# Ride all day and communting on DJ bike.



## cajunjay (Apr 24, 2007)

For over a month now ive been searching for the right geared DJ bike. :madmax: 

I have recently moved home and now live by a skate park and about 2 miles away there are some nice dirt jumps in the woods.


Now I need a bike to use but must be able to get me to work without killing me, its about 4 miles but alot going up hills, nothing steep but it aint easy work. Also a few friends ride about on Hardrocks, Rockhoppers, Kona Calderas etc.

I still wanna go out with these guys but dont wanna be left huffing and puffing after an hour or so in the saddle. I am fairly fit so I could easily keep up if the bike I choose is fairly light and quick on the road.  


All I have nailed my choices down to are:

Giant STP
Kona Cowan
Kona Shred
Cannondale Chase
DMR Trailstar.

My only other option is to build a custom bike, which can get expensive when you only got $1000. BTW I will be buiying used 100%

Just thought I would mention im 5 10" 170lbs


----------



## derfernerf (Jun 25, 2006)

im not really sure on what bike will be better...they are all pretty good choices, but one thing that will help would be light, fast-rolling tires...i have big knobby tires on my bike and i can tell its slowing me down on cement/roads

just my 2 cents


----------



## A Grove (Nov 12, 2006)

Honestly - go with a cameleon. They seem to be the "do it all" ticket.


----------



## cajunjay (Apr 24, 2007)

Santa Cruz Chameleon is very expensive and basically non existant here in the U.K


Im findong it real tough even findind a STP or Chase all people sell here are P's


----------



## dosh142 (Sep 25, 2005)

Well if you don't have much selection, you should get two bikes. Spend your money on a decent jump bike and then shop around used for a commuter. You should be able to find a very decent commuter/road bike for 200 dollars, easy. Then spend your other 6-800 or whatever on a DJ bike. This isn't my first option; that would be the chameleon, but it would be better than commuting on an STP IMHO.


----------



## Rb (Feb 28, 2007)

My coworker commuted on a DMR Sidekick for 2 years...daily. With the right seatpost, it gets good seat extension if you ever feel the need to take it out for a longer XC ride. The geometry is also very friendly for dirt jumps. I'm pretty sure you can pick up one of these for a bargain over in the U.K. where DMR's are a lot more common. If weight is a concern, he had a pretty budget singlespeed build and tipped the scales in the low 30's -- perfectly fine if you ask me.

Good luck!!


----------



## frisky_zissou (Jun 4, 2006)

I have an STP. I didn't think I would be doing much if any distance riding when I got it but it has turned out well. Besides kicking ass on the DJs and local BMX tracks it rides better then allot of other bikes I have ridden over 5-6 miles. 

The biggest thing is weight and tires basically. Kona's are HEAVY. My friends "Stuff" came in at 35 pounds with Pike and 9 speed drivetrain. Compare this to my 27pound stp and its obvious which one will be easier on the legs.

Not trying to get you to buy a STP, just saying look properly at what the bikes you asked about offer. If I were you I would go chase. Its a sweet bike. Just change the tires to schwallabe or kenda.


----------



## Matt850T (Apr 27, 2007)

yo I have a dmr trailstar I "commute" on daily- back and forth from my dorm to class- theres a pretty good hill actually- and it works pretty well. def teh tires/gears make a huge difference, I'm running holy rollers and depending on the pressure it's either difficult or a piece of cake to get up the hill. and locking out my pike makes it a ton easier. go for the "do it all" bike, it's sweet! or you can build up a cheap fixie road bike or sumthin, would be faster to get to work than your dj bike. but you wouldn't have as much time together with your dj bike  

anyways. fast rolling tires and proper gears and a fork you can lock out makes commuting on a freeride bike much easier.


----------



## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

with the right seat post any of these bikes will be fine. consider the fact that some of these frames have longer seat tubes as the size goes up, while others only have longer TT's. the kona's will get progressively taller and longer with size, where as the chase and stp do not to my knowledge. i don't think the DMR does either, but i think the geo would be more suitable for a do it all bike.


----------



## cajunjay (Apr 24, 2007)

Alot of good info there guys.

I would love to buy two bikes but my budget wont allow it, I'll defo be looking for a STP, Chase or a DMR with gears and lock out fork.


----------



## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

Depends on your size as well, if you're a big guy you'll have to look at bikes that come in bigger sizes.
The STP works well for commuting (I ride it 15ks into town on the weekends to buy the paper). But I'm 5ft7 and I knew that I would just have to get a longer seatpost and Bobs your Aunty. However I couldn't resist upgrading a few other bits to make it more of an all round ride.

The geo is obviously different if you come off an XC hardtail, but once I got used to it there is certainly no going back. And besides the bike will suit what you enjoy doing most (dj's, park). The StP 0 model I brought came with 9 gears, switching to a 32t ring up front and getting a 11-34 cassette would make it a lot easier for your hilly commute, as long as you don't mind not pedalling all the way back down.


















Best thing is that it doesn't acutally weigh any more than a entry to mid level XC bike (Giant Alias with XM117 wheels, Tora 318 Air fork, Dues Bar, Evolve Stem, XT brakes etc)


----------



## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

frisky_zissou said:


> I have an STP. I didn't think I would be doing much if any distance riding when I got it but it has turned out well. Besides kicking ass on the DJs and local BMX tracks it rides better then allot of other bikes I have ridden over 5-6 miles.
> 
> The biggest thing is weight and tires basically. Kona's are HEAVY. My friends "Stuff" came in at 35 pounds with Pike and 9 speed drivetrain. Compare this to my 27pound stp and its obvious which one will be easier on the legs.
> 
> Not trying to get you to buy a STP, just saying look properly at what the bikes you asked about offer. If I were you I would go chase. Its a sweet bike. Just change the tires to schwallabe or kenda.


By feel of the stock build on both bikes, I highly doubt your stp is over 8lbs lighter than the kona stuff. I had one and it tipped the scale at 33lbs, an STP on the same scale with stock build was 32lbs.


----------



## cajunjay (Apr 24, 2007)

Nice bike you got there dude.

Im 5" 10 and even tho I was looking for an STP or Chase there few and far between here in the U.K

Instead Ive decided to build myself a Santa Cruz Chameleon as alot of people have praised it for being the best all rounder bar none.

Im just not sure on frame sizes i.e the largest STP against a 17" chameleon


----------



## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

Well I compared the smaller STP to the small Chameleon. For me it seemed that the small Chameleon was going to be too small & the medium too big. At your size though I would be looking at what you already are. 

Only drawback to the 17" Chameleon would be the seat tube height and weather it has bottle mounts that prevent the seat post from going all the way down (STP being the first bike I've had that actually doesn't).

I do have a 17" Giant Alias (which is like an entry level XC hardtail) If it was burlier (like the chameleon is) and could take a bit more travel (also if it was a tad smaller) I reckon it would be an ideal all rounder, so providing the Chameleon fits I'd say go for it. 

Doesn't help you much, but here's the comparo I did back when I was looking to buy.
Giant Santacruz
STP Chameleon
SIZE R S
TOP TUBE 560 548.64
HEAD TUBE 118 90
SEAT ANGEL 74 73
HA 69 70
WB 1057 1008
RC 406 419


----------



## amorphous (Jul 7, 2006)

great thread....

i've got a "commute"....15 miles one way....and 2 more miles to the sweetest DJ's in teh STL....

i'm thinking about riding my Jackal....

i must be insane!


----------



## TXPhisher (Oct 30, 2006)

I commute on my P1 w/ 32:16 gears... Heavy bike with an old dj3 but it's still fun so long as the seat is high enough.


----------



## TortugaTonta (Jun 14, 2004)

Since your in the UK, why is this not on the list...










just curious, they seem like they would be sweet bikes but I have never seen one,

Hype? or are they sweet?


----------



## Bunny5b (Sep 28, 2007)

I just bought and 08 STP SS for my do it all bike. P bikes and Chase are awesome, but I can't do it all with them. I am 6 foot.


----------



## euroford (Sep 10, 2006)

stick with steel.

you can put a der hanger on a mob or riot, or get the mod with vert. dropouts and have iscg tabs as well.


----------



## ncossey (Aug 26, 2008)

There is a reason its called Street, Trail, Park, because its made for all of those. I would recommend going with the stp, but dont buy a single speed unless you have a death wish for your legs, just go with a single chain ring up front, and a 7-9 speed setup in the back, it doesnt add much weight and gives you a large amount of gear ratio to work with on the hills and downhills on the roads where you wanna pick up speed. I personally ride a DK ux-26 and its great for commuting, but good luck finding one Im one of 200 owners in the world


----------



## Bunny5b (Sep 28, 2007)

ncossey said:


> There is a reason its called Street, Trail, Park, because its made for all of those. I would recommend going with the stp, but dont buy a single speed unless you have a death wish for your legs, just go with a single chain ring up front, and a 7-9 speed setup in the back, it doesnt add much weight and gives you a large amount of gear ratio to work with on the hills and downhills on the roads where you wanna pick up speed. I personally ride a DK ux-26 and its great for commuting, but good luck finding one Im one of 200 owners in the world


Unless you can't take it, I don't know many people who try single speed only to go back to geared bikes. Yes it sucks spinning out when your on the road, but if you get out of the saddle, there should not be any hills that you cannot dominate on the road.


----------



## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

Bunny5b said:


> Unless you can't take it, I don't know many people who try single speed only to go back to geared bikes. Yes it sucks spinning out when your on the road, but if you get out of the saddle, there should not be any hills that you cannot dominate on the road.


Well I was one of those people - I tried single speed but in the end decided that the versatility of having 9 gears in the back was more suited to the riding I was doing. I didn't mind spinning out on the downhills - because in reality I just shift to the larger gear and spin in tempo with the speed without pushing to go faster anyway. I also didn't mind pushing up some of the harder hills. But after a long trail ride for the first time ever I got a sore knee, and when you're tired the littlest looking hill can seem hard with SS gearing. So to save my knees (which I value very much) and for the versatility of shifting down and just spinning up some hills I went back to 1x9.
But yes on the road there was no problem, and both SS / geared seemed to take the same amount of time to do the 15k commute into town.


----------



## Bunny5b (Sep 28, 2007)

Okay, if your knee hurts that's fine. There is no point in blowing our your knee just because single speed is awesome. Most 1x9 have a chain guide in the front and I think that that is uglier than a front derailer.

PS, Have you seen the new Hammerschmit Crankset from Truvativ. If I had to go with a derailer in the front, I would want that.

Sorry to go off topic.


----------



## whattree? (Nov 2, 2005)

This year,canondale makes a chase that can climb.Similar to the all mountain p series specialized has been doing.


----------



## Bunny5b (Sep 28, 2007)

That chase should even be called a chase. I should be called an F7 with cheap dirt jumping parts. It has a CO2 frame. I was going to check out that chase 3 or a brass, but I would have been better off fixing my giant boulder.


----------

