Jim311

I'm starting to think that my bike isn't really set up for the type of riding I've been doing lately. We've been hitting some pretty nasty stair drops and gaps and other urban freeride stuff on the local campus lately, and I'm not sure the bike is going to last long with me treating it this way. I'm not a big guy, but I've been beating the **** out of the bike the way I've been riding it lately. We've been dropping 5 or more feet onto hard pavement, and so far haven't had any mechanical problems.. but I realize my bike is set up for XC, not freeriding and dirt jumping. So what do you guys think I should do? We ride alot on the street since it's urban assault type stuff.... so obviously at least some efficiency would be nice. But I also ride some singletrack and trails with jumps and whatnot. I'm just wondering what sort of bike I should build up. I'd really like to build a hardtail for urban freeriding and maybe some trail riding... but I think a dual suspension freerider would be a better choice for the urban stuff. I'll probably keep the XC bikes for the singletrack. So what should I build up? I think a hardtail with wide tires and a big fork up front would be ideal for the urban stuff, but I'm kinda torn. A big hit bike would be pretty expensive compared to a hardcore hardtail. I'm a pretty smooth guy, but riding this XC bike with 3 inches of travel and a stiff wheelset is really beating the hell out of me. What should I build? And what brand should I go with?

MikeOK

Kona has some awesome bikes, and they have one for about everything. I don't own one myself but I am impressed with their lineup. For your kind of "campus" riding, I don't think you really want a bighit type bike, too heavy and expensive, and high maintenance. They're cool if you got the cash but there is a better choice. To me the perfect playbike would be a ht with a slack head angle, a triple clamp fork and set up as a single speed.

Konaworld

tFUnK

get a DS frame and a beefy fork *shrug*

Pharcyde

Im in the same situation as you. I decided on a bighit but I was close to getting an Ironhorse SGS which is supposedly once of the better bikes for the money this year. I have read much praise for this line of bikes and they sound like winners. The sport model is going for 1100 on supergo and the expert for 1600.

Heres a link to a website that is selling the expert frame for 650.

https://www.bicyclebuys.com/Items01.a...emfg&M=60&T=43

Jim311

Yeah, I saw the reviews on the Iron horse. I really want to just buy a frame and build the rest of the bike myself. I don't have 1600 bucks out of pocket to just drop on a bike. I'd rather piece things together myself. I think a hardtail with a big beefy fork and slack angles would be awesome... but hitting that pavement really hard sometimes make my knees wish they were riding a full squishy! So many choices! There's just so many awesome bikes out there... and so many different categories of bikes now. Dirt jumpers, freeriders, XC, trail bike... aaaaahhh!

Maelstrom 

Jim...I usually save this for people asking the question for the first time..but...

You really have to decide what you want out of a bike?

For the urban I would do a ht simply because of the nature of my brain. But if 3.5 inches is hurting you a ht will kill ya. That might be the decision maker. What is your price? I have many a ht in mind for good urban and trail riding. Kona has a frame release only of the Chute (same as my Roast but this years model) which works well for trail, freeriding and dj's. There are custom build frames that are made of steel that would feel really nice for urban and they don't always brake the bank.

As for duallies...well thats a whole other ball and much more money too

a2psyklnut

Buy a .243 frame and build it up with a 5" DJ1.

L8R

Maelstrom 

West coast style...that was one of the frames I had in mind...

Jim311

Links?

Maelstrom 

https://www.243racing.com/

Steel us real as some people say

a2psyklnut

I know a guy selling one brand new for $300!

L8R

a2psyklnut

Just checked! SOLD! Oh well, next time!

L8R

Maelstrom 

https://www.snipesbicycles.com/pages/208530/index.htm

Similar geometry. Lifetime warranty. "built tough"......I was thinking of building one myself when I break my frame.

Jim311

That Snipes is badass! I can even run the wide tires I want with it, too! Looks beefy... lifetime warrantee... and any color I want. It even accepts huge forks, too. Hmmmmmm...... and all this for only 340 bucks?! Please me, this does!

Jim311

Do you think I should make it a singlespeeder, or put on a derailler? I don't plan on using a front derailler (Want a bashguard instead) so I think a few gears in the rear couldn't hurt. All those bikes I've seen are SO badass!

Maelstrom 

IT is one of th best frames around. I imagine it has many choices. He sells it as frame only but you can choose (if I remember) bmx bb if you like. Email him he is pretty cool and knows his stuff...he would be able to help. If you want opinions about the bike take a quick tour to www.nsmb.com and do a search. It is a north shore bike so it is very popular.

MiniBullitRider

Hmmm. My first thought was Planet X Jackflash, but thats probably because I'm really looking at their Zebdi frame for my trials needs. PX is well known in the trials community for STRONG frames. The Jackflash is built for urban, dirtjumping, etc.

I didn't realize the .243 where so inexpensive. Sounds like the way to go if you don't mind hauling around straight gauge steel.

Jim311

Enh... A few extra pounds isn't gonna kill me anyway