timeforanatterIn December, we received the news that we were lucky enough to review the HÜTTO bike from innovative company Black Mountain. We decided to keep it a secret from my son until it arrived. A HUGE secret to keep!
A great surprise
When it arrived, Toby was thrilled and asked to call his friends and family to tell them immediately, despite it still being in the box.
We were thrilled that the HÜTTO was practically complete when it arrived. Is there anything more disappointing than muddling through a build while your kids are impatiently waiting?
As people with limited bike experience, it was really easy for us to put the few remaining pieces together. The instructions are easy to follow and attractively designed.
The only part that tripped us up was fitting the front wheel. We didn’t realise that the front brake had to be initially disconnected to insert it, until the QuickStart guide mentioned ‘reconnecting‘ the brakes in step three. This wasn’t a big deal though and it was easy once we realised.
WHAT IS THE BIKE LIKE?
The design and paintwork are effortlessly cool. Toby’s is matte orange and is much more high quality and grown up than any other kids bike I’ve seen. Other bikes often have a trade-off between style and substance, however Black Mountain have thought of everything you would need from a kids bike. All this, and with no compromise on aesthetics.
This extends to the packaging and user manuals. Everything is well-thought out and attractive and expensive looking. Every detail of the HÜTTO and accompanying literature and packaging has been well thought out. That extends as far as no single use plastics used in any of the things you receive.
The frame is much lighter than most other children’s bikes and comes with all safety checks complete. This means that once it’s assembled, you can use it straight away! The design enables kids to easily learn to use gears with the grip-shift control. The front and rear brakes are also well designed and easy to reach. Fundamentally, the dimensions are extremely well thought out and the HÜTTO is perfectly sized for children 6-9.
For Toby’s 5th birthday we bought him a bike which he managed to learn to ride on, but the HÜTTO is literally half the weight. The HÜTTO gives him so much confidence, as it was such a chore for him to drag the bike back up each time. He’s infinitely more enthusiastic and excited about the HÜTTO and has asked to ride it as often as possible since the day it arrived.
IS IT WORTH THE PRICE TAG?
It is an expensive bike but it’s an undoubtedly exclusive and unique bike too. Initially, I thought Black Mountain bikes must be for the children of cycling enthusiasts or people with a lot more disposable income than us. However, once I learned more about the bike and the brand it all came into focus. Ultimately appreciating the design, quality and service accompanying your purchase demonstrates that it’s is absolutely more than worth the money.
In my experience, bikes don’t arrive almost completely assembled without an extra charge. Free delivery isn’t standard and there’s not usually a 3 year warranty either. These are all enormous plus points and considerations that I’d promote to parents considering a Black Mountain bike.
What we love
We love absolutely everything about this bike and noticed a marked difference between the HÜTTO and his previous bike. Importantly, it has noticeably increased our son’s confidence and ability in the short time we’ve had it. We have been wowed by how it looks, impressed with the longevity the design offers and reassured by how sturdy and safe the bike is. The HÜTTO has EVERYTHING you want in terms of design, style and safety so everyone is happy.
Getting to grips with gears for Toby has been made easy as he’s never previously ridden a geared bike before. Black Mountain smash it out of the park with the HÜTTO (and I’m sure all of the other bikes they sell).
Mostly the thing we love about the HÜTTO is how happy it makes Toby and how much it increases his confidence and ability with immediate effect. He has so much more freedom and enthusiasm for cycling now.
OUR OVERALL THOUGHTS
The Black Mountain HÜTTO is a dream bike for kids (and adults if I’m honest). It has truly exceeded any expectations we had of a 6 year olds bike. If I could say anything to other parents (besides waxing lyrical about the numerous great qualities of the HÜTTO) it is not to be put off by the price. If you can manage it, it’s worth every. single. penny.
Would we recommend it? That’s an absolute no-brainer. Happy boy and happy parents here. We intend to recommend this bike to everyone we come across and the bike is an advert for itself.
Have you heard of Black Mountain? Got one of their amazing bikes? I’d love to know what others think of them and see if you love them as much.