Jump bike advice needed!
benebden
Posts: 2
Hi all!
I need your expert advice - I used to ride BMX when I was like 14 and can't stand geared bikes so I think I will be settling for a 26" single speed jump bike. Primary use will be commuting but I also want to take it over the new forest in Dorset on weekends.
Could anyone suggest a bike that fits this criteria? Ideally with disc brakes unless someone can convince me otherwise! Looking to spend around £250
Thanks for reading my wall of text.
I need your expert advice - I used to ride BMX when I was like 14 and can't stand geared bikes so I think I will be settling for a 26" single speed jump bike. Primary use will be commuting but I also want to take it over the new forest in Dorset on weekends.
Could anyone suggest a bike that fits this criteria? Ideally with disc brakes unless someone can convince me otherwise! Looking to spend around £250
Thanks for reading my wall of text.
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Comments
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Jump bike and commuting seem mutually exclusive.
As does jump and New Forest, which is really flat.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
Unless he knows something you don't...0
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Expert advice that. The New Forest isn't really flat though.
I too used to ride a bmx, but see the advantages of gears.
Perhaps it's the mechs you don't like? Considered internal hubbed gears?0 -
Compared to Wales, it is rather flat. Although compared to Holland it is quite bumpy.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
My expert advice however, was that a single speed jump bike makes a lousy commuter.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
I agree with the stuff about the jump bike = lousy commuter stuff.
Have a look at the Aluminum GT Chucker XS1, It is very very light, and apparently properly strong. And have a look at NSBikes, DMR, Transition possibly.
I guess you could have 2 chainrings and 2 chains to change between purposes...then take one off and fit the other accordingly. Or go for a front mech?
A larger chainring to give you the speed on your commute, and a smaller one for doing the jumps. obivously you need a different chain for each setup because one chain wont fit the other!0 -
I guess a lot depends on your definition of commuting and jumping.
Up until last year I had a GT Chucker that was adaptable enough to do pretty much anything - commute/jump/mtb it did it all. Different seatpost/stem/bars was all it needed and although it wasn't particularly brilliant at any of these disciplines it was adaptable enough.
I swapped it for an NS Metropolis
which is probably more 'jump' but it also does commuting. Not in a gutter bunny way but for a short standing-up-on-the-pavement round-the-houses kind of commute its absolutely fine.0 -
.blitz wrote:I guess a lot depends on your definition of commuting and jumping.
Up until last year I had a GT Chucker that was adaptable enough to do pretty much anything - commute/jump/mtb it did it all. Different seatpost/stem/bars was all it needed and although it wasn't particularly brilliant at any of these disciplines it was adaptable enough.
I swapped it for an NS Metropolis
which is probably more 'jump' but it also does commuting. Not in a gutter bunny way but for a short standing-up-on-the-pavement round-the-houses kind of commute its absolutely fine.
Beautiful bike mate, why did you get rid of the Chucker? And why wasnt it so brilliant? Just curious.
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Ever heard the phrase "jack of all trades master of none"?0
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Chunkers1980 wrote:Ever heard the phrase "jack of all trades master of none"?
I havent.
What exactly does it mean?0 -
The chucker might have been able to do a wide variety of riding, but wasn't very good at any individually...0
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Wide variety sounds alright to me, having an all rounder is good for my money-for-parts issue. And ive always loved them. (yet to ride one...just the way it looks)
Its always been an all time favourite of mine, in terms of looks. First time i saw a picture of one i wanted it so badly. Its just that double top tube design it has, and the fact that its a bit small.0 -
But if he only wants it for jumping why have it be mediocre at that and useable in other diciplines he never does?0
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bennett_346 wrote:But if he only wants it for jumping why have it be mediocre at that and useable in other diciplines he never does?
For him i think the best thing to do is have 2 different chainrings and chains and change between the two accordingly...0 -
Thanks!GT-Arrowhead wrote:Beautiful bike mate, why did you get rid of the Chucker? And why wasnt it so brilliant? Just curious.
The Chucker was a jack-of-all-trades - jump(ish) bike geometry, mountain bike gears/brakes and street tyres. I ran it with 120mm Toras, a 400mm seatpost and Minions all through the winters of 2009 & 2010 it never missed a beat. Later on it got some 100mm Society Xenos and Kenda K-Rads:
It also did a bit of recreational DH but it wasn't very successful
It did all these things because it wasn't anything in particular - it looked like a jump bike but it was really a basic MTB that was hopeless off-road in standard trim. But for a few hundred quid I liked it and it served a purpose. Kind of sad to see it go but the Metro was a bargain.
What are you doing with your Chucker?0 -
My god thats a looker! Love what you did with it, the monster + e thirteen stickers are a nice add on. Looks like you had some serious kit on there. I want your discs!
Im by no means a professional offroader so by the way you've described it to have been, it sounds perfect really.
My plan for mine is to be jump orientated. But im going to keep the gears. Reason being is that i intend to use it offroad and for long distance canal path + offroad riding. So pretty much a jump bike with gears.
The initial building will be a budget build in some areas, but ill be upgrading it as i go along, cutting down weight and what not.
At the minute its in pieces in my room, covered in grease stains and collecting dust.
Cant wait to finish it. Missing loads of parts still unfortunately, and im in the process of building it up. Ive got an Alex DH22 rear wheel on the way, and i had some parts donated to me from a forum member. Still short of a few parts though.
Here is what ive got and what it looks like so far:
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Ive also got this fork that will go on there, but this is only to get me rolling. Im going to save up for some 2nd hand bombers possibly or rigid DJ fork. Or anything else that would be ideal.
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Looks curiously familiar good luck with itGT-Arrowhead wrote:Here is what ive got and what it looks like so far
It's a great bike to work on - all standard size basic stuff with lots of choice. Mine was a clothes horse for the cast-offs from my other bike it all worked OK.
Here it is in trail bike mode:
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Thanks mate
Looks like a totally different bike like that
Got my wheel through the post like 10 minutes ago, one small-ish step closer...
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