Kids Emtb 20-24"

[Wic_ed1]

Hi,

I've been doing some googling and have come across only 3 brands of kids eMTB (Hibike, Scott and Commencal) all 24". I'm hoping there are some other keen parents out there who have already looked into this or own something similar who can provide some guidance or recommendations?

Our boy has just turned 6 and has Commencal DH supreme 20" which we will keep for the tracks we go to that have shuttles or gondolas. However our local tracks we would spend 95% of the time climbing for short 2-3 min downhill runs, it's a killer for him and we're lucky to get in 2 runs. It would be a much more enjoyable for all of us to have him on an eMTB.

Thanks in advance

 

[apac]

have you tried towing him up the hill?

I haven't seen any kids Emtb's. It might be an option to get a really small conversion kit? A tiny battery and tiny hub motor, just enough to shuttle him up the hill. Though this would add weight and unbalance the bike.
I have seen clip on friction drive units that can be clipped onto a bike and wheel and it drives the by gripping onto the tyre. It can me put on and removed as desired. Not sure it would fit a child size bike.
something like this.... [£68.29 44% OFF]200W 24V Bicycle Bike Booster 160*120*80mm Durable For E-Bike Electric Mountain Bike Bicycle Cycling Accessories New Arrival 2019 Power Tools from Tools on banggood https://banggood.app.link/MI1YFW1Egbb
i'm not suggesting you buy that one but it gives you an idea of what I mean.

 

[apac]

Some reading on friction drive units here... Friction Drives; Ultra-light and Surprisingly Powerful

a seat post mounted unit that Could be simply removed at the top of the hill would work.

 

[R120]

I use a Towwhee to tow my 6 year old up - He has an Orbea which is a good bit of kit, but (as is the norm for kids this age) its heavy due to having some decent components, and much harder for him to pedal uphill than his previous bike.

He still pedals when I am towing him, so in a way it works a bit like an ebike, in that its pedal assist.

I would think that an EMTB that size would be so heavy for whoever was riding it that it would make it a pig to ride for a 6 year old.

 

[LeonLevo]

In Europe you can get the bikes from Ben-E-Bike . Very good quality and also very light. Engine behavior can be fully customized. Our son rides the 24 PRO from early 7 (height/length is off course more important than age) and can switch to a 26 next summer (will be 9 then). Our little girl can then start riding the 24 (now on a 20" push bike or being towed on the Tout Terrain Streamliner).

 

[steve_sordy]

Tow him up.

 

[apac]

I will be making an Ebike conversion for my son in a couple of years. Use a donor bike like a whyte or Specialized kids mtb and then put on a small rear hub motor, small controller and build a small battery pack.

 

[thewrx]

Comenzcal makes a 20 and a 24” ebike, for younger kids and young adults. Only downside is e7000 motor

 

[TheBikePilot]

The SL comes in XS, but he might be a bit small even for that and it's a hell of a lot of cash...!

I think there's a big market for it, but EU regulations are stiff on making powered bikes for kids..

Geometry Geeks

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I will be making an Ebike conversion for my son in a couple of years. Use a donor bike like a whyte or Specialized kids mtb and then put on a small rear hub motor, small controller and build a small battery pack.

I agree with your thinking. An eBike configuration for kids needs to be small and light. They don't need big torque and big batteries... just a wee uphill assist that doesn't turn their bikes into heavy beasts. The challenge would be to find a hub motor small enough as manufacturers are making them for adult use with matching output. And you may also have to build your own battery pack...

My thinking would be to repurpose the most powerful cordless drill I could find. I'll have to disassemble the drill and figure out a way to incorporate that small motor into a lightweight donor bike. I would also use the drill battery 'as is' so spares are easily available and accessible.

I can also imagine there might be criticism against the very idea of a kid's eBike... hindering physical development and all, whatever that could mean in other people's perception of what a kids bike should be.

 

[Darkred]

I bought one of these and pull my kid up (dont use usual bungee cables like i saw one guys doing.......if they snapped !!!!!)

The Bungee tow whee one is great and covered if it did break (its more elastic than a bungee cable and works really well)

TowWhee

Do you ever find that the hills can be a ride ender for little ones? well that's where the TowWhee comes to the rescue, using a purpose-made bungee specially designed to pull a rider with a gentle pull and not a harsh jerk "no sniggering at the back" you will find hills no longer pose any problem.

www.gonebikingmad.co.uk

 

[R120]

Good article on Ebike-MTB just put out by coincidence on this very topic

Kids wanna have fun - are children allowed to ride eBikes all across the Globe?

What’s currently allowed in many states across the USA, is prohibited in the UK. In other words, not everywhere in the World are kids allowed to live out their enthusiasm for eMTBs to the same extent as the regulations vary from country to country. But where are children allowed to ride eBikes...

ebike-mtb.com

I think the weight is the critical issue - to get my son a bike that would handle proper trails, meant a heavier bike, which instantly he took a dislike too because it was harder to pedal uphill, and until he got used to it more of a handful to ride. Buying the Towhee was a game changer, as now he rides up until he's starting to get knackered, and then I can tow him the rest of the way - this also means he's not shattered by the time we get to the top, an can focus on riding and concentrating on the way down - once a 6 year old has lost the plot from a hard ride up, the last thing you want to do is point them down a trail!

 

[Wic_ed1]

have you tried towing him up the hill?

I haven't seen any kids Emtb's. It might be an option to get a really small conversion kit? A tiny battery and tiny hub motor, just enough to shuttle him up the hill. Though this would add weight and unbalance the bike.
I have seen clip on friction drive units that can be clipped onto a bike and wheel and it drives the by gripping onto the tyre. It can me put on and removed as desired. Not sure it would fit a child size bike.
something like this.... [£68.29 44% OFF]200W 24V Bicycle Bike Booster 160*120*80mm Durable For E-Bike Electric Mountain Bike Bicycle Cycling Accessories New Arrival 2019 Power Tools from Tools on banggood https://banggood.app.link/MI1YFW1Egbb
i'm not suggesting you buy that one but it gives you an idea of what I mean.

Thanks for the info! The challenge would battery placement for a hub or mid mount motor given his bike is full sus. Regarding towing, that would work until we got to the hills with the switch backs, but I’ll give it a go in the mean time. Thanks again

 

[Wic_ed1]

In Europe you can get the bikes from Ben-E-Bike . Very good quality and also very light. Engine behavior can be fully customized. Our son rides the 24 PRO from early 7 (height/length is off course more important than age) and can switch to a 26 next summer (will be 9 then). Our little girl can then start riding the 24 (now on a 20" push bike or being towed on the Tout Terrain Streamliner).

View attachment 43952
View attachment 43953

These look amazing, after reading your post I looked them up on Facebook and noticed they are doing 20” ones with front suspension and only 12kg. They are heaps better on price than Commencal’s ebike. ben-e-bike
Ive reached out to check shipping and availability. Thanks ?

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Some years back, touring road cyclists used to cheat with hidden motors. Understandably it was labeled as the new scourge of cycling = Mechanical Doping... because the intention here is to cheat in a race. In fact, most of the negative taboo regarding eBikes comes from this despicable history. Now that electric motors and batteries are no longer hidden, the stigma still sticks and plagues us all.

I think the company that made these motors in secret now markets them as an off the shelf item. I recon it's could be the right kind of motor for a kids 20" or 24" mountain bike - with that mini motor inside the seat tube which drives the BB axle directly via a helical bevel gear. A small light-duty external battery can be fashioned to fit a water bottle cage. My eLawnMower uses two power drill batteries and it goes full blat for about an hour.

I can only imagine that those motor kits would be extremely expensive... (but then again, there's always that power drill brushless motor if you've got a machinist friend)... You'll also going to need an electronics friend that can fiddle a BMS to provide some power modes so your kid doesn't end up riding up a tree trunk! ?

 

[LeonLevo]

These look amazing, after reading your post I looked them up on Facebook and noticed they are doing 20” ones with front suspension and only 12kg. They are heaps better on price than Commencal’s ebike. ben-e-bike
Ive reached out to check shipping and availability. Thanks ?

Yes, they are light enough to also be used without an active motor (and without the battery). Our first kids pedal-bike was a Specialized Hotrock (16" wheels) and it weighed almost 10kg's without gears and a crappy front brake. On a flat surface all was fine, but any incline (our driveway) was already a struggle. The Ben-E-Bike 24 is only 1-2kg more!

For longer rides I carry a spare battery in my backpack. All components are chosen to be as light as possible, but strong enough for the use by a child (there is a weight limit!). We love the quality and all the details such as the possibility to attach a kick-stand.

If you can get hold of one of them, please choose the size wisely as they grow out of them very quickly. Our 5 year old girl (125cm) is still on a 20" pedal bike, but is already fine riding the 24" Ben-E-Bike on non-technical terrain. The advantage of the 24" Ben-E-Bike is that it also accepts 26" wheels, so you can even keep it a bit longer.

 

[Wheelie_King]

These look nice, but not with my wallet. They use the Fazua system.

woom™ UP 6: 26" kids' electric mountain bike [from 10 years]

woom™ UP 6 – 26" kids' electric mountain bike ✓Only 16.6 kg ✓10 years and over ✓Fazua motor & front suspension ➤ Buy kids' electric mountain bike online!

woombikes.com

 

[skinipenem]

Hi,

I've been doing some googling and have come across only 3 brands of kids eMTB (Hibike, Scott and Commencal) all 24". I'm hoping there are some other keen parents out there who have already looked into this or own something similar who can provide some guidance or recommendations?

Our boy has just turned 6 and has Commencal DH supreme 20" which we will keep for the tracks we go to that have shuttles or gondolas. However our local tracks we would spend 95% of the time climbing for short 2-3 min downhill runs, it's a killer for him and we're lucky to get in 2 runs. It would be a much more enjoyable for all of us to have him on an eMTB.

Thanks in advance

View attachment 43935

What did you end up with?

Bumping this thread to see if any further developments as I'm looking for our 7yo now. Looking for a dh bike for him too.

 

[Wic_ed1]

What did you end up with?

Bumping this thread to see if any further developments as I'm looking for our 7yo now. Looking for a dh bike for him too.

Hi, I ended up with a Giant Fatham. We've had that for a little while now and have it for sale. We're going to replace it with a Specialized SL size XS. Might be a little too big him, but at least we'll get a few years out of it. Otherwise not many options locally, there is a mondraker F-Play, but the battery size and hub drive are detractors for me personally.

 

[skinipenem]

Looks like the only 20" kids ebike it's from Ben e bikes. Unfortunately, they only ship within the EU.

 

[skinipenem]

Mondraker makes the fplay20 rigid ebike for kids. Of course. It doesn't actually exist in stock anywhere. Lol