Rockrider

The Rockrider Kids’ Mountain Bike 26″ EXPL 900 is designed for children aged around 9 to 12 years (135–150 cm tall) who are ready to take their riding up a notch.

With a lightweight aluminium frame and an 80 mm suspension fork, it’s built to handle proper trails and give young riders the confidence to roll over bumps, roots and rougher ground. The simple 9‑speed gears are easy to use, so kids can focus on enjoying the ride rather than fiddling with tricky gear changes.

One of the real stand‑out features at this price is the hydraulic disc brakes. Many kids’ mountain bikes around this budget come with basic V‑brakes, so having the same smooth, powerful stopping power you’d expect on an adult mountain bike is a big win. Paired with grippy 26″ all‑terrain tyres and strong double‑wall rims, it’s ready for weekend rides on the trails as well as everyday cycling. Everything – from the child‑sized cranks and short stem to the comfy saddle – is designed with young riders in mind.

At around £450, this is one of the best value kids’ mountain bikes out there. You’re getting the kind of quality and components you’d normally expect to pay a lot more for, but without the big‑name branding.

If your child is starting to outgrow basic bikes and you want something trail‑ready that will last, the EXPL 900 is a smart choice that won’t break the bank.

Rockrider (who are an in-house brand of Decathlon) are going through a makeover of their kids bicycle range, with some very good value bikes arriving in stock.

The Rockrider EXPL500 is a 26″ wheel kids mountain bike aimed at riders around 9-12 years of age and between 135 and 150cm tall.

Featuring an aluminium frame and suspension fork at the front, the ST500 comes with a single chainring and 7 speed gearing using a thumbshifter to minimise complications (kids mountain bikes at this cheap a price usually have a lot more gears that are confusing to use and harder to maintain).

The bike is equipped with v-brakes and a set of tyres suitable for gentle off roading.

They’ve got a great video on the Decathlon website showing the types of fun you can have on these bikes.

The Rockrider EXPL500 really does represent value for money and would be a great way to get a child off road and muddy!

Equipped with an aluminium frame, this great value mountain bike has an adjustable suspension fork and hydraulic disc brakes for effective braking on descents.