Specialized Jett: Finally, A Bike That Grows With Your Kids

There is an old saying in business “see a need, fill a need.” Simple.

It’s the basis of our fine magazine you are reading at this very moment, amazing innovations and technology that make life easier, more exciting, etc.

That type of forward-thinking has changed the world of cycling in countless ways from lighter stronger frames to carbon fiber racing wheels that help you cut through the wind.

The one area that has been pretty much ignored is kids’ bikes. If you are a parent, you are painfully aware of the correlation between your kids outgrowing their bikes, and the ever-increasing expense of a new bike as they get bigger.  It can lead to expense as well as a bunch of smaller bikes sitting around taking up space.

According to the site bikeuniverse.com, a decent quality kids’ bike with 12-inch wheels meant for children between 3-8 years costs on average around $140-200. Larger bikes with 20 to 24-inch wheels will cost anywhere above $240.

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If you have a few kids, that number can add up to thousands as they continue to outgrow their rides.

The right bike for a young rider is a delicate balance between too small, too big, and a short-lived very rare just right. Specialized looked at that single need, “a bike that grows with your kid” and they filled it with the Jett Series of kid’s bikes.

If you know Specialized, then you know they are one of the top brands in cycling. Specialized has been around since the last century, 1974.  They are riders and that simple fact has guided their decision and innovation process ever since.

With that knowledge base, the development of the Jett series of bikes was approached the same way that they develop a $10,000 carbon fiber speed machine.  Fit in cycling is where it’s at, if you are uncomfortable on a triathlon bike or a kid’s bike, not only will you be unhappy riding you won’t be as efficient as you can be, no matter what the cost.

The team at Specialized worked with Retul, a bike fitting company (the science behind bike fitting for another article), and then brought in their own kids, different ages, body styles, and heights to analyze how they were riding, collected that data and used it towards building a bike that would have a great fit multiple times throughout their lives.

It’s more than raising the seat and adjusting the handlebars.  The Jett is designed so that you’ll never fear the growth spurts, at least on a bike. They did their homework to study and understand how kids grow and learned kids’ arms and legs grow more rapidly than their torso. Then they created a bike to accommodate those needs.

The Jett series is designed with child-specific touchpoints that withstand the development of young riders.

The features that make the Jett is uniquely adjustable are as follows.

• Different Pedal Positions- The pedals can be adjusted to the crank arms in two different spots for additional fit adjustability. 

• Longer Seat Post– By making significant changes to the bottom bracket, each Jett can house a taller seat post, giving you more options to adjust the seat as your kids grow. It equates to almost twice as much seat height than a similar Trek model.

• Rotating U- Shaped Handlebar-The handlebars rotate toward the rider to decrease the reach for shorter kids and can be rotated back away from them as they grow and their reach increases.

• Don’t worry about being a bike fit expert, Specialized has videos on their site that will guide you how to make sure you are setting up the bike properly.  LINK TO VIDEO ON HOW TO SET UP BIKE- https://www.specialized.com/us/en/setup-my-jett

Prices for the Jett range from $450 for the smaller Jett 16 to $600 for the larger Jett 24. Unlike many adult-sized bikes, the Jett is in stock and can be delivered straight to your door, they come mostly assembled with simple to follow instructions for you to assemble them yourselves, or if that seems too daunting, most local bike shops can do it quickly and for a reasonable cost.