Junior-scale road bikes?

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We probably won't be looking at one for another year or so. DS just turned 9 and is still a little bit flaky to be riding a real road bike, but we definitely know it's an inevitable thing with his dad and I both riding.

Anyhow, I was curious to see if any TE moms had any knowledge/experience of the various models out there. It appears that several companies used to make kids' road bikes...but it looks like there are not as many now. No biggie, since we'd likely be looking for a gently used one, anyhow.

Any specific recommendations or advice?

[Eden]

I can give you some (mumble) personal experience.... It's not exactly a road bike, but I have a kid's sized cyclocross bike. I believe they are less expensive than road bikes. They also have the advantage that you can use slick or knobby tires on them, so the kiddos can go off road if they want to. They are probably a little bit heavier than a true kids road bike, but not nearly as heavy as a regular kids bike. In most respects they look like road bikes - they have drop handlebars and road like geometry.

Redline, Kona and REI all do a Kid's cross bike.

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Oh, now THAT is something to consider! My hubby just did his first cyclocross race this Fall and there were some kids who did it, too--they started behind the C group and did just one lap, I think. Hmmm...

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Oh, this is so cool...but he's not yet tall enough to be able to stand over the bar--ow!:
http://www.redlinebicycles.com/bikes...10-conquest-24

[Eden]

There's lots of juniors who race cross out here. They look like they are having an absolute blast. The Conquest 24 is the bike I have. At 5 feet tall I'm just a little too small for a regular cross bike and until pretty much last year there weren't any small ones that were not custom (and even now the Terry is still quite expensive). I think the Kona Jake 24 is a little smaller than the Redline.

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Hmmm...Kona doesn't appear to be making that anymore, but I'm putting searches in eBay and hoping that one of these shows at some point in the next few months.