20" or 24" on a budget for 45 year old Options

[straydawg]

Hey guys, 1st I did do a search for old post and only 1 from 2010. So with the tech advances and such?? I'm 45 havent ridden BMX since 83. Rode alot of mtn bikes. Currently ride a RL monocog to take my son out on rides. ButI am moving to Indy and lots more parks and street riding there. So I am itching to get that feeling back. Never have rode a cruiser, but I keep reading about the Sunday "C". I have to be on a tight budget of about 350. I have ridden just outside a shop on a DK Cygnus 24 and it felt like with some taller bars it would be in the ball park. But as it will just be for a play bike/park bike I am not opposed to 20".
So hoping for some more experienced advice..

Thanks

[Rodogg]

Welcome,
Its good to here your itching to ride again. Its look like you might not have narrowed your possibilities yet but with a 350 dollar budget, you should be just fine.

You mentioned never riding a cruiser before so I'll assume that you were riding 20" in the early 80s. You also mentioned riding mtn bikes a lot too?

I personally think a 20" is the way to go for park/street stuff but, you kinda have to ask yourself what kind of ride your looking for and by ride I mean comfort and stability type things. If you truly haven't been on something like a 20" since 83' and your 45 now, then a 20" might be a little too hard on you in terms of back and knees etc.

The mtn biking experience will be good if you choose a 24" because it will be easier to handle than something with 26" tires while being more comfortable than a 20".

Since your jumping in after its been a while, it might be a good idea to just spend a little on something used. I see cruisers and 20"s on craigslist all the time for 150 to 200 dollars and thats for a decent one. I bought myself a new bike and fell in love with BMX all over again but then I hated the bike I had and wished I got a used one first.

So, A 24" is a good safe first choice for you to start with. The only other advice I would say would involve your ability level. If the most air your going to boost off a curb or out of a bowl is 6" to a foot and you only weight 150 pounds, then get whatever, but if your 220 pounds and can boost a couple feet and do 180's etc then you might want to get better materials like chromoly and double wall rims. The complete bike I bought is hi tensile steel with single wall rims. I'm around 200 pounds and already bent the rims and the forks bend/flex just scary like. Now, I'm on all chromoly and double wall rims and have been going bigger with no problems and some of the stuff, I wouldn't dare try on the other bike and it was 400 bucks!! So, ability level and materials is something to keep in mind.


There are so many things too be said to someone in your position. I kinda just have to stop myself, but vintage is the place to go if you have questions so fire away.

Good luck

[straydawg]

Thanks for the welcome and the tips! I do have some back issues (may years of hare scrambles). I am 5'10" and 185lbs. Yes I only rode 20" back in the day. I have always experimented and tried as many styles of riding as poosible. My shins have major pedal scars from trials stuff. But that was a blast to learn as well.

So I am going to start scouring craigs list and hitting ebay for more than likely a cruiser to at least start on. I had been looking already but seem to keep coming up with frame only deals. And while I have built several bikes. I would kinda like to get something complete and repair or change parts as I progress.

LOL, the reason I am having the itch so bad is I love to boost off everything I see and the geometry of the Monocog with a high TT isnt very forgiving. As for uses, I would say a couple of feet out of the bowl arent out of the question and hopefully progress and learn some of the new school tricks.

I think like you said picking up something used and getting started and then deciding where to spend my money is a great plan.

[mattybmx]

Save your money, the 22's will be out this summer, and for us old guys who used to ride 20's or spend a good chunk of time riding MTB's, this bike is the real deal. It's really one of the best bikes I have ever ridden.

http://www.bmxunion.com/blog/interview/ins...kes/#more-21730

[Rodogg]

I almost mentioned the Holmes 22" but just the frame is going to be around 400 bucks let alone special 22" wheels, tires, and forks. Thats going to be in the thousands for a bike he might not like.

Since its been a while for him and he is not sure on what he wants, I still feel used is the way to go.

He might spend 200 bucks and not quite like it but be able to figure out why and change the next bike accordingly or even decide if he wants to bother biking at all.

The 400 dollar complete I got is a cool bike but after riding it around, I found it to be all wrong for my riding style but because I knew all the dimensions, I was able to figure out exactly what I want.

My new bike, I knew what I wanted. I wanted a longer top tube and rear end and a 74.5 head tube angle instead of 75 degrees etc etc.


straydawg has no baseline right now so he couldn't even be sure of what regular sizes of 20 or 24" that he might want let alone a whole new geometry of a 22".


All that being said, you can't go wrong with anything S&M or Fit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)



Oh, one other thing to think about, if your really looking to get back to BMX again. Since your a little older, you might like racing and you'll definitely have more older guys out at the track on their 24" or 26" racing 41 and over cruiser classes and sharing a hobby with their kids etc. so there will be more opportunities for you to meet guys your age that still ride and meet up one or twice a week to race or practice etc. That might sound cheesy but finding guys to ride with is important yet hard as heck as you get older.

At the parks, you'll be that one old guy in a sea of dudes in womens jeans riding with no brakes or manors and flocks of really little kids on scooters.

So before you buy, you should check out some tracks on race or practice days. The track is also a great place to find awesome deals on used BMX goods and bikes.

I almost forgot to say why visit a track first....... bikes aren't like they were in the 80's. They are either race specific or street/park specific these days so if you decided to try racing, you can pick/find something meant for racing and not so much riding street. Thats why I was saying to check out some tracks before you buy anything.

This post has been edited by Rodogg: Mar 14 2012, 01:07 PM

[straydawg]

LOL on the sea of dudes in womens jeans. I definitely think a 24 is going to be the plan to getting re-started. And I am sure that I will want to hit the track on occasions. But I am a custom airbrush/pin stripe painter and stay really busy. So for me something i can just take out to the regular park or go out in the parking lot and blow off some steam is my main focus.

So far all I have found is a few race frames (aluminum) which I never really cared for the feel of on any of my bikes mtn or trials. And one DK General Lee 24 frame only for 50.. Guessing a cheap wheelset is 100. I'd really still like to find something used, but complete. As anything I have ever built up, I end up having more than budgeted invested in the end, lol.

[C Bentley]

Recently got a new school 20" bike (Fly Neutron) to play around in the parks on. I did change a few parts, add front brakes, gryo, etc. after I got a feel for the bike. Being back on a 20" bike after riding trials for 8 years and being off freestyle bikes for almost 2 decades feels so natural for me and I adapted instantly. I never quite enjoyed mountain bikes or stock trials bikes due to the larger wheels. Fun to ride but just never felt right for me. It's hard to say what you'll be comfortable on but just thought I'd throw own recent experiences out there. Also, FWIW, I suffer from a trashed knee and some lower back issues and being on a 20" bike doesn't bother me at all in that regard.

Have fun riding whatever you decide to get!

[upsetbmx]

Save your money, the 22's will be out this summer, and for us old guys who used to ride 20's or spend a good chunk of time riding MTB's, this bike is the real deal. It's really one of the best bikes I have ever ridden.

http://www.bmxunion.com/blog/interview/ins...kes/#more-21730

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matty's building some amazing 22"-wheel specific frames. Vernon and I (InDust) have rims, tires, and tubes to go with them......

But if you're not into that. DEFINITELY 24" for sure. The InDust Cuatro 24", the Liquid Feedback 24" (unfortunately ALL are sold now), the SUNDAY Wave C 24", the S&M Dirt Bike 24", all of those are great rides. Sorry to say, but as much as I've loved 20"s for so long, there definitely is something to be said for larger wheels. But, still, to each his own, if you love 20" then DO IT. It's just about the love of bikes!!

read through this thread before you decide though. i think you'll be stoked:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/f61/22-in...t-right-237841/

This post has been edited by upsetbmx: Mar 22 2012, 08:12 PM

[AgeX]

24" are the best.
I ride mine everyday.

This post has been edited by AgeX: May 29 2012, 12:28 PM

[upsetbmx]

InDust Cuatro 24" next to InDust 2ton 22":

(IMG:http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/InDust_2ton_and_Cuatrov2001.jpg)

check this:
http://Happy Internet of joy and wonder!/forums/viewtopic.php?...595958#p3595958