New Complete!

PB Forum :: BMX (20")
New Complete!
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page
Author Message
flag edifice
Posted: Nov 26, 2015 at 6:53 Quote
Hi,

I'm a 39 yr old bloke looking to get a new BMX in the new year and I'm in need of advice please regarding what type of frame to look for!? I'm 5ft 8 and of small ish build. I have read a lot of threads about the pros and cons between Hi Tensile and Cro Mo and realise that a lot of people tend to recommend staying away firm Hi Ten and to buy the best that can be afforded? I admit it's been a long, long time since I was riding everyday and was, more into skateboards than bikes during my teens through to mid twenties! I won't be straight down to my local park as I'd want to use it to get back to a decent fitness initially before going beyond bunny hops and wheelies etc!

Can anyone please recommend a decent specced complete that would befit my needs?! I want a "decent" bike I did have in my youth an original Mongoose with a very heavy chrome frame and I loved it until my folks decided to give it away as I'd not used it one summer! And advice would be most appreciated! I've seen some Wethepeople models at a local shop and was very impressed! Would look to spend no more than approx £450 as I don't want to spend a fortune to begin with.

Many thanks,

Edifice
flag ricar
Posted: Nov 28, 2015 at 12:52 Quote
High Tensile steel is not the same as 4130. Most low quality bikes are "Hi-Ten" steel, and most quality bikes are 4130 (you have Reynolds and other brands of tubing as well). Go with a 4130 just because it will be easier to get a frame to fit you, most cheaper frames are aimed at children while most quality frames are aimed at bigger.....kids... Smile

As for a bike, look in the classifieds for a used one. Your money will go much farther.
flag edifice
Posted: Dec 2, 2015 at 12:58 Quote
Hey ricar,

Many thanks for the response! I've seen the new Diamondback Forum, it's a complete finished in 4130 Cro-mo and retails here in the UK for between 399 and 420 GBP depending where you look, here's the link to a chain of national shops that deal in DB http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=165765&productId=1215117&storeId=10001 Can you please take a look and tell me what you think?!

It's definitely within my budget and I know there's a lot of heritage in the Diamondback name, but as the BMX market is now full of brands I'd not heard of before other than Redline, WTP, Haro and of course, Mongoose I just wanted your opinion as to whether this bike was of decent quality!?

I remember that both Diamondback AND Mongoose in my day, we're both very good brands, but have seemingly declined over time!?

Again, many thanks for your reply, if you could please look at the specs on this model and give me some feedback, I'd be very grateful!

Cheers!
flag ricar
Posted: Dec 2, 2015 at 14:53 Quote
Wow, looks really nice. Diamondback and Mongoose have earned some bad reputations, but Hoffman did the same thing... Kind of. Hoffman came out with a low budget made in Taiwan bike called the egg. He said if you ride it hard,it will crack. But it had the Hoffman name on it so people rode it like a Hoffman bike and they cracked. Mongoose and Diamondback started making low budget bikes and sold them in department stores. The low budget bikes are not at all on par with the quality bikes still produced by the manufacturers, but people (kids) see the NAME on a department store bike with crap parts and assume the brand sold out. It's impossible it be in with the cool kids and sell a full line of bikes.
flag edifice
Posted: Dec 2, 2015 at 18:19 Quote
Hi ricar,

Again thanks for the info!

So do you think that this would be more than up to the job? As I was also looking at this year's WTP Trust, which is very nice in a kind of gloss candy apple red finish! Again, I don't want to blow a lot on something straight off the bat but at the same time, don't want a heap of garbage either!

I'm going to visit my local store this weekend as I've been told there in stock. I want to ensure first of all that it's of good quality as again, I've read that just because it states 4130, doesn't mean it is apparently!? Not that by looking at it closely ill be able to tell! I am very tempted by it though, it's a good spec with sealed hubs and BB, and is cro-mo throughout! Just seems, price wise, almost too good to be true, especially as it's meant to be the top end BMX in this year's DB range?! It's also only marginally more expensive than Hi-Ten WTP bikes etc. From their 2016 range, which again makes me dubious about pulling the trigger!

I will continue looking, and I've also scanned the free ads and eBay here in the UK and a lot of bikes are not that much cheaper due to them being ticket out with after market parts! Besides, in all fairness, I'd sooner buy new, due to the piece of mind it offers lol!

Thanks again for replying!
flag O-7plymaple-O
Posted: Dec 3, 2015 at 11:29 Quote
The WTP Crysis seems to be a good deal too. A little cheaper than the Trust but about the same weight and also full cromo. I'm not that familiar with all the new brands out there. But a guy at my LBS said the WTP bikes usually have better components than other bikes in their price range.
flag edifice
Posted: Dec 3, 2015 at 11:37 Quote
Hey,

I've just looked at the WTP Crysis for 2016 and your right, for like £50 to £80 more, seems like a very good deal, especially as it's already available at various retailers here in the UK! And again, not knowing too much about BMX components at the moment, am I to take it Saltrock are a good brand?

But either way, thanks for pointing this model out!
flag O-7plymaple-O
Posted: Dec 3, 2015 at 12:55 Quote
Looking at the descriptions of the two bikes on Danscomp the only thing I would be concerned about is they don't list the brand of the rear hub on the Crisis. On the Trust it's listed as Salt. But I don't know if that's really a big deal these days. I've noticed on the cheaper ones the spacing of the bearing seat's on the axels isn't as precise on the cheaper ones. But it's so easy and cheap to change the bearings it's like a skateboard. You just ride it till they're bad then change them.
flag ricar
Posted: Dec 4, 2015 at 4:04 Quote
If they don't list the hub then there is a good chance it's free balls. Salt has a decent name and are probably sealed.

You can't tell the quality of steel by looking at it. Japan and China have crap steel and they may call it 4130 but..... They do however buy Canadian steel which is quality, so just because a bike comes from an Asian country does not mean it going to be crap. The only "safe" thing to do is ask around and go by reputation.
flag O-7plymaple-O
Posted: Dec 4, 2015 at 6:41 Quote
I didn't mention that Dan's says the no name hub is sealed. That's good to know about the Cromo frames! I did notice that some more expensive frames were coming from Taiwan and was wondering if everyone just got used to paying for crap or if they were good.
flag ricar
Posted: Dec 4, 2015 at 17:41 Quote
Taiwan has state of the art stuff. I would argue they are better than most US based companies, but that would be subjective. I really don't care if you ride or not, a frame made by a good welder will be better than a frame made by a poor welder (now other things can be considered, I use 310 stainless filler some guys use ER-70 and they will have different attributes but I am not an expert welder) Still most frames are actually made by Giant and they just stick XXXXX stickers on the frame, their factory is impressive with welders walking around in dust masks and lab coats.


EDIT: I should have said CAN BE better than most US..... Not all the frames out of Taiwan are created equal, some are top notch, some not so much.
flag Thairishguy
Posted: Dec 6, 2015 at 4:44 Quote
I have a 2013 WTP Crysis that I got used from a kid who probably never rode it. Told me that he doesn't ride and that his ex got it for him but he's strapped for cash so he's sold it.

The parts are awesome and hold up pretty well. I made some of my own modifications (BSD LHD rear hub) and am planning to get new cranks because they're currently flipped and the pedals come loose, and the stem because they will make the handlebar bend after hopping down a 5 stair. But apart from that, with the chromoly frame, fork, and handlebar this bike is a really great starting point to riding and upgrading. The chromoly parts will definitely hold up well.

The brake mounts aren't removable though so keep that in mind. I cut mine off already because I took off the brakes after messing up the cable up doing footjam tailwhips and not turning my bars back (I think I did 2). I haven't put brakes back on since that day and after log hard thinking I decided to cut them off. But that's me, the frame is out of warranty at this point and I don't plan to sell it.

But yeah I like that bike a lot!!!!!!
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.010243
Mobile Version of Website