Specialized Announces New Riprock Kids' Bikes
Riprock Expert 24
The first batch of kids to grow up without training wheels are nearing adulthood, a generation of mountain bikers that possess a mind-boggling level of talent. It turns out that a few extra years of practice and bikes that actually works makes a big difference when it comes to developing riding skills.
To help ensure today's pint sized shredders have equipment that's up to the task, Specialized has launched a new Riprock lineup. There are three models designed for riders age 4-12, or from 42" - 56": the Riprock 20, Riprock 24, and the Riprock Expert 24”.
Riprock 24
Narrow grips and disc brakes make it easier for smaller riders to slow down.
The Riprock 20” and 24” retail for $650 and $700 and weigh in at 22.5 and 24.7 lb, respectively. Both come with rigid forks – according to Eric Fischer, Product Manager for Specialized Kids’ Bikes, “Most young riders don’t need suspension forks, and by offering a rigid fork, we’re able to dramatically reduce the bike weight, which ultimately results in a more positive experience for smaller, less powerful riders.”
There's an 8-speed cassette on the Riprock 20, 9-speeds on the 24, and 10 on the Riprock Expert.
When it comes to geometry, the new Riprocks are slacker than the previous versions by 1-degree, the chainstay lengths have been reduced, and the stack heights have been dropped to help riders keep weight on their hands.
The Expert 24” retails for $1,500 USD, and has a claimed weight of 26.4 pounds. That extra weight comes from the addition of a Manitou J-Unit Comp fork with 100mm of travel. The Expert also has SRAM hydraulic disc brakes and a SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain.
All of the bikes in the line have components designed specifically for kids, things like smaller diameter grips, narrower saddles, and cranks with a narrower Q-factor to help ensure a comfortable fit. They also have 42-tooth cassettes on all models in order to make it a little easier for groms to get up those hills before dusting their parents on the way back down.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
nukeproof.com/products/2021-cub-scout-24
Its cheaper and lighter than there damn rigid model here with a better spec. And it has the expert version of the JUnit fork (the comp here is nice too...everything JUnit/Hayes/Sunringle/protaper is sick...but hell it should be a cost savings with it, not a cost increase).
Specialized should have done something like that. 700$ for rigid bike is lame. Rocky, Norco etc have all done pretty solid airfork hardtails of about the same weight for around 780$ so this is pretty lame for the money. Hell Vitus does a better spec'd bike for 600$ with an airfork, hydro brakes, rocket ron tires, decent geo and like 25lbs. 600$. Woom Off is around 850$ if you want a super light airfork XC hardtail that's pretty dialed.
Good stuff: Cranklength is likely nice, Manitou JUnit forks are sick, brakes look good and tires look like they have proper tread.
I just don't get this. Weirdly real heavy and expensive!? It just doesn't match up to anything else the other good brands are doing.
You do not need to fully grab grip shift, it should be light enough to switch once in a while
My daughter is almost 5 and on a Cleary 16" so I'm keeping an eye on the whole package when it comes time for her next bike - parts spec as well as fit/geo. Oh and color, she loves pink.
The Nukeproof geometry and this are about the same for the hardtail version except this still has a 67d HTA (68d on rigid). That's not exactly modern, especially for a general use hardtail where the HTA isn't static underload like a FS will be. Nukeproof is better there by a small bit. Chainstay lengths are much tighter in this version and I think that they nailed it there. Nukeproof also has a slightly lower standover as well, so it wins there too. Geometry is important, when we slacked out my youngest sons Spawn Yama Jama 20 with a more supportive JUnit fork (stock is divey), the OTB's on rowdy/steeper stuff immediately disappeared.
Regardless, its an easy comparison: Nukeproof has similar geometry, much better spec, is about 300$ cheaper and freaking 2lbs lighter. No contest winner by a lot, I don't get why people would be enamored with this Spec bike unless they just need something from a LBS and have money to burn on needlessly heavy childs bike. And the Nukeproof isn't even the best out there. Go look at what Orbea has with their Lafuery 20/24" JUnit bikes.
Geo chart here:
bikerumor.com/2021/10/26/specialized-riprock-kids-mountain-bikes-offer-proportional-sizing-suspension-for-those-who-need-it
19mm bars allowing much smaller diameter grips which require much less hand strength to hold on. These (or the similar small diameter 15.5 OD J-unit bars) should be STOCK on all kids bikes. Specialized with all their expertise in ergonomics should know this... My little kids stopped complaining about sore tired hands when we made the SDG switch (duh arm/hand pump from adult size grips). My now 13 yo didn't upsize to adult bars until age 11, but he still annihilates grips because his hands are small and he has to hold them so much tighter. And FYIW, I had high end gripshift on a Pinion gearbox Zerode enduro bike. Long rolling descents where I kept my hand on the shifter to shift would bruise the hell out of my right palm. Gripshift is stupid for 90% of riders but especially people with small hands which includes ALL children.
99spokes.com/compare?bikes=specialized-riprock-expert-24-2022,specialized-riprock-24-2022,nukeproof-cub-scout-24-race-2021;*z.24%22|w.24|bb.45
In terms of the 24" Expert, if I was spending that money, I'd just drop the extra coin to get a Trailcraft Pineridge 24, which will also hold its resale value way better than this.
utter nonsense.
Skill advances when people learn techniques on their own rather than relying on suspension to save them from mistakes. Plus, they will appreciate it so much more if they earn it instead of just being given a super bike as a youngster.
"A lot of young riders don't need suspension forks, but mtb-scotland's kids slay trail like kelpies drown people, so his models will have a 200mm Boxxer option."
Essentially, this is not a bike for the Pinkbike crowd. Waste of ad money.
$1500 for that "expert" bike is insulting.
/rant
#1 Rocky Mountain Growler JR. 20- Modern frame and geo. Hate the coil fork but would upgrade down the road (worst kids color ever!) LBS weight 25lbs w/pedals. $779
#2 Rocky Mountain Vertex JR 20. Older 5 year design... lbs weight 24lbs w/pedals. $779
#3 Woom OFF AIR 4. Screams i'm still in the Woom. 22lbs claimed without pedals. Lame geo. $950
Next jump up in price point is out of scope for 5 year old:
Nukeproof Cub Scout Race, Spawn, Prevelo, TrailCraft, Early Rider, Commencal...etc.
The market is there.
As far as a market for better spec'd kids bikes, for sure there is. And the LBS model of trade in to save on the next purchase (at least thats what mine offers) takes a big bite out of the cost when you know you can flip it to upgrade when they grow without dealing wth the pain of a private sale.
For kids bikes commencal has it going on
Specialized missed the mark with this one.
Just hacked some holes in my son’s Trek Roscoe to fit him a internally routed dropper and now he’s all over it like we were on our first droppers
I for one would not purchase this bike for one of my kids, because I personally am after something much more high end for them. Spending our summers at whistler bike park, and racing in between, my kids need it.