# Why ride a 24" when you can ride a 20"?



## Joe18 (Apr 13, 2008)

First, by no means am I saying anything bad about these bikes, I'm actually thinking about building one up just for the heck of it.
My question is why would you want to ride a DJ bike when you can ride a BMX bike that is more manuverable, lighter, cheaper etc., other than the fact that they're cool as hell looking?


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## EndersShadow (Jun 27, 2008)

Well if you're a full grown adult the answer is quite simple....if you're a little boy....then you might not get it. I mean no offense to those adults who ride bmx...they just are not comfortable for me or any of my older friends.


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

Ride whatever you want and don't worry about everyone else's mode of transportation... much easier this way.


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## sittingduck (Apr 26, 2005)

Bigger wheels are easier to ride. The bike is more stable and more predictable. Suspension makes things easier still. Not everyone has the desire or ability to handle a very small, rigid bike.
And what JGill said.... ride what you like, and don't discriminate.


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## LandoCommando (Feb 26, 2009)

I ride a 26 normally but at the park the other day I rode some kids bmx for about 10 min while I let him play kickstand to my 6x more expensive 26".
Let me tell you I musta looked goofy as hell riding that thing because I sure felt the same way. Im 6'3" and just not sized appropriately for a bike with 20" tires. 
Now I might have felt a bit more comfortable if I had grown up on bmx bikes but it still looks massively un-proportional and felt like I was the bear in the circus that rides the tiny bike.


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

To each his/her own. I"m a full grown adult and primarily ride 20. Mostly cuz I ride street/ park and 20 feels perfect there. I ride my 24 on trails because again it feels more comfortable. As far as stability I think it's more on the rider than size of wheel. To me bigger doesn't mean more stable.


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## pnj (Dec 15, 2008)

20 plus years on a 20 inch> back surgery > 26 inch.

:thumbsup:


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

26" still makes my back hurt : (


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

I think it's the bike set up that would or wouldn't prevent a hurt back.


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## Err (Mar 21, 2005)

In case the poster was actually curious about why someone would opt to run a smaller wheel than a 26 and not just drop all the way down to a 20...

My DJ & pump track bike is a 24" Superco Satellite. The reason I went for 24's is that I wanted the tighter wheel base and quicker handling of the 24's (yes it's rather significant) but in a package that had the ergos of a MTB. Also, 24's handle rough jumps and berms quite a bit better than 20's and when the suspension fork is factored in, it's even more so. For me, it's just about perfect. But they are a niche build and not for everyone.

I had several friends that got stoked on 24's and then sold them and either went back to 26's (mostly dirt jumpers) or went with 20's (mostly street/park riders).


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## TortugaTonta (Jun 14, 2004)

I got one because james allways got so excited riding his...


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## lukehooligan (Jun 20, 2008)

rode a 20 for a decade, now if i spend more than an hour riding one i hurt for days, can ride my 26" fully rigid nighttrain all day and feel fine. i also do a lot of single track/trail riding as well and when you ride 20+ miles a week on an mtb switching to a 20 inch feels really messed up. my trail bike has only slightly different geometry than my street/park bike so switching between the 2 is no big deal.


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## Demo-9 (Mar 24, 2006)

Gotta agree with Err. 24" MTB is the perfect tweener. I am old and gave up on 20" back in the old BMX racing days. Switched to Cruiser class then. Eventually got into DH and FR riding so going back to a 20" was just way too much to switch in between bikes.

Started with my Mob (26") and ride it nearly everywhere. Some places I ride it is very tight and a lot of 20" riders build to their liking. It could manage with the Mob but really wanted something smaller. I was seeing more and more of the niche 24" bikes popping up and got the urge to build one. Decided on a USB Molly. Started off with an old Sherman on it and it was OK but felt awkward. Then went rigid which was good but hurt the wrists too much. Now going to a RS Recon with lockout feature. SHould be the perfect fit.

So I guess in short 24" is the perfect in between bike. For those who can't/don't like rigid 20" it is the perfect fit.


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## Axis (Mar 11, 2004)

I have ridden 24's for about 8 years. Various mtb's with 24... steelhead, evil doc and a molly for the last 3 years.

The tonic or USB are the only real 24 options IMHO.

I bought a 20" yesterday and rode DJ's all day on it. I don't think I will touch my USB for a long time. The 20" rocks jumping. I am 40 and have had serious knee and arm/wrist/hand injuries and I can still ride a rigid bike but it took me a few years to get back. My BMX has 14" stays and 21" TT and it feels perfect. I actually can pull manuals now.


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## hofferfish (Feb 5, 2006)

It seems to me an important distinction to make that you can get sizeably larger bmx frames than are typically stock on a complete bike from a store or danscomp. A 20" TT bmx and a 21" feel drastically different size wise and some companies even make 22"s


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## lukehooligan (Jun 20, 2008)

hofferfish said:


> It seems to me an important distinction to make that you can get sizeably larger bmx frames than are typically stock on a complete bike from a store or danscomp. A 20" TT bmx and a 21" feel drastically different size wise and some companies even make 22"s


that's true, i always rode a 21" top tube and couldn't stand anything shorter. the main thing though is if you put a 26 inch dj bike next to a 20 inch bmx, the bottom bracket height isn't that much different but the height of the bars in relation to the bottom bracket is drastically different, you're much more upright on a 26, or 24 even. in order to make a bmx that way someone would need to start making bars with a 10 inch rise or more. as i said i have always rode a 21 inch tt and also 7.75" rise bars, and in comparison to my nighttrain when standing up on the bike i'm very comfortable on the nighttrain and feel like i'm trying to reach down and touch my toes on my bmx. that being said, if it weren't for the fact that my 20 feels totally wrong these days because of all the mtb trail riding i do and my body no longer finds it comfortable,i'd totally still be riding it.


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

im 6'5" and ride a 20" TT bmx. i ride my bars a bt more forward to compensate for the lacking TT length. i probably need that 22" TT that some companys make. im going to 8" riser bars now (should be here tomorrow (have like 7.4" or something like that now)) so it will add to the comfort factor. i have a 26" XC bike and my bmx. i switch between the two and dont have much trouble.

im quite comfortable on my bmx. i like the smallness because i can get it in tighter spaces easier.


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

wow 20" is really short for your height, yea you probably love the feel of a 21.5 or 22.


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## Joe18 (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks everyone.

And I'm like 5'10 or something and my 20.75 feels tiny for some reason even with my 7.75 rise bars, next frame I buy is probobly going to be a 21".


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## DavidNeiles (May 8, 2008)

I prefer to DJ on a 24" BMX and love it. I prefer a 22" TT at 5'10"


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

I guess the question is why ride a 20" when you can ride 24" or 26"?

Ehhhhhhhhhhh>!?!??!


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

gbosbiker said:


> im 6'5" and ride a 20" TT bmx. i ride my bars a bt more forward to compensate for the lacking TT length. i probably need that 22" TT that some companys make. im going to 8" riser bars now (should be here tomorrow (have like 7.4" or something like that now)) so it will add to the comfort factor. i have a 26" XC bike and my bmx. i switch between the two and dont have much trouble.
> 
> im quite comfortable on my bmx. i like the smallness because i can get it in tighter spaces easier.


my Macneil Deuce Deuce (22"tt) with 9" rise Solid Roseanne bars, next to Faction 22" wheel (yes 22" wheel) Zeitgeist with 8.25" rise T1 Paul B. bars. Interesting comparison.










Faction next to a 24" DK General Lee


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## Joe18 (Apr 13, 2008)

I ride a 20 for manuverability and price. And I'm not riding a 24 or 26 brakeless, and I dont think that barspins would be very easy spinning a 26 wheel.


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## Chris C (Mar 27, 2009)

I race BMX almost exclusively (hit a few trails or Ray's). I bought/built a Black Market this spring and have literally parked the 24" standard I was racing in 35-39 cruiser. 

I do find the BM to be more stable and comfortable for me. I am not even close to the top tier riders in my class, but have made my mains at 10 out of 11 nationals - the last 2 were on the Black Market. 

So, for me, a guy who rode and raced 20 and 24 BITD, and parked the 20" last winter, the 26" is a VERY good BMX racing bike.


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

ServeEm said:


> wow 20" is really short for your height, yea you probably love the feel of a 21.5 or 22.


i probably would like the feel, but i dont have a few hundred bucks to throw at a new frame.


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

gbosbiker said:


> i probably would like the feel, but i dont have a few hundred bucks to throw at a new frame.


For a 20" bmx frame I'm sure you can find a used 21"tt frame for 100-150.


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

ServeEm said:


> For a 20" bmx frame I'm sure you can find a used 21"tt frame for 100-150.


all of my money from my job is going towards college (still in high school) or my 26" XC race bike. it needs a massize overhaul. so any money i can squeeze out cant go towards the bmx.

the bmx is just something to ride and romp around on so i dont kill my good bikes.


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## clewttu (May 16, 2007)

stafford loans = money


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## veloreality (May 10, 2009)

too big to ride a 20"bmx....not possible. 
its not possible to grow out of a 20''


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## ServeEm (Jun 15, 2005)

Love my 20, gonna rip up the park in a bit with her.


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## Axis (Mar 11, 2004)

I now have serious time in on my 20 now. Love it. I can hop and jump higher and farther.

Here she is with new tires and stem.


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