Old 02-02-21, 08:06 AM
  #14  
mack_turtle
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
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Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando

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There are a lot of BMX-ish bikes on the market that may or may not be appropriate for JaysVlogs needs. companies that have been around for a long time that were selling bikes to folks who were teenagers in the BMX boom of the late '90s are making cruiser-type bikes that look like BMX bikes. those folks are aging now with "dad bods" that don't hold up to truckerdrivers down stairs and handrail icepicks. S&M has a "covid-29" cruiser and SE Bikes has a ton of retro throwback bikes. the WTP above looks fun but I it would not be my first choice for a bike for BMX tricks. I think the Surly Lowside is in this vein as well. maybe the fairdale Taj? if you want something for tooling around the neighborhood doing wheelies and flowing around a pump track, these are probably fine. I don't think they will handle well at a skatepark or hucking yourself down stair cases, jumping doubles, and that sort of thing. if you're going to do barspins and tailwhips and grind brick leddes, bikes like the above are not going to cut it. have fun destroying your brake rotors after your first smith grind attempt. you want a purpose-made BMX bike with strength and geometry designed to handle well for that sort of thing.

there are countless bikes in the category or "proper BMX bikes." you want something with a strong chromoly frame (no "high-tensile steel" junk mixed it as you'll end up breaking that), cranks with sealed bearings (Ashtabula BBs are a pain in the butt), and strong wheels with double-walled rims. for your height, the trick is finding a bike with a long front end and a really tall handlebar.

one small detail: BMX bikes often are designed with very short chainstays, which makes it easier to pop the front end up and spin the bike. for someone who is very tall, a chainstay that's too short could be a liability. I've ridden with some taller guys who prefer a slightly longer chainstay, or they add a link to their chain to get the axle further back, because their height exaggerates shifts in their center of mass, making the bike tip over backwards with just a small shift in the hips.

Sunday makes their Model C bikes, which have 24" wheels and are designed to handle like a bmx bike for street and park riding. the larger wheels might feel more proportional for taller riders, so check that out.

Last edited by mack_turtle; 02-02-21 at 08:14 AM.
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