BMX - Difference in Bikes

Hey guys I'm new to this and have been reading a lot of threads in different forums about which bike to go with first, and I've decided to either get the DK or Haro bikes. I'm more convinced with the haro's since they're referred more, and I'm looking for something $300 or under. I found the backtrail x0 and the F2 series, but I'm not sure what the difference is since I'm a noob at this. I'm 5'6" and 150 lbs. and I'd like it if you guys could help out a bit, I've also seen posts referring to the DK Eight pack, although I've heard its heavy or something. I'd like to know if you guys could help me out in knowing what the difference in the bikes are, thanks!

i hate you

i hate you
so sweet of you

i hate you

Umm...I dont know what to say, thanks!

he said "i hate you" because there is so many threads like this and you just went and started another one, who cares what bike other people think is good for you to get, it matters wht you want and what your personal preferences are, some people will tell you one bike is good and other people will say another, they will always have there differences but it doesent mater what bike other people think is good for you because the bike that is good for them might be compeletly different from what you would like, just go to you LBS and tell then what you are gonna b doing and they will problably give you some advice and show you a few bikes that might be good for your price range and what you are goin to be doing with it but after that its entirly up to you to decide

What they really mean is that it doesn't matter. Just go buy which ever one you like better, learn some tricks, and replace stuff when it breaks. A good rider can do cool stuff on a crappy bike, and no matter how much you spend, a great bike won't make you any better until you practice. A quality frame, solid wheels, and if you've got the money, good 3 piece cranks are all you need to worry about.

Trust me I know there are a lot of these kinds of threads that's why mine is different, if you noticed. I was asking what the difference in bikes was, as in, why is one better than the other. But I guess I should just get any then, thanks anyways.

Entry level bikes have all sorts of differences which I think are important for riders to be aware of when they get into riding so they push their money in a direction that may be more beneficial towards their ridind and potential upgrades.

1. Frame design - There are some frames with shorter or longer frame designs. The length of the top tube is a big thing and longer frames are typically better for taller riders. Say about 21" for a 5' 10"+ tall rider. 20-21 for the rest of us. Under 19.5" for most flatland frames.

You may see frames with brakes mounted on the seat stays (up high) or on the chain stays (down low). Typically seat stay mounted rear brakes limit how small you can make the gearing and can hamer some upgrades. Quite often, this is on older frame designs.

2. Base components: Some bikes will include 4 pegs and front brakes, others will just have 2 pegs and no front brakes. If the two bikes cost the same, then where did the money for an extra set of brakes and an extra pair of pegs go? Odds are possible that it went into something else.

3. Overall components: This varies a fair amount as some bikes will include things like cheap 3-piece cranks, better brakes, higher quality pegs, better rims, hubs, etc. on their bike. This is really where you start paying for a better quality bike and companies are all over the place for what they sell. Keep in mind a pro-level wheelset easily costs $250.00+ and top shelf 3-piece cranks run $150.00+. So, you have a bike that costs $300.00 you better believe that when there are 3-piece cranks on the bike, they must be questioned for reliability. A bike w/3-piece cranks is not inherently better than a bike without them. The two bikes may cost the same, so where did the money for 3-piece cranks go on the bike that doesn't have them? Possibly into better brakes, rims, or frame material, etc. Perhaps the 3-piece cranks are so cruddy that they cost the same as 1-piece cranks, but are even weaker then 1-piece cranks. It's hard to tell or know.

4. Frame material: Bike frames are typically made of steel. Many of them use hi-tensile or mild steel for the frame building on entry level bikes. Better bikes use 4130 chromoly which is a variation of steel using chromium and molybdenum to make the steel stronger. Some entry level bikes use a single 4130 tube to claim the bike is 4130. You will see it say things like "4130 Chromoly! main tube" That is not the same as a 100% chromoly frame and fork.

5. Age: Some bikes you will find will be a model year or two old. This can be a good thing, or a bad thing. The older designs may give you a lot more bike for the money if someone is trying to clear out their warehouse. But, sometimes the older design is not as upgradable as newer designs, so you are stuck with what is there or limited on your options.

6. Bike shop vs. online: Well, here is one that is a biggie... If you buy from a shop there is almost no chance that you will find one that has much of any clue about BMX and will not be able to help you with reasons and decisions. But, they also will sell you a completely built up bike and typically will service it and keep things tight for you for the first 30-90 days or more. The local bike shop (LBS) will also be a place you can go if you have problems with the bike or have warranty questions. They should vouch for you and help you keep your bike running smooth and will offer some level of free service for a time to help you out. There are also brands that you can only purchase from a bike shop, and not online. Haro, GT, etc. Those companies do not allow online sales of complete bikes so you can end up with a properly assembled Haro instead of a box with parts in it like you get online. NOW: Online will typically give you a little bit more bike for the money. So, you pay the same amount, but the bike you got online includes higher grade component or a better design, etc. You typically have to know a bit more about bikes to put it together and you better believe that the LBS isn't really interested in helping you get it together when you bypassed their business opportunity. You will be paying for any service from day 1. That said - I know bikes so I almost exclusively buy online as I have a far greater selection in components... But, I also don't buy complete bikes - I buy parts and build up what I need.

6. Which is best? There is no best for the money really. There are some that are marginally better and there are some that are marginally worse. Mostly there are slight variations from one bike to another within a price point as listed above. Some are more for dirt, others for street, a few for flatland. Some are more 'general purpose' bmx bikes - like the F2. Others are more geared to specific riding types - like the DK Signal (flatland). Racing bikes are an entirely different breed from freestyle bikes so you will see a lot of difference with racing bikes and they really should never be used for freestyle. I didn't talk about racing bikes because I know almost nothing about them, but if racing is your goal, then you will want to avoid freestyle bmx bikes.

Hope this is a little better than the ever helpful 'i hate you' which we can always count on from queenie.

that's probably the longest post i ever bothered to read

that's probably the longest post i ever bothered to read

Does your head hurt now?

Thanks bmxtrix that really helped!

i hate you

simply put

dont get the haro. i had 1 the bend b4 the seatpost makes manualing very difficult and it is pretty heavy