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Best BMX style bike for cruising.

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Best BMX style bike for cruising.

Old 10-22-19, 01:27 PM
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BicycleBicycle
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Best BMX style bike for cruising.

Hello all.
I've recently been made aware of a bunch of BMX cruisers that seem to be marketed towards the slightly older used-to BMX crowd.
Kinda funny, as this is like the first generation that would still want to pay homage to the stuff they used to like rather than stop doing it altogether.
That's great! I feel like I have a ton of options.

I'm a little confused about what I want to consider buying though, and I was hoping that some poeple coudl chime in with their experiences.
I want something that can also double as a medium duty commuter (Still climb some hills, and not feel overly clunky or "not enough bike" to do many many 2-3 mile trips in rapid succession with a mixed variation of hills).

However, I also want something that I can screw around on and do some throwback bmx with. Nothing too crazy as I wont be pushing my limits, but there are so many situations that I've been in where I wish I had a bmx bike or mtb so that I could screw around on some really cool street features I find, and I also want to pop into and be able to carve through and catch some air at the many local skateparks. Seriuos Singletrack is kinda out of the question unless i get an MTB.




I'm thinking about buying a 29er, but those just seem like they are too clunky and hard to have fun on.
Whenever I watch videos of people carving in skateparks or trying to bunnyhop over things, it just looks like they are trying to move this overly clunky anvil around.
Like it just looks like they can't get the smallest amoutn of leverage to do anything other than roll over things and bunnyhop like over a curb or something.

Has this been the case for any of you 29ers out there?

24 seems like it would be too much of a BMX bike and basically useless as a serious short-trip commuter.
Again, all opinions are welcome.

So I'm considering a 26", but there just doesn't seem to be a lot of options out there in that particular category.

Also, I'm trying to keep it close to $500 +/- some change.
Would be great ot get something for $300 that isn't made of hi-ten, but that seems like it's impossible unless I go on the used market.

Any ideas out there?
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Old 10-23-19, 07:56 AM
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I would go to a few Bike shops and test ride several sizes and brands.

Pay attention to not only the wheel size, but the top tube length... Just getting a bigger wheel, isn't going to make it much bigger.


I'm 46, 6'4" 260ish LBS... A 20" Bike is not working for me. I live in a rural area, so we have **** for shops... A few months ago I was in a still rural, but fairly big town that had a few shops. I went to one and test rode about 10 bikes, including one of these new Ebikes...

Also, check out you tube for videos of guys on 24, 26 and 29" BMX...

Lastly, there are a few good Face Book groups dedicated to 24, 26 and 29" BMX that the guys there are pretty cool.

So far I like Haro, GT, Sunday, and Sunday, for their bigger bikes...
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Old 10-24-19, 04:18 PM
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I had a 2017 SE Big Ripper for a few year. It was a great cruiser as well as my race bike for local bmx racing. I am 6'7 300lb and it was a good size and feel for me. I could have used a longer seat post for cruising though.
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Old 10-28-19, 01:15 PM
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The only bigger bmx wheel size I have experience with is 24". I could do everything better on it because it was comfortable. I even did MANY 5 mile trips on it. That being said I would like to try out a new 22" and a 26" some time.
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Old 10-30-19, 08:38 AM
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I've had a 24" Haro Master DMC on pre-order for seems like 4 months now...

They keep moving the date out... Now I think we're at mid or end of November.
It'll be too cold to ride when it get here..

I can't wait, it'll be my 1st Big BMX bike...
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Old 11-01-19, 03:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Tiny1990
I am 6'7 300lb.
Suddenly 5’9” and 155lbs feels small and insignificant.
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Old 11-01-19, 10:52 AM
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26 is still large. If you are going to get one do like most others and get an SE as they are aluminum and in your price range. Tons of pages on FB and SE sales pages where you can post want to buy for $x and see what pops up. There are tens of thousands of SE out there as they cater to older riders. They are decent enough to be worth upgrading as well.

If you go with a retro freestyle type the geometry will hinder you as the geometry is based on flatland and most likely be cro mo or mostly cro mo at that price point, so it will be heavier. There are new school but most older guys are used to flashy annodized part bikes that remind of 20". SE also caters to that.

Other than that, its personal preference including, height, weight, and percentage of actual riding vs trying to do tricks.

Last edited by Bikerider007; 11-01-19 at 10:58 AM.
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Old 11-02-19, 08:49 AM
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Buying and selling SE bikes lots $3-600+
https://m.facebook.com/groups/177232...f=group_browse
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Old 12-15-19, 08:47 PM
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I just got a 26" Verde Modus, it's pretty nice. 29" would be too big in my opinion...
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Old 06-23-20, 11:05 PM
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Anyone Around?

BMX Cruisers are my go-to bikes.
Just gave my last one away and am starting an upgrade build to my new mongoose grudge.

Anyone familiar with this bike?
I want to bring this bike up a notch or two as I wait until next year to add to my workout the Inspired Hex 26"

Have a great week
Jim
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Old 06-24-20, 11:53 AM
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I recently bought a Redline PL-26 and really like it. It will do what you have described. I got if for beating around the neighborhood with my son and for taking short rides....it seems perfect for my needs. Only upgrade I had to do so far is a new seat. The one that comes with the bike looks cool, but is hard plastic with no cushioning. I'm too old for that.....lol.
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Old 09-08-20, 09:21 AM
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Redline PL-26 !) As for me heavy)
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Old 10-01-20, 12:19 PM
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Sounds like 26'' is a good happy medium for your needs.
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Old 10-01-20, 02:24 PM
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I'd go with a 26". I had a Sunday High-C 29" and it was just way too much bike for anything except cruising. Not agile, not flickable, just BIG. Rolled like a dream, though.

Lots of 26" bikes are available these days, most hovering around the $500-$600 range: Redline P-26, We the People Avenger, Verde Modus, Cult Devotion, all the SE crap, Volume Sledgehammer, etc., etc. If I was buying a cruiser today, I'd get a Fairdale Taj. The 2021s are 27.5" but there should be some 26" versions still around.
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Old 11-06-20, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by smullen
I would go to a few Bike shops and test ride several sizes and brands.

Pay attention to not only the wheel size, but the top tube length... Just getting a bigger wheel, isn't going to make it much bigger.


I'm 46, 6'4" 260ish LBS... A 20" Bike is not working for me. I live in a rural area, so we have **** for shops... A few months ago I was in a still rural, but fairly big town that had a few shops. I went to one and test rode about 10 bikes, including one of these new Ebikes...

Also, check out you tube for videos of guys on 24, 26 and 29" BMX...

Lastly, there are a few good Face Book groups dedicated to 24, 26 and 29" BMX that the guys there are pretty cool.

So far I like Haro, GT, Sunday, and Sunday, for their bigger bikes...
helpful
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