Dirt jump type bikes (for pumptrack)

I like a bit of pump track time when I get a chance and there are loads of the things popping up in and around Bristol. My favourite one so far is Stockwood which also has a large table top line of jumps down the hillside above the pump track.

I currently have a Haro cruiser bmx which was ok for cheap – but I still feel like it periodically wants to kill me and it’s a clunky old thing. Thinking of selling it (maybe £100) and getting a dirt jump bike for the same use.

Ideally I’d get an Airdrop Fade, but they’re way out of budget as nice as they are. Ideally I don’t want to spend more than about £600-£700.

So I’m currently thinking secondhand fade or maybe a dmr sect. Although on the latter I don’t love the colours.

Is there anything else around that sort of budget that people have used and liked? Thinking 26” wheels, singlespeed, 100mm suspension fork and something like maxxis dth or billy bonkers tyres so it’s nice and fast.

Thinking 26” wheels, singlespeed, 100mm suspension fork and something like maxxis dth or billy bonkers tyres so it’s nice and fast.

Exactly right. Proceed as planned. Loads of the things on Marketplace and Pinkbike.

Radio Asura coming up in budget tok – prefer the look of that to the DMR. No idea if it’s any good?

Radio Asura DJ 26" Complete Bike

There is a beautiful Airdrop Fade for £1k on fb classifieds – wondering whether to make a cheeky offer on that when I get paid in March 🤔

Never heard of the Radio but it looks like it’s straight out of the modern DJ mould so probably not too bad.

I’d go used to get better components for the money. There’s a surprising amount of Fades for sale, I’d lowball every one of them on payday!

I’d add the Transition PBJ to your search. That’s what I’ve got and I love it. Looks like they’ve shot up in price recently though, I paid £270 for my first frame not £800!

So I’ve found a Fade for £1k (the £1399 one) – but I reckon they’re probably a hard sell secondhand so could go in low and see what they say.

If not I’ve found a lovely looking red 2021 DMR Sect Pro for £420.

I think one of those might be the one. Got an unexpectedly large bonus at work (paid out in March) so going to treat myself I think.

I’m keen to avoid a fork with chrome legs that’s going to corrode and look horrible if it gets wet. Also keen to avoid the horrible steel bmx style cranks with the chainring that is only held in the correct place with a single bolt. The one on the Haro seems to have a point where the chain gets tighter at one point in the revolution of the cranks. Annoying.

A Transition PBJ would go nicely with my Sentinel – but I think they’re a bit out of budget.

I have a fade, you need it in your life

@nwgiles – is yours the shorter or longer one?

I’ve got a GT La Bombay (purple version) with the burly fork. Only used on pump tracks and skateparks and maybe only a few dozen times.
It’s up for sale for less than your budget, or will be soon. Based up in Lancashire but could possibly arrange to ship it down if you wanted it?

Brilliant fun but I’ve got a weak wrist and so not using it anymore.

@joebristol mine is the original when they only made one size, if you are up north wales you are welcome to try

You’ll get an NS Bikes (various frames) or Cube Flying Circus (seen a few like new SH) for reasonable money. There’s loads secondhand in good condition as owners buy with good intentions but find it’s a lot harder than it looks or spanner themselves in short order!

Quick google here’s one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276102162138?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338749377&toolid=20006&_ul=GB&customid=GB_888_276102162138.142582812373~1920524060567-g_EAIaIQobChMI3a3z6f7JhAMVC5FQBh0-5wBvEAQYBSABEgKIuPD_BwE

@keefezza – thanks for the offer but I’m hoping to pick one up locally ideally – so I can have a good look at it and get a feel for the size. Good luck though.

@nwgiles – thanks – I wish I could get up there. Loved Dyfi when I went there last year (Forest and bike park!

DMR Sect Custom looks better than the standard one, the top tube doesn’t seem to slope down so much. Looks awesome in the grey colour.

YT Dirt Love looks good too and I’ve seen some used ones in your budget.

Saracen were selling off the Amplitudes quite cheap recently I think.

@_tom_ that sect does look very nice I’ll give you that!

Will have a look at the saracens – assume they were the ones being given away free if you bought certain mountain bikes.

I had negotiated a bit on a Fade but it was proving tricky to arrange a time to go and view it – so I went nuts and ordered a Privateer DJ101 today. See when it turns up.

Think it’s a touch less fancy than a Fade (hasn’t got the inbuilt chain tugs) but it’s still got a Circus expert fork and it runs a front brake which the Airdrop doesn’t. I know I don’t need one for pump track but I’d like it there for riding to and from pump tracks.

Good effort. That’s the type of decisive purchasing decision I like to see.

For anyone else who is on the fence, I just saw these advertised for half price and they look decent…

http://www.skatehut.co.uk/mongoose-26-m-fireball

For those possibly eyeing up a Nukeproof Solum, be warned that they issued a product recall on the 2022 black and green frames (I got an email yesterday). Bit crap given I’ve barely ridden mine yet. Might have to swap the parts over to a Fade.

Anyone else rocking GT LaBomba there has been a recall for a free frame swap

Got mine booked in next week, replacement frames are black only

“GT has announced a recall of GT LaBombas sold between October 2018 and September 2023 because the frames could fail”

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/gt-announces-recall-of-labomba-bikes-following-concerns-of-frame-failure.html

Love a pump track / DJ bike. Mine has gone on the upgrade path a little, what started off as a cheap way to reuse some parts has gone a bit OTT. Through a serious of judicious upgrades and frame swaps what started off as this:

Now looks like this:

Picked this Amplitude up before Christmas for £300. It’s had a few upgrades ( Recon fork , better brake, burgtech kit). Also needed some bearings and slightly taller gearing, but it rides nicely and feels like the right tool for pump track practice. Looking forward to hitting S4P dirt jumps to see how different it is to a long, low 29″ trail bike

Good couple of bikes above – I did have a look for an amplitude as well as a sect pro / Fade / Canyon Stitched 360 but a lot of people are still asking strong money for them secondhand and as a breed they’re either hardly used or rusty and battered in a lot of cases.

Anyone on here living in Bristol? Once I get the new bike I want to go over to Stockwood as I haven’t been there since last summer. Weather has been gopping and didn’t fancy slick tarmac.

My Haro went last night – advertised it Wednesday night and gone by Thursday night – got the £125 I put it on for. Could possibly have got a bit more but I couldn’t be bothered with the hassle. Bit sad to see it go as I thought it looked quite nice. But it was nicer to look at than it was to ride. Still a lot of fun at a pumptrack but I didn’t have the confidence jumping on it to do anything bigger than small rollers.

Don’t know how I managed to tag in my road commuter at work 🤣

I don’t fancy jumping that either

We’ll be up for coming to Bristol mate, it seems you have several places. MAybe over easter (although we’re at Dyfi that weekend too)

Would definitely like to get out asap once the Privateer arrives – Stockwood is probably top of my list. Although I’ve not been to the one out at Little Stoke and that’s meant to be decent too

I’m hoping to do a little UK pump track tour this summer. Got no plans yet though.

There might not even be a summer.

@sharkattack – you’re assuming the Monsoon is going to end at some point…..

Bristol is ace for pump tracks – you’ve got Stockwood / Little Stoke / Hartcliffe  (rough area) / Hillfields (rough ish but it’s fine really) which all have velosolutions type pump tracks. The one in Longwell green is ok, but it’s not a continuous bowl and it’s not as well built. There are a number of non tarmac ones too I think – Arnos Vale might be ok – but the one at Lyde Green is crap.

Give us a shout if you organize anything Joe. My Joe would enjoy catching up with James again…

@ianpv @weeksy – will see what we can sort depending on weather and wife!

I’ll look forward to being thoroughly outclassed by Ian and the lads 🤣

This relies on privateer getting my new bike to me next week though – I’ve had a note from DHL but doesn’t have a delivery date yet.

Yeah, the Little Stoke one is decent, used to be my local until we headed home to Devon last year. Lots of free parking and a coffee/cake shop as well.

The Haro I sold above for £120 popped back up on Facebook for £250. All that’s happened is they’ve whacked some big new Haro stickers on it and changed the seatpost for a gross red anodised one. Be interesting to see how long that takes to sell…..you can just about buy a new race cruiser for that money if you look around for sales.

For anyone else who is on the fence, I just saw these advertised for half price and they look decent…

I picked up one of the £92.99 geared versions from the distributor on eBay last month:

Trying not to spend too much on it.. but a switch to singlespeed and a hydraulic brake are on the cards.

I wondered about those – how does it ride? Is it heavy etc?

I reckon a switch to Singlespeed and some Clarks M2s wouldn’t cost too much and would improve it for pump tracks.

It’s not light! But I think a lot of that is down to forks which are probably made from recycled girders. They do have a rather lovely, old-school top out clunk to them though!

I scored an NX crank and BB for £25 in the Wiggle free for all and I think I have some SS sprockets in my spares box. £20 SRAM Level T on the rear should be able to handle braking duties I think.

I’ll add a picture of my fade

level t

airdrop have some level t in the outlet £34

@nwgiles – that Fade is Sweet!

I think I’m going to put some burgtech bits on the Privateer when it arrives – it’s coming with the Burgtec composite pedals and I’ve got the same saddle as you on order. Just want some of the Josh Bryceland Burgtec bars and will need to pick up a 35mm clamp stem to fit them. Can’t wait now!

@frogstomp – what forks has it got – RST Dirts or something like that?

I’ve got the Sram Level brakes on my PBJ and they’re not even worth £34. You might as well pinch the rotor between your fingers.

That’s odd – I had some levels on a commuter bike (Carrera Subway) and they were ok on there as far as I remember. Would certainly lock the back wheel.

On my new DJ bike it’s coming with Clarks M2s but I’m going to whip those off and put on a spare pair of Code R I have floating around I think. Totally overkill – but those Clarks brakes will go nicely on my daughter’s Vitus 20+ whereas the Codes are a bit over powerful for that.

I have them, I am 115kg with a weedy 140mm disc and mine work fine