Equipping riders with a safe and durable bicycle adequate to handle Moab's rugged terrain is one of the biggest obstacles to getting kids on bikes. The information here is intended to help parents determine if the bicycle they have is appropriate for their rider to use on trails with a MYC after-school group and what to look for when shopping for used or new bicycles.
Two Categories of Bicycles
Bicycles can be broken into two general categories which include department store bikes and bike shop bikes. Department store bicycles like those found at Walmart and other big box stores include brands like Huffy, Magma, Schwinn, Hyper, Mongoose, and others. While these bicycles often offer a less expensive alternative to a bike found at a bike shop, they are most often extremely low quality and not properly assembled. Unfortunately these bikes are not acceptable for use on trails especially around Moab because they are unsafe. Bikes purchased through a bike shop on the other hand are much better quality and are assembled by professional mechanics. Often times entry level bikes from bike shops are only slightly more expensive than department store bikes and offer a significant increase in value and quality. Major bicycle brand manufacturers that can be found at bike shops include Trek, Specialized, Kona, Cannondale, Giant, Scott, Rocky Mountain to name a few. The beginning cost of a new, good quality entry level bicycle is between $600 - $900. Many bicycle shops around Moab offer local discounts.
Department Store Bike -Heavy and unsafe 20 year old used Rock Hopper - Example of a great used kids bike
Finding a used bike
Used bicycles can offer a better value. Most bicycle shops around Moab sell off their used rental bikes. These bikes typically retail for over $3000 so they will be more expensive than a new entry level bike, but may offer a good value.
Spring bike swaps in nearby communities are also a great way to find an affordable used kids bike. Check out Durango Devo and Grand Valley Youth Cycling
Annual Bike Rental
Ski Barn in Durango Colorado offers annual bike rentals. This has been a great option for Durango families and although it is a bit of a drive, this might be worth looking into for families not wanting to purchase a new bike.
Moab Bike Shops
Chile Pepper Bike Shop
Poison Spider Bike Shop
Double Down
Rim Cyclery
Moab Cyclery
Bike Fiend
Bighorn Mountainbiking
