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Introducing the Whyte 403 kid’s mountain bike, a legit hardtail MTB that just happens to be shrunk down to child-sized proportions…
As mountain biking couples begin starting a family they face the conundrum of how they can stay happy and healthy by continuing to ride. In the early years it comes down to using equipment like the brilliant ‘Kids Ride Shotgun’ child seat or similar and then forward-thinking parents get their kids on balance bikes to learn the basics and gain confidence; following that stage it’s time for their first small pedal bike and while it’s great that you’re all out riding together there’s usually a significant difference in speed and ability. This can call for some creative thinking and a ‘divide and conquer’ mentality which sees each of you taking turns to have time out of the family rides to get some decent riding in.
Once your kids have got a little more grown up they’ll be ready to start riding further and for longer under their own steam and it’s the perfect time to buy them their first ‘proper mountain bike’ to start really getting in some decent riding together as a family on your favourite trails. If you’ve done the hard work in the early years you’ll have instilled a love of riding in your kids and they’ll be as keen as you to get out and ride.
The Whyte 403 is legit hardtail MTB that just happens to have been shrunk down to child-sized proportions.
We’ve seen a real upsurge in bike brands taking their product offer to families and kids cycling way more seriously in the past decade. Where it used to be the case that options were very limited and kid’s bikes were gimmicky and unreliable there is now a huge range of fantastically equipped, well made bikes for kids from the best brands available; Whyte is one such brand, now offering a good selection of mountain bikes for kids. Such a well-respected UK bike brand with a rich heritage in mountain biking, Whyte are renowned for creating MTB’s that are designed specifically to handle the demands of UK trial riding and their kid’s bikes are no different.
The Whyte 403 hardtail is a perfect first mountain bike for your child if they’re aged 10 and above and are ready to ride with you at trail centres and on your local singletrack. A lightweight alloy frame with cleverly hydroformed tube profiles that add strength where it’s needed combined with a super-plush SR Suntour XCR suspension fork mean the 403 is built to be ridden fast and hard, helping your child to gain confidence and increase their technical skills every time they ride. With a simple no-nonsense 1X drivetrain (a single chainring combined with a wide ratio cassette) gear changes are quick and intuitive, providing all the gearing your child will need to get over steep climbs while powerful hydraulic disc brakes scrub off speed quickly and effectively.
Check out our photos of the Whyte 403 below, showing all the details of this brilliantly child-friendly mountain bike and see bike’s full specification at the bottom of this feature.
At the hear of the 403 is a lightweight, hydroformed frame featuring internal cable routing.
Internal headset bearings in the oversized headtube are nicely protected from the elements.
The Whyte 403 comes spec’d with a pair of capable SR Suntour XCR suspension forks.
The versatile SR Suntour XCR fork features a lockout; perfect for when your child is riding on smooth tarmac sections.
100mm of travel means the SR Suntour XCR fork will take the big hits and help to keep your child riding smoothly.
A single-chainring combined with a generous spread of gears on the rear cassette means there’s a gear ratio for every gradient.
A good mix of Shimano components make up a user-friendly drivetrain that’s durable and precise-shifting.
The 28T crankset includes a guard to protect the chainring and help prevent loose clothing getting caught in the chain.
With 9 gears at their fingertips via a simple-to-use trigger shifter your child will be able to ride more efficiently, saving energy and having more fun.
Whyte have fitted reliable hydraulic disc brakes to help give your child more riding control and confidence.
Powerful Tektro hydraulic disc brakes matched with 160mm disc rotors help your kids quickly scrub off speed.
The post-mount disc brake caliper, 160mm rotor and convenient quick-release is a neat and effective setup.
26 inch wheels are nicely proportioned to the 403 and are shod with 2.25″ wide, grippy VEE TIRE Co Crown Gem tyres.
The tread profile on these tyres are fast-rolling on smoother surfaces but provide plenty of grip on loose terrain thank to those large side-knobs.
The large-volume VEE TIRE Co Crown Gem tyres will help keep your child comfortable in the saddle.
If you’re a mountain-biking-mad family and your child is ready to ride further and for longer the 403 is a fantastic option.
Full Specification:
- Frame: 6061 Alloy, Hydro Formed T6 Aluminium, Multi Butted, SCR, Internal Cable Routing with BBX and Chainstay Post Mount Dropouts
- Fork: SR Suntour XCR, 100mm Travel, Hydro Lock-out, Air Spring, Adjustable Rebound, Post Mount
- Crank: Alloy 6061, 28T Narrow Wide Chainring, Single guard, 152mm Crank Length
- Rear Cassette: SunRace CSM90, ED Black 11-36, 9 Speed
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Altus RD-M2000-SGS, 9 Speed
- Shifters: Shimano Altus SL-M2010, Trigger Shifter, 9 Speed
- Handlebar: Whyte 6061 Alloy, 25mm Rise, 31.8mm, 660mm Wide
- Grips: Whyte Lock-on V Grip
- Stem: Whyte Alloy, 35mm
- Headset: FEIMIN H807B, Semi Integrated, 1 1/8″ Caged Bearings
- Brakes: Tektro HD-M275, Hydraulic, 160mm Rotor
- Brake Levers: Tektro HD-M275
- Rims: Whyte Trail-403, 28 Hole
- Hubs: Alloy, Cup & Cone, Double Seal, 28 Hole
- Tyres: VEE TIRE Co, Crown Gem 26″ x 2.25″
- Saddle: Whyte Jr Mid Custom
- Seatpost: Whyte 6061 Alloy, 15mm Offset, 30.9mm x 300mm, 2 Bolt Clamp
Written by Johnny Dodgin
Photos by James Vincent
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