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  • This topic has 25 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 9 years ago by JoeG.
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  • 26 inch BMX – are they any good?
  • JoeG
    Free Member

    I’m thinking about getting one for riding at a couple of indoor bike parks. Singlespeed, no suspension seems like the right idea. LBS has an older model on sale, too. 2012 OM Flyer

    I’ve never been to an indoor bike park using the excuse that I don’t want to damage a rear derailleur and such. Ray’s is probably a 2 hr drive, and now there is one in Pittsburgh maybe 1/2 hour away,

    Is a 26″ BMX the right answer or an I just being a pathetic 40 something trying to be a kid again? 🙂

    Edit – mainly looking to ride the woodwork and pump track. Tires firmly on the ground as I can only jump in my dreams…

    Posted 9 years ago
    Speeder
    Full Member

    Looks great, it’s a classic name from a classic company (though whether it’s the same company it was I have no idea) but just be aware that if you’re used to a full sus or even just a hardtail it’s going to be very rigid – if that’s not stating the obvious.

    Posted 9 years ago
    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    I’m a few years off 40, but mates just opened a bmx park and I’ve given it a try – LOADs of fun to be had on proper 26″ BMXs

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    but just be aware that if you’re used to a full sus or even just a hardtail it’s going to be very rigid – if that’s not stating the obvious.

    Good point. I do have a couple of retrobikes that are rigid, and I ride them a some for a change of pace on local trails. If someone has only ridden full suspension, it could be quite a shock, though,

    Posted 9 years ago
    Jake25
    Full Member

    26″ no, no, no. What you want is a nice 29er 😉

    http://psbmx.com/2013/07/18/sesanta-cruz/

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    26″ no, no, no. What you want is a nice 29er

    If I was taller. I think that the top tube would be too high for my stumpy legs. 🙁

    Posted 9 years ago
    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    I had an SE OM Flyer a few years back. Rode like a pig.

    24″ Skayway TAs on Alan’s BMX. ALANS BMX

    Posted 9 years ago
    Euro
    Free Member

    Any bigger than 20″ and it’s not really a bmx imo. For what you are after something like a DMR Wrath would be better in every way – unless you want to race cruiser class at a bmx meet.

    Winstanleys had them for £320 (normally around 400) but are sold out. They do have the 24″ for under £300.

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    I don’t want a 24″ BMX as I really don’t need/want another tire and wheel size!

    Euro – Member

    Any bigger than 20″ and it’s not really a bmx imo.

    I agree, Euro. But what do you call them? They’re not mountain bikes or anything else. 26″ BMX seems like the most accurate. I have no plans to race it, either.

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    bigblackshed – Member

    I had an SE OM Flyer a few years back. Rode like a pig.

    bbs – what do you mean by this? Compared to a regular BMX? I know that the OM Flyer is pretty heavy (just under 30 lbs) but all of the 26″ BMX bikes seem to be around the same weight. They’re steel, so its to be expected I guess.

    As in the original post, I’m looking for something to ride at an indoor bike park instead of a geared MTB. Would the OM Flyer be good for this IYO?

    Posted 9 years ago
    Euro
    Free Member

    The bikes that look like bmxs but have bigger wheels are (or were known as) cruisers. 26″ bmxs are only really for racing. That Wrath is a 26″ mtb designed for park and jumping and far better suited to that purpose than a cruiser.

    I’d agree about not going for 24″.

    Posted 9 years ago
    qwerty
    Free Member

    Get a 20″ and do BMX properly.

    Posted 9 years ago
    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    Mine was an alu one. Race angles rather than park/jump. It was dead, lifeless. The high rise bars didn’t give the same feeling as a high front end that you find on 26″ jump bikes. Long chain stays so it was hard to manual.

    It was nice as a “nice pub bike”. Cruising about rather than hooning about. Nice looking but and a bit of a talking point. It just didn’t ride very well.

    My 2 pennies worth, buy a park/jump/street bike if you want to go ragging it around some jumps, etc.

    Posted 9 years ago
    westcoastmassive
    Free Member

    that om flyer looks all shiney and nice, but its use will be pretty restricted compared to a lot of bikes. surely youd be better getting a 4x bike with 100mm forks, or even a small hardtail like a bfe. ive had a bfe for a couple of years now and im always hooning about doing street-style tricks on it and larking around on pump tracks and jumps. i wouldnt think twice about taking it to the skatepark, the short back end makes it well good for that type of riding. either that or get a light 20″ bmx and enjoy the maximum benefits. im 45 and even im not too old for bmxing!!

    Posted 9 years ago
    TheBrick
    Free Member

    In your situation I’d be tempted with slapping some rigid fork on a 26″ dirt jump bike. More choice in the second hand market too.

    Posted 9 years ago
    toby1
    Full Member

    I bought a 24″ a while back for a track bike. But both my mates got 20″ and I. Reckon theirs are more fun/chuckable. Just an opinion though.

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    This isn’t turning out the way I wanted it to. 🙁 You were all supposta say stuff like “That is the most awesome bike that I have ever seen!” “It is perfect and will make you into a riding god no matter what type of riding you use it for” and similar stuff like that. 😆 I don’t want to hear that its style over substance and that I really should consider something else. 😡

    My regular LBS recommended something along the lines of the Redline D26 which seems to me more in line with the views above (except for the 20″ BMX crowd).

    So maybe the LBS really does know what I need after all. The only problem is that the Redline was a little under $1000, where the OM Flyer is on sale for under $400 (was over $700, I think).

    Posted 9 years ago
    torquil
    Free Member

    Is a 26″ BMX the right answer

    no it just plain isn’t – they are just simply too big to work well unless you have really good skills. 20″ is best or 24″ if you must.

    try it and see is my advice – I ride 26″ on my jump bike on jump/pump tracks and occasionally take it in the park but my 20″ bmx will just always do the job better, like a 29er does XC better. On a 26″ you run out of room too quick.

    As for the pathetic 40 something being a kid, well I’m 41 and ride in the park at least once a week (3 times this week) and I love it, do it, but get the proper tool for the job.

    Posted 9 years ago
    iamroughrider
    Free Member

    IMHO – that oem flyer looks more like a bmx race bike type bike rather than a park bike, and thus isn’t likely to be as strong or as much fun. They look like fun cruiser type bikes really.( i recon anyway )

    The DMR looks strong.

    Just get a 20inch bmx with a long top tube if you tall.Will be much more fun at a skatepark, or a strong park / street type 24 inch bmx( if you can get them?)or jump bike .BMX Tyres will last ages anyway indoors, and even is your riding offroad a bit then tyres are easy to come by.

    Generally – if you see a bmx with just a rear v brake – then it’s for racing or cruising around on – and not much else. ( Like that skyway bike ) Some decent dirt jump mtbs have a just a v brake though which is fine. A rigid basic dirt jump bike would be ideal if 20 inch is not your thing ( this could well have a v brake which is fine )

    24 inch dj could be good for indoor parks. That’s what i’d prolly go for, if i’d decided against a 20 inch bmx.

    like this

    or this

    Posted 9 years ago
    HansRey
    Full Member

    i always liked the look of the GT Inteceptor 26 and GT Performer 26. They’re not available in Europe, unfortunately. Luckily, i’m going to the US later this year…

    I wouldn’t fancy it as a true dj/park bike, but it would be nice for cruising around.


    Posted 9 years ago
    robdob
    Free Member

    I am building up a similar bike but it’s a bit of history. One of the first 100 DMR Trailstars ever made…..

    Going to be singlespeed with P2 jump forks and all sorts of NOS DMR stuff kindly supplied by DMR themselves.

    Posted 9 years ago
    HansRey
    Full Member

    that looks ace, robdob. How old is it?

    I’m building up a GT Hans No Way Rey frame (05) atm. HS33’s, zee drive train and rigid onza forks. Similar to

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    Hans – I was lusting after that chrome GT Performer a couple of years ago when they were available. They looked fantastic! But the el-cheapo stamped steel seatclamp on a steel seatpost kinda tipped me off that it wasn’t a serious bike…

    But I don’t think that I have communicated clearly what sort of riding I plan to do on it. I’m not thinking BMX park stuff like a halfpipe and that, but indoor MTB. Mostly wooden features; probably also some pumptrack. I don’t foresee me jumping on it, either. I think I’d be riding stuff like this:

    So, is the OM Flyer decent for this sort of stuff, or should I be looking more at a jump bike? Jump bike with suspension fork wouldn’t be good for pumptrack though, would it?

    Edit – sorry the pics are so small. Those are the thumbnails, and the bigger pic pops up in another window. But I can’t “copy image location” on the popup. 😕 http://www.raysmtb.com/raysmedia/pictures.html

    Posted 9 years ago
    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Joe, if you’re not getting airborne I’d go with a cheap secondhand 20 – if you don’t like it then sell it and buy a bigger wheeled version but for pump track stuff they can’t be beaten. I do find mine scary in the air but it’s fine close to the ground and I feel like it makes me a better rider than a larger wheeled slower reacting equivalent would.

    Posted 9 years ago
    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    Jump bike or small framed 100mm / rigid forked MTB. The OM Flyer is for cruising about on. I tried a bit of BMX racing on mine and it was too big and unwieldy for the tracks I rode. No good in the skatepark either.

    YMMV of course, just my opinion based on owning one and trying to ride the same kind of things you are suggesting.

    It was a great cruising pub bike.

    Posted 9 years ago
    JoeG
    Free Member

    Ok; it looks like my stylin’ chrome 26″ BMX dream has been dashed. 😥

    So will look more at jump bikes and such. I really enjoy building and modifying my bikes, but I’m probably looking for a complete bike this time as I would have absolutely no idea how to build one out properly. 😳

    There was a Kona Cowan on Craigslist yesterday, but size large. 😕

    Posted 9 years ago
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