# do i need a 24 or a 26



## thespook25 (Apr 22, 2011)

hey im 14years old and 5,2 and 98lbs. my question is what size do i want? I want a geared bike not a single speed and i have a 400 to 600$ price range. any thoughts?


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## Mr. 68 Hundred (Feb 6, 2011)

Test ride. I recently got into urban and thought about 20, 24 or 26. Went to my LBS and found out that I'm horribly uncomfortable on a 20 (full size Giant Method) or 24 (some other Giant). Bought a 2009 STP zero and couldn't be happier.


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

thespook25 said:


> hey im 14years old and 5,2 and 98lbs. my question is what size do i want? I want a geared bike not a single speed and i have a 400 to 600$ price range. any thoughts?


what kind of riding do you want to do ? do you want to do (1) tricks/stunts, jumping, skatepark,etc. . . . . or (2) cover some distance on cross-country trails and do freeride-style natural-terrain riding?

if the answer is (1), then singlespeed is better. it's simpler, doesn't get out of whack, and almost everyone else in this scene runs singlespeed.
if your answer is (2), then gears.

next, if (1), then what percentage of tricks do you want to learn? if you want to learn everything from 360 bunnyhops to tailwhips and barspins... then at your age and size, i say definitely go with a 20" wheel BMX.

if you only want to go fast and hit some bigger jumps and ride some rougher terrain (trails and jumps), then MTB-Dirt Jumper may be better. although guys do a lot of technical tricks on MTB's, they are definitely easier to learn on a 20" BMX, (esp. for your size and age).

ideally, you should have both a BMX and an MTB. you get the best of both worlds and it will make you a better rider all around.

if you do get an MTB Dirt Jumper, i recommend 24" wheels over 26". or, if you do get 26"s make sure you get a small frame.

do NOT necessarily listen to your local bike shop employee's advice . . . . maybe things are different now, but when i was younger most bike shops carried just a handful of bmx bikes (and didn't know much about it), no dirt jump mtb's, and all the employees were cross-country riders or road racers. those type of guys might give you completely wrong advice about bike sizing, if you're looking at mtb dirt jumpers and bmx.

*FIT Aitken 1*








https://www.empirebmx.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9742

then there's the 24" wheel BMX option:

*We The People Avenger 24":*










or a 24" wheel dirt jumper, like the DMR Transition 24" or DMR Drone 24". even though they're from europe, your local bike shop may be able to order them.
https://www.dmrbikes.com/?Section=products&pageType=category&category=1&categoryName=Bikes

*Blackmarket Contraband 24" wheel specific:*









*Eastern Mad Dog 26" wheel dirt jumper $675*








https://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI267R02-Eastern+Mad+Dog+Bike+2011.aspx

check out videos . . . and think about what styles of riding you like the best 
plussizebmx.com has videos of all wheel sizes (20/24/26)

BMX videos:

*Terry Adams and Aaron Ross, combo edit*





*Chase Hawk Odyssey Web Vid *





*Aj Anaya's How Tuesday BMX Trick Tips: Tailwhip *





MTB videos:

*Coastal Crew Ep. 9 Coast to Coast*





*Adam Hauck flips for Highland! *


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## Kona_CT (Apr 25, 2010)

Awesome info posted by cmc.

I'm 5'2" as well (although I weigh 140) and I got both a 20" and a 26". My 20" is my street ride but my 26" does everything. I went with an '08 Kona Cowan because I wanted gears but also a DJ style bike. I bet if you found one on Craigslist it'd be around your price range. There's different size frames so you'll find one that fits. It's a jack of all trades bike for me - urban assault with my buds, city cruising with my gf, trail trail cruising with the old man every now and then, and mtb trails, too.


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## thespook25 (Apr 22, 2011)

there is a large 16 inch kona stuff for 600$. but its a large?should i get it.


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## thespook25 (Apr 22, 2011)

oh and i plan on doing more of the adam hauck type of riding.dirt jumps mostly.but it will be my only bike so i cinda need it to have gears.


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## thespook25 (Apr 22, 2011)

what would a good frame size be for me?


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## Kona_CT (Apr 25, 2010)

When I was looking at bikes I was mostly looking at smalls. I've borrowed a friend's medium for a few trail rides and it was ok. My GF brought her old (OLD haha) small sized Trek and I was able to ride it for a test ride around my block after I tuned it up... but I wouldn't be able to do much more with it.

It'll definitely depend on the bike. Sucks, I know but it does. At any rate, I'm going to say a large will be too big - especially for jumping (though realistically any large would be too big for you / us). I'd think a small would be a good fit. I can slam my seat for messing around but can also raise it up to go for trail rides.


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## OGJON (Apr 15, 2009)

@ your age & size get a geared 4x/dirt jumper wheel size doesn't really matter.


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