eMTB for my child

Max

Member
Aug 10, 2019
20
3
Nowhere
He will be 10 in February and currently 135 centimetres.

The only models I find in shops around here are:

CUBE Acid 240 Hybrid Youth actionteam 2019

Haibike | SDURO HardFour 2.0 | Kids' eBikes

Any advise is welcome.
Is it a bad idea?

I don't know much about eMTB, Cube vs Haibike?

Which engine is better, Yamaha PW-SE vs Bosch Drive Unit Active Generation 3 ?
Is it correct that Yamaha have 70 nm vs 40 nm for Bosh?
I see they are both limited at 20km/h, I guess is for safety.

I have a Turbo Levo 2019, limited to 29 km/h.
I guess it could be fun to ride with him without too much assist :)
 
Last edited:

Zsolt

Member
Aug 23, 2019
1
1
Hungary, Solymar
My doughter is 7 and about 123 cm.
We went to Austria and rented a Ben-e-bike for her in size 20. It is a german brand and the 24” ebike is 12kg!!!
She really enjoyed the ride and we were able to ride up the hill 30-40 km. People were pushing there bike up the hill while she was pedaling and singing.
The cube an Haibike kid bikes weight about 18-20 kg.
 
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LeonLevo

Active member
Jul 31, 2018
39
77
Belgium
24 inch Ben-E-Bike for our 7 year old son. I looked at Cube as well, but that is much heavier. We use it with and without the battery depending on how far we will go. It is light enough to use as a non-E-bike as well. 26 inch wheels will also fit, so hopefully he can use it for a few years. We (and he off course) are very happy with this bike!

85E30414-17F9-43BA-B9A3-268C33F6E13F.jpeg
 

Max

Member
Aug 10, 2019
20
3
Nowhere
My doughter is 7 and about 123 cm.
We went to Austria and rented a Ben-e-bike for her in size 20. It is a german brand and the 24” ebike is 12kg!!!
She really enjoyed the ride and we were able to ride up the hill 30-40 km. People were pushing there bike up the hill while she was pedaling and singing.
The cube an Haibike kid bikes weight about 18-20 kg.

You are right, he is 31kilo, how he would handle a bike of 20?
 

racinghelmi

Member
Jun 13, 2019
12
7
Gloucestershire
I bought a 20 and 26 ben e-bike for my boys 2 years ago when they where 6 & 12. These are great bikes and build with good components and super light. Also very reliable I can say. One battery had an issue and was fixed for free. Super fast as well. Cannot keep up with the levo???
But no suspension on the 20 and crap fork on 26. So not a real MTB. Billy, 14 is now on a Levo and loves it but it’s still a bit a heavy bike for him.
 

Bontee

Member
Dec 6, 2020
92
55
warwickshire
Have to ask why a kid needs an ebike,like Rich said,get him a normal bike and let him build up to e bikes.
If he can’t keep up,you’re going too fast.
 

Kimmoi

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2018
391
386
Finland
No ebikes for children. Teach them to use their own energy. Manual bikes. ebikes should be own choice, when time is right.
 

Kimmoi

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2018
391
386
Finland
If that's your opinion you don't know how to set up and use an ebike for children.
I do know. Children needs something else than ebike. Manual bike has gears in it. ;)
Why do you want ebike for your child? I'm curious to know? :) What is wrong with manual bike?

EDIT: but it's your choice, i just told my opinion. :)
 
Last edited:

Andy__C

Active member
Apr 11, 2020
107
112
South Wales
i'm torn on this one..... mainly driven by how much mountain biking is changing and growing.


For general peddaling around with mates, lapping the local hills or odd low mountain climbs and trails with me..... there is no way i would be buying my boy an eeeb. Pedalling and climbing is good for him.

My boy is pretty fit - he's 9.... plays for both the local football and rugby clubs plus training and gets out on his mtb with me for local low climb trails

i would love for him to come do some longer trails and adventures with me and develop his riding. Climbing 1000m - 1500m in a morning would destroy him :LOL:

i probably cant' afford £3k - £4k on a bike for him...... if I could and then he can come and ride afan w2 or the like, I'd be tempted.

Could you then get them back on a normal bike though?
 

jray17

Member
Sep 19, 2018
26
86
California
I bought my son a small levo at 9 years old. It was big for him but he figured it out quickly and by 11 is faster then all my riding buddies. We spend more time together riding bikes then I could’ve dreamed of. Long rides, short rides, enduro races, etc. he rides daily and it keeps him off screens. Its time together you cant get back and you wont regret the investment.
IMG_1635.jpeg
IMG_1582.jpeg
 

jray17

Member
Sep 19, 2018
26
86
California
That's awesome Jray.

How competent was he before getting on the Levo?
He was a good rider before but our riding was limited to what hills he would pedal or how much I wanted to tow him. His riding capabilities grew like crazy with longer rides, new trails, more fun on rides and climbs, and old guys to chase after haha Im a huge fan of anything that gets kids outside more. If they want to ride their bike more their skills will progress rapidly.
 

Kimmoi

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2018
391
386
Finland
I bought my son a small levo at 9 years old. It was big for him but he figured it out quickly and by 11 is faster then all my riding buddies. We spend more time together riding bikes then I could’ve dreamed of. Long rides, short rides, enduro races, etc. he rides daily and it keeps him off screens. Its time together you cant get back and you wont regret the investment.
THAT is so true! If eBike helps you and child with that, i take my words back.
 

jray17

Member
Sep 19, 2018
26
86
California
IMG_1190.jpeg

Found the new bike day photo. He was 4’5” and that is a small 29er. Based on sizing he was far too small but we shortened the stem and said figure it out. Yes he had some random crashed bc he couldnt put both feet down but kids will literally learn to ride whatever they have and I wasnt going to buy another bike anytime soon haha. Just food for thought. More kids on bikes!
 

brentonb

Member
May 12, 2022
55
29
Aus
My almost 13 year old just had his small scott changed to a medium commensal meta sx mullet.
He is more than happy riding my Levo s4 (large) with no problems at all.

If I was getting him an ebike it would be the same s4 (large) sizing and let him grow into it and not have any issues.

My problem is my just turned 10 year old 133cm 4'4" that has a 24inch enduro / downhill bike with 160mm travel front and rear that is finding a capable enough of a bike for him
but jray might have just found that solution, dam expensive solution


As far as kids should not have ebikes well I don't believe that. mine both currently have endro bikes and dirt jumpers so adding a ebike to the collection is just ensuring you have the right bike for the riding they are doing. Now mine ride their dirt jumpers to school, don't need their enduros being broken by other kids and the ebikes would also not be ridden to school.
But having ebikes to do those longer xcountry enduro rides where some of ours have easy black section in them they would be great.

Making memories as I justify it to my wife that doesn't ride
 
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Rando_12345

Active member
Nov 16, 2022
345
461
France
Just to add my 2c.

When I was 12, living in France, all my slightly older friends had 50cc scooters and mopeds, the older ones had clapped out cars with dumb exhausts etc. My parents decided to get me a nice MTB, for a few hundred € at the time as a distraction, I never got interested in motorbikes or fast cars despite being very much an adrenaline junky.

I'm planning on getting my son into bikes and onto ebikes fairly early on, I'm sure there will be tons of xs/s old bikes relatively affordable in 6-8years when he is old enough, ideally some version of the levo SL or Rise with a reliable motor. I'm seeing it as a way to fend off more expensive and more dangerous purchases in the teen years, and hopefully get him into the "just ride there" mentality (I use my ebike for commuting, picking up the shopping, dropping him to school etc).
 

Pdoz

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Feb 16, 2019
1,112
1,206
Maffra Victoria Australia
Three kids, they alternate between emtb and regular depending on what we have planned. My vote is buy a great regular bike but hire an emtb for any longer rides .

I find the longer rides easier when they are aboard an emtb - anything over 50 km / 1500 m elevation for my daughters - we usually hire for these, and they prefer levo sl because they feel closest to their normal bikes.

My 14 yo son can JUST manage that on his reign, but when he was around 10 he would dawdle along on my giant emtb - covering the k's but not having anywhere near as much fun because it was too heavy for him.

It's scary watching young kids jumping heavy bikes....
 

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