Full disclosure: this is not Sage’s Jones SWB Spaceframe!
This Jones is borrowed, but the fact that Sage can ride it as confidently and comfortably as he does is a good testament to this bike’s versatility – and its suitability to riders who are small in stature.
Model-wise, it’s the Jones Spaceframe SWB, size small. It’s the titanium version and has a matching ti truss fork, hence the lofty price tag of $4740. Unfortunately, there isn’t currently a steel Spaceframe equivalent in this size, as it would be a lot more affordable, with similar benefits for small riders.
It goes without saying that this is an extremely expensive bike and there’s no way I’d personally spend that kind of cash much on a sprouting child. Still, if I did, it would at least last him for quite some time. Height-wise, this SWB is designed to fit riders that range from 152cm/5ft to 178cm/5ft 8in, but it definitely works with smaller riders too. Sage is 147.5cm/4’8″ and with the seat slammed, he’s been able to ride it over the last six months.
The Spaceframe has an inherently low standover, which is one reason why it works so well for smaller riders. In Sage’s case, the saddle has been inching its way up over the last six months. But there’s still lots of room to grow!
Whilst the key to why this frame works so well for him is its low standover ( 67cm/26.5″ at the centre of the top tube with 3in tyres), the Jones Geo, with its short reach and shorter-than-average cranks are also important factors. It’s a quick-handling but planted bike, partly thanks to its big tyres, which is a combo that works really well for rider confidence.
Apparently Sage didn’t get the memo that rotational weight is tough on little legs.
Technically, 27.5 x 3in rubber does add a fair bit of rotational weight for little legs to kick up to speed. But Sage is doing just fine with Plus tyres and they’ve definitely been a real boon when it comes to riding roughstuff at speed. Sage flies down dirt road descents with heady abandon, compared to the 24in Trek that he was borrowing before, where he skitted all over the place (and once came a cropper in a verge).
Interestingly, when I was first hunting for bikes for him to borrow here in Oaxaca, I initially checked out a size small vintage 26in Specialized Stumpjumper, only to realise that even with smaller diameter tyres, there was considerably less standover than the Jones Spaceframe. Its long stem and straight bars would have put him in far too much of a stretched position, too. Still, it’s definitely an avenue worth pursuing, as I’m sure some older 26in mountain bikes would be suitable, especially with a few modifications.
The Tow Whee – great for helping out on big climbs. Dialled in Shimano Deore brake levers for small hands. And his motivational sound system to keep those legs turning!
As it is, I’ve only needed to make a few tweaks to this bike to make it work. We swapped out the dropper for a cut-down seatpost, allowing room to manually drop the saddle on steep trails. We nudged the saddle forwards and we also dialled in the brake levers; being Shimano hydros, they’re amply strong to use with a single digit, leaving lots of leftover hand to hold onto the bars.
Short cranks make a real difference for smaller riders. A low-pressure 3in tyre up front adds lots of confidence, especially in the absence of suspension.
The cranks are 165mm long. Ideally, he’d go even shorter, say 160mm or less, but as he only borrows it for a few weeks at a time, I’ve not made that investment. With shorter cranks, I expect this bike would work well with 27.5 x 2.6in tyres too, which are a lot easier to find locally, and a bit lighter. Worth noting is that this Boost-spaced bike does have a relatively wide q-factor, at least compared to a child-specific model (like the ones listed below). It’s definitely not ideal – but again, hasn’t yet been a source of complaint. If he was borrowing it for longer, I’d perhaps find a shorter stem and position the bars a little lower.
It weighs around 12.5kg, including pedals, a framebag, two stem bags, and a cargo cage. In practise, this is light enough to be fun to move around on trails (he weighs around 41kg/90lbs) and he can carry it up a flight of stairs. It’s built up with Jones C-rims, a SRAM GX drivetrain, and Jones Spec parts.
Bags
I’ve not wanted to overload him with gear – it seems more important to keep the bike fun and lively than risk making it into a dead weight.
Given the SWB’s big 27.5in tyres (it’s running a WTB Ranger 2.8 at the back) there’s no room for a seatpack. But Tailfin’s pannier rack works perfectly. We’re running the shorterversion, which brings the panniers towards the seat post, improving weight placement. The whole setup is really light, it’s easily removed, and the panniers are waterproof, quiet, super secure, and quick to unlatch. It’s such a nice system.
No room for seat pack. In its place, Tailfin’s rack and pannier system works really well.
A small Yellowcat Industries has proved to be a great little bag to run up front. The Jones/Revelate framebag is quick to access, with its chunky, long-lasting zips. It’s a good spot for an extra bottle of water, an inner tube, and some tools. We tried a top tube bag for snacks, but it got in the way of top tube clearance too much. Maybe a shorter one would work ok.
A Yellowcat Industries front bag, perfect for stashing layers, his Kindle, and snacks.
There’s a whole range of fantastic kids-specific bikes to choose from these days, and even some adult bikes in an XS size that might fit a child too. Still, I’m not sure that any others with 27.5in plus tyres would work for him right now and provide so much room for growth – the key to this Spaceframe’s success is really its ultra-low standover. I wish it was available in steel!
Sage giving me a run for my money!
Kid-Specific Bikes
Here are some kid’s bikes that are on our radar, all aimed at 10-year-olds. Sage isn’t a ‘shredder’ but he does love to ride flowy trails with the odd techy feature. Needless to say, he’s pretty keen to get a bike with front suspension…
Some of the bikes below are very high-end and expensive, which ould be worth it if your child has a sibling. On the whole, the resale value of these high-end kids tends to be really good, too.
Wheel size-wise, it seems that child start to transition from a 26in wheel to a 27.5in wheel at around this time, depending on their height and the standover of the bike. Compared to an S or XS adult’s bike, these bikes are all designed with kids in mind, so they’re specced with short cranks, easy-to-reach brake levers, appropriate suspension forks. Typically, they weigh in at around 10-12kg.
Each manufacturer lists the recommended height/inside leg measurements on their website, as these don’t always tally up directly with wheel sizes. The last few examples I’ve listed look especially suited for kids that like riding big trails…
Let me know if there are any S/XS adult bikes with low standovers that could work too!
- Isla Bikes Creig 27
- Waltworks Jefe Jr
- Cleary Bikes Scout
- Woom Off Air 6
- Nukeproof Cub Scout 26
- Spawn Yama Jama 26
- VSpace Max26
- Trailcraft Timber 26
