Roko Bike 24 Trail: Lightweight children's MTB for off-road adventures

When the youngsters conquer their first trails, every kilo and every detail counts. The Roko 24 Trail promises to set new standards here. We took a closer look at the lightweight mountain bike for children.

For many parents, the search for the perfect children's mountain bike is a challenge: it should be robust enough for off-road riding, but light enough so that the kids don't lose the fun of uphill riding and longer distances. In addition, the price should not overshoot the mark - after all, the little ones will outgrow the bike far too quickly. The Roko 24 Trail is positioned right in the middle between robust off-road expert and lightweight long-distance ace. In our test, we found out whether the hardtail with suspension fork strikes a happy medium.

But one thing is clear: the Roko is not an inexpensive bike for everyday excursions. With a price tag of 1069 euros, it appeals to children who have certain ambitions in bike sports and also want to explore trails with their speedster. According to Roko, the bike should be suitable for children between approx. 115 cm and 135 cm tall. A realistic estimate. We tested the bike with a 130 cm tall rider - it fitted very well.

The facts about the Roko Bike 24" Trail

• Wheel size: 24 inch
• Aluminium frame
• Suspension fork with 80 mm travel
• 10-speed gearstick
• Weight: 8.8 kilos (BIKE measured value)
• Price: 1069 Euro
• Four colours
• Size recommendation: 115 - 135 cm

Lightweight construction meets performance: the hard facts

The heart of the Roko 24 Trail is the extremely light frame made of 6061 T6 aluminium. While conventional 24-inch bikes, especially with a suspension fork, often end up in the 10 to 12-kilo class, Roko is in a different league. Our test bike weighs 8.8 kilos. Also great: The Polish company uses a sensitive air suspension fork that is specially designed for the low body weight of children. Progress on the trail often fails because of the material. A suspension fork that doesn't respond at a rider weight of 30 kg or a bike that weighs almost half as much as the child itself puts the brakes on motivation. The Roko 24 Trail has been consistently thought through to the end: from the ball-bearing hubs with low rolling resistance to the special children's saddles.

Test: The Roko Bike 24" Trail

During testing, the bike was able to fully convince with the all-round characteristics mentioned above. The suspension fork works really well even with a rider weight of around 22 kilos. The travel can also be utilised well in normal off-road use and with a less radical riding style, and the front suspension provides a noticeable increase in safety on root paths and trails.

The lightweight, not too extremely profiled tyres (Kenda Booster 2.2") provide good propulsion. Even longer distances on firm surfaces are no problem. Nevertheless, comfort, grip and damping are good off-road. But here it becomes clear: the bike has not been optimised for bike parks and jumps. Here, more aggressive tyres and a full-suspension bike would provide significantly more reserves and safety. However, experience has shown that these HD features significantly reduce the long-distance and mountain suitability of children's mountain bikes. A realistic assessment is therefore required here: What should the child do with the bike? And are the type and motivation of the child right for this area of use?

The hydraulic brakes from Tektro decelerate well. This is extremely important if the children are to master longer descents. Otherwise, sore fingers will cause frustration. In the test, the brake levers could also be adjusted to the small children's levers. However, the levers are very long and have to be pushed far inwards. A little patience and adjustment work is required here to get the shift and brake levers in the right position. The foam rubber grips without screw fastening make the setup a little fiddly.

The Microshift gear system offers a sensible gradation and sufficiently light mountain transmission. However, the manual shifting forces are somewhat higher than with comparable Shimano shifters. Nevertheless, the children were able to operate the shifters well and intuitively in the test.

Strengths and weaknesses of the Roko Bike 24" Trail

Strengths

• Light
• Successful geometry and super handling
• Good mix of off-road and long-distance capability

Weaknesses

• Long brake levers make ergonomic adjustment difficult
• Microshift gearstick somewhat sluggish

Conclusion: An investment in driving pleasure

With a price tag of just over €1,000, the Roko 24 Trail is no bargain, but it's worth every cent for families who regularly head off-road. It offers a successful balance of safety, lightness and pure trail performance. Particularly noteworthy is the sensitive suspension fork, which works really smoothly even with light junior riders.