I'm hoping to get a play bike this spring, but I very, very new to this type of riding. I want a HT that will spend most of it's time on urban runs and in DJ parks, but won't be too out of place at a freeride park. I've been looking at various frames, but there are about a bazillion of them out there, so I need some help. What are some of the keys to evaluating a frame? i.e. what kinds of things make one frame better than another? What kind of things should I be looking for in the "ultimate" frame? For example - Cove Sanchez or Kona Cowan???
A couple of specific questions:
Frame material - I know about steel vs aluminum from when I bought my road bike... but that is very different than a play bike. Does the comfort of steel matter in a play bike? Is metal fatigue an issue? Is it basically personal preference?
Fork travel - Seems like something shorter (say, 100mm) would be better for DJs, but longer would be better for urban/freeriding, no? I was thinking about a Flick as it is adjustable between 100-150mm (if I remember correctly). Thoughts?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
A couple of specific questions:
Frame material - I know about steel vs aluminum from when I bought my road bike... but that is very different than a play bike. Does the comfort of steel matter in a play bike? Is metal fatigue an issue? Is it basically personal preference?
Fork travel - Seems like something shorter (say, 100mm) would be better for DJs, but longer would be better for urban/freeriding, no? I was thinking about a Flick as it is adjustable between 100-150mm (if I remember correctly). Thoughts?
Any guidance would be appreciated.