Building up a pump track bike?

Spending more time at the pump track with my lad, the long, low, slack Vitus isn’t the tool for the job!

Never been into this sort of riding/dirt jumps etc so know NOTHING

what am I looking for? I’m 6′ 2 as an aside so no idea on frame size ?

I’m 6’2″ and I’ve got a Fit 22″ BMX because I gave into curiosity. It’s so good that I sold my very nice Transition PBJ as I just didn’t want to ride the big wheels anymore.

Mine was £450 brand new around black Friday time last year. They do pop up used and they’re dirt cheap.

Nice and I’d not look too much of a **** on it

Size doesn’t really matter, you want the shortest wheelbase you can pedal to the track on.

It looks and feels like a real BMX until you park up next to one and see it’s just a bit bigger in every dimension. It works for me. The problem is I can’t resist planning a really posh version.

I’ve been eyeing up dirt jump and BMX for pedaling round with my wee one on his single speed Isla bike.

At 6’4 what size of bike can I ride? Any old BMX? Any old XXL BMX race bike?

Look out for a Fit Series 22 or a Wethepeople Audio.

Both 22″ BMX’s very popular with old Dad’s and lanky units. Miles faster on a tight pump track than a DJ bike.

There’s 2 Fit’s on marketplace and one of them is full chrome. I’m tempted by it myself.

Following with interest as I’ve just started building a pump track/jump bike. I want it pedallable too for self-uplifting at places like GT and Laggan. No rush so accumulating bits very slowly and build it over the winter.

Got a 26″ SC Chameleon frame to start with. It’s much less BMXy than that above, have I gone down the wrong route? I was thinking full retro with Marzocchi 66s and old Hope hubs on Mavic D321s, and going singlespeed

Yes 66s have DJing written all over them ?

At your height and if you’re used to riding modern geometry 29″ mtbs and a complete novice to pumptrack/skatepark riding. Don’t waste your money on a BMX. Even a 22″ wheel BMX or an XXL race bike is going to feel super unstable and twitchy under you. And contrary to popular belief BMX’s are far more challenging to manual and jump and even corner as well on than a 26″ DJ bike. Especially if you’re coming from large mtbs . You’ll also probably shit yourself when you find out just how poor BMX brakes are. A BMX is also not noticeably any faster than a DJ bike on a pumptrack at all it just feels a whole lot sketchier going the same speed on 20″ wheels and a 6″ shorter wheelbase. so long as you have suitably fast rolling tyres and are running around 70-80psi both wheelsizes roll on pumptrack asphalt just as fast.

If I were you I’d be looking for a secondhand DJ bike with around a 22″ toptube (often listed as L for long or large). There are literally hundreds of 26″ DJ bikes on Pinkbike for sale. plenty under $500. Trying to build something from frame up even with second hand parts would probably work out fairly expensive and if you don’t really know what you’re doing there’s a good chance it’ll end up being compromised or just a bit crap. The Chameleon above is a good example. Old 26″ chameleon frames in small weren’t actually a million miles away from DJ geometry but a 170mm fork and 690g retro DH rims are both awful choices to fit to any DJ bike. even more so a 20yr old Alloy XC frame.

I disagree with most of that last post especially since it’s based on assumptions. I’ve been on properly LLS bikes with big wheels since 2017 and I love the 22″. I owned it alongside the PBJ for a while and rode both to see which I preferred. The 26 got cut from the team.

I’m assuming @bikerevivesheffield is based in Sheffield. If you ever want to try my bike at Charnock,  Hillsborough or Bolehills or something just let me know.

Oh, I agree about the brakes. All BMX brakes are shit. That’s why I’m looking at a disc compatible frame as a Christmas present to myself.

There are plenty of Saracen Amplitudes around on eBay etc for cheap, saw a nice teal/blue one for £200 the other day. Only issue is the steel ones are straight steerer so you’re pretty much limited to old forks or Manitou Circus which still comes with a straight option. I’ve been thinking of getting a DJ for a while, think it’d be more suitable for the local hardpack surfaced bike parks than my 29″ trail bike. Will probably sell my road bike after winter to fund one.

I slightly disagree about u-brakes, though it’s been a while! A decent stiff brake like the Odyssey Evolver (or whatever the modern alternative is), clean chrome rim, de-glazed pads that are toe’d in and adjusted properly can stop pretty well. I had no issues locking up the wheels and I was a lot heavier back then too. Discs are obviously better but u-brakes can work when set up well. There used to be a great BMX brake guide on Bikeguide.

Edit – found it https://web.archive.org/web/20100201060652/http://www.bikeguide.org/how-to/brakes/brakes.php

I used to spend a lot of time on pumptracks and much preferred a jump bike to the BMX. Would like to try a big wheeled BMX but the jump bike was always fast enough for me and yes, BMX brakes are only marginally better than a slight headwind.

My Floval Flyer was a beautiful thing to ride on a pump track. Cruiser race BMX so not as twitchy as a 20″ race BMX, and handled just fine.

Quite lightweight too, as it wasn’t expecting to do ridiculous jumps to flat on concrete, but plenty strong enough for my aspirations.

When my boys stopped being interested in BMX I sold it for the same as I’d bought it.

More modern race bikes have a hydraulic disc brake, but to be honest brakes really don’t matter that much on a pump-track – just swerve off into the undergrowth if a kid runs across you 😉

When they built a pumptrack in the village, I repurposed my old XS BFe frame. 26″ wheels with Billy Bonkers, some old 100mm Society DJ forks and singlespeed. Kept a dropper for pedalling to and from the track and does the job pretty well. Keep thinking about grabbing a BMX but don’t really ride the track often enough to warrant that.

Interestingly, while the BFe does the job well enough, my much longer, lower and slacker Transmitter on its chunky 27.5+ tyres is faster and easier to pump round the pump track even if it doesn’t leave the ground as much…

@sharkattack

Cheers buddy I might take you up on that!!

Contrary to sharkattack I have a 22″ WTP Audio – I do like it but prefer the Nukeproof Solum in Long that I built up afterwards (and gave the Audio to my 14 yr old boy so can still ride it). For reference I’m 6’3″ and have taken both to Newhaven pump track, my similarly averagely skilled mates all prefer the 26″. That said the boy prefers the Audio but that might be because it’s his and BMXs are cooler

I think if you are a mountain biker and used to long 29ner’s with soft baggy bridleway suspension, a BMX is going to take some getting used to. I’m not saying it can’t be done, just that it may well be a bit of a rude awakening, especially if your bike handling/jumping skills are rudimentary and you are above average height.

I’m in the get a 26” DJ or if you can find a suitable (strong enough) small for you body size oldish 26” HT with low standover. I just think it is less jarring and gives you more options. If you’re determined to learn tricks and show off, a BMX all the way!