# looking for mtbdj



## blysccr (Apr 30, 2012)

Been trying to do some research, and can't seem to find much.

I have a 29er and want to mix it up with a 26. We have a local pump track and great mtb trails -- this is what'd i'd use this for.

Basically I want something that can handle the dj/pump track but i can also move the seat up and do some climbs.

My bikes are all single speed, so gears aren't a deciding factor, but it would be a nice bonus 

front and rear discs are a must

so far it seems a p2 aluminum is my best bet?

What else is out there similar price range?

Thanks guys


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

blysccr said:


> Been trying to do some research, and can't seem to find much.
> 
> I have a 29er and want to mix it up with a 26. We have a local pump track and great mtb trails -- this is what'd i'd use this for.
> 
> ...


It kind of depends how tall you are as to whether you can move the seat up enough to be able to sit-and-spin climbs the way you're used to.... Older DJ bikes, like mid-2000's tended to have taller seat tubes & top tubes (like old P. bikes, Kona Shred, etc.), but newer DJ bikes all have lower standover (i.e. lower seat tubes and top tubes). So, like my Blackmarket Mob (after almost all new school DJ bikes were copied) has a 11.5" center of bb up to top of seat tube . . . whereas the 2005 DK Xenia it's, 15" (although the seat tube extends up higher...so the comparable number is probably 13.5"). I personally still use the Xenia as a crossover xc/DJ bike. With the seat slammed, 15" is low enough for me to still jump... I'm 6'1". Now, I wouldn't like trying to do tailwhips or no-foot can's with the taller top tube though....

So, my advice for you is either go full new school and just get into the vibe of the new style, or check craigslist for an older DJ bike that is more mountain-ish and less-bmx-y. But, still, it depends on your riding style.... Guys who have BMX or singlespeed background aren't bothered by standing and cranking a lot of the time. XC riders tend to be bothered by that, because of all the propaganda (hah) about "proper leg extension" etc.... It comes down to a different approach to riding.

Check out jensonusa specials on the Eastern. Also look at the Rocky Mountain Flow DJ, the Haro dirt jumpers, and NS.

Xenia on the right.









Blackmarket Mob









compare with 2006 Kona Shred:









Newer versions of "crossover" bikes are ones like the TRANSITION Trans Am or SANTA CRUZ Chameleon.


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## blysccr (Apr 30, 2012)

thanks so much man i appreciate it. i'm 6'1 also. i don't plan on doing any hard tricks or anything, just want something heavy duty for the pump track and mtbing


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## dfwraptor (Aug 7, 2012)

i use to have a cannondale chase 2, and i used it for everything your describing. loved that bike


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## echo24 (Apr 27, 2012)

if you can find a used ns b!tch, youll be in heaven.


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## 1533clydesdale (Jan 11, 2013)

I'm 6'3" and ride a 2007 Kona Scrap for everything you described. started on a 29'er XC and havent ridden it since I got the Scrap. These bikes are a lot of fun for ereything from DJ, trails, and ripping up the neighborhood.


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## pebbles (Jan 13, 2009)

I have a Transition Double I use for trails, pumptrack, and a little urban. I went FS because my local trails are rooty. With a 410mm seatpost I can ride seated and slammed there is like 3-4" visible. Plenty of room for me at 6'1". Might be more than you want to pay, but it's a sweet bike.


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## BinaryBike (Feb 1, 2013)

I have Double and it's awesome, but I wouldn't recommend it for pumptrack. The rear suspension really reduces the efficiency of your pumping. 

At 6' 1" you're on the edge of having anything that will be really good on a pumptrack that will also be very good for trail riding. A long seatpost and long top tube, are both a liability on a pumptrack. I had a Transition Transam, and it was awesome, but would've been horrible on a pumptrack. The lower the bike and the shorter the wheelbase, the better. 

A 4X bike like the Transition Bank might be a possibility. It can run geared or single speed with it's really cool concentric dropouts, uses mtb type
bottom bracket and headset rather than BMX, and it's aluminum and lightweight. But the seat tube is 13.25" so you'd have to decide if that would give you enough seatpost for climbing. 

But just trust me that if you get serious about pumptrack or dirt jump at all, any of these "in-between" bikes are going to end up holding you back. Even most "dirtjump" bikes from companies that don't really have an interest in DJ are going to be disappointing. The geometry just matters so much. I started out a few years ago just like you, wanting to dabble in it, and I went from Marin's "DJ" bike, which was absolutely horrible, to a Rocky Mountain Flow, which was better, to a Transition Trail or Park, which blows them both away in terms of dialed jump and pump geometry. 

Hitting the pumptrack is the most convenient riding i get to do, so it's ended up being what I do most often and I'm glad I have a bike specific for the job. I'd personally get something specific for the pumptrack, even if its a BMX, or a rigid 24" or 26" bike like the kona shonky. These will be cheaper and tons of fun on the track and around town. Then I'd get something else as a trail bike.


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## pebbles (Jan 13, 2009)

Huh, the Double works awesome on my pt. It sticks to berms better than my old mullet and seems faster. With the shock at 290psi and the propedal engaged it is almost locked out. I have had my RP23 Pushed, which made a big difference. On the 3" setting it feels even more "rigid", but I rarely use this.


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## BinaryBike (Feb 1, 2013)

That's cool. Maybe it varies by track too. Mine is really tight and aggressive, and the double just feels big and sluggish. Such a fun bike though!


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## blysccr (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks so much guys i appreciate the help. I found a 243 racing DJ bike with discs front and rear and marzocchi dj1 fork. The guys my height and says with a long setback seat post he was able to crank up hills. Is this a good setup? I'm leaning towards it...


would a fetish cycles fixation work as pump track duty? my buddy just got one cheap and it's pretty stout from what i read?


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

blysccr said:


> Thanks so much guys i appreciate the help. I found a 243 racing DJ bike with discs front and rear and marzocchi dj1 fork. The guys my height and says with a long setback seat post he was able to crank up hills. Is this a good setup? I'm leaning towards it...
> 
> would a fetish cycles fixation work as pump track duty? my buddy just got one cheap and it's pretty stout from what i read?


i'm not personally familiar with it, but just going by the pics and description, the fetish fixation looks more like an all-mountain frame, and not so great for pump track.

the 243 DJ is a better pump track bike. a friend of mine had one. it was a tad short in the front and long in the back... but if it's a good deal, don't worry about that and go for it.


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