Black Mountain HÜTTO 20" mountain bike review

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Standing confidently in its bright orange colourway, the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ offers an excellent option for your budding young off road cyclist.

For those of you who haven’t heard of the company, the name stems from their base in the Black Mountains in Wales, and their fresh approach to bicycle design means they’ve been taking the kids bike market by storm with their “growing bikes”.

After many years of perfecting the concept, they launched their first models in 2018 – a range of balance bikes that were converted into pedal bikes using a frame that expanded to take account of your growing Sprog. I think it’s fair to say that the Cycle Sprog team have been impressed with their smaller wheeled bikes, the SKØG and PINTO so we were keen to see what the newest and largest offering in the range would be like.

Its unique “growing frame” design allows a degree of growth over a few years or inches, whilst still delivering a decent ride on road, tracks and easier trails.

Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ trail specifications

The Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ is a 20″ wheel bike that I can truthfully say is unlike anything else I’ve seen before. It’s also a very flexible design, with various configurations of the HÜTTO available for purchase. You can get it in standard mode, with rim brakes, all-purpose tyres and rigid front forks (£599) if your child is going to be riding mainly on roads, paths and gentle tracks.

You can also request this standard version to be configured as a balance bike (extra £29 for the balance bike conversion kit) if your Sprog isn’t pedalling yet – useful too if a younger sibling may not be ready for pedals as soon as their elder one. If your Sprog is keen for some off-road riding action, you can upgrade to the HÜTTO Disc (£699) which, as the name suggests, comes fitted with disc brakes for improved stopping power (important when hurtling downhill!) and comes fitted with Schwalbe Black Jack mountain biking tyres.

The version tested is the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ Trail (£799) which comes equipped with a Spinner Grind Air 50mm suspension fork, Tektro disk brakes and a pretty decent set of off-road Schwalbe Black Jack tyres with a little more grip than a centre tread or slick tyre, it’s finished off with own brand kit and runs on SRAM X3 derailleur and a SRAM 3.0 Grip Shifters.

For many children riding the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ this will be their first time using gears, so it’s very important they are simple to operate. Black Mountain has chosen SRAM twist grip shifters (as opposed to thumb shifters), which move through the gears smoothly. Our first impressions are that they move very easily from one gear to the next.There are 7 gears at the rear, sized from 11 to 32 teeth, giving a nice wide range for getting up hills. There’s a 32 tooth single chainring at the front, which simplifies things as your child only needs to worry about changing gear with one hand – very useful when they’re first learning to ride. There’s a chainguard fitted to avoid the chain jumping off as they’re riding, and our test model came with a spoke protector fitted behind the cassette.

First impressions on the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ trail

Built using aluminium (6013/6061), the chunky, tough and purposeful Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ frame looks the part, and is reminiscent of a full suspension frame - and whilst it has front suspension, the looks will win favour. It comes in four colours - orange, green, purple and blue.

Strong looks and colours, and colourways to keep everyone happy.

We ran it on the smaller setting - they’d be plenty of growth for my son, who tested it - he’s 8 and, 110cm high with around 40cm inside leg.

Off road, he prefers more stand over clearance as this boosts confidence when you need to hop off quickly.

Initially, the bold, unique looks of the frame design that can be reconfigured as your rider grows caused some concerns about the weight that the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ might carry over a traditional double triangle frame.

Comparing weights against my rider's usual bike (plus tyres, standard frame, no suspension) there was not much in it, less than 500g.

With the ability for the frame to last a longer period, and potentially be passed down to a younger rider, makes the premium price tag worthwhile.

The suspension fork worked happily enough - they can be a little (or a lot) of a compromise on smaller wheeled bikes, but the Spinner Grind Air is lighter, as it doesn’t use a coil for the suspension, but rather air (as the name suggests).

With 50mm of travel, it provides enough to be useful and worth having, but avoid riding it yourself as the upper weight range is low, you’ll blow the seals on it with an adult loading the forks.

On riding it, the forks can be set up firmer or softer depending on the rider's weight.

A bolt through axle keeps things nice and tight, but remember to bring the right tool to remove the wheel if you get a puncture…

How we got on with the Black Mountain HÜTTO Trail.

Using a well known and reliable shifting system really helps give a young rider confidence and it also means the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ will be tough and last a life of heavy use, the SRAM shifter and derailleur are lower end, but offered great shifting.

Whilst the twist shifter is easy to use, it’s sometimes tough for small hands to grip and move - a trigger type shifter can be simpler at times.

The short reach Tektro brakes are a great addition, smaller hands need levers closer to the bar and they are also long enough to provide more leverage.

The first ride was met with positive reactions - my son/tester rode all the stuff he could usually ride. Whilst the tyres are off-road capable, and the closer centre tread aids rolling on smooth surfaces, at times they lack the bite of a fully open tread - so in very muddy or looser off road conditions, there is less bite to the tyre.

The tyre is tough and happily rolled around our usual off road loop, with the suspension aiding steering and the rougher parts of the trail.

Our regular ride is a mix of quiet roads, then gravel tracks turning into rocky Mtb trails - both climbing and descending.

The bike is happiest on the road and rough tracks, but also very capable on the rougher ground when the suspension came into its own.

The gears worked smoothly, reliably and, whilst it may only have seven gears, the range is pretty good for more general trail and track use.

All round, the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ trail is very capable for road, tracks and some more sedate off-road trails.

At a point, small wheels become pretty much the biggest obstacle as they lack the size to roll over trail obstacles.

What the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ can handle with the adaptable rider position and proper components is really good, and the geometry and adaptable frame help get the rider in the right place and feel confident when riding more challenging terrain.

Shifting, brakes, wheels and tyres

The all black wheelset looks very good, and have continued to run smoothly - the own brand hubs spin on cartridge bearings and have stayed tight, true and smooth. Disc only rims are wide enough to give the tyres a decent profile, without being over wide and heavier.

The Schwalbe Black Jack tyres, as mentioned earlier, are faster rolling - the centre ridge pattern helps, but there are side blocks that help grip when the bike is cornering. Plenty enough for most little riders.

The Tektro brakes are cable actuated and have a nice powerful, reliable and engaging feel, and being cable, very easy to maintain and look after with far less to go wrong or leak than oil based adult ones.

Using a 160mm disc at the front and a 140 on the rear, they offer reliable braking in all weathers. They may have less power, but they don’t have the demands of larger weight riders.

The handlebars are really well considered - and coupled with the low profile grips that have hooked ends to keep hands easier secured to the bar, it’s a great cockpit for young riders.

Looking at the shifting in a little more detail, the single 32 tooth chainring up front coupled with the 11-32 rear 7 speed cogs means there is a pretty wide range for getting up all but the steepest hills - maybe a 30 tooth upfront could add a little more easy riding but would compromise flat riding speeds.

In all, it’s a safe range of gears for most instances - the chain guard upfront is a good option, and we didn’t suffer any chain drop and also no trousers caught in the front either. Excellent!

Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ growing frame

Obviously, one of the main features of the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ Trail is that the frame grows with your child. This means that the bike should last longer than a standard kids bike. The process of increasing the frame size is well documented in the accompanying booklets and there is also a useful instructional video on their website should you get stuck.

It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, and if you’re confident with an Allen key and spanner you’ll be fine (if not, you can find a friend or pay your local bike shop to do it for you).

The frame extends in size by undoing the bolts and moving them into the spare holes in the frame.

It does say in the instructions “Take Your Time” and trying to get both the bolts back in was definitely the most fiddly point of the assembly.

A bit of jiggling the frame around is needed, as is patience in unscrewing the long bolt at the front which seems at first not to want to come out, but does eventually if you keep on turning your allen key and wind it out.

We did notice a small amount of paint flaking off the frame around the various bolts, but this isn’t visible once the bike is reassembled.

Overall thoughts on the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″

The Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ Trail is a very good choice for anyone who wants to have a decent off-road machine that will grow with their child, and maybe even pass down to someone else.

The simple, easy to move size frame and components make it straightforward to change.

You could argue that there is extra weight and material, but that ignores the helpful growing with your child feature, plus the additional weight isn’t much more than a comparable mountain bike.

The disc brakes, suspension fork and geometry all stack up to make a nice little off-road machine for the budding cyclist you know.

All the parts are well finished and either a good brand or own brand and of reliable quality, plus the specified parts are intended for the younger rider - brakes are a noticeable example.

From balancing to pedalling all in one bike

For an additional £29, Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ Trail can be converted into a 20" balance bike, which is ideal for children growing fast but taking some time to get pedalling.

This bike has also been test ridden by WP, a 6-year-old who learnt to balance on Black Mountain's smaller bike, the SKØG.

It really was the most natural progression from her using the SKØG to getting on to the HÜTTO – the main difference between the bikes is that the HÜTTO comes with gears.

We explained what the gears would allow WP to do, but also reassured her that learning to use them was for another day. To her, the gears just make the bike more like daddy’s, and so much cooler, ‘like a proper mountain bike’!

WP was very eager to head out on the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″, or ‘Strike’, as she named it. Once the pedals were off, we went out for her first try.

With it being a larger version of the SKØG, there was very little adapting to a different bike needed. She was very comfortable and confident on it, getting up speed and powering down the local cycle path ahead of us.

Initially she was wary about the pedals going back on, despite her ‘air pedalling’ and proving that she had no issue with balance at all. We decided to put no pressure on and let her progress at her own speed, and this really paid off.

When she visited her younger cousin, who had a regular pedal bike, she decided to give their bike a go but it was far too small for her to do it properly.

But she was clearly ready to move on, and just four weeks after the Black Mountain HÜTTO 20″ arrived she gave us the nod to put the pedals back on, and off she went. Just like that! No fuss, and without even a wobble, she was cycling.

We’ve been really impressed with how easily WP took to the HÜTTO. It’s lightweight and easy for her to ride and she’s always really keen to get out riding on it.

The fact she could transition from balance bike mode to pedalling on the same bike has really helped our nervous little cyclist become a confident bike rider.