[jebfour]

So......

A track just opened up 5-10 minutes from my house; plus there is another track about 25 minutes away. I think I'm going to give the 30+ Cruiser class a try. I raced "way back when" but that was a lifetime ago!

So, I need a bike....and I don't want to spend a whole lot (for the time being). I was looking at the FMF Pro Cruiser. Reasonably priced, light (24 lbs.), etc.

Thoughts on this bike? Other suggestions? I have a max budget of $400

Thanks!

P.S.

Can anyone recommend "new school" BMX racing sites?

 

[Cru Jones]

I'm not sure if they're in your price range, but I'd look at the S&M .38 special or an Intense cruiser.

http://www.sandmbikes.com/

http://www.intensebmx.com/product_pages/completebikes/proCruiser.html

 

[jebfour]

I'm not sure if they're in your price range, but I'd look at the S&M .38 special or an Intense cruiser.

http://www.sandmbikes.com/

http://www.intensebmx.com/product_pages/completebikes/proCruiser.html

Was just checking out the S&M bikes. Do they only come as a frameset? I guess I should have mentioned that I want to buy a "complete bike". I'm not ready to build something up (yet). Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Cru Jones]

Yeah, I think you'll only be able to find the S&M as frame only. DK has some options. The Charger 24" complete has a msrp of $409...

http://www.dkbicycles.com/bikes/bikes.html

Found an Intense for $400, too...

http://www.danscomp.com/101696.php?cat=BIKES

 

[don]

USB Molly Maguire - haha. I won the Old Man Open and got 2nd in cruiser class on mine at Whip City BMX this summer.

But seriously, if you have a 26" or 24" DJ rig why not race that until you know if you want to really get into racing or not. Cruiser geometry hasn't changed much since the 80's - IIRC, my 1985 Profile Cruiser had very close specs to an S&M RV24. My USB on the other hand has shorter chainstays and a longer top tube. Plus having a sussy fork helped me at the last race as a couple of the berms were very bumpy. On smooth tracks a light race cruiser will be faster but just saying you might already have a bike that could work.

I you don't the complete's that Cru listed will be plenty fine. A buddy from BITD got a RedLine complete and he seemed to do plenty fine with it. Try www.vintagebmx.com - their "new school" race forum seems to get a lot of traffic and probably has people posting that go to your local tracks. There might even be a line on a used cruiser in their classifieds.

Have fun, racing is great as long as it doesn't get too serious (i.e. stay away from clips! )

 

[scuba-punk]

I have a Haro SR-24. About $350, so well within budget. I'm a big guy and the bike has held up super well. Aluminum frame, chromo fork. Pretty much run it stock, but with a set of Shimano PD-M545 pedals.

http://harobikes.com/bmx/bikes/group1_sr24.php

 

[jebfour]

www.vintagebmx.com - their "new school" race forum seems to get a lot of traffic and probably has people posting that go to your local tracks.

I was looking there last night. Is it just me or has the "new school" forum been removed?

 

[don]

I was looking there last night. Is it just me or has the "new school" forum been removed?

yeah, VBMX has a new format. I think this is the new racing forum:

http://oldschoolbmx.com/community/index.php?showforum=20

 

[Five]

Check Jenson - they even carry Intense BMX bikes

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/sub/1787-Bmx.aspx

 

[jjchgo]

out of all my cruisers i would highly recomend Porter if you can find one. they have been out of business for while now but ever so often they pop up on ebay. behind that i also really like my bontrager b-29 cruiser.

cheers,

jj

 

[chaloots]

check out gt bikes they may have something in your price range.

anyone ever ride at the howell track in NJ?

 

[bent^biker]

I'm a personal fan or the sr24 from haro as a budget race bike.

 

[BKQuill]

out of all my cruisers i would highly recomend Porter if you can find one. they have been out of business for while now but ever so often they pop up on ebay. behind that i also really like my bontrager b-29 cruiser.

cheers,

jj

Good call on the Porter! I just cleaned the dust off of mine so I can start hitting the BMX scene again. The Porter ride so damn nice, and look great doing it!!

 

[BKQuill]

I forgot to add:

An option for a complete would be an Intense or GT.

 

[jebfour]

I forgot all about this thread! I doubt if anyone cares but I figured that I would post this just for the fun of it (sort of a X-post from the lounge).

After several months or not riding much at all, I purchased this on Saturday morning (saw it and had to have it kinda thing). Certainly not as high-end as a lot of people's rides, but fun nonetheless. Got it for just a little over 4 bills..

I'll be hitting the track twice a week until my skills come back!

 

[ZoRo]

Looks awesome! I'm also in the market for a 24" race bike.

Did you try out the Intense pro cruiser?? Or any other for that matter. I know Intense is available through Jenson so it would be easy to order.

Anyway, post pics of you riding it!

 

[Jon Kerr]

I got a Haro SR24 a couple of months ago. I'm loving it. At the bike shop I rode both the Haro and the Intense around the lot. They both felt very similar (granted I wasn't on a race track so there may be some difference in the feel of them at speed) and they both weighed about the same in stock form. The Haro was nearly $100 cheaper so that's what I went with. Plus I like the black a hell of a lot better than a Zebra striped frame.

 

[jjchgo]

i gotta porter for sale if anyone is still looking for a cruiser. i give a hella deal. i need to get rid of all extra parts and frames asap.

http://www.ridemonkey.com/classifieds/cat-5/ad-2534/

cheers,

jj

 

[DirtBag]

SE Bikes Floval Flyer (posted earlier) is a nice complete for the money. I was actually going to get the Om Flyer (26") and race at a new ABA track that was going to be built nearby. I had big plans to replace a bunch of stuff like a gold King headset, gold Profile chainwheel ect. But the land owner backed out and the track is on hold.

 

[jebfour]

SE Bikes Floval Flyer (posted earlier) is a nice complete for the money. I was actually going to get the Om Flyer (26") and race at a new ABA track that was going to be built nearby. I had big plans to replace a bunch of stuff like a gold King headset, gold Profile chainwheel ect. But the land owner backed out and the track is on hold.

That sucks man. If I didn't have a track right in town and another 20 mins away I probably wouldn't have gotten back into it - but I do and I'm still super stoked I bought this thing. I've been having some asthma problems as of late though so I still haven't been on the track....hopefully this week it will happen.