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Adding gears to my grandson's 12" bike

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2

My grandson has the kind of bike you pedal backwards to brake, and he goes riding with me on my days off. Yesterday, he asked me if we can convert his bike because we have looked everywhere and no one seems to have a gear-shifting bike for someone who is 8. The Problem is that he is having trouble keeping up with me and wearing out a lot earlier because of the hills. Are there bikes with 18" or less wheels that shift or is he still too small for that kind of riding? I am pretty sure that I can figure out how to mount the gears and get a small derailleur just to learn how to shift and I am pretty sure I can change his brake system to the handlebar levers, but not sure it would be so wise, if I could just get his parents, who are willing and more financially able, to replace the bike with one that is built to be a dirt bike and not a trick bike frame with attachments to help him go faster.

I am pretty sure it is possible and I may even be able to make it just like mine but not sure how cost effective it is if he can just buy one.

I am still learning what different bikes are called. But he is about 3ft tall and his bike is getting too small for him. His current bike has 12" wheels.

bike-fit children

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I got my first bike IIRC at my 7th birthday and it was 24" wheel size with 3 gears internal hub (also coaster brake). My guess would be that the 18" bike may be too small for him anyways.
  
  – cbeleites
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  He is still only 3 ft 4-6 inches tall, he is glued to his 12" bike now but I had to pull the seat all the way up and it was just right for him. I do not know, but he also took the training wheels off himself when he was 6 so he could take that bike to the skate park, so he might be able to handle a 20 or more
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  1 - 1.05 m (if I calculated correctly) is shorter than 8 year-olds are usually around here, so 24" would still be too big. 20" bikes around here are available with gears, either internal hub (possibly with coaster brake) or derailleur. Random webpage tells me that 20" are for 53+ cm, 24" from 63 cm inseam on, that is inseam ≈ max. wheel diameter.
  
  – cbeleites
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Yeah, I did a google search and found some I can order online from BMX that has 7-speed drivetrain, I like your idea about 18" then 24" it will give him time to grow. And he takes pretty good care of his stuff, for an 8 year old so spending higher for something may work out good
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are you able to lower your own output to match his?
  
  – Criggie♦
  5 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

2

My grandson has the kind of bike you pedal backwards to brake, and he goes riding with me on my days off. Yesterday, he asked me if we can convert his bike because we have looked everywhere and no one seems to have a gear-shifting bike for someone who is 8. The Problem is that he is having trouble keeping up with me and wearing out a lot earlier because of the hills. Are there bikes with 18" or less wheels that shift or is he still too small for that kind of riding? I am pretty sure that I can figure out how to mount the gears and get a small derailleur just to learn how to shift and I am pretty sure I can change his brake system to the handlebar levers, but not sure it would be so wise, if I could just get his parents, who are willing and more financially able, to replace the bike with one that is built to be a dirt bike and not a trick bike frame with attachments to help him go faster.

I am pretty sure it is possible and I may even be able to make it just like mine but not sure how cost effective it is if he can just buy one.

I am still learning what different bikes are called. But he is about 3ft tall and his bike is getting too small for him. His current bike has 12" wheels.

bike-fit children

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I got my first bike IIRC at my 7th birthday and it was 24" wheel size with 3 gears internal hub (also coaster brake). My guess would be that the 18" bike may be too small for him anyways.
  
  – cbeleites
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  He is still only 3 ft 4-6 inches tall, he is glued to his 12" bike now but I had to pull the seat all the way up and it was just right for him. I do not know, but he also took the training wheels off himself when he was 6 so he could take that bike to the skate park, so he might be able to handle a 20 or more
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  1 - 1.05 m (if I calculated correctly) is shorter than 8 year-olds are usually around here, so 24" would still be too big. 20" bikes around here are available with gears, either internal hub (possibly with coaster brake) or derailleur. Random webpage tells me that 20" are for 53+ cm, 24" from 63 cm inseam on, that is inseam ≈ max. wheel diameter.
  
  – cbeleites
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Yeah, I did a google search and found some I can order online from BMX that has 7-speed drivetrain, I like your idea about 18" then 24" it will give him time to grow. And he takes pretty good care of his stuff, for an 8 year old so spending higher for something may work out good
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Are you able to lower your own output to match his?
  
  – Criggie♦
  5 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

My grandson has the kind of bike you pedal backwards to brake, and he goes riding with me on my days off. Yesterday, he asked me if we can convert his bike because we have looked everywhere and no one seems to have a gear-shifting bike for someone who is 8. The Problem is that he is having trouble keeping up with me and wearing out a lot earlier because of the hills. Are there bikes with 18" or less wheels that shift or is he still too small for that kind of riding? I am pretty sure that I can figure out how to mount the gears and get a small derailleur just to learn how to shift and I am pretty sure I can change his brake system to the handlebar levers, but not sure it would be so wise, if I could just get his parents, who are willing and more financially able, to replace the bike with one that is built to be a dirt bike and not a trick bike frame with attachments to help him go faster.

I am pretty sure it is possible and I may even be able to make it just like mine but not sure how cost effective it is if he can just buy one.

I am still learning what different bikes are called. But he is about 3ft tall and his bike is getting too small for him. His current bike has 12" wheels.

bike-fit children

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

edited 5 hours ago

Criggie♦

47.9k55 gold badges8080 silver badges160160 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 9 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

4555 bronze badges

1 Answer
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6

If your grandson is that young, he's likely to have trouble keeping up with you no matter what bike he's riding. It may be that it's your expectations, not his bike, that should be modified.

It seems really unlikely that you could retrofit a derailleur onto his current bike. A frame that small won't have room for a wider rear-wheel assembly. Mounting rim brakes would be tough if the frame isn't already set up for it. Even if you did succeed, he'd still be driving it with eight-year-old legs and an eight-year-old's heart and lungs.

Might you consider a tagalong bike, mounted to your bike? Your grandson might balk at this if he's used to his own separate bike, but it would ensure that he keeps up with you.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I do not know, @jeffB. He comes really close to keeping up now, just wears out from pedaling so much. You may be right though, that was part of why I am ok with him riding now, if he stays with it, by the time he is old enough to really ride with me, he will still want to. converting his bike may be too much. I actually think a tag-along is great idea and he might be up for it more since I already slow way down to ride with anyway, so me doing most of the work would be fine and reinforce his idea that PopPop is superman, lol
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "Really unlikely" is probably understatement - I think 20' is the smallest you can do it safely (i.e. look at Navara Duster 20 - there is really not much space left between derailleur and ground). These bikes get very little use - so should be easy to find used one in like-new condition for price of new derailleur alone.
  
  – Alexei Levenkov
  33 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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6

If your grandson is that young, he's likely to have trouble keeping up with you no matter what bike he's riding. It may be that it's your expectations, not his bike, that should be modified.

It seems really unlikely that you could retrofit a derailleur onto his current bike. A frame that small won't have room for a wider rear-wheel assembly. Mounting rim brakes would be tough if the frame isn't already set up for it. Even if you did succeed, he'd still be driving it with eight-year-old legs and an eight-year-old's heart and lungs.

Might you consider a tagalong bike, mounted to your bike? Your grandson might balk at this if he's used to his own separate bike, but it would ensure that he keeps up with you.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I do not know, @jeffB. He comes really close to keeping up now, just wears out from pedaling so much. You may be right though, that was part of why I am ok with him riding now, if he stays with it, by the time he is old enough to really ride with me, he will still want to. converting his bike may be too much. I actually think a tag-along is great idea and he might be up for it more since I already slow way down to ride with anyway, so me doing most of the work would be fine and reinforce his idea that PopPop is superman, lol
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "Really unlikely" is probably understatement - I think 20' is the smallest you can do it safely (i.e. look at Navara Duster 20 - there is really not much space left between derailleur and ground). These bikes get very little use - so should be easy to find used one in like-new condition for price of new derailleur alone.
  
  – Alexei Levenkov
  33 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

6

If your grandson is that young, he's likely to have trouble keeping up with you no matter what bike he's riding. It may be that it's your expectations, not his bike, that should be modified.

It seems really unlikely that you could retrofit a derailleur onto his current bike. A frame that small won't have room for a wider rear-wheel assembly. Mounting rim brakes would be tough if the frame isn't already set up for it. Even if you did succeed, he'd still be driving it with eight-year-old legs and an eight-year-old's heart and lungs.

Might you consider a tagalong bike, mounted to your bike? Your grandson might balk at this if he's used to his own separate bike, but it would ensure that he keeps up with you.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I do not know, @jeffB. He comes really close to keeping up now, just wears out from pedaling so much. You may be right though, that was part of why I am ok with him riding now, if he stays with it, by the time he is old enough to really ride with me, he will still want to. converting his bike may be too much. I actually think a tag-along is great idea and he might be up for it more since I already slow way down to ride with anyway, so me doing most of the work would be fine and reinforce his idea that PopPop is superman, lol
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "Really unlikely" is probably understatement - I think 20' is the smallest you can do it safely (i.e. look at Navara Duster 20 - there is really not much space left between derailleur and ground). These bikes get very little use - so should be easy to find used one in like-new condition for price of new derailleur alone.
  
  – Alexei Levenkov
  33 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

If your grandson is that young, he's likely to have trouble keeping up with you no matter what bike he's riding. It may be that it's your expectations, not his bike, that should be modified.

It seems really unlikely that you could retrofit a derailleur onto his current bike. A frame that small won't have room for a wider rear-wheel assembly. Mounting rim brakes would be tough if the frame isn't already set up for it. Even if you did succeed, he'd still be driving it with eight-year-old legs and an eight-year-old's heart and lungs.

Might you consider a tagalong bike, mounted to your bike? Your grandson might balk at this if he's used to his own separate bike, but it would ensure that he keeps up with you.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

jeffBjeffB

21811 silver badge44 bronze badges