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  • Are you specifically after discs? If not I'd be tempted to buy a whole, second-hand, rigid 24" MTB/hybrid from a cheap brand that doesn't hold its value but is basically sound (Decathlon/Rockrider, Carrera) and upgrade it with whatever you've got in your parts box. The components are often crap, but the frames are fine.

    I did that with a (front sus) 24" Rockrider MTB and it turned into a nice chuckable bike. You're unlikely to get it really light, but you can go a fair way to that if you upgrade the finishing kit and go 1x? rather than the usual 3x7 that they come with. Proper short 1x cranks are usually the pinch point in terms of whether this approach is decent value vs. just buying something new.

  • Thanks for the tips!

    As much as an indulgent project like this appeals to my self-centred dork side, finding bits such as appropriate cranks does sound like a ballache, and it’s not like my 7yo kid will truly care about or appreciate the end result.

    I’ll probably end up just getting a second-hand Islabike 24 & slapping some meatier tyres on it.

  • As much as an indulgent project like this appeals to my self-centred dork side, finding bits such as appropriate cranks does sound like a ballache, and it’s not like my 7yo kid will truly care about or appreciate the end result.

    100% agreed. I only did it because I acquired the bike, had a bunch of spare parts to upgrade it, access to a workshop for lots of consumables and the time and inclination to fettle it.

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