# Dirt Jumper , is it an option ??



## drjay9051 (Dec 6, 2006)

I'm posting here as I think question fits no other subforum.

Been riding a year. A 26 in. full suspension "all mountain". Just getting into more technical stuff like rocks etc. No big drops over 1-2 feet.

Recently got a 29 hard tail. I love it for flatter cross country type stuff and save the 26 nfor the rocks, roots etc.

I am intrigued by the local pump track and jump area. The FS all mountain feels too compliant for the pump track. I seem to lose energy. The 29 hard tail seems too big.

For a third bike can i get a dirt jumper? I am 5ft 11 in and the DJ bikes all look like pretty small frames. i don't want my knees to be hitting my face!! Am I too tall for dirt jumper? Also looking at BMX bikes. They seem the same as dirt jumper. Is there a difference?

Lastly, can I use a dirt jumper on the trails. I'm thinking if I get a DJ with lower gearing I can climb and enjoy the rollers as well. I know that a DJ being a hardtail the ride will be rough in the rocks.

i have seen a few people ride hardtail 26 inch single speeds on my local trails. I'm talking about pretty technical stuff but I don't know if they were dirt jumpers. These guys are pretty much out of the saddle all the time but are really accomplished riders, rocks, jumps, ledges etc.

So what type of bike do i need to enjoy the pump track as well as trails? If there is not a one size fits all bike I may get a dirt jumper just for the pump track but was hoping for some versatility.

Thanks


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## Katz (Jan 29, 2012)

drjay9051 said:


> ...For a third bike can i get a dirt jumper? I am 5ft 11 in and the DJ bikes all look like pretty small frames. i don't want my knees to be hitting my face!! Am I too tall for dirt jumper?


I'm 5'10" and wear 32" inseam jeans. No problem riding a SC Jackal. A couple vids in post #570 in the link below. I don't think I look that goofy on the bike, certainly don't feel awkward riding it.

http://forums.mtbr.com/off-camber-off-topic/all-about-bikes-vol-2-a-830924-23.html#post10067013



> Lastly, can I use a dirt jumper on the trails. I'm thinking if I get a DJ with lower gearing I can climb and enjoy the rollers as well. I know that a DJ being a hardtail the ride will be rough in the rocks.


It gets a little bumpy especially on climbing with some rocks, presumably due to short chainstays. On the other hand, 80mm travel fork doesn't bother me at all as it's easy to pop the front wheel off the ground.

A couple of vids of me riding my other DJ bike on Cook Canyon Loop in Kingman, AZ. Not a super difficult trail and I still prefer a FS bike for trail riding, but it is do-able even on a budget DJ bike (Norco Havoc, $550 plus a long seatpost and knobby tires).

http://www.pinkbike.com/v/303351/l/

Cook canyon on Pinkbike

http://www.pinkbike.com/v/303388/l/

Cook Canyon on Pinkbike


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

I think it makes a lot of sense to get a DJ bike for a third bike. You have the other needs covered so have at it. Depending on your height, you may find that you can't get enough seatpost extension to enjoy climbing; at 6'0" my (not really DJ) DJ bike, the Gary Fisher Bitter, does not have high enough seatpost extension for me to get full length on my legs. This more or less excludes it from most of the trails in my area which require hour+ climbs because it is hell on my knees. However, every once in a while I'll push it up a hill or get a shuttle and it's crazy fun even on rolling trails. My bike is also heavy which makes it less fun on the uphills. 

However, for what I bought it for it is amazing. Hitting skate parks, urban assault rides, the skill-limited DJ riding I attempt, pump tracks, and the local bike parks are all great places to ride that bike. Plus it turns your driveway and neighborhood into a playground full of curbs and stairs and stretches of pavement just begging to be manualed. 

If you buy a DJ bike for the purpose of riding mountain bike trails, you will almost certainly be disappointed. If that's the case, buy an all mountain hardtail like the Transition TransAM, On-One 456, or almost everything Chromag makes. However, if you're going to spend your time hitting jumps, skate parks, and pump tracks there is no substitution for a purpose built DJ bike. DJ bikes are not made to pedal but if you don't mind a little difficulty it can be done and can be fun.


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## 1533clydesdale (Jan 11, 2013)

I'm 6'3" and my Kona Scrap is my only bike for now. I ride it an average of 10 miles 6 days a week. mostly steet, but I hit up trails and dirt jumps too. Just have to stand a lot on the trails but there is nothing funner for aggresive street and DJ riding. If you are on a budget and looking at used the some of the mid 2000 DJ bikes (my Kona is an 07) have taller seat tubes than current DJ bikes making them more all around freindly/ better for tall guys.


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## Snfoilhat (May 3, 2010)

6'1" on a Nukeproof Snap, size long. 1x9 gearing. With a short seatpost, saddle angled up, and semislick tires, it kills it on the BMX track, pump track. With a really long seatpost and a bigger front tire it is OK for trail rides, espeically easier, buff/flowy trails. I have 2 laps of the Downieville Downhill course on it and that was brutal. I opened the compression damping on the fork all the way but didn't change the spring rate. Used ~2.5 in travel. Harsh.

Size large or size long (depending on the brand) should fit someone around 6' just fine. Plus DJ bikes seem to be easy to find cheap/clearanced/used.

Most of the people I race against ride the traditional 24" BMX cruiser. Those bikes are rad for BMX. The closest you can get to a true 20" other than a 20". But while a DJ gives up a little in weight, stiffness, size, you get a lot of versatility in return. Depends on what one wants to do w/ it.


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

DJ bike vs BMX, go the DJ if you want to spend at least a little bit of time in the saddle, otherwise you may as well go for the bmx....hell of a lot more bike for less $$ compared to buying mtb. But as you know a MTB "can" be more versatile and considering you're not a dwarf height wise a DJ mtb would probably be a good addition to your bike collection.

For strictly dirt jumping a bmx would be easier to bail from (I've owned a DJ bike and ridden my sons bmx but have never jumped in my life lol). For any sort of trail riding or short commuting bmx seems to be a bit of a pain whereas I could quite comfortably ride the DJ bike like I would an XC bike! 

I guess if you want something between the then consider a 24" DJ bike.


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