Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR kid’s MTB

The Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR is a mountain bike designed for children with serious aspirations for trail riding. With geometry designed specifically for smaller riders, lightweight construction, and highly capable components, this is a bike that gives young shredders a huge amount of confidence and inspires them to stand tall, get the elbows out, and send it down the trail.

Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR – Technical details

Orbea has given the Kimu the sort of components that you’d normally expect on a fully specced adult bike; ones that genuinely improve how it rides off-road. Huge 2.4” Rocket Ron tyres, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, a wide-range 1x drivetrain, a 100mm Manitou Junit suspension fork, and my son’s favourite part, the MC22 Dropper post, all point towards a bike intended to help young riders develop real mountain bike skills.

The Kimu 24 H10 TR uses Orbea’s aluminium Kimu frame, designed specifically around the proportions of younger riders rather than simply shrinking an adult bike. With 140mm cranks, a relatively low standover, and compact cockpit dimensions helping the bike fit properly from the outset.

A 67-degree head angle is notably slack for a children’s bike, and this, along with the 620mm wide handlebar to lean into, gave Rupert confidence to take the downhills at speed (unless there were a couple of close pines to thread the bike between). Meanwhile, the 74.5-degree seat angle keeps the rider in a good climbing position without making the bike feel cramped on flatter terrain.

The stated size range for the Kimu is 121-138cm and our tester, seven-year-old Rupert, is at the bottom of the range at 124cm, leaving plenty of room to grow. I would expect the bike to fit him comfortably for at least another three years. The Kimu comes with an adjustable stem that allows the handlebar reach to be adjusted from 40 to 55 mm using an easily installable spacer, and the air-sprung suspension can be adjusted to suit the child as it grows. 

At 11.4kg, the Kimu claims to be a lightweight build considering the level of equipment on board, and it certainly feels that way and looks to handle that way, however, there are other bikes on the market with claimed weights well under 11kg. 

Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR – Componentry

The biggest difference between the H10 TR and the cheaper H10 model (£869) in the Kimu range is the addition of a Manitou Machete Junit Sport fork with a massive 100mm of travel. 

The inclusion of a dropper post is even more impressive. While they’re now commonplace on adult mountain bikes, they’re still relatively unusual on children’s bikes despite arguably offering even greater benefits. The OC MC22 Dropper is a growing seatpost and can be lengthened by removing internal bushings for an extra 25mm of extension, so it adds extra versatility and helps fit the bike to the rider for longer as they grow. 

Elsewhere, many of the components are tailored for smaller riders, including the Microshift Advent drivetrain. The nine-speed version fitted has short-throw shifters, coupled with the short-reach Shimano brake lever. The controls are very easy to manage even with small hands. The Shimano MT410 hydraulic disc brakes offer incredible stopping power with just the lightest squeeze of the lever. 

The drivetrain features a 28-tooth chainring joined to the 11-42t Microshift cassette, which gives the bike ample gearing. 

The Schwalbe Rocket Ron Evo 2.4” tyres are fantastic; they absolutely chew up anything that gets in their way. 

Finally, the frame features internal cable routing, and dedicated protectors keep the bike quiet and in excellent condition despite heavy use. Short rear derailleurs remain well protected while allowing enough clearance to avoid impacts with curbs or rocks.

Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR – Performance

I’ve loved watching Rupert develop as a rider on the Kimu 24 H10 TR, taking on features he wouldn’t have attempted before. 

The geometry and components have complemented the development of his riding. The suspension, excellent brakes, dropper post and a very capable gearing range have helped him tackle everything we’ve pointed the bike towards. The result is a bike that doesn’t just introduce young riders to mountain biking – it properly equips them for it, delivering a ride experience that feels fast, capable and genuinely exciting.

I haven’t ridden the bike myself, but by all accounts it handles impressively well. The geometry seems to strike a balance that’s hard to find in kids’ bikes: Stable and forgiving enough that it doesn’t punish small mistakes, but responsive enough that it doesn’t feel dull underneath a young rider learning to trust his front wheel. What’s most telling is that Rupert’s confidence is growing ride by ride and he is actively looking for more technical terrain – which is usually a clear sign the bike is doing its job. 

The Manitou Machete Junit Sport fork is a proper air-sprung children’s suspension fork, and Rupert loves it. It allows him to bump up and down curbs with no trouble and smash over rocks and tree roots on the trails with ease. It’s also given him the confidence to go over bigger jumps and drops as it soaks up everything, and has saved him on several occasions as he’s nosedived off a ramp. 

The dropper post is something of a game-changer. Initially it was just about lowering the saddle right down to have the confidence of getting on and off the bike, and then raising it up a touch to get that efficient pedal stroke power during a flatter ride. But after a few trips to the bike park, I noticed Rupert was using it much more, deliberately lowering the saddle right down at the top of the trails; and by doing so it was evident that he had a lot more control and got himself into much better body positions down the trail. 

Once at the bottom, thanks in no small part to the wide-range drivetrain, he could raise the saddle back up and climb back to the trailhead without needing to get out of his seat. Rupert had no problem riding laps of the bike parks, which include some pretty tricky, spikey ascents with tired legs.

Orbea Kimu 24 H10 TR – Verdict

£1,149 is undeniably a lot of money for a 24in children’s bike, and for youngsters who mainly ride to and from school on cycle paths or towpaths it would be difficult to justify.

For keen young mountain bikers, though, the equation changes. The high-quality components, including the suspension fork, dropper post, Shimano disc brakes and quality tyres, all make a genuine difference on the trail, and they help explain where the money has gone. 

The Kimu range starts with the Kimu 24 H20, which costs £669, with an aluminium fork, Clarks M2 Hydraulic Disc brakes, alloy seatpost, and Kenda Booster 2.2” tyres. The Kimu H10, priced at £869, focuses on maximum lightness with premium components, with a carbon fork and seatpost and the same Shimano MT410 Hydraulic Disc brakes and Schwalbe Rocket Ron 2.4” tyres. The Kimu H10 TR adds the suspension fork and dropper post.

There are cheaper bikes on the market with rigid forks, such as the Trek Wahoo 24 Trail kid’s mountain bike that Mat Page reviewed for £675, the Specialized Riprock 24 for £549 or the Vitus 24+ for £529. If suspension is important, then there is a range of bikes at this same sort of price point featuring the Suntour Coil Spring suspension fork with just 50mm travel, such as the SCOTT Roxter 400 Bike, the Cube Acid 240 Disc, the Cannondale Kids Trail 24 or the Orbea MX 24 XC 2024, which you can get on sale for as little as £399.

However, if you are looking for premium components, the price point of the Kimu H10 TR becomes more reasonable when compared to the likes of the Prevelo Zulu FOUR ($1,399.00) or the Earlyrider Charger 24 (£1,299). The Woom OFF Air 5 (£1,005.00) is slightly cheaper and is quite a bit lighter at a claimed weight of 10.3 kg. 

One bike that sits in the middle of this price gap is the Frog MTB 62 – 24 Inch Kids Bike – which is now being sold off by Evans, after the pioneering children’s bike brand went into administration in February 2026, at just £609. The MTB 62 features the same nine-speed Microshift Advent drivetrain, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes and a RST F1RST junior-specific 24 air suspension fork with 100m travel. 

It won’t be the right choice for every child, and the asking price will inevitably limit its appeal. However, if mountain biking has become your child’s passion and you have the budget, the Kimu is excellent. It is the sort of bike that inspires young riders, giving them the confidence and capability to tackle bigger adventures alongside their parents and develop their off-road riding skills. It has been an awful lot of fun and has given us the confidence to tackle more ambitious trails than ever before, together.