woom OFF AIR 5 Review

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Austrian brand woom is fast growing in popularity for a reason, and in this woom OFF AIR 5 review we'll be looking in detail at what makes their top-of-the-range mountain bike so good.

We have reviewed and LOVED many woom bikes, so when our 8-year-old tester wanted to ride off-road, tackling mountain bike trails and pump tracks, we were excited to hear his verdict of this high-end children's mountain bike.

With top-of-the-range components and an air-sprung suspension fork, this 24-inch wheel mountain bike is ideal for children aged 7-11, who are looking to develop their off-road skills on a lightweight, high quality bike.

Disclosure: Cycle Sprog were sent the woom OFF AIR 5 to review. We were not paid to write this review, and all opinions are our own. We do use affiliate links, so may get a small commission if you choose to buy through the links on this page. This funds the website, and we thank you for your support.

woom OFF AIR 5 bike scores

Quality - 5/5 - A high end bike with top of the range components.
Weight- 5/5 - A very lightweight 24" mountain bike with suspension.
Value for money - 5/5 - This is a top-of-the-range kids' mountain bike - you get what you pay for and we don't feel it's overpriced.
Customisability - 5/5 - The bike has mounting points for a kickstand and water bottle cage as well as dropper post compatibility. woom also sell MTB-specific mudguards.
Resale value - 4/5 - woom bikes have a good resale value but aren't as well known (yet) as other popular children's bike brands.

Final verdict - A brilliant top-of-the-range bike with lots of high spec components. Could it be one of the best 24" kids mountain bikes? We think it is for all but the most daring, downhill oriented, jump-seeking children, if you have the budget!

Find out more about the Cycle Sprog review process

For some, this may be a new name in the kid's bike world, others may be already up to speed with this high-end Austrian brand. Either way their prominence has been growing in the UK for a while now and they are happily establishing themselves at the sharp end of the kid's bike world. woom (yep no capital) is a brand with its sights firmly set on making the best kids' bikes out there.

They describe their mission as "...to create products of such exceptional quality that they provide children and their parents with unforgettable experiences", which clearly implies that they are going to be pretty fancy bikes with a high price tag, but they do want their bike to "bring joy into the lives of as many children as possible rather than to a single owner".

Is woom the new Islabike? We definitely think so - woom are just as well made, and designed with performance and longevity in mind.

Started by two dads, woom now sells internationally and has established itself as one of the top kid's bike brands in the world.

They make bikes for a range of age groups, finding their way onto many of our lists of recommendations, from the best balance bikes all the way up to the best 26" kids' bikes. Read our comprehensive guide to woom kids' bikes for more.

Whilst the 'Original' series of woom bikes aim to be all-rounders, the 'Off' label is added to indicate off-road intentions, while 'Air' refers to having an air-sprung suspension fork.

The number relates to the size of the bike, which in the original series goes from 1 (balance bike) to 6 (26-inch wheels). The Off range goes from size 4 to size 6. Very simply, a higher number equals a bigger bike.

Our test bike is a 24-inch mountain bike with a suspension fork. It comes in at £999.00, which needs at least a moment to consider, but as with many high-end kids' bikes, the resale price will remain high, which is good, but only if you have a grand to spare in the first place.

There is a lot to digest with the spec of the Off Air. First up is the frame's lightweight, high-quality 6061 T6 aluminium. This is coupled with an aluminium air-sprung suspension fork from RST. Now, where many kids' bikes have a 'suspension fork' strapped to the front, they tend to do little more than add weight. This however is truly a child-specific fork, which can be tuned to rider weight and has all the features of a 'proper' adult fork such as a bolt-thru axle, damping adjustment and a lockout switch.

Riding the woom OFF AIR 5

Bike angles determine the feel and function of how it rides and for woom, they have kept things pretty neutral and created an all-round performer. While some kids' brands are borrowing head angles from enduro bikes, the Off Air 5 keeps things conservative and gives the bike a manoeuvrable and agile feel. Easy to turn on the spot, though not the same confidence if you point things steeply downhill!

If your rider is looking for downhill performance, there are brands making mini mountain bikes that offer more out-and-out performance over rough or steep terrain.

The Off Air 5 is light, very light, and it is always a joy to watch a child easily pick up and manoeuvre a bike. The low standover height meant even at the lower end of the height range my tester got on with the bike happily, and has very literally grown into it over the winter months.

The 24 x 2.35" Schwalbe Rocket Rons do a pretty good job. Again, this bike is a great all-rounder so the tyres make sense, and they did a pretty good job around trail centres. They would be something you might want to upgrade to something more knobbly if your child was wanting to do more technical riding, riding in the wet often or riding on really muddy trails.

My rider always looked comfortable and in control, and again the light weight meant getting off and lifting the bike over things was nice and easy. We've been on trail centres, round and round the pump track, and just up and down the street. The bike hasn't missed a beat and has been a joy to ride. It's been confidence-inspiring, which has led to my rider experimenting with all sorts of new ideas with the bike, such as wheelies and jumps, which has been great to see.

The suspension fork is good, adjustable to the rider's weight and actually works, which is a rarity on kids' bikes. As my rider prefers flowing mountain bike trails and pump tracks he doesn't really need such posh suspension forks, and you can save £100 and 1kg in weight by choosing the non-air option of the woom, which has a rigid carbon fork (woom OFF 5). But the tuneable suspension is excellent and gives the rider more confidence when the trail gets bumpy or loose, if this is the sort of terrain you plan to ride.

One of the great things about high-quality kit on a kid's bike is not having to touch the bike. I have dealt with nothing other than a puncture caused by a thorn. Nothing comes loose, gears stay indexed and brakes don't rub. The bike has been always consistent and ready to ride.

Alternatives to the woom OFF AIR 5

There isn't a huge range of choice of mountain bikes with suspension in the 24-inch wheel size. But if this is the size of your child, we can't recommend enough getting the right size bike rather than a larger bike they'll grow into. A bike that is too big won't inspire confidence on off-road terrain, and is more likely to scare them.

Our best 24" wheel kids' mountain bikes buyers guide is a great place to find more suggestions.

The Orbea 24 and the Cannondale 24" kids ranges are good, with more budget-friendly options. A Frog MTB 62 is an option if you are looking for air suspension and high quality components at a slightly cheaper price.