BMX for a Taller Rider?

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BMX for a Taller Rider?
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flag sektr
Posted: Aug 20, 2014 at 19:02 Quote
Hey guys, I'm 6'2" 180 pounds and I'm looking to get into BMX (mostly street but it'll definitely see some park use here and there). I've never ridden BMX at all, always been more of a downhill/all mountain guy, and moved towards dirt jumping in the past few years.

Currently I'm riding a 2008 Specialized P2, 100mm travel DJ2 fork, 26" wheels. I love the bike but it obviously doesn't cut it for what I'm looking to get into. I'm gonna keep it kicking around for when I want to hit the dirt jumps or for longer rides.

My big concern getting into BMX is size. I've done some reading and I know there's plenty of 6 foot+ riders out there, so what size bike is gonna be best for someone looking to get into riding street and getting into some more technical stuff? I just want something that isn't gonna absolutely ruin my back.

I'd love to go test ride some bikes but unfortunately my local shop has a super limited selection...

Thanks for any help fellas!
flag cmc4130
Posted: Aug 22, 2014 at 9:36 Quote
Frame-wise, the common wisdom in BMX is that a 6'+ tall rider needs a 21" top tube, maybe up to 21.75". 22" top tubes exist (like the Macneil Deuce Deuce), but they're pretty rare. Then you would probably want to get 9" bars.

Luckily, you're getting into BMX at a time when there is a trend towards bigger setups. Right now, there is a trend in tall bars. During the 90's and up until the mid-2000's, you could hardly get bars above 8.25"rise. Now, a lot of people are riding 8.5", 8.75", 9", 9.5" and even 10". There is even an 11" rise bar by S&M. That would have been considered a total joke not too long ago.

You also now have the option of going with a 22" wheel BMX. http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=492296 The advantage of this is not just bigger wheels, these bikes also tend to come with 21.5" to 22" top tubes and your fork is an inch longer (axle to crown), so that your bars are bumped up. It's a more proportional way of making a bigger BMX than just stretching out a frame and running huge bars.

Macneil Deuce Deuce (20" wheels) with 9" bars next to Faction Zeitgeist (22" wheels, 8.25" bars):
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/Macneil-20---Faction-22.jpg
InDust Cuatro 24" next to InDust 2ton 22"
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/InDust_2ton_and_Cuatrov2001.jpg
This is how a DJ 26" compares to a BMX 24" with 9" bars. You can see that with the DJ bike, the fork is taller, so the frame slants up more. With the BMX bike, the fork is shorter, but the height is made up for with taller bars.
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/BlackmarketMOB26andLiquidFEEDBACK24001.jpg
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/urban-dj-park/775231d1361767565-need-help-first-bmx-dj-bike-cockpitsize-blackmarketsoldier.jpg
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/geometry-BMX.jpg
Some gag handlebars made as a joke to make fun of the big handlebars trend.
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://mellonbmx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/big-bar-18-39.jpg
Here's another thread on this topic:
Tall rider looking to get into BMX
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=148167
flag Aaronz25RS
Posted: Aug 26, 2014 at 5:53 Quote
was having a similar problems so I bought a 24"

Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/sublimewind/Bike%20Pics/IMG_20140417_184828_1.jpg

People think im crazy when they see I pulled the bars and stem off it for my other bike

Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/sublimewind/Bike%20Pics/IMG_20140802_092923.jpg
flag coco1313
Posted: Aug 28, 2014 at 9:52 Quote
I'm also 6"2 180 and i have a blk mrkt edit one with a rigid fork and it feels like a big bmx bike
flag ChrisNop
Posted: Aug 28, 2014 at 11:06 Quote
David grant at BSD has a sig frame that is 21.6" top tube, and he 6'6", im sure it will fit you, check out his bike check and make a similar setup it should be comfortable
flag cmc4130
Posted: Aug 28, 2014 at 14:47 Quote
ChrisNop wrote:
David grant at BSD has a sig frame that is 21.6" top tube, and he 6'6", im sure it will fit you, check out his bike check and make a similar setup it should be comfortable

http://bsdforever.com/category/bike-checks/

No question that his 10" rise bars are a great idea:
http://bsdforever.com/products/bars/rvidxr-bars/

He reminds me of Neil Harrington, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q993CCH5a3s former Mutiny rider from Houston (and a friend of a friend).

HOWEVER, just because a very-tall guy figures out a way to make a 20" BMX bike work . . . . does not mean it "fits" him in the same way that everyone else's bikes fit them.

Lee McCormack has a good picture below. Most BMX'ers ride with their hands either at or somewhat above knee level. When your hands are below knee level, you create low-back strain. So, if a 6'6" guy is like 8"-9" taller that the average BMX'er, the only way he'll get his hands like that is to have bars that are 4"-5" taller.

Putting 10" BMX bars on a 24" BMX actually comes close to doing that (because the fork is 2" taller and the bars are 2" taller . . . and the bottom bracket may be lower relative to the axles, depending on the geometry).

Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.leelikesbikes.com/wp-content/PBSfit012909.gif
10" rise bars on a Liquid Feedback 24" BMX:
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/SMPerfect10barsonLiquid-cmc.jpg
My Liquid 24" with 8.25" bars. Although at first I was doubtful about this working, it actually felt great. The grips are at a more normal level and basic bunnyhop-to-manual feels a lot more natural than on my 20"s (which I don't ride any more).
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh138/upsetbmx/cmc-Liquid-manual2.jpg
flag EpiclyZiggy
Posted: Sep 6, 2014 at 6:56 Quote
I'm also 6'4, i tried to ride BMX but, they're way to small. I need to sit once in a while, me being tall makes it way harder.
So, i bought a DJ. Great to ride with, goes smooth, looks good.
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