Xmas Gift - MTB Gear for a 12 year old

daragh_

Hey folks.

Any tips on something cool to pick up for my nephew? Despite several efforts to turn him into a Roadie he's obsessed with the dark arts of MTB. He's getting a very nice new bike for Xmas and I want to get him something cool to go with it. Clothing - jersey, gloves etc - or maybe a decent helmet. I've no idea what's 'in'.:D Help!

steamsey

Some ideas - maybe not very cool stuff but practical - especially if he doesn't already have this stuff:

- good lid - full face if he's doing anything gnarlier than XC. Not the ones with - replaceable chin pieces
- good knee pads - Dakine used to do good ones
- back protector (or bag with built in protector). Osprey bags are really good.
- bum bag - all the rage the last few seasons - Dakine Hot Laps are cheap and do a good basic job
- gloves with snot wiper
- nice 661 shoes and Nukeproof pedals if he rides flat. If he's clipped in - nice Shimano SPD shoes and pedals
- does his bike have a dropper? If not, move dropper to top of the list after lid
- Entry to all 4 2020 Gravity Enduros - Challenger category!

If you check the clearance section on Chain Reaction, you might find a good deal

Alkers

IT will be hard to know their personal preferences and sizes for gear etc, you could look at some cleaning accessories:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lubes-cleaning?f=2258

Plastik

Lid, dropper, knees - definitely.

Lemming

Plastik wrote: »

Lid, dropper, knees - definitely.

I'd probably swap the order on that to Lid, knees, dropper, although that being said possibly consider shoes and pedals before the dropper. If his feet are all over the place and/or he's not firmly planted on his bike, a dropper isn't going to add much to the mix just yet.

All being said, done, and recommended daragh, have you checked with him or his folks as to what sort of gear he likes the look of, or already has (or what the bike itself comes with if looking at ponying up on dropper posts or pedals, etc.)?

daragh_

Cheers all - will probably invest in a decent Lid for him. He's not ready for any hardcore downhill stuff just yet so we don't need a full face helmet I think.

Hi birthday is coming up and we can have a look then if he needs a dropper.

Entry to all 4 2020 Gravity Enduros - Challenger category

Sounds good but he lives in Yorkshire!

Lemming

daragh_ wrote: »

Entry to all 4 2020 Gravity Enduros - Challenger category

Sounds good but he lives in Yorkshire!

There is Steve Peats 'Steel City Downhill' race in Sheffield round about May of next year. He'll need a full face lid for that but he'll love it. Round about 3 minute race run, and the closest you can get to a World Cup event with most of the track lined with spectators. A full-on downhill bike is overkill for the track, so any trail or enduro bike will do; hell last year I saw one guy rocking it on a hard-tail like a champ (he didn't win incidentally).

There is also the likes of the PMBA Enduro series which is very well run. Whilst some rounds will not be suitable for a novice, and anyone under 16 needs to be chaperoned (does not need to be racing themselves), round #5 in Kirroughtree (yes I know it's Scotland but it's a three/four drive and south of Scotland) does have a separate kids race on the Saturday and overall it's an awesome family friendly camping weekend in general. That'll be for September 2020 though. Round 1 which is closer to home, being Gisburn forest in Lancashire (so next door to Yorkshire) is alas sold out (unless you can get a ticket); tickets went in < 1 min. If he would like to go all-in with doing the main race as opposed to a kids race, he'll be in the U15 category.

Could also get him some riding/rental time at something like the Dirt Factory in Manchester, or I can recommend a few good skills coaches too so could get sessions booked with them; one is local to Sheffield, the other that I have used moves a bit further afield depending on what skill-set he's coaching.

Quite a few options available.

iwillhtfu

daragh_ wrote: »

Cheers all - will probably invest in a decent Lid for him. He's not ready for any hardcore downhill stuff just yet so we don't need a full face helmet I think.

Hi birthday is coming up and we can have a look then if he needs a dropper.

Entry to all 4 2020 Gravity Enduros - Challenger category

Sounds good but he lives in Yorkshire!

I'm not sure about the UK but a recently introduced reg here requires a full face helmet for enduro racing.

I'd go with clothing and being a 12 year old he'll be more interested in looking the part so Fox everything (long pants/jersey/goggles/gloves)

Lemming

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'm not sure about the UK but a recently introduced reg here requires a full face helmet for enduro racing.

British Cycling race handbook 2019 wrote:

3.2.2 A full face helmet is compulsory for Downhill, Four Cross and Dual Slalom. The helmet must be properly secured in both training and racing and must be fitted with a visor

Enduro is in a bit of a weird place with British-Cycling (i.e. Cycling Ireland's equivalent) in that it's recognised-but-not-really-recognised. It gets listed as a sort of 'other race type' so has no specific requirements placed upon it beyond the general technical requirements; helmet, no body-mounted cameras permitted during race runs without prior BC approval, etc. So .... what that all means is that full-face requirements will vary between race series and possibly even venues within a race series if the organisers feel the course warrants it.


TL;DR ?? Full-face requirements depend greatly on the discipline. Enduro = depends on series organiser and/or the particular course where deemed sensible.

nikkisscy

daragh_ wrote: »

Hey folks.

Any tips on something cool to pick up for my nephew? Despite several efforts to turn him into a Roadie he's obsessed with the dark arts of MTB. He's getting a very nice new bike for Xmas and I want to get him something cool to go with it. Clothing - jersey, gloves etc - or maybe a decent helmet. I've no idea what's 'in'.:D Help!

buy him all you mentioned if you have the xtra cash he will be very happy I guess