I shouldn’t be doing it but I’m buying bikes in my head again. I’m after something to mess around in the street, local woods and pump tracks, nimble and fun rather than designed for pedaling or steep terrain.

I have a full sus 29er which is what I’ll be taking to trail centres or any long rides.

Locally I have very little in the way of mountain bike trails in riding distance, but there’s a park with a small dirt jump/pump track and a skatepark under construction. I’ve considered a BMX or dirt jump bike but I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable on one, and I’d like gears and a saddle that can be used if I want to.

I’m not up for building one myself (space/time/never finishing anything issues) so probably looking for a 2nd hand or budget hardtail. Any suggestions for what would suit? Should I just go for whatever I can find cheap and size down?

cheap 2nd hand 26er. there are plenty about!

This is extreme n+1, not sure about it myself.

That Go Outdoors dirt jump bike?

Fat bike, may as well go all in on a “fun” bike.

Or a proper dirt jump bike, if you don’t feel comfortable riding a jump bike in it’s natural habitat, then riding a full size MTB in a skatepark is going to be purgatory.

have a look at second hand dmr’s. Must be a suitable model for you. They may be 26 inch, but can still be the norm for these types of bikes although I guess dmr’s maybe larger sized.

BMX’s are weird if you’ve been riding mtb’s for a long time. I find them too small and always feel like the front end is going to tuck under me!

Plenty here to choose from: https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?location=193-*-*&category=3&wheelsize=8

I built up this from the parts bin a few years back, its slowly getting more pimped…

This is extreme n+1, not sure about it myself.

Really? I appreciate I could be doing this on any bike (and have been), but I’m curious to try something smaller and easy to maneuver without putting a lot of money into it.

I agree withthisisnotaspoon. I ride a bmx mainly but would not recommend unless you are either accustomed to riding one or prepared to put in a lot of work. I also agree that riding a “normal” mtb around dirt jumps and skate parks will be hard work compared to a dirt jump mtb so go all in and get a second hand jump bike.

If when you say dirt-jump track you mean a BMX track kind-of thing, I’d say a small flickable MTB can be pretty fun, as most BMX tracks I’ve been to are very similar to 4x tracks so fine with something a bit bigger

A skatepark could be rather crap on an mtb however…

Not sure what to call the track really, it’s half way between a pump track and the kind of small jumps that get built in local woods. A few berms, rollers and short steep tabletops. It’s fun on my mtb but I do notice the lack of maneuverability.

It’s not very big and I don’t think the skatepark will be either, so I’m not sure about buying a niche bike for them.  Basically the only ‘ideal’ bike locally would be a road bike which I haven’t been enjoying, so I want something fun for the <1hr rides from my door, while the MTB is for the places I really want to be riding (which I unfortunately have to travel for). Small MTB or a geared jump bike sounds like the best choice though.

I picked up a secondhand DMR Wrath for exactly that. Just like this: https://ride.io/reviews/dmr-wrath-first-look/

Effectively a 26″ wheel BMX. It’s a lot of fun, but the saddle and seatpost are a single unit (with barely any post) so riding any distance is a bit of a workout.

I’ve got this…

It’s a size Long Transition PBJ. When I was sizing up jump bikes this had the longest reach I could find and thought it might be easier to get used to.

I was a bit wrong. It took a lot of getting used to, but it’s not a BMX. I spent the best years of my life riding BMX full time but now I find them impossible to do anything on. I can barely hop one and I always feel like I’m going to be ejected onto my chin.

This bike is great though. I moved to Sheffield where I’m surrounded by pump tracks and dirt jumps and was finding my large Bfe to be a big, rattly, handful. This thing is so light and fast. As soon as it’s up to speed it wants to fly. Only my crappy technique keeps it on the ground. I’ve hit a few decent jumps on it though. For me it’s about relearning skills that I had when I was a kid. I can’t imagine starting from scratch.

All the parts on this bike are brand new but I didn’t pay full price for anything. Total cost was about £600 and it’ll be the last jump bike I ever need.

For me, bikes like this are best kept simple, clean and quiet. If you really need gears there are a few similar 4x frames out there. Or maybe the new shape Bfe with the drastically lower top tube.

I’d say look for a second hand or cheapish new jump bike to mess about on, I got myself an Octane One Zircus recently and it’s really good fun. It’s loads less likely to chuck me off than a BMX but still really flighty compared to my Switchback.

I have this as my play bike,

I’ve used it at Corby/adrenaline alley, Skate park, dirt jumps and local trails.

Lots of fun, would be rideable with a long seat post too.

I’ve got a medium 2014/15 NS eccentric with 26er wheels. You can pedal the bugger on an XC ride and take it to teh dirt jumps/ pumptrack no prob – i use it for my commute and dicking about in the woods after work. I’ve ridden it in teh skatepark but prefer my rigid Sunn BMIX for that.  Whats not to like?

Dartmoor do something similar i think. the hornet/primal? not too long, not too slack.

alot of hardtails now a days seem to be pushign the long /slack a bit too far for being fun in a versitile way.

Sorry.

I’ve got this…

I miss having Bolehills (almost literally) at the end of the garden 😢

Thanks for all the suggestions, wish I had something like sharkattack’s pic nearby.

Current plan is to keep an eye out for a cheap jump bike and try that, if I don’t get on with it I can always sell it again.

I have a dmr dmdekick for such things.

Can be geared but hanger has been unbolted and a bb tensioner used to singlespeed it.

Normal, well 28.6mm, seatpost sits all the way down but can be extended for pedalling to a place but its ononly just long enough for pedalling and i’m only 5’8″.

It doesn’t get much use but it cost maybe 180 to put togethet and there is nothing to go stiff due to lack of use.

90s parts box specials fo’ sho’

There’s a few Charge Blenders on Pinkbike. I made do with one of them as my only bike for a few years. It was perfectly at home on jumps and tracks. Crap for pedalling around on but I didn’t really notice until I got something else.

I built up a Saracen ALX from my parts bin.  Light frame, can be made into a DJ, 4x or to go on trails – it did me proud around Llandegla.

It’ll take 1×11, 135 back end, normal threaded BB, tapered steerer and I have a reverb on mine at the moment. You get the DJ seat and post with it – when on it’s properly slammed.

I use mine to improve my bike handling skills – the usual stuff, wheelies, manuals and bunny hops etc.

Are those IRC Kujos Submarined? Where did you find those?

Yup! Brand new in a bike shop in LA in 2003! Bought them back from a round the world to trip in my rucksack, barely ridden 😀

Also featuring mk1 Hope Bulbs, Mavic D521s, a Hope C2, FSA Pig, mk1 v8s, and a Flite Ti. All bomber kit that just won’t die.

IRC Kujo’s were epic back in the day. They must be quite old!

I thought they were front tyres and I had an IRC El Gato on the back – but the sidewalls on that were rubbish in comparison to the  Kujo. Pinch punctured way easier.

For a play bike for jumping / messing around on / a little bit of riding about I’d definitely pick up a 26” hardtail in quite a small size. I did exactly that but actually started to use it for more general riding – at which point on stuff like the twrch at Cwmcarn it felt a bit twitchy.

But on pump tracks it was great.

i have 2 play bikes. A FS 2006 Santa Cruz heckler with a coil shock and old 140mm pikes and downhill bits.It has 6 inches travel at the back.  A 2006 GT moto 4x bikebuild with tough bits and 140mm bombers. I’ve ridden it as a do it all freeride hardtail since new and it’s really capable. Both have a head angle of 69 degrees and are 26 inch. I still love them both. Both are very versatile riding other stuff too.

Picked this up this morning.

I ditched the idea of a bigger, geared bike. If I’m going to blend in with the local teens I might as well do it properly.

Good effort! You got some tracksuit bottoms yet?

Where you gonna ride it? I went to Leeds Bikepark today that’s perfect for levelling up on jumps. I already can’t wait to go back.

I’m in Kent so I don’t think I have anything that exciting nearby. I know some local jumps that aren’t too intimidating (plus some more that are), and there’s a few small skateparks scattered around town I’ll have to try at some point. Today I was just amusing myself hopping on and off kerbs, which is about my skill level at the moment.

Just bought a 24″ inspired for mucking about on, hoping it’s going to improve my general bike skills and give me and upper body workout.

This is exactly the position I find myself in. I can’t anyways find time to travel for proper trail riding, but I’ve got a couple of pump tracks nearby which I figure will give me a good bike workout and improve my skills if I get into the habit of going. So .. I picked up an Astronut yesterday and will be hitting the pump track tomorrow morning under cover of darkness so I can gauge exactly how little talent I’ve got without embarrassing myself.

Got a Calibre Astronut on the way for crimbo (present from the missus). I had an old DMR Trailstar built as a jump bike earlier in the year.  I really enjoyed it and was planning on giving it a full rebuild, but ended up selling with the view of building one from scratch eventually.

Then Calibre released the Astronut for £550 (got for £440 this week!). My missus has still got an early 2000s Orange P7, which makes an excellent little jump bike for her. It could do with a new fork though as it still runs an 80mm elastomer Manitou!

I went to Stubby Lee pump track for an hour on my old Stumpjumper and it felt awful. Thing is though, it helped massively with jumping. Went to Lee Quarry after an hour and managed to clear the table tops for the first time ever!

Jumping consistently has always been a challenge for me, but pump tracks are a fun way to learn.

I got a street trials bike to play around on for pretty similar reasons. No trails on my doorstep and it’s mainly doorstep riding I do. In a seaside town on the top of small cliffs, so steps and ledges aplenty, but no jump spots. Ideal for learning trials riding. I’m rubbish but enjoying it, manage to get out twice a week on it. Gearing is low (22:16) so bit of a pain to get about on, you have to pedal fast just to reach 10mph. It feels very different to MTB, but personally I think that’s a good thing. Also did consider BMX but I wanted a front brake to do endos!

Surly Lowside is what I’m working towards.

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/lowside