The big youth MTB test 2024: Full suspension bikes for children and young people? The selection of specialized bikes is limited, but many models for adults are possible. We have tested MTBs with full suspension from the most important brands. The test field includes: Bulls, Commencal, Cube, Giant, Marin, Merida, Pivot, Propain, Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz and Scott. Velomotion explains what to look out for and what the special features of the "child and fully" combination are.
Whether they just think they're great or want to ride the pump tracks, tables and berms they've built in the city forest with shovels and pickaxes, full-suspension mountain bikes have a huge fascination for children and young people. No wonder, after all, a real full suspension bike is pretty much the most complicated vehicle that kids are allowed to ride, and it also promises maximum riding fun - whether you use it "appropriately" or not.
So what happens when a son or daughter comes to their parents with the desire for a bike? Exactly, they have to do some research first. And they will find that not every manufacturer offers fully-suspension bikes specifically for children and young people. On the other hand, full-suspension MTBs are of course available down to frame size XS. And then there are models like the Santa Cruz 5010, which as a “small trail bike” is not specifically made for kids, but is well suited for them.
How do I find the perfect size for a kids mountain bike?
Especially with children's bikes, you should first check local availability, because looking and trying out are essential in this category. Even during the Velomotion practical test, it was clear that children and young people sometimes have very different opinions about what is cool and easy to ride, and that even proven experts do not necessarily change their minds.
The top priority is of course the fit, and this is where full-suspension bikes have their problems. Firstly, they are quite long-legged because the suspension travel between 130 and 160 mm has to be accommodated somewhere. For this reason, the bottom bracket is also positioned higher than on a hardtail, which makes getting on and off and handling in general a little more difficult for smaller riders. Anyone who rides a full-suspension bike should therefore already have some mountain bike experience. The child should be able to stand safely in front of the saddle over the frame without sitting on the top tube (standover height) - a bike that cannot guarantee this is too big. The 29-inch wheels that are often installed also make many models higher.
The very steep seat angle of many full-suspension bikes of up to 80° is another reason why a youth full-suspension bike should be a good fit. With a steep seat angle, the seat length changes very little when you lower the saddle - if the bike is too big, it will also be very long. Depending on the growth phases of the young cyclist, a model bought to fit may already be too small by the next season.
How heavy should a youth MTB be?
Given the high price level in some cases, such preliminary considerations are essential - once the child and parents have a model that seems suitable, the exact specifications are next. An important factor is of course the weight, especially in relation to the body mass of the soon-to-be biker. The lower the weight, the better the handling, especially when it comes to real off-road sports with strong weight shifts and jumps. A fully that is only ridden on bumpy dirt roads, on the other hand, can be a little heavier.
In terms of suspension travel, all of the youth MTBs in our test that are suitable for children and teenagers actually go beyond what is necessary. To make the most of 150 or 160 mm of travel, you need a certain body weight on the one hand, but also an aggressive riding style. It seems more important that the suspension and damping are adapted to the body weight of kids and teenagers and react quickly enough. This is where bikes that are specifically optimized for the target group, such as the Giant Faith, come into play. With 140/135 mm, the suspension travel is not at the limit; however, the tuning is right. In terms of price and weight, the "Mini Mullet" with a 27,5-inch front wheel and 26-inch rear wheel is also completely child and family friendly.
The equipment also has to be suitable for young riders. For example, the dropper post, i.e. a seat post that can be lowered, is an indispensable part of a modern fully. Its release lever must be able to be operated with little hand force, and the breakaway torque of the post must be low enough so that the child's body weight can push the post down.
Super-fine materials do not have to be used on a full-suspension bike for children and young people. The main thing is that it functions properly, and there are always surprises here. Cube, for example, has achieved a weight of just over 13 kilos with a carbon frame and packs in a twelve-speed gear system and Magura brakes for under 2.500 euros. A bike like the Cube Stereo Rookie ultimately shows that the manufacturer is really interested in retaining young bikers. That's clever, you might think - you can never start too early with customer loyalty.
Ten current youth MTBs with full suspension tested
In our youth MTB test, we tested ten current, full-suspension mountain bikes for young people or for riders under 1,50m. We did not restrict ourselves to dedicated children's bikes, but also included "adult bikes" with particularly small frame sizes in the test. The individual test reports are now gradually appearing every three days:
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