[Chip Henderson]

With Identiti, Charge, Union, Tonic, etc. all putting out frames and completes based around not only BMX geometry, but using BMX hubs and brakes, it's getting tougher and tougher to see where BMX ends and mountain bikes begin. Personally, that suits me just fine. I've ridden (and owned) more than my share of bikes in the past couple of years, and I always come back to the ones that are closest to a BMX bike.

I love my full sus race bike, and my full sus fun bike, but I'm an urban/street rider at heart. I've been riding an Evil DOC for a while (on 24s), but just never jelled with it. On New Years Day on a big urban rie in Chicago, I rode a friends GT Ruckus 24. I ordered one for myself the next day.

This is pretty much as BMX as a mountain bike can get!

I figured I'd just use the frame and fork, take the profiles off my Evil, new wheels,etc, etc. Nope, changed the stem, lever, grips, barends, and chainring, and the rest is stock.

Some specs;

Kenda rubber front and rear
BMX rear cassette hub, sealed
SDG I-Beam seat and post
Very nice cro-mo 3 piece cranks with dual pinch bolts
sweet cro-mo bars (25" uncut)
KMC Z chain
Sun Rhyno Lite double walled rims
Tektro brakes that work way better than expected

Yeah, it's from Taiwan, but by the quality of the welds, and the great spec bone stock, you'd never guess. This is just a retarded deal for the money, I think it's $550 retail. Damn, I think Gary T would be proud

Chip

 

[Chip Henderson]

More specs since GT doesn't have 'em on their site;

21.75 top tube (one size)
14.75 chainstays
Fork is right at 18" axle to crown
12.5 seat tube measured center of bb to top of seat tube
Awesome factor is 17.876


Chip

 

[dexter]

i love that color. trying to get andy at nycfreeride to do a big group of products in ano purple or pink

 

[Chip Henderson]

i love that color. trying to get andy at nycfreeride to do a big group of products in ano purple or pink

My wife calls it "Barney". The bike, not... Well, you know what I mean.

Chip

 

[dexter]

what fork?

 

[Stoked]

wow never expected that from gt. frame looks real nice. i like the short stays and color

 

[Mr Tiles]

that's damn nice...

 

[Cru Jones]

Yes, the walls have been torn down. All I really want is a 26" BMX bike... and it's on the way.

 

[don]

That's a GT?!

Not sure if I like the color but for $550 that's a smoking deal. Geometry and parts look dialed.

 

[ebrider510]

man that is awesome lookin. really stoked to see another bike that has the best of both worlds! the walls are being torn down, and i couldn't be happier

 

[fiddy_ryder]

the stem is ill,,, who makes it?

 

[formermtboarder]

do you know what the ht angle is?

 

[Chip Henderson]

the stem is ill,,, who makes it?

I do Click the link in my sig...

Chip

 

[Chip Henderson]

do you know what the ht angle is?

Not sure, but it's just a bit more slack than my Molly was. Fork is supposed to be corrected to an 80mm suspension fork, but I imagine an 80mm Gold Label would quicken the steering a tad.

Chip

 

[fiddy_ryder]

I do Click the link in my sig...

Chip

awesome.. got weights on both stems?, and any plans to make smaller chainwheels?

 

[Boxxer]

Cool. My email is ruck_us@hotmail.com

And its been that way for years, good they are treating the name well these days.

 

[Bicyclist]

I like it other than that goofy fork.

 

[jpconard]

I like it! Even the fork.

What does it weigh?

If you are looking for a shorter fork, the trailblade 2 is 440mm (17.3") for 20mm axle or 435mm (17.1") for the 9mm/14mm axle.

 

[scurban]

I'm digging the stems!

One of those would look good on my Nemesis!

 

[Evil4bc]

I'm digging the stems!

One of those would look good on my Nemesis!

Or you could just run a Nemesis stem

 

[LeRoy]

The most MTB thing about that frame is the retro ano purple... Looks good on that bike, but I really hope we aren't in for another overdose of it.

 

[Evil4bc]

well, yeah that goes without saying. your stems are dope! We've already discussed this in another thread.

I was just razzing you , I have mentioned this before but it doesn't hurt being said twice . The anchor freeride stuff looks very clean and well though-out and after seeing the prices on their website today I was VERY impressed affordable also great product line !!

 

[WKC]

do you know what the ht angle is?

We just got our '07 GT Catalogs in the shop. I believe it's 70 or 71 degrees for the 24". The 26" Ruckus UF (Urban Freeride) has a 70 degree HA, and retails for $649 while the 24" one retails for $599. I don't really like most of GT's bikes but I think they definitely hit the nail on the Ruckus UF's. Both the 24 and 26" models have a great build for the money. I think these would be extremely popular if more people knew about them.

 

[teeter]

what would you consider this...

 

[Mr Tiles]

nice job titter

look at the latest post in the next level thread if you want to see blurred lines

 

[WKC]

Chip,

Did that bike come with the raw fork?? It shows a purple fork in the catalog, so I was just wondering if GT decided to use a raw one instead.

 

[Chip Henderson]

Yes, they are shipping with the raw fork.

Chip

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

what would you consider this...

that is a bmx bike no doubt...

 

[motowolf]

Sweet ride! How tall are you? Really think the Ruck is perfect, but I'm 6'2'. Would it be too tight for 99% urban? Thanks, MW

 

[Chip Henderson]

Sweet ride! How tall are you? Really think the Ruck is perfect, but I'm 6'2'. Would it be too tight for 99% urban? Thanks, MW

I'm 5'11", and it feels really good to me. If you can, ride one before buying, 6'2" might be pushing it with the short top tube. It's a really small bike.

The 26" version is very cool, I had a look at those over the weekend.

Chip

 

[motowolf]

Thanx man. Will do. Have fun on the new wheels!

 

[cmc]

If you're going to have a rigid fork, why not just ride a straight up 24" BMX cruiser??

Why would you want a rigid fork with a 71 head angle, when most BMX head angles are at 74.5 ?

I guess I just need to ride one.

 

[motowolf]

That's a good point. What are we all looking for here? I mean the Tonic Fall guy is 71 degrees head and seat, the BMW Park Bike is 71 head and 70 seat. Am I looking for a big BMX bike, I thought I was? I'm trying to figure it out. I'm very interested in other, more experienced person's opinions.

 

[don]

BMX cruisers are a decent option especially for the money. But take a good look at the BB, CS, and TT measurents.

I had a S&M Cruiser before my USB and the CS length was longer and I needed to run a 24x1.85 tire (and even that was tight). The USB (and Tonic) will fit 2.3 rubber.

 

[motowolf]

Don, is your USB the Molly and how tall are you? Good point about the CS. If the CS were longer on the cruisers then is it safe to assume they were more race oriented and less street. The head angles on the USB are MB slack, so for you is the short CS where you find the utility?

I really like the Tonics and Unions, but for a third bike they are $. I'm gonna' ride one of the Ruckus'.

 

[don]

motowolf - yes, I'm riding the USB Molly. I'm 6 ft. I measured my Head angle on the Molly @ 72 degs. For 24" wheels I think that's fine.

My guess is the CS's are where they are on cruiser due to the builders not knowing how to get the CS, BB, tire sorted out. Check out Tonic and USB's design in that area. Short CS will help in manuals, spins, whips. It keeps the wheelbase shorter while the front end is longer.

USB and Tonic's aren't cheap but I don't think they are too far out of line. USB is $500, T1's are $350 and are made at the same fabricators last I knew.

I have to admit the Ruckus looks sick for the bucks. But I'm more than happy with the $500 I spent on an USB. Put it this way - I have had the same USB for a DJ/Park bike for over a year. That's a long time for me.

 

[Boxxer]

The USB (and Tonic) will fit 2.3 rubber.

Ive got 2.4 maxxis on my tonic with room to spare and it never rubs.

 

[motowolf]

Don,
Thanks for the input. Molly-drool! You said T1's, are you talking about Terrible One BMX and if so do they have a big bike?

 

[don]

yeah, Mollys are dialed in.

T1 is Terrible One. They don't make another other than 20" BMX stuff but from what I've heard the same place fabricates both USB and T1 frames - so the workmanship should be about the same.

Don,
Thanks for the input. Molly-drool! You said T1's, are you talking about Terrible One BMX and if so do they have a big bike?

 

[Leethal]

yeah, Mollys are dialed in.

T1 is Terrible One. They don't make another other than 20" BMX stuff but from what I've heard the same place fabricates both USB and T1 frames - so the workmanship should be about the same.

Don is correct both Union-street and Terrible one are fabricated/welded by the same hands.


www.unionstreetbikes.com