Batch Bicycles 24″ Kids Mountain Bike Review

Finding a quality mountain bike for kids that won’t drain your bank account can feel impossible. Most of the bikes we recommend cost upwards of $1,000, which just isn’t realistic for every family, especially if you’re not sure your kiddo will stick with mountain biking or if you have multiple kids to outfit.

Enter the Batch KM.24. At $569, this 24″ mountain bike sits in a sweet spot between the cheap big-box bikes that fall apart after a season and the premium lightweight options that cost as much as an adult bike. It’s a solid choice for families looking to introduce their kids to trail riding without making a massive financial commitment.

But is it actually good enough to handle real mountain biking? We put it to the test to find out.

Review In A Nutshell

Pros:

• Good quality fork and drivetrain
• Excellent bang for your buck
• Upright geometry inspires confidence
• Available both through local dealers and online

Cons:

• Heavy
• Adult-size components
• Not tubeless ready

Price: $569

An Affordable Option To Get Kids Stoked On Mountain Biking

The biggest draw of this bike is the fact that it’s affordable. The bikes on our list of the best 24″ mountain bikes cost 2, 3, or even 4 times as much.

While I still think a high-end mountain bike is a good choice for families who do a lot of mountain biking, there needs to be a more affordable option for families who can’t swing that higher price tag OR for those just looking to introduce their child to mountain biking.

The Batch 24″ MTB does a good job of that. This is a bike that has quality enough components that it can handle the rigors of off-road riding, but also won’t cost an arm and a leg.

The geometry is upright and inspires confidence, which is also helpful for newer riders. Our little tester told us that “it was fun to ride and felt pretty fast.”

Finally, it’s available from local bike shops, which can be really helpful for families who aren’t as accustomed to working on or assembling their own bikes. (If you are mechanically savvy, you can also order thru the brand’s website).

Good Quality Fork, Brakes, Drivetrain, And Tires

The four things that you really want to work well on a mountain bike–the suspension fork, the drivetrain, the brakes, and tires–are of good quality on the Batch KM.24.

The fork is a SunTour XCT-JR with 80mm of travel, and it actually works. (That can’t be said for all budget kids mountain bikes). It does not have as much travel as some 24″ options, nor is it as smooth-feeling as higher-end options, but it does do a good job of dampening the impact of small rocks and drops. On the buff, fast-rolling trails in Boise, ID where we are riding, it was plenty adequate.

The 8-speed Microshift Acolyte drivetrain is probably the highlight of this bike, and it’s the same drivetrain you’ll find on more expensive kids’ bikes like the Prevelo Alpha. It even has a clutch which helps keep the chain on and reduce chatter over bumpy terrain. Our little tester found the trigger shifter easy to operate and that it made nice, clean shifts.

The 24 x 2.35 tires are off-brand but have a very similar tread to something like a Kenda Small Block 8. They are a fast-rolling mountain bike tire well suited to both off-road and paved riding. Again, perfect on buff Boise trails.

As for the Tektro mechanical disc brakes, I’m a little more on the fence but still give the bike a passing grade. They are certainly an upgrade from v-brakes, and offer decent stopping power, especially for lightweight kids, BUT they can be harder for little hands to operate than hydraulic disc brakes. These will do the job for kiddos playing around at the local pump track, but I’d be hesitant to send them out on a long, steep downhill.

Where We Have Reservations

While it’s not reasonable to expect a bike at this price point to tick all the boxes of a more expensive kids mountain bike, it is important to note that there are limitations to the Batch KM.24.

The biggest of those is that it’s heavy. We threw the bike on the scale and it weighed in at 29 lbs 6 oz. That’s crazy heavy for a kids bike. In fact, it’s heavier than my mountain bike.

For comparison, the Woom OFF Air 5 weighs 24 pounds. (And can be made lighter by setting it up tubeless).

Our (admittedly petite) tester weighs only 60 pounds so the bike was a whopping 1/3 of his body weight. Not a big deal on shorter rides, but a major hindrance on longer rides and big hills.

The next issue is that some of the components are adult-sized. The larger brake levers are hard for little hands to reach (although they can be adjusted fairly well), and the saddle is oversized for small sit bones. Even the 140 mm cranks and 160mm bars are a little longer/wider than I’d prefer.

Lastly, the tires and wheels aren’t tubeless-ready. This means you have to be prepared for more flats (and more headaches) than a mountain bike that could easily be set up tubeless.

Other Items Worth Mentioning

• Externally routed cables. The brake and shifter cables are externally routed. This makes maintenance a bit easier, but it also looks a little sloppier than internally routed cables.
• Quick-release skewers rather than thru-axles. Both the front and rear wheels have quick-release skewers holding them in place rather than thru-axles. Thru-axles are both sturdier and safer than quick-releases, and are the norm on all higher-end mountain bikes.
• Quick-release on the seatpost collar. This means you can easily raise or lower the saddle without any tools.
• Mounts for bottle cages. There are bolts on both the inside and bottom so you could mount up to two water bottle cages.
• Decent pedals. The pedals are plastic but provide a wide platform and have pins for extra grip.

Bottom-Line: A Quality Budget 24″ Mountain Bike

The Batch KM.24 isn’t going to win any awards for being the lightest or most feature-packed kids’ mountain bike out there. But that’s not what it’s trying to be.

What it does offer is a capable, reliable mountain bike at a price point that makes sense for families just getting into the sport or those who need to keep costs reasonable. The fork works, the drivetrain shifts cleanly, and the geometry is confidence-inspiring for newer riders.

Yes, it’s heavy and has some adult-sized components, but for shorter rides and weekend adventures at the pump track or local trails, it gets the job done.

If your kid is already logging serious trail miles and you know mountain biking is here to stay, you’ll probably want to invest in something lighter and more dialed in. But for everyone else, the Batch KM.24 is worth serious consideration.

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About The Reviewer