A customer in Canada recently commissioned what’s being called the ultimate kids’ hardtail mountain bike from his local shop, Bike Depot Inc. The buyer owns a number of high-end mountain bikes for himself, and wanted to get something for his son. Not finding any comparable stock bikes, he worked with his local bike shop to put this custom build together. All in, the build totaled more than $4,500 CAD ($3,500 USD) and features many components most adults can’t even justify on their own bikes, starting with electronic shifting.
The highly modified Frog bike features a 1×11 Shimano XT Di2 drivetrain with electronic shifters. Of course the stock bike they started with doesn’t offer accommodations for Di2, so the shop had to custom wire the entire system. Presumably the original crankset was kept since Shimano doesn’t offer an appropriately-sized XT crank.
The 4-piston Hope Tech 3 E4 brakes are clearly overkill for a kids’ bike — after all, most adult riders get more than enough stopping power out of standard 2-piston hydraulic disc brakes. The stock wheelset was swapped out for lightweight, tubeless Stans Crest MK3 wheels built up with Hope hubs. Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires round out the custom build.
All of the upgrade parts are color-coordinated, from the brake hardware down to the hubs.
Your turn: Would you spent $3,500 on a kids’ mountain bike? How does this price compare to comparable, high-end adult mountain bikes?
If somebody is well off then why not. A kid gets to be a kid only once so why not make him or her happy. They will remember riding a nice bike and the rest of the good memories that come with it their whole life. Why have kids if you don’t want them to have great things in life and don’t have the budget for it. Good for the father.
I know everyone comes to bike sites and shakes their fists at the idea of kids getting anything more than a used hardtail. Here are a few perspectives I’d offer…
A parent who spends tens of thousands of dollars a year on bikes for themselves should take some of their massive amounts of free cash and spend it on their kid. It’s selfish not too.
Buying “adult” components isn’t such a dumb move because a lot of the kid specific components are crap and aren’t portable to the kids’ next bike. Also, as an aside, if the parents own a bunch of bikes then putting the same “grownup” components on all family bikes is smart.
I also think it’s risky being too quick to judge whether the kid in this scenario is spoiled. A friend of mine has a ten year old who saved up for a year to buy himself a transition whatever kids mountain bike. And he deserves it. He rides the heck out of it. Will he outgrown the 24” wheels in a few years – sure, but think of the time he’ll have out with his dad now.
Now all the bad neighborhood kids are waiting to see this kids Facebook page with pictures of him at his families favorite vacation spot…. and no one home ………. he he he
I just ordered a 26″ carbon frame for $265. sid or fox 32 fork on sale for $500. crest wheelset is $599 max….anyway, I guess for half the price you can build up something for nearly half that cost.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/26er-Full-Carbon-Fiber-Mountain-Bike-Frame-14inch-Kids-Bicycle-Frames-for-child/222954782177?hash=item33e923fde1:m:my005pKzMIFQVJ3dP2oYToQ