A bike to grow into rather than out of. The J.Champion comes on 26 inch wheels, but the frame and fork will take 27.5in, so when your child stretches out you can move the wheel size up instead of replacing the bike. The TFS 6061 aluminium frame is double butted and technoformed with a tapered head tube, internal cable routing and an inboard chainstay disc mount, and the fork is an X-Fusion RC32 with 120mm of travel and a lockout. That is a genuine mountain bike fork rather than a token one, which matters as soon as the terrain gets rough.

There is a dropper post fitted too, a 100mm Merida Comp JR, and on steep ground it does more for a young rider's confidence than any other single part. Gearing is a Shimano CUES 1x9 with a 30 tooth chainring and an 11-46 cassette, so the bottom gear is low enough to spin up a climb rather than stand and grind. Tektro HD-J3120 hydraulic discs with short reach levers handle the braking, Kenda Booster 26 x 2.2 foldable tyres keep rotating weight down, and the 640mm bar and 140mm cranks are proportioned for a rider of roughly 137-150cm.

Features

• TFS 6061 aluminium frame, double butted and technoformed, tapered head tube
• X-Fusion RC32 air fork with 120mm travel and lockout, 46mm offset
• Merida Comp JR dropper post with 100mm travel
• Suits riders of approximately 137-150cm
• Shimano CUES 1x9 drivetrain, 30 tooth chainring with 11-46 cassette
• Tektro HD-J3120 hydraulic disc brakes with short reach levers
• Kenda Booster 26 x 2.2 foldable tyres on 20mm internal width aluminium rims
• Shimano QC300 Centerlock hubs
• Merida CC 640mm bar with 15mm rise, 140mm cranks
• Fork and frame will accept 27.5in wheels as the rider grows