Ah, to be young and spoiled. Or, young and totally rad?
If your family loves hanging out at the local dirt jumps and you’re looking for a kid-sized dirt jumper, you’ve probably already discovered that your options are pretty limited.
Fortunately, the few options that do exist are all pretty awesome. The 5 kids dirt jumpers on this list range from 16″ wheels to 24″ wheels and are built to impress.
Norco Rampage
Norco has really been stepping it up lately with their youth offerings, and it shows in the Norco Rampage Youth. A sized-down version of the adult dirt jumper, the bike comes in both 20 inch and 24 inch options.
Depending on how much you want to spend, you can choose a Manitou Machetti 100mm fork or a more budget-friendly option. Brakes are Tektro mechanical disc.
We also like that the bike is built up with SDG youth components, like the SDG Fly Jr saddle (one of our faves).
Wheel Size: 20″ or 24″
Price: $899+
Spawn Kotori
Anybody who knows kids bikes, knows Spawn. The original kids mountain bike maker also makes some of the best dirt jumpers around.
The Spawn Kotori comes in 20 inch, 24 inch, and now ever 26 inch models. Depending on the size, the fork differs (Brood, Rock Shox, X-Fusion), but the rear Tektro hydraulic disc brake remains constant across models.
You’ll also be pleased by the high-quality in-house Brood components. Spawn has done a killer job of creating high-quality, high-performance wheels, bars, and cranks.
Wheel Size: 20″, 24″, and 26″
Price: $1,225+
Commencal Absolut 24
The Commencal Absolut is a popular dirt jump option now offered with smaller 24 inch wheels. It looks sleek and has top-notch components as well.
The frame is built up with Manitou Circus Junit 100mm fork, SRAM level hydraulic disc brake, and SDG touchpoints. We also appreciate the sized down cranks and stem that show that this bike doesn’t just have smaller wheels, it has appropriately sized components as well.
Wheel Size: 24″
Price: $1,200
VPACE Danny
The VPACE Danny 24 is a gorgeous little dirt jumper. That pretty frame is built up with has an RST Snyper 100 mm fork and Magura MT4 disc brake.
The only problem is actually getting the bike. While VPace with ship to North America, I’m not sure it’s worth the hassle. But you can decide for yourself….
Wheel Size: 24″
Price: €949,00
Slater Gateway
Whatever you’re looking for in a kids dirt jumper, Slater can probably provide it to you. The Slater Gateway comes as a frame only or in any variety of custom builds.
The frame can accept quite a variety of wheel sizes including 16 inch, 18 inch, 20 inch or 22 inch. (I didn’t even know 22 inch wheels were a thing).
Rigid fork, suspension fork, cheap build, expensive build–whatever you want, they can do it.
Wheel Size: 16″, 18″, 20″, 22″
Price: $425+
Lil Shredder Icon
Update: the Icon is no longer available, but a quick search shows several for sale used. If you can find one, it’s a good score.
Have a mini shredder that’s ready for a dirt jumper? Consider the Lil Shredder Icon.
The smaller version is 16″ to 20″ convertible, allowing it to grow with your child for quite a while. (Just swap out wheels as they grow).
If you’ve got a bigger kid, the Lil Shredder Icon is still worth a look. It comes in a 24 inch version as well.
Wheel Size: 16″, 20″, or 24″
Price: N/A
Comparison Chart: Youth Dirt Jumpers
| Bike | Price | Wheel Size | Brake | Fork |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norco Rampage 20" | $1,049+ | 24" | Tektro MD-280 Mechanical disc | Manitou Machetti, 100mm OR RST Dirt 80mm |
| Norco Rampage 24" | $1,049+ | 20" | Tektro MD-280 Mechanical disc | Manitou Machetti, 100mm OR SR Suntour XCM Jr Air 80mm |
| Spawn Kotori 20" | $1,175 | 20" | TEKTRO AURIGA HYDRAULIC DISC | Brood Eldorado 80mm |
| Spawn Kotori 24" | $1,395 | 24" | TEKTRO AURIGA HYDRAULIC DISC | Rock Shox Reba 100mm |
| Spawn Kotori 26" | $1,395 | 26" | TEKTRO AURIGA HYDRAULIC DISC | X-Fusion Velvet |
| Lil Shredder Icon 16/20 | N/A | 16"/20" | Custom | Custom |
| Lil Shredder Icon 24 | N/A | 24" | Custom | Custom |
| VPACE Danny | €949,00 | 24" | Magura MT4 hydraulic disc | RST Snyper 100 mm |
| Slater Gateway | $385 (frame only) | 16", 18", 20" or 22" | Custom | Custom |
| Commencal Absolut 24 | $1,149 | 24" | Sram Level hydraulic disc | Manitou Circus Junit, 100 mm |
Things To Consider When Buying a Kids Dirt Jumper
Dirt jumpers are a bit different than a regular mountain bike. Here are some things you might want to keep in mind when choosing.
Size
Maneuverability is key on a dirt jumper. While we always caution against buying your child a bike that’s too big, that’s especially important with a dirt jumper.
In fact, the best size dirt jumper is likely a wheel size down from what your child would use for trail riding. So if your kiddo is on a 26 inch mountain bike, a 24 inch dirt jumper is probably the best fit.
Still, we understand that you don’t want to buy a new dirt jumper for your kiddo a year from now. One way to extend the life of the bike is to add a longer stem and higher bar for your child as they grow.
Weight
Again, maneuverability is key. When comparing two bikes, opt for the lighter one. This is so important for youth riders, who have lower body weights and less muscle mass.
Brakes
Most dirt jump bikes come with only a rear brake. That allows the bars to spin freely for tricks.
Unlike a regular mountain bike, where spending more for high quality brakes usually makes sense, the rear brake on a dirt jumper doesn’t get a whole lot of use.
For that reason, if you’re looking to save some cash, you don’t need to choose the dirt jumper with the higher end brake.
Fork
Unlike on a mountain bike, where a suspension fork is intended to provide comfort, on a dirt jump bike it’s there to help absorb impact. Look for a fork with 100 to 120mm of travel and set the sag at zero.
Hi do you reckon you can ship the Lil shredder icon to Australia
u cant