Do you have a little ripper who’s outgrown their wheels but aren’t quite ready for most adult-sized mountain bikes?
The good news is that in recent years, more and more brands are offering youth-sized 26 inch mountain bikes as well as 27.5 inch mountain bikes with extra small frames to fit smaller riders.
Photo credit: Norco Bikes*
Whether you’re looking for 26 inch or 27.5 wheels, full-suspension or a hardtail, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also received a bunch of flack for the price of the bikes on this list, so we’ve added some budget picks toward the bottom.
Note: These are REAL mountain bikes and many of them have serious pricetags. If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, check out our post on the best 26 Inch Recreational Bikes instead.
May 2023: Updated prices and added the Prevelo Zulu Five.
Table Of Contents
But First: Why Choose A “Youth” Mountain Bike?
Why not go directly from 24 inch wheels to an adult-sized mountain bike?
The problem at the tween age is finding a good adult bike that fits properly. The average 12-year-old boy stands at around 58 inches ~ 4’ 10” while 12 year old girls are, on average, about an inch taller. That’s smaller than many (though not all) builders are creating frames for.
When you put a kid on a bike that’s too big for them, you’re setting them up for failure and frustration. In fact, a too big bike can even be dangerous!
Pick a youth-sized (or women’s-specific) bike that actually fits. You can hand it down to the next kid in a few years, or sell it on Pinkbike or The Pros Closet*.
Photo credit: Commencal
Best 26 Inch Hardtail Mountain Bikes
| Bike | What We Love | Price | |
| 1 | Trailcraft Timber 26 | Super lightweight (21 lbs) | $1,699+ |
| 2 | Woom OFF AIR | Best bang for your buck | $1,049 |
| 3 | Spawn Yama Jama 26 | Tubeless wheels, internal routing for a dropper | $1,625 |
| 4 | Cleary Scout 26 | Durable, chromly steel frame | $1,071 |
| 5 | Frog MTB 69 | Brand name components | $1,119 |
| Bonus! | Prevelo Zulu 5 |
Trailcraft Timber 26
The Trailcraft Timber 26 is the lightest 26″ bike around. At a featherweight 21 lbs, even the most petite riders can handle this bike. The super low standover accommodates riders as short as 4’6″.
The bike boasts high-shelf parts including Stans Crest wheels, Ashima ultralight rotors, and a 100mm air-sprung supsension fork with carbon lowers. The rest of the frame can be built up with a variety of component builds depending upon your budget.
If you’re looking for the BEST 26 inch hardtail around, the Trailcraft Timber 26 is it.
Read Review: Trailcraft Timber 26
Price: $1,699+
Woom OFF AIR 6
*
Woom makes our FAVORITE kids-specific bikes, and they recently introduced a line of mountain bikes that are both high-quality and (relatively) affordable.
The Woom OFF AIR 6 weighs a mere 24.3 lbs pounds and costs $1,049, giving it a killer weight to price ratio. This lower weight makes the bike ideal for smaller and more petite kids.
The bike offers features almost unheard of at this pricepoint including a high-quality air-sprung airfork, thru-axles, and a SRAM 1×9 drivetrain.
Read Our Review: Woom OFF AIR
Price: $1,049
Spawn Yama Jama 26
The Spawn Yama Jama is one of the OG kids mountain bikes. It comes in 20″, 24″ and yes, a 26″ version.
While it’s not cheap, it comes with everything you would expect from a grown-up mountain bike: tubeless-ready wheels, routing for a dropper, and hydraulic disc brakes. You’re child will also appreciate the 120mm of front suspension, tuned specifically for smaller riders.
Read Our Review: Spawn Yama Jama
Price: $1,625
Cleary Scout 26
Do you remember YOUR first hardtail?! Chances are it was a 26″ rig. Like your mountain bike of yore, the Cleary Scout 26 is a classic.
The bike has recently been redesigned with a beautiful, sparkly aluminum frame, modern geometry, and internal routing should you choose to add a dropper. It also has a lifetime warranty, and you can’t beat that.
Read Our Review: Cleary Scout
Price: $1,071
Frog MTB 69
Frog is an outstanding “kids” brand that offers a wide variety of models ranging from high-end road bikes to mountain bike and track bikes. The Frog MTB 69 is a mid-size 26” bike that will fit kiddos ranging from about 10 to 12 years old.
Kenda tires, Tektro disc brakes, a Shimano drive-train in addition to a myriad of in-house components provide a solid hardtail offering a quality build for your tweens. The brand truly pays attention to detail with features like the two off colored spokes marking the tire valve.
As is the current trend with many other brands, Frog has a direct order business model making it easy to obtain one of these sweet whips here in North America and there are shops carrying their frames as well.
Read Review: Frog MTB 69
Price: $1,119
Prevelo Zulu Five
The Prevelo Zulu Five is a durable and well-designed hardtail mountain bike specifically made for kids. With a responsive frame, comfortable climb, and modern geometry, it provides a stable and reliable ride for young riders.
The bike’s components, such as the hydraulic disc brakes and Microshift Advent X drivetrain, perform flawlessly and keep the bike moving consistently. The aesthetics of the bike are also commendable, with thoughtful details and a Bodacious Blue frame.
We like that it includes routing for a dropper post (which you can add for an additional fee) and that it’s super easy to set up tubeless.
The only bummer about the bike is that it doesn’t come with the option to buy the HEIR fork that is offered on the smaller versions of the Zulu.
Read Review: Prevelo Zulu Five
Price: $1,099
5 Best 26 Inch Full Suspension Mountain Bikes
| Bike | What We Love | Price | |
| 1 | Trailcraft Maxwell 26 | Lightweight, Stans Podium wheels | $2,499+ |
| 2 | Spawn Rokk | Converts from 24″ to 26″ wheels | $3,050+ |
| 3 | Giant Trance Jr 26 | Maestro rear suspension technology | $2,500 |
| 4 | Mondraker Factor 26 | High quality components | $2,899 |
| 5 | Meekboyz Mega Beast 26 | Serious DH rig | $9,150 |
TrailCraft Maxwell 26
Trailcraft is a builder that specializes in providing quality kid’s mountain bikes. These bikes are fun, well thought, and designed to endure the punishment trail riding can give our beloved steeds.
With body-size-specific designed components, like many other kid-specific brands, the Trailcraft Maxwell will fit and keep your height challenged acquaintance rolling with comfort and ease. Various builds from a bare frame to a full XT group offer several options.
We listed this with one of the mid-range builds keeping the price under $3K. 12-year-olds on 5” of travel front and back? Yes please!
Read Review: Trailcraft Maxwell
Price $2,499+
Spawn Rokk 24/26 or 26/27.5
The Spawn Rokk is a little rig that can last a long time by upgrading the wheel size. It comes in a 24 to 26″ version or a 26″ to 27.5″ version.
The rest of the build is top-notch, with 140mm of dual suspension, SRAM drivetrain and brakes, and Brood (in-house) components.
Price: $3,050+
Giant Trance Jr 26
You might already be familiar with the popular Giant Trance. The Giant Trance Jr 26 is simply a scaled-down version for pint-sized rippers.
Like the adult-sized version, the Trance Jr boasts the Maestro rear suspension technology. 120mm of travel both front and rear provides plenty of squish.
The bike boasts a SRAM Eagle drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and can fit tires up to 2.8″.
Price: $2,500
Mondraker Factor 26
The Mondraker Factor 26 is a trail-oriented full suspension bike with Xfusion 140mm suspension both front and rear. It is stocked with high quality components including SRAM Eagle drivetrain and SRAM Level brakes.
Even the smaller parts are well speced. We appreciate the SDG Fly Jr saddle and the Slater bar and grips.
Price: $2,899
Meekboyz Mega Beast 26
The only downhill specific bike listed here, the Meekboyz Mega Beast 26 is top notch. A full carbon frame paired with Fox suspension and a SRAM drivetrain and brakes.
This ride is not cheap, but if you’re looking for performance in the bike park, this is the ride. Your kiddo will definitely know he or she is loved when riding this wunderbike.
Hope hubs paired with in-house, carbon rims keep the rotating mass down while contributing to an overall light build. Jumps, drops, skinnies….you name it, your kid will tame it.
Price: $9,150
5 Best XS 27.5 Inch Mountain Bikes
| Bike | Price | |
| 1 | Pivot Mach 4 SL Carbon | $6,199+ |
| 2 | Norco Sight | $3,499 |
| 3 | Commencal Clash XS | $3,600 |
| 4 | Juliana Furtado | $5,299+ |
| 5 | Liv Intrigue | $2,100 |
Pivot Mach 4 SL Carbon
Pivot Cycles makes some of the best small-size offerings. In fact, they’ve heavily marketing to the NICA leagues and you’ll see plenty of Pivot bikes at NICA races.
The Pivot Mach 4 SL is sweet little full-suspension rig with an XS frame size that fits riders as small as 4’11”. As a Pivot owner myself, I know from personal experience that the DW link suspension offers nimble climbing and riotous descending.
The other thing we love about this bike is how light it is. Younger riders simply weigh less and have less muscle mass, so they benefit more from a lightweight bike.
Price: $6,199+
Norco Sight Youth 27.5″
This is one of the only 27.5″ bikes specifically designed for KIDS. The frame is smaller for youth riders and the suspension (150mm Pike fork and 140mm RockShox Deluxe R Select shock) is specifically tuned for them as well.
What else can you expect from this sweet little ride? A SRAM Eagle drivetrain and Shimano MT500 hydraulic disc brakes.
Price: $3,499
Commencal Clash XS
Like the Norco Sight Youth, the Commencal Clash XS is designed and built for young riders. Intended to bridge the gap between a “kids” bike and an “adult” bike, the Commencal Clash JR is one drool-inducing bike. But the most interesting part of the bike is that it’s a mullet–it has a 27.5″ front wheel and a 26″ rear wheel.
Each component is specifically chosen for younger riders, including kid-sized grips and saddle. What else should we mention? The 170mm of travel, SRAM Eagle drivetrain, and KS Ragei 100mm dropper.
Price: $3,600
Liv Intrigue
While almost all the other bikes listed here have 26 wheels the Liv Intrigue has 27.5 inch wheels. This might be a deterrent for the little riders in our lives who can’t quite handle the wheel size, but they also will typically grow into a bigger bike and the larger wheels might extend the temporary life of the bike.
With in-house Giant-branded components, Maxxis tires, a SRAM drivetrain/Shimano brakes, and 150mm fork, this is a lively bike that can rip singletrack. The Liv brand is designed for women, but the decals are appealing and the fit is perfect for 12-year-old boys too.
Price: $2,480+
Juliana Furtado
Santa Cruz has long been a contender in the mountain bike industry and their ladies brand, Juliana, offers the same quality and robust builds with VPP suspension and stunning looks.
The Juliana Furtado comes in an XS frame size that fits tiny riders as small as 4’8″. While it has 27.5″ wheels, the standover height is super manageable for younger pre-teens.
Because it’s a women’s-specific bike, the bike has lighter-tuned rear suspension which makes it ideal for lightweight riders.
Unfortunately, they’ve done away with the aluminum version of the bike and all that’s left is a pricey carbon build. Still, if budget isn’t an issue, this bike could be the winner.
Price: $5,299+
Budget 26 Inch Mountain Bikes
| Bike | What We Love | Price | |
| 1 | Kona Fire Mountain | Quality build, lifetime warranty | $875 |
| 2 | Specialized Rockhopper 26 | Classic, durable design | $650 |
| 3 | Co-Op Cycles DRT 1.0 | Use your REI dividend | $599 |
Kona Fire Mountain
The Kona Fire Mountain is an entry level mountain bike that checks all the boxes for safety and quality, and most importantly, fun. Kona builds rad bikes and the extra small version of this model comes with 26-inch wheels to accommodate smaller riders.
A SR Suntour fork manages suspension duty and Tektro brakes provide the stopping power necessary to keep your tween from clipping trees as they fly past you down the trail. With a quality build, lifetime warranty and price point that leaves extra in the wallet, the Kona Fire Mountain will leave your budding NICA racer with a big smile.
Wheel Size: 26″
Price: $875
Specialized Rockhopper 26
My very first mountain bike was a Specialized Rockhopper 26 that looked alot like this one. (In fact, I still use that mountain bike 15 years later as a commuter bike).
The 26 inch version of the Rockhopper comes with an XXS frame, ideal for super-small riders. It’s built up with mechanical disc brakes and a Shimano Tourney 8-speed drivetrain. There’s even internal routing for a dropper post should you choose to add one.
There’s nothing super fancy about this bike but it’s a good durable bike and a price you can actually stomache.
Price: $650
Co-Op Cycles DRT 1.0
If you’re an REI member, you’ll love the Co-Op Cycles DRT 1.0. Use your annual dividend to take a big chunk out of the price of the bike.
This entry-level ride fits riders as short as 4’9″ and will grow with your kiddo for a while. It has Tektro hydraulic disc brakes (pretty much unheard of at this pricepoint) and a Shimano Tourney 8-speed drivetrain.
Price: $599
Comparison Chart: 26 Inch And 27.5 Inch XS Mountain Bikes
| Bike | Wheel Size | Price (MSRP) | Weight (lbs) | Minimum Height | Frame Material/Design | Drivetrain/Shifters | Brake System | Rims | Tires | Suspension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pivot Mach 4 SL Carbon | 27.5 | $6,699+ | 20.9 | 4'11" | Carbon | SRAM Eagle | SRAM Level | DT Swiss M1700 | Maxxis Ardent Race, 2.2" | Fox Factory Stepcast 34 120mm, Fox Factory DPS | |
| Kona Fire Mountain | 26 | $699.00 | NA | 4'10" | Aluminium | Shimano | Tektro | Kona | WTB Trail Boss | SR Suntour XCR fork | |
| Liv Intrigue | 27.5 | $2,655.00 | NA | 4'10" | Aluminium | Shimano | Shimano M6000 | Giant | Maxxis Forekaster | Fox 34 Rhythm, Fox Float | |
| Juliana Furtado | 27.5 | $4,099 | 31.3 | 4'8" | Carbon | SRAM Eagle | SRAM Guide | WTB ST i30 | Maxxis Minion 2.4" | Fox 34 Rhythm, Fox Float | |
| TrailCraft Maxwell | 26 | $2,899.00 | 25 | 4'10" | Aluminium | Shimano Zee | Shimano Deore 6000 | Stans Crest MK3 | Schwalbe Nobby Nic | Rock Shox Reba, Monarch | |
| Frog MTB 69 | 26 | $800.00 | 25.1 | 4'8" | Aluminium | Shimano | Tektro | In House | Kendra K1153 | In House | |
| Meek Boyz | 26 | $8,375.00 | NA | NA | Carbon | SRAM | SRAM Level | In House | Maxxis Minion | Fox 40, Fox X2 | |
| Trailcraft Timber 26 | 26 | $1,999+ | 21 | 4'6" | Aluminium | Shimano Deore or XT | Shimano Deore or XT | Stans Podium | Schwalbe Rocket Ron 26x2.1" | Rock Shox Reba 26 | |
| Woom OFF AIR | 26 | $1,049 | 24.3 | 4'6" | Aluminium | SRAM X5 | Promax hydraulic disc | In House | Schwalbe Rocket Ron 26x2.35" | RST 90 mm | |
| Spawn Yama Jama 26 | 26 | $1,425 | 26.5 | 4'5" | Aluminium | SRAM NX | TEKTRO HYDRAULIC DISC | Brood (In House) | Maxxis High Roller 2.3" | ROCK SHOX REBA 26-120MM | |
| Cleary Scout 26 | 26 | $860 | 28.5 | 4'7" | Steel | Shimano Deore | Tektro hydraulic disc | Alex | Vee Tire Crown Gem 2.25 | Suntour 100mm | |
| Norco Sight | 27.5 | $2,799 | 33 | 4'7" | Aluminium | SRAM Eagle | Shimano BR-MT500 hydraulic | WTB | Maxxis Minion D 2.3" | RockShox Pike, Charger, 150mm, RockShox Deluxe R Select | |
| Commencal Clash Jr | 27.5 | $2,499 | 24.1 | 4'9" | Aluminium | SRAM Eagle | SRAM Guide | WTB | Vee Tire Co FlowSnap 2.35 | RockShox 35 Gold 160mm, RockShox Deluxe Select + | |
| Specialized Rockhopper 26 | 26 | $500 | NA | NA | Aluminium | Shimano Acera | Tektro hydraulic disc | In House | Specialized Ground Control Sport, 2.1" | SR Suntour 80mm | |
| Co-Op Cycles DRT 1.0 | 26 | $549 | 31 | 4'9" | Aluminium | Shimano Tourney | Tektro hydraulic disc | In House | Kenda Kadre, 2.1" | SR Suntour 100mm |
More Stuff You Might Like
- Your Guide To The Best Kids Mountain Bikes
- Your Guide To Downhill Mountain Biking With Kids
- 7 Best Kids Full Face Helmets (BMX, MTB)
About Us
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared. Over the years, we’ve tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a USA Cycling certified coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is our resident tester and inspiration.
If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!
Specialized fuse 27.5 for the year 2020 comes in an extra small.
Thanks for the heads-up Colin! Was actually just thinking last night how I needed to revisit and update this post. There are several bikes that need to be added.
Cheers,
KB
I was so excited to find a review on mountain bikes for youths. Then I scrolled down to the prices – YIKES! Really? As much as several thousand dollars for a “kids” intrductory mountsin bike! How about a few recommendations that don’t break the bank for the rest of us average blue collar athletic families?
The ones on this list that cost several thousand are far from “introductory” mountain bikes and your kids don’t need them if they are just starting. It’s like looking at range rovers for your kids first car. Many of the bikes also aren’t kids bikes, they just fit kids. There’s plenty of bikes from $200-1000 that you can get for someone just starting out.
I believe Andrea Clementino was looking for recommendations, not an explanation–and I agree 1000% with her, these prices are RIDICULOUS. The number of kids, or adults, who would benefit in a meaningful way from an $8k bike is tiny and they know who they are and the target models. The other 99% of parents could use some help from the industry rags, manufacturers, and knowledgeable users to find some high quality bikes that don’t cost an arm and a leg. We’d rather spend that money getting to awesome locations to actually use the bike.
It’s a matter of scale. Many of these brands are niche brands looking at creating the best kids’ mountain bikes possible. This is their bread and butter and they don’t make adult bikes.
The brands you see here are taking the technology from high end adult bikes and scaling it down for young aspiring riders, and the number of units they sell probably less than 10,000 units globally will prevent them from offering prices that mean that are in reach of ‘regular blue collar families’. However I guess it’s also a matter of priorities (UK references here) so you might factor in whether your next car is a $60,000 Land Rover, or a $20,000 Daewoo.
In the end it’s all relative and economies of scale need to be factored in.
Sorry, should have said on line 7 ARE NOT in reach of ‘regular blue collar families’
Woom OFF Air make this list?
100%! I’m sooo delinquent in updating this post, but yes it belongs here. If you didn’t already check out my review of the Woom OFF AIR, here it is: https://rascalrides.com/woom-off-review/
Are you guys not seeing the several $500-$1000 bikes on this page, or are you simply complaining about the most expensive options just to complain. I see lots of range in price-point here.
Agree…yes, $8000 bikes are crazy, but there are lots of other options on the chart above.
People just like to complain, I think. 😉
Do you know anything about TAIR cycles?
Hi Camille,
I know of them and they look really nice, but we haven’t seen one or tested one in person yet. If you end up getting one, let us know what you think!
Hi, thanks for the article. I would love to see a list of transition bikes from youth 26” to adult 27.5” and 29” in XS or S size. My son is 11 and I want to get him a new bike as he is soon to outgrow the Giant XTC 24” he currently rides. I am loathe to buy another ‘youth’ bike as you just get so much more bang for buck with an adults bike in terms of components. A dual suspension is a bit out of the budget but a decent hard tail would be perfect. Would love to know your thoughts
Hi, I’m in the same boat as Tom. Looking for a good XS frame 26″ front suspension MTB for a boy that is starting to outgrow his 24″ MTB.
My 11-year-old is on a Frog 69 MTB w 26″ and loves it. We did swap out the (not so great) shocks for Rock Shocks (Recon silver). He’s on the tall side, though and I’ll be looking for another bike before I know it. Some of his buddies are on Specialized Chisels w 27.5″ wheels and they love them..
Hi. You should double check the weight on the Clash Jr. I think you’re about 10 lbs light…Commencal is not exactly known for light bikes LOL!!!
My son has ridden the giant trance jr for a few years now! He Loves it and it’s a great set up. He’s a pretty aggressive rider and this bike has stood up to the rest of time with regular maintenance.
Looking for next one now and will look to find something in small frame… tricky!
My son has been looking for a trance Jr but we can’t seem to find any around us to try out, either new or used. Where did you get yours. I can only see ordering it directly off line.
Thanks for this comprehensive list of quality bikes for kids wanting to step up their comfort level on longer technical rides. I appreciate the time you spent so that I can spend less time shopping & more time riding with my kid!
Would love to see Chromag Minor Threat added to the list
Also a couple other brands that I saw during my research is the YT primus, Rocky Mountain Reaper, and Nukeproof makes a youth hardtail.