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Kids DH bike

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
@Kntr, thank you. TBH I would like to avoid tire as heavy as High Roller if possible. Think they weigh in about 1050-1100g, compared to Big Betty's 780g, plus they are pretty hard compound compared to 3C of the BBs.

I am open to further 24" tire suggestions, so pls share if you know of any, thanks.

@kickstand, how old/tall is your boy pls? Last time I asked he was similar to my boy.

I am considering putting mine on 26" bike or at least 26" front wheel, as the selection of 24" tires is so bad.
The Arrow LT 2.1 is 690g.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Damn...ghost town in here. Calling out to anyone with good tips on getting this Big Hit Grom down to fighting shape. Need some short reach disc brakes with small levers for tiny hands and good reach adjustment.
Suggestions in the ghost town?
 

epic

Turbo Monkey
Sep 15, 2008
1,041
21
I put Hope X2s on my daughter's Gromhit (purple one). It made a huge difference over the BB5s because they would actually slow her down so she didn't have to be dragging them all the time just to be at a speed they could slow her down from. I chose the Hopes because the lever is very adjustable and it's easy to buy blades reservoir caps, etc. if she lays it down and shears something off.
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
I put on a new ti railed seat, handlebars, and seatpost and the bike 1.5 pounds. I also did Maxxis Ultralite tubes and arrow Lite tires and it lost another 1.5 pounds. You can take out the springs in the fork and run it just air so they get full travel too. I got the bike right at 30 lbs pretty easily.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Damn...ghost town in here. Calling out to anyone with good tips on getting this Big Hit Grom down to fighting shape. Need some short reach disc brakes with small levers for tiny hands and good reach adjustment.
Suggestions in the ghost town?
My son has been running avid codes, lots of power, lever and pad adjustability, he's never complained.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
@kickstand @commencaldh I seem to have a problem now. My 9 year old leap frogged her older sister on the urge to ride and took her little Specialized HotRock and hit up Bailey Mountain Bike Park with me. She barely got down the mountain after crashing hard on it. A guy pulled up with a 20" & 24" Lil Shredder trying to sell the small one. He let her ride it the whole day and BOY...did she make a huge jump in ability by day's end.

But those Lil Shredder 20" rigs are too small, even for her 25th percentile on the growth chart and she banged teh cranks way, way too much.

Moving on, she wants to ride too, so now I'm hunting another. @kickstand email me what you're looking to get for the Gromhit to thebutchgreene@gmail.com.

On the Big Hit Grom, the stock cable brakes were too far from the bars, so I found a like new set of Hayes Stroker Trails (FIRST UPGRADE for a kid's DH bike should be hydraulic brakes...period). The second is I have a Fox air shock, not necessarily tuned to the frame, but will be 10 times better than the exploded no name coil on it now and a new front High Roller 2.5. Thinking of grabbing a Maxxis Snyper 2.0 tire in kevlar soon for the rear.

I think the biggest issue/hurdle I have to overcome is the cranks! It needs a set way shorter than it has.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Post a pic. Take the black plastic caps off and see if there are air valves.
This.

Should be an air valve on each side if I remember correctly, left leg usually has the spring.
@kickstand @commencaldh I seem to have a problem now. My 9 year old leap frogged her older sister on the urge to ride and took her little Specialized HotRock and hit up Bailey Mountain Bike Park with me. She barely got down the mountain after crashing hard on it. A guy pulled up with a 20" & 24" Lil Shredder trying to sell the small one. He let her ride it the whole day and BOY...did she make a huge jump in ability by day's end.

But those Lil Shredder 20" rigs are too small, even for her 25th percentile on the growth chart and she banged teh cranks way, way too much.

Moving on, she wants to ride too, so now I'm hunting another. @kickstand email me what you're looking to get for the Gromhit to thebutchgreene@gmail.com.

On the Big Hit Grom, the stock cable brakes were too far from the bars, so I found a like new set of Hayes Stroker Trails (FIRST UPGRADE for a kid's DH bike should be hydraulic brakes...period). The second is I have a Fox air shock, not necessarily tuned to the frame, but will be 10 times better than the exploded no name coil on it now and a new front High Roller 2.5. Thinking of grabbing a Maxxis Snyper 2.0 tire in kevlar soon for the rear.

I think the biggest issue/hurdle I have to overcome is the cranks! It needs a set way shorter than it has.
I'll let you know if I do decide to sell either of them this winter.


He's 10 now. about 52" tall, 60 lbs. He wants to move up to a 26" frame next year, but I think one more season on the 24" might be the ticket. He rode my wife's small tr450 at mountain creek and handled it just fine, and was faster than on the grom hit, but it was clearly too big (this was 1 year ago).


As for the cranks, I went with sinz, bought a new bottom bracket and cranks. Had my son on 140's or maybe 145's. The hard part was finding a bottom bracket that was wide enough to be compatible with the sinz cranks and still clear the chainstays.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
This.

Should be an air valve on each side if I remember correctly, left leg usually has the spring.

I'll let you know if I do decide to sell either of them this winter.


He's 10 now. about 52" tall, 60 lbs. He wants to move up to a 26" frame next year, but I think one more season on the 24" might be the ticket. He rode my wife's small tr450 at mountain creek and handled it just fine, and was faster than on the grom hit, but it was clearly too big (this was 1 year ago).


As for the cranks, I went with sinz, bought a new bottom bracket and cranks. Had my son on 140's or maybe 145's. The hard part was finding a bottom bracket that was wide enough to be compatible with the sinz cranks and still clear the chainstays.
Previous owner has a triple chain ring on it now and front shifter. So now, more money to spend on a bashring, cranks & BB. Found a set of those plastic DH style pedals with plastic molded pins to replace the OEM flats. Daughter didn't like those metal pins eating her shins and these things are super light.

@kickstand Thanks for that. Email me thebutchgreene@gmail.com if you do. I rarely see the posts from here anymore for some reasons? Man...the Ditch Witch wheels on it are beastly heavy!
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Bump, both of my grom hits are for sale, will make a monkey deal and will also make a package deal. Would love to not store these all winter.

Will consider a trade too....my son wants a small aggressive hardtail for XC, something light and nimble that he could also ride some pumptrack on (lightweight chameleon type bike?).