Free ride hardtail

Fbmrider

Fbmrider

New Member
:hmmm: So ive been into mountain biking for 2 months now, and with a bmx background, (ill be honest here). I cant afford to build a 5 grand dh machine right now, but i slowly want to build a nice hardtail with a bmx feel to it. Call me crazy but i dont plan on getting a fs dh bike anytime soon, regardless of what trails im riding. Im riding an entry level Marin pioneer trail disc rite now, and im beating the crap out of that thing. Im used to beating the crap out of my fbm 20" so im not sure how much longer my Marin will last! =(. All in all, i have NO idea what brands are out there (frame wise) to start at for a hardtail free ride.. Ive searched posts but havent found much. All i ask, is brands brands brands! When i mean free ride, i mean something thats more or less a 26" bmx bike with front shocks and gears, can take a hell of a beating, and still get me up and down trails.
 
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Just to clarify(given your background) are you looking for a free ride type bike that you can ride at say places like Allamuchy, Ringwood, etc or are you looking for a bike more along the lines of something you can ride at a skate park/dirt track/pump track?

Theres sort of a difference.
 
walter said:
Just to clarify(given your background) are you looking for a free ride type bike that you can ride at say places like Allamuchy, Ringwood, etc or are you looking for a bike more along the lines of something you can ride at a skate park/dirt track/pump track?

Theres sort of a difference.
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Sorry not to clarify that, i mean freeride that can handle me taking some decent drops and 360's off doubles lol.. basically a 26" bmx bike with gears and front shocks.
 
I think I know what your looking for. Ive ridden bmx for years but now im just on the mtb. I have a giant stp ss which I think is a great bike but I wouldn't take that downhilling. I think you should prob look for something cromo similar to a bmx frame. Theres a lot of companys making bmx style mtbs. To be honest Ive been out of the street mtb scene for a while and it advances so fast I'm not sure off all the brands out there. Off the top of my head I would suggest looking at Black Market bikes,NS bikes, DMR I also think Eastern came out with a cromo mtb. I know theres others out there but can't think of them. They prob make complete bikes or you could build something yourself. Just pick out a decent fork and parts.
 
Very good leads I Ride Bikes, that's given me alot to look at and definitely pointed me in the rite direction! Thanks! I plan to build it my self because there's no feeling like building it from scratch on that first ride!
 
Check out the new 2012 line of GT 26" BMX bikes. As of now they come with a rigid fork but you could always take it off and put a nice 80mm fork on it....

GT-Bicycles-interceptor-26-bmx-bike01-600x450.jpg


"The Interceptor is a raceable bike that gets a better 100% chromoly frame, 3-piece cranks, integrated headset and higher quality seatpost and saddle. It goes for $679."

Not sure if thats what your looking for but worth a shot!
 
Black Market for sure. Or SuperCo. Those would feel the most like a BMX bike but for trail riding around here, they would not be fun. Definitely meant for street and DJ only.
 
Google these
Norco bikes
Chromag bikes
Cove bikes
Transition bikes

What do these have in common they were born in birth of freeriding of North Shore
 
Kirt said:
Not 26in but along the line of what you're looking for:

http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23315
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Not at all what he's looking for. Please explain how a 29er is suitable for a 360 off a double. Penalty box or not, this site is full of one-side bullshit pampering of the 29" bike. Trying to sell a 29er outta the classifieds for a friend, to a guy who wants a FR hardtail to shred on - <radio edit> lame.

And dennis is obviously sponsored by GT, congrats to him, but always beware of a sponsored riders recommendations.
 
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I ride the Banshee Paradox 29er, and no it might not be the best bike in the world for 360's but it is great for bombing down any trail. Stiff as hell, and it rides like a free ride bike. GetAway in Bloomingdale has mine in store and a Frame on display. Just saying.....
Also Jamis dosen't have them out yet but they have a 650B Hardtail, Steel, with a 68 degree head tube, and 5" travel fork coming out. Saw it at the DH40. Just saying....Again...

http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/07/20/jamis-rolls-650-bs-with-new-steel-and-aluminum-hard-tails/#more-33472

http://forums.mtbr.com/650b-69er-new-wheel-trends/2012-jamis-dragon-650-a-724719.html
 
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FFT said:
And dennis is obviously sponsored by GT, congrats to him, but always beware of a sponsored riders recommendations.
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Yes I am, sorry I don't know much about the trek or specialized line. I'm not going to go out of my way to learn another bicycle line for some random guy on the internet, to help him choose a bike. I see he comes from a BMX background so I pointed him towards a 26" bmx bike that you could put 80mm travel fork on an shred.
 
...back on topic. That GT is not what your looking for either. If you want a bike to ride xc parks with that you can beat on a bit, jump occasionally, or take to trails you can narrow it down a bit.

Steel v. Aluminum - Steel will be more foregiving on longer rides, but tend to be heavier.

Headtube angle - There will be a point where slackness will make riding down hills alot more fun. A steeper headtube angle will be more fun riding any kinda jumps, but will not corner well on xc trails.

Chainstay length - Also ties into geometry. Hardtail 26" bike with short chainstays tend to have steeper headtube angles, they are designed like bmx bikes with the intention of riding doubles and street. The bikes with slack HA and longer CS are more suited for normal riding and higher speeds, as well as cornering.


Basically, you have to choose a dirt jumper, or a trail bike. It seems like you want a trail bike. So look for something marketed as AM or FR. And go 9-speed.
 
yuroshek said:
Yes I am, sorry I don't know much about the trek or specialized line. I'm not going to go out of my way to learn another bicycle line for some random guy on the internet, to help him choose a bike. I see he comes from a BMX background so I pointed him towards a 26" bmx bike that you could put 80mm travel fork on an shred.
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I realize that, its just that the bmx race rig you posted up was almost as far off as the 29er heap. Im just trying to narrow down the spectrum of bikes the OP has described. Good luck with GT, both the Force carbon and Fury were my 2nd choice to the session/remedy bikes im on. :)
 
FFT said:
Not at all what he's looking for. Please explain how a 29er is suitable for a 360 off a double. Penalty box or not, this site is full of one-side bullshit pampering of the 29" bike. Trying to sell a 29er outta the classifieds for a friend, to a guy who wants a FR hardtail to shred on - <radio edit> lame.

And dennis is obviously sponsored by GT, congrats to him, but always beware of a sponsored riders recommendations.
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you've been edited...and warned. you can make the argument without dropping f bombs. i'm in a good mood today so no box for you. yet.

and so what if he rides for GT. it works for him and he reccos it. think i send everyone i meet to mtbr?

from my n00b perspective, a fork on there would make that 26" a pretty solid bike. is it perfect? i have no freaking idea. i just work here. that said, i REALLY like what transition is doing...

yuroshek said:
Yes I am, sorry I don't know much about the trek or specialized line. I'm not going to go out of my way to learn another bicycle line for some random guy on the internet, to help him choose a bike. I see he comes from a BMX background so I pointed him towards a 26" bmx bike that you could put 80mm travel fork on an shred.
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you sell chains, not bikes. :D
 
^^Ok, just to clarify, slapping an 80mm fork on the GT interceptor dosnt make it a FR bike, I cant even find it on the web-site, and it is SS, and steep as heck(you happy). It would be a total abortion to convert that bike to a free-ride hardtail. Thats the point I was trying to make.

You want to give good avice here, or not? I could care less what the guy buys. But so far we got a BMX race rig, and two 29er(one from the classifieds) being suggested. Oh, and a 650b, classic. If its a clubhouse, just say so, if its not then you should be making suggestion to everyone else thats taking a 'crap' in this thread.
 
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