but any thoughts
>greatly appreciated.
>
>My son, 12 going on 13, is desperate to have a road bike to replace his
>outgrown hybrid. He has as yet not yet started to grow fast but it can't
>be far off. I have had a look the Islabike Luath 700
>http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/luath700.html which seems very
>nice but the Islabike people warn me that he may not fit it for very
>long.

Eh!? The saddle rises to a great height and I, at 6' 1", can quite
comfortably ride one for short distances.

Where are you? If the Islabike workshop is too far and you're in the
south east you'd be welcome to drop by with your son to test ride one
of my Luath 700s. I'm based in Blackheath, SE London, just off the A2
or next to Blackheath Station on the North Kent Line. The height
range for a Luath 700 is about 4'9" to about 5'5" based on the
infomation on the website. Inside leg is given as 70 - 80cm.

>I was wondering if I should perhaps get him a small adults bike that may
>be bit big at the moment but which he would grow into soon. He fits
>reasonably on my wife's bike which has a 19.5" frame (in old money).
>
>Is this a reasonable approach? Can anyone suggest a range of road bikes
>which have these smaller sizes?
>
>I await the awesome power of the hive mind.
>
>Cheers

Mark T

bob writtificated

> My son, 12 going on 13, is desperate to have a road bike

How tall is he? There's a chance that he'd be within the height range for
the smaller mens' bikes. The disadvantages of smaller frames with 700C
wheels are toe overlap, and aesthetics.

The other disadvantage will be tiny hands to work the STI levers, but throw
money at it and you'll get some that can be adjusted.

The gearing will almost certainly be too high for even a strong 13 year
old, but that'd be the case with most adults too :/

bob

In message <nd5c14pr98iatd9lhctu2pchfpep8q2pjg@4ax.com>, Tom Crispin
<kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> writes
>On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:11:39 +0100, bob
><downiegeon0spam.co.uk@downie#n0sapm#.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>There is probably no easy answer to this question but any thoughts
>>greatly appreciated.
>>
>>My son, 12 going on 13, is desperate to have a road bike to replace his
>>outgrown hybrid. He has as yet not yet started to grow fast but it can't
>>be far off. I have had a look the Islabike Luath 700
>>http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/luath700.html which seems very
>>nice but the Islabike people warn me that he may not fit it for very
>>long.
>
>Eh!? The saddle rises to a great height and I, at 6' 1", can quite
>comfortably ride one for short distances.
>
>Where are you? If the Islabike workshop is too far and you're in the
>south east you'd be welcome to drop by with your son to test ride one
>of my Luath 700s. I'm based in Blackheath, SE London, just off the A2
>or next to Blackheath Station on the North Kent Line. The height
>range for a Luath 700 is about 4'9" to about 5'5" based on the
>infomation on the website. Inside leg is given as 70 - 80cm.
>
>>I was wondering if I should perhaps get him a small adults bike that may
>>be bit big at the moment but which he would grow into soon. He fits
>>reasonably on my wife's bike which has a 19.5" frame (in old money).
>>
>>Is this a reasonable approach? Can anyone suggest a range of road bikes
>>which have these smaller sizes?
>>
>>I await the awesome power of the hive mind.
>>
>>Cheers

A funny coincidence. My wife was with her bike outside a shop when she
was clocked by an old fellow also on a bike (he had noticed her rather
nice old Raleigh Classic). He asked her if she knew anyone who wanted to
buy an Italian racer. As the old chap was only 5'1" my wife immediately
said yes and we went to see it.

Its a lovely old (70's-80's) 19.5" Raleigh 753 frame with Campag
components on new Mavic rims. A perfect fit for my son who immediately
declared it unfit for purpose, ungrateful wretch!.

It does need a bit of TLC but a classy object. I would have it myself if
it twere bigger.

Bah! We'll keep on hunting.

Cheers

--
bob

bob

>
>A funny coincidence. My wife was with her bike outside a shop when she
>was clocked by an old fellow also on a bike (he had noticed her rather
>nice old Raleigh Classic). He asked her if she knew anyone who wanted
>to buy an Italian racer. As the old chap was only 5'1" my wife
>immediately said yes and we went to see it.
>
>Its a lovely old (70's-80's) 19.5" Raleigh 753 frame with Campag
>components on new Mavic rims. A perfect fit for my son who immediately
>declared it unfit for purpose, ungrateful wretch!.
>
>It does need a bit of TLC but a classy object. I would have it myself
>if it twere bigger.
>
>Bah! We'll keep on hunting.
>
>Cheers
>
I know its bad form to reply (again) to your own posts but I would be
really grateful for a bit of advise. After going to most of Glasgow's
larger cycle shops it was apparent that we were not going to find
anything very suitable for son so we went back and bough the 753 framed
Raleigh for a reasonable price. As I said a classy bike and If I am not
very much mistaken its the gold 1980 Raleigh Team bike
(http://radpropaganda.org/raleigh-team-pro-timeline/), or close
facsimile. Once son understood this he was much more interested in the
bike. It also happens to fit him perfectly.

Its little used and basically in good nick but needs to be stripped down
and serviced. There is a big but and that it all the Campagnolo stuff on
it. I have never been grand enough to ever dream of owning Campag so I
have no idea as to how to fettle it. Are there any online service
manuals? The gears are Super Record and the hubs are just say Record as
far as I can see.

The only significant problem I can see with the bike is that one of the
jockey wheels is cracked. Are these available? Google isn't too
forthcoming. Also any info on how to service the hubs would be
appreciated. They have funny dust caps. Can anyone tell me how these
come off?

If you are interested here is the before picture
http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Raleigh%20753.jpg

Here is the cracked jockey wheel
http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/7...ked%20Jocky.jpg

Here are the funny dust caps
http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Dust%20cap.jpg


Many thanks
--
geomannie

_

On Sat, 3 May 2008 21:44:33 +0100, bob wrote:

>>
>>A funny coincidence. My wife was with her bike outside a shop when she
>>was clocked by an old fellow also on a bike (he had noticed her rather
>>nice old Raleigh Classic). He asked her if she knew anyone who wanted
>>to buy an Italian racer. As the old chap was only 5'1" my wife
>>immediately said yes and we went to see it.
>>
>>Its a lovely old (70's-80's) 19.5" Raleigh 753 frame with Campag
>>components on new Mavic rims. A perfect fit for my son who immediately
>>declared it unfit for purpose, ungrateful wretch!.
>>
>>It does need a bit of TLC but a classy object. I would have it myself
>>if it twere bigger.
>>
>>Bah! We'll keep on hunting.
>>
>>Cheers
>>
> I know its bad form to reply (again) to your own posts but I would be
> really grateful for a bit of advise. After going to most of Glasgow's
> larger cycle shops it was apparent that we were not going to find
> anything very suitable for son so we went back and bough the 753 framed
> Raleigh for a reasonable price. As I said a classy bike and If I am not
> very much mistaken its the gold 1980 Raleigh Team bike
> (http://radpropaganda.org/raleigh-team-pro-timeline/), or close
> facsimile. Once son understood this he was much more interested in the
> bike. It also happens to fit him perfectly.
>
> Its little used and basically in good nick but needs to be stripped down
> and serviced. There is a big but and that it all the Campagnolo stuff on
> it. I have never been grand enough to ever dream of owning Campag so I
> have no idea as to how to fettle it. Are there any online service
> manuals? The gears are Super Record and the hubs are just say Record as
> far as I can see.
>
> The only significant problem I can see with the bike is that one of the
> jockey wheels is cracked. Are these available? Google isn't too
> forthcoming. Also any info on how to service the hubs would be
> appreciated. They have funny dust caps. Can anyone tell me how these
> come off?
>
> If you are interested here is the before picture
> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Raleigh%20753.jpg
>

Nice. How reasonable?

> Here is the cracked jockey wheel
> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/7...ked%20Jocky.jpg
>

Common. Ebay.

> Here are the funny dust caps
> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Dust%20cap.jpg
>
>
> Many thanks

Those are not the original skewers - they look like nasty cheap
look-like-light-but-are-flimsy-and-don't-clamp-well types. Real Campagnolo
skewers are *excellent*.

You don't need to take the dust caps off. They can be pried out with a
suitable tool, but you don'e need to to service the hubs. The teeny-weeny
hole is for oiling the bearings, if you want to use that instead of grease.

bob

>>
>> If you are interested here is the before picture
>> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Raleigh%20753.jpg
>>
>
>Nice. How reasonable?
>
Somewhere between £100-£200

>> Here is the cracked jockey wheel
>> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/7...ked%20Jocky.jpg
>>
>
>Common. Ebay.

No sure. The bike has a close ratio 5 speed block. All the Campag jockey
wheels I see on Ebay are for 8,9's and 10's. Are they basically the
same?

http://search.ebay.co.uk/campagnolo...idZm37QQfromZR4
0
>
Many thanks
--
geomannie

_

On Sun, 4 May 2008 10:20:04 +0100, bob wrote:

>>>
>>> If you are interested here is the before picture
>>> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/753/Raleigh%20753.jpg
>>>
>>
>>Nice. How reasonable?
>>
> Somewhere between £100-£200
>
>>> Here is the cracked jockey wheel
>>> http://www.downie-geo.demon.co.uk/7...ked%20Jocky.jpg
>>>
>>
>>Common. Ebay.
>
> No sure. The bike has a close ratio 5 speed block. All the Campag jockey
> wheels I see on Ebay are for 8,9's and 10's. Are they basically the
> same?
>
> http://search.ebay.co.uk/campagnolo...idZm37QQfromZR4
> 0
>>
> Many thanks

Unlikely; I don't know - don't like parts that click (except for
freewheels).

Try here (at the bottom):

http://00eda5d.netsolhost.com/derailleur.html