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Thinking about buying a BMX- thoughts?

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,586
2,018
Seattle
So I'm thinking about buying a BMX bike to ride to ride around town, ride to class, and mess around on. The thing is, I know nothing about BMX bikes. So... any suggestions for a cheapish, solid BMX bike that'll be OK for someone who's about 6' tall? I'm looking at the Eastern Battery and KHE Barbados AM. The other potential option is something like an Eastern Trail Digger. One one hand, it'd feel more like a mountain bike, which I'm used to, but on the other, it's probably less flickable and fun to play around with. Any thoughts?
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
88,030
26,373
media blackout
get a Kink. THey make awesome bikes and have great completes at the price range you're looking at.

Idk if I would recommend having a BMX bike for commuting, but a lot depends on how far you'd be traveling.

I got into BMX 2 1/2 years ago now as a way to keep riding during the winter while I was in college (rochester had a great indoor park at the time, last I heard it was close to being shut down... again). But it also helped my get a lot smoother on the DH bike. Plus riding park is a ton of fun. I gotta find me a pool...
 

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
since you were sharp enough to describe your background, your intended usage, and your height, i figure you deserve some useful advice.

KINK, FIT, Hoffman, Eastern, DK, Mirraco, and Haro. (that's probably also the order of coolness/quality-for-the-price as well).

unless you are going to focus on flatland, the typical advice is that a 6 foot tall dude would benefit from a 21" top tube frame with 8" rise handlebars.

although there are definitely 6 foot tall dudes out there (like vert rider Jamie Bestwick) who ride a 20.5tt bike with 7.5" bars, i think is good advice for you to with the bigger setup, especially since you're coming off a mountain bike.

out of the Eastern lineup, it looks like the JANE or ELEMENT are probably closer to what you would want. for a beginner who is mainly riding to class etc. hi-tensile steel frame/fork is not that big a deal. but if you are going to be jumping and really giving it any kind of beating, you should get 4130 chromoly steel, not high-ten.




The Jane is one hot gal that wants you to check her out. She even has a nice candy apple coat on for ya. This bike is just what you need for a great trail session. With a 21” top tube bigger riders will love the room. The Jane comes with original Eastern components like the sealed Birectional rear hub, Stealth cranks, Pinner seat, Choker stem and more. She’s ready for a night on the town but will be just as happy in the woods on some dirt jumps.


Features

Full chromoly frame with the new Lightning Rod tubing
Eastern Nitrous fork
Eastern 8” Nitrous bars
Integrated seat clamp & cut-out seattube
Internal headset & sealed Spanish BB
Eastern 3pc heat-treated Stealth cranks
Medusa Lite 25T sprocket
Eastern Atom 36-hole wheel set
Double-wall rims
Linear straight cable
Eastern pedals, grips, pegs, Pinner seat and Choker stem
Sealed cassette Birectional 9 tooth hub
Removable detangler tabs

Weight 26.20 lbs. (11.8 kg.)
Top Tube Sizes 21
Colors Black or Candy Apple Red







Description

The Elements are in your favor on the streets with this Eastern. We’re talking 100% chromo frame and Nitrous fork, innovations like the integrated seat clamp and seat tube cut-out. Is that a Medusa Light sprocket? That’s right. Don’t forget the Choker stem and Pinner seat. And for those of you that would like more room up front, this frame has a 20.75 top-tube.


Features

Full chromoly frame
Eastern Nitrous fork
Eastern 8” Nitrous bars
Integrated seat clamp & cut-out seattube
Internal headset & sealed Spanish BB
Eastern 3pc heat-treated Raptor cranks
Medusa Lite 25T sprocket
Rear 36-hole double-wall rim
Linear straight cable
Eastern pedals, grips, pegs, Pinner seat and Choker stem
Eastern LB9-II Birectional 9 tooth hub
Removable detangler tabs
20.75” toptube
Color: White, Cream or Black

Weight 26.50 lbs. (11.8 kg.)
Top Tube Sizes 20.75
Colors Black, Cream or White
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,586
2,018
Seattle
since you were sharp enough to describe your background, your intended usage, and your height, i figure you deserve some useful advice.
:rofl:




When I say getting around on, I mean 6-8 blocks tops, usually not that far. It's mostly going to be a play bike. And I do plan on giving it a real beating, so hi-ten is probably to be avoided.

Thanks for the help, keep it coming.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,586
2,018
Seattle
Alternative: DJ/ urban MTB. I've got pretty much all the parts I'd need, just a frame. Steelhead/ Suburban etc.
 

cmc

Turbo Monkey
Nov 17, 2006
2,052
6
austin
you first gotta lose one misconception that most "cyclists" have. bmx'ers ride all over the damn city on their bikes. . . . standing up the entire time. finding things to jump, manual, grind, whatever. enough of this 6-8 block sh*t !!!
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,586
2,018
Seattle
you first gotta lose one misconception that most "cyclists" have. bmx'ers ride all over the damn city on their bikes. . . . standing up the entire time. finding things to jump, manual, grind, whatever. enough of this 6-8 block sh*t !!!
I'm just saying that I won't be using it for transportation to get me more than 6-8 blocks. If I want to go out and ride it for fun, yeah, I'll do whatever I feel like.
 

sittingduck

Turbo Monkey
Jun 22, 2007
1,958
2
Oregon
Back in the day, I routinely put 20 miles a day on my bmx bike.... sometimes more. It travels on the rack attached to my car a lot more nowadays though.
 

aeffertz

Monkey
Jun 12, 2008
441
0
Ladysmith, WI
Well, I don't want to be one of those guys that makes a thread saying "which bike?", but that's the scenario I'm in...
I can't decide which would be the better bike..
Kink Whip
Fit TRL1
FBM Executioner

I'm 5'11'' and weigh 145.
Want something better than my Haro Backtrail... haha.
 
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sittingduck

Turbo Monkey
Jun 22, 2007
1,958
2
Oregon
Back in the day i'm assuming you didn't have a slammed seat.
or compact geometer for that matter.
I could pedal sitting down, but rarely did. Seats back then tended to be hard plastic with no padding. :crazy:
Geometry was fairly compact iirc.... I rode a rl20 redline, hutch trickstar, and then pl24 cruisers. got a Boss USA cruiser and then quit riding for 15 years. Sold the Boss a couple years ago in favor of a frame that would take better brakes and a 1-1/8th fork.