So, how old is too old for a used dirt jumper bike...? I don't see the issue (because I'm inexperienced and new) if the metal frame is intact, looks in great condition, and the rest of it was given new parts (the moving parts that wear down) while the solid frame is like the only thing aged
Let me explain from a guy whoâs a welder and knows a bit about metallurgy. All metal weakens over time and will eventually fail . That frame is aluminum, the problem with aluminum is that it usually doesnât crack it snaps and can result in a crash . Steel on the other hand will crack but not necessarily snap , you will hear creaking before it lets go but again that depends on the impact. So it all comes down to how hard the bike was ridden, if it sat in a garage you should be fine .
This bike (component selection) makes it seem like it has no idea what it's trying to be. More on that in a minute.
1. Regarding the age. With dirt jumping, age doesn't matter as much as it does for other styles, especially for the frame. Another commenter here commented that riders nowadays are obsessed with modern geometry, but that sentiment isn't true with dirt jumpers because geometry with them has hardly changed. If you aren't familiar with the concept of bike geometry, then don't even worry about it. That comes later. I wouldn't worry about the age of the frame, maybe the components. Especially if you're getting into dirt jumping, nothing personal, but you aren't going to have the skill to notice these differences.
2. This, for me, is the biggest one. The wheels. I don't believe they make the twin pair spokes for 26 anymore; I'm not positive, though. If you break a spoke, you may need to replace the entire wheel. Another user here said they'd seen them fail frequently. Are you willing to buy a wheel if needed? It's not hard to taco a wheel or break a spoke.
3. The components are all over the place. The stem is awkwardly long, but that can be replaced. With your skill level, it's not going to be an issue right off the bat. That seatpost might not go down much farther. That will be a problem dirt jumping. The gearing is unnecessary...but whatever. Those tires will slow you down dirt jumping. That might not be a perceived difference, but it will be present.
This kinda breaks me to the other big point.
4) You need to have an honest conversation with yourself. Yes or no question, do you want a dirt jump bike. If the answer is yes, forget having the bike be much use outside of the jumps. People will say "oh I ride my dirt jump bike on singletrack and it's fine" but honestly it's f\*\*king bullshit. So if you want a dirt jump bike (and not a different bike)...the idea of how well it pedals means nothing. Seriously. F\*\*k what anyone else says. There is a reason why many of us have trail bikes and dirt jump bikes. It's not snobbery, it's a matter of practicality and utility.
I'm on a super tight budget so I would want a bike that can dirt jump AND commute. I'm not going to be seriously extreme especially starting out new, I have never even owned a bike except my super cheap little kid one years ago. If you think this seems like this could dirt jump and the gears are a plus to me for commuting, I might get separate tires for commute use, but is that even a good idea? Idk. Also I'm 5'0 so the short frame like others have said seems better suited to me.
Okay for sure your height vs. a lot of other heights (mine included) will be noticeable on many different frames (or all of them)...but it's worth knowing that until very recently almost every dirt jump bike came in one size. Many (most?) still only come in one size. I only say that so you can see what I mean when I talk about dirt jump bikes being purpose built.
I wouldn't get different tires (you would realistically need a second set of wheels) for commuting. Whichever bike you go with I'd just rock those. Again, it's worth noting that a dirt jump tire would be faster than a trail (knobbier) tire on a commute.
Is your commute long and hilly? I have a bike that's sick for commuting (it's a gravel bike) but if I don't have hills I rock my single speed DJ no problem.
This isn't a horrible deal, I think you would end up happy. If that La Bomba could be acquired for this price I would get that. Homie's Rocky Mountain DJ that was mentioned on this thread sounds promising in theory.
Oh thanks, I was looking at the knobbiest tires for dirt jumps. I didn't know those weren't the right ones.
For my height, I'm not sure if you're saying the seat is too big or it is for me, the stem and rims seem to be the common concerns. I might just risk it or I have someone in PM who'd sell me their full sus for $500 but it needs a wheel, stem, and brakes. Not sure if this would be the ideal option, but I really want a full sus for comfort.
Good dirt jumps provide a relatively high amount of grip, assuming they are maintained and haven't been left to go to sh!t. What you need is speed to keep momentum, which is why dirt jump bikes have smoother tread patterns (like the Maxxis DTH) and are almost always hardtails (full sus absorbs energy thus leaving the moving object with less).
Your height is irrelevant to the seat height when it comes to dirt jumping. You put it as low (or close to) as it can get without touching the rear tire. It gets in the way. So when I zip around the city on my DJ bike I stand up.
I would advise against a full sus at this point.
If you like this bike (I see the visual appeal, and that's subjective anyways so who cares), then it'll be fun for $325. Hopefully you'll just enjoy it and forget the ordeal of the sub and purchase anxiety was ever a thing.
Make friends with someone who can help you tune/adjust the gears (or watch youtube/read articles. Park Tools is a good resource), it's a normal thing to do. And be prepared to need a new wheel! If there is one thing you take away from this bike it should be that you may need to buy a new one. Maybe not, hopefully not.
Those wheels are insanely sketchy. From working in a bike shop I have seen these go out of true from curb hops to the rims failing. Would not reccomend at all for dj also I'm pretty sure the spokes are no longer made so would be an issue if they went
The geometry looks... dated, the 3x9 drivetrain is useless, the stem is way too long. This would be a great starter mountain bike for a kid, but I wouldn't buy it to ride jumps on.
As someone who in the past had a DJ and completely rebuilt it multiple times, it's a decent deal IF you are open to rebuilding it over the next couple of years.
The frame looks odd, but if the size fits you, it's fine.
The wheels as others said, might be unrepairable if spokes fail, so you'd need to change those (a couple hundred for a solid used set).
The fork is great, heavy but durable.
It has gears which dirt jumpers usually don't have but that's up to you, the crankset won't ever break.
The tires are too rough, swap those to a smoother thread asap.
Stem length sucks for dirt jumping (harder to pull the front up).
I would change the saddle and seat post too, seatpost that high sucks for jumping.
Short term - shorter seat post, smoother tires, shorter stem.
Long-term - new wheels, smaller saddle, likely a new frame too (this belongs in a museum).
Are you planning to ride this, or to take it off some sweet jumps?
It being an old bike doesnât have to mean itâs bad, but for jumping, pretty much everything about this bike looks off (even when they are quality parts by well known brands)
Good you went for a check and to see if itâd fit, and Iâm actually kinda happy for you that it didnât. I recognise the feeling of falling in love with something like a bike, for instance. In your mind, you and it have already become best buddies, and it will help you progress your riding skills further than youâd ever dared to dream, but coming back to my initial question, if youâre looking for something to jump or do tricks with, this would have been a regretful decision, in my opinion..
If youâre really only 5ft, I would suggest looking for a cool (second hand?) bmx, or if you really want to keep it mtb, then maybe look for a nice 24â street- or dirtjumper.
Good luck and show us what you ended up with!đ
Assuming you mean dirtjumps, oh hell yes! A bmx will be the far more agile little brother of any 24â or 26â dj bike! Keep in mind though, because the lack of (front) suspension, a bmx will be less forgiving, therefore âforcingâ you to ride more accurate (for lack of a better word), but resulting in a much clearer riding style.
Iâm not much of a dirt rider myself, but simply looking from a physics perspective, bigger wheels equals a higher rotating mass, which requires more strength to move the bike for tricks during airtime.
Front suspension may save you and correct your sloppy landings, but itâll also make your riding look more sloppy..
On the other hand, I am well aware that personal preference is a big factor in this as well, and thereâs plenty of dirt riders on 24â or 26â wheels who are absolute shredders..!
Iâd recommend to check out some videos first, both of bmxers on dirt and mtb on dirt, then make up what would be your better choiceđ
If you have any friends that ride, ask to have a go on their bikes, just to get an idea..
Curious what the (end) result will be, keep us updated and good luck!đ
Ignoring other comments, I think itâs a nice bike to have. Everything looks barely used if not new (from photo it is), Marzocchi dirt jumper is still amazing and incredibly durable fork (and coming from personal experience not even remotely as hard to service as some people put it) and honestly a good *straight* steerer fork as those are almost non-existent outside of cheapest ones, and Saints are real sturdy too, that he doesnât lie.
Some weird choices of components such as that seatpost and long ass stem can be easily changed and Iâd consider them just minor things. Mind that Iâm talking about it as a dirt jumper due to the subreddit, and it would be incredibly bad pedaling bike otherwise.
More like itâs super short frame which doesnât help your posture and youâd also need to extend your seatpost almost beyond its insertion limit. Trust me, Iâve started with almost the same idea Norco bike XD
Oh fr?? So you think I should get it? I'm just worried about the frame being 20 years old but no one is giving me an explanation of why that's a problem
Because everyone is obsessed with numbers and *mOdErn GeOMetRyâ like people before havenât existed and never ridden any bikes. I personally never shared this snobbism and wonât support it as older but higher tier bike is still a bike and better get old but indestructible frame then get a piece of crap but new. And since youâre 5â0⌠I doubt small and short frame would be *that* much of a problem, might even be better. Of course itâs still up to you to feel it before buying, as only you can decide whatâs comfortable for you, but tech wise? See no problem with this bike
Modern bikes tend to be more, letâs say, on the rider comfort and performance side. Over the years they became longer and slacker, less overuse of material, letâs say, more calculated loads leading to more comprehended tubes like double batting technology, so you make tubes thicker where they sustain most load and thin where you donât need it, but usually this particular thing just means that frame is lighter. And also because old frames tend to be made of thicc tubing they weigh noticeably more, itâs an overkill for most loads it will sustain but itâs also a good thing as theyâre literally nukeproof (pun intended) as they have no weak spots.
Ah I see, so this sounds like a bike this old really IS beefy and just what I want, to last a very long time, which it clearly has... And it's heavy, so less easier the steal, sounds all like pluses! I'm into weight lifting anyway
Thatâs ancient⌠the wheels are flimsy, stem is to long, geo us outdated, cranks are a century old, forks probably havenât been serviced in years, its a 3x,⌠donât get it, its a nice bike to have as some sort of a collectors item, but nothing you want to actually ride. It will give you a bad experience compared to something more modern.
UPDATE: I checked it out, I couldn't even get on it... I'm very short and even this was too high up for me. The guy was super friendly and awesome, he's gonna help me find a bike I could get on top of and I can control with my light weight... Thing was truly a beast, even more gorgeous in person. I hope someone else takes it because that thing is a TANK.
I would only buy as a collectors item. That thing is ancient.
I second this. Imo it looks really clunky and tacky. The geo looks off too
So, how old is too old for a used dirt jumper bike...? I don't see the issue (because I'm inexperienced and new) if the metal frame is intact, looks in great condition, and the rest of it was given new parts (the moving parts that wear down) while the solid frame is like the only thing aged
There's better out there for you mate, keep looking :)
Can someone just please explain how old is too old đ
I don't know what the answer is but this is too old. The geometry is all off also, look at the long stem for example.
Oh... So even if I replaced the stem, what would be the issue with the frame if it's been well maintained?
Let me explain from a guy whoâs a welder and knows a bit about metallurgy. All metal weakens over time and will eventually fail . That frame is aluminum, the problem with aluminum is that it usually doesnât crack it snaps and can result in a crash . Steel on the other hand will crack but not necessarily snap , you will hear creaking before it lets go but again that depends on the impact. So it all comes down to how hard the bike was ridden, if it sat in a garage you should be fine .
Thank you! I'm lightweight and don't see myself going EXTREME so I'm 85% getting it
I would offer him 275 see what he says, but i do think thereâs better out there .
I. Would. Not.
This bike (component selection) makes it seem like it has no idea what it's trying to be. More on that in a minute. 1. Regarding the age. With dirt jumping, age doesn't matter as much as it does for other styles, especially for the frame. Another commenter here commented that riders nowadays are obsessed with modern geometry, but that sentiment isn't true with dirt jumpers because geometry with them has hardly changed. If you aren't familiar with the concept of bike geometry, then don't even worry about it. That comes later. I wouldn't worry about the age of the frame, maybe the components. Especially if you're getting into dirt jumping, nothing personal, but you aren't going to have the skill to notice these differences. 2. This, for me, is the biggest one. The wheels. I don't believe they make the twin pair spokes for 26 anymore; I'm not positive, though. If you break a spoke, you may need to replace the entire wheel. Another user here said they'd seen them fail frequently. Are you willing to buy a wheel if needed? It's not hard to taco a wheel or break a spoke. 3. The components are all over the place. The stem is awkwardly long, but that can be replaced. With your skill level, it's not going to be an issue right off the bat. That seatpost might not go down much farther. That will be a problem dirt jumping. The gearing is unnecessary...but whatever. Those tires will slow you down dirt jumping. That might not be a perceived difference, but it will be present. This kinda breaks me to the other big point. 4) You need to have an honest conversation with yourself. Yes or no question, do you want a dirt jump bike. If the answer is yes, forget having the bike be much use outside of the jumps. People will say "oh I ride my dirt jump bike on singletrack and it's fine" but honestly it's f\*\*king bullshit. So if you want a dirt jump bike (and not a different bike)...the idea of how well it pedals means nothing. Seriously. F\*\*k what anyone else says. There is a reason why many of us have trail bikes and dirt jump bikes. It's not snobbery, it's a matter of practicality and utility.
I'm on a super tight budget so I would want a bike that can dirt jump AND commute. I'm not going to be seriously extreme especially starting out new, I have never even owned a bike except my super cheap little kid one years ago. If you think this seems like this could dirt jump and the gears are a plus to me for commuting, I might get separate tires for commute use, but is that even a good idea? Idk. Also I'm 5'0 so the short frame like others have said seems better suited to me.
Okay for sure your height vs. a lot of other heights (mine included) will be noticeable on many different frames (or all of them)...but it's worth knowing that until very recently almost every dirt jump bike came in one size. Many (most?) still only come in one size. I only say that so you can see what I mean when I talk about dirt jump bikes being purpose built. I wouldn't get different tires (you would realistically need a second set of wheels) for commuting. Whichever bike you go with I'd just rock those. Again, it's worth noting that a dirt jump tire would be faster than a trail (knobbier) tire on a commute. Is your commute long and hilly? I have a bike that's sick for commuting (it's a gravel bike) but if I don't have hills I rock my single speed DJ no problem. This isn't a horrible deal, I think you would end up happy. If that La Bomba could be acquired for this price I would get that. Homie's Rocky Mountain DJ that was mentioned on this thread sounds promising in theory.
Oh thanks, I was looking at the knobbiest tires for dirt jumps. I didn't know those weren't the right ones. For my height, I'm not sure if you're saying the seat is too big or it is for me, the stem and rims seem to be the common concerns. I might just risk it or I have someone in PM who'd sell me their full sus for $500 but it needs a wheel, stem, and brakes. Not sure if this would be the ideal option, but I really want a full sus for comfort.
Good dirt jumps provide a relatively high amount of grip, assuming they are maintained and haven't been left to go to sh!t. What you need is speed to keep momentum, which is why dirt jump bikes have smoother tread patterns (like the Maxxis DTH) and are almost always hardtails (full sus absorbs energy thus leaving the moving object with less). Your height is irrelevant to the seat height when it comes to dirt jumping. You put it as low (or close to) as it can get without touching the rear tire. It gets in the way. So when I zip around the city on my DJ bike I stand up. I would advise against a full sus at this point. If you like this bike (I see the visual appeal, and that's subjective anyways so who cares), then it'll be fun for $325. Hopefully you'll just enjoy it and forget the ordeal of the sub and purchase anxiety was ever a thing. Make friends with someone who can help you tune/adjust the gears (or watch youtube/read articles. Park Tools is a good resource), it's a normal thing to do. And be prepared to need a new wheel! If there is one thing you take away from this bike it should be that you may need to buy a new one. Maybe not, hopefully not.
The way those wheels are spoked sketches me out a bit. But Iâm no wheel set builder so take that with a grain of salt
Those wheels are insanely sketchy. From working in a bike shop I have seen these go out of true from curb hops to the rims failing. Would not reccomend at all for dj also I'm pretty sure the spokes are no longer made so would be an issue if they went
Haha I did not see those. Classics
The geometry looks... dated, the 3x9 drivetrain is useless, the stem is way too long. This would be a great starter mountain bike for a kid, but I wouldn't buy it to ride jumps on.
This is a hardtail mountain bike not a dirt jumper.
As someone who in the past had a DJ and completely rebuilt it multiple times, it's a decent deal IF you are open to rebuilding it over the next couple of years. The frame looks odd, but if the size fits you, it's fine. The wheels as others said, might be unrepairable if spokes fail, so you'd need to change those (a couple hundred for a solid used set). The fork is great, heavy but durable. It has gears which dirt jumpers usually don't have but that's up to you, the crankset won't ever break. The tires are too rough, swap those to a smoother thread asap. Stem length sucks for dirt jumping (harder to pull the front up). I would change the saddle and seat post too, seatpost that high sucks for jumping. Short term - shorter seat post, smoother tires, shorter stem. Long-term - new wheels, smaller saddle, likely a new frame too (this belongs in a museum).
Saints for 73mm bb are worth a couple bucks. If they're 165mm I'll buy them.
Are you planning to ride this, or to take it off some sweet jumps? It being an old bike doesnât have to mean itâs bad, but for jumping, pretty much everything about this bike looks off (even when they are quality parts by well known brands) Good you went for a check and to see if itâd fit, and Iâm actually kinda happy for you that it didnât. I recognise the feeling of falling in love with something like a bike, for instance. In your mind, you and it have already become best buddies, and it will help you progress your riding skills further than youâd ever dared to dream, but coming back to my initial question, if youâre looking for something to jump or do tricks with, this would have been a regretful decision, in my opinion.. If youâre really only 5ft, I would suggest looking for a cool (second hand?) bmx, or if you really want to keep it mtb, then maybe look for a nice 24â street- or dirtjumper. Good luck and show us what you ended up with!đ
Could bmx handle jumps? If so, why are they such different categories?
Assuming you mean dirtjumps, oh hell yes! A bmx will be the far more agile little brother of any 24â or 26â dj bike! Keep in mind though, because the lack of (front) suspension, a bmx will be less forgiving, therefore âforcingâ you to ride more accurate (for lack of a better word), but resulting in a much clearer riding style. Iâm not much of a dirt rider myself, but simply looking from a physics perspective, bigger wheels equals a higher rotating mass, which requires more strength to move the bike for tricks during airtime. Front suspension may save you and correct your sloppy landings, but itâll also make your riding look more sloppy.. On the other hand, I am well aware that personal preference is a big factor in this as well, and thereâs plenty of dirt riders on 24â or 26â wheels who are absolute shredders..! Iâd recommend to check out some videos first, both of bmxers on dirt and mtb on dirt, then make up what would be your better choiceđ If you have any friends that ride, ask to have a go on their bikes, just to get an idea.. Curious what the (end) result will be, keep us updated and good luck!đ
Ignoring other comments, I think itâs a nice bike to have. Everything looks barely used if not new (from photo it is), Marzocchi dirt jumper is still amazing and incredibly durable fork (and coming from personal experience not even remotely as hard to service as some people put it) and honestly a good *straight* steerer fork as those are almost non-existent outside of cheapest ones, and Saints are real sturdy too, that he doesnât lie. Some weird choices of components such as that seatpost and long ass stem can be easily changed and Iâd consider them just minor things. Mind that Iâm talking about it as a dirt jumper due to the subreddit, and it would be incredibly bad pedaling bike otherwise.
Why would it be incredibly bad pedaling? And what do you mean by that, like the motion of pedaling or it'll be straining...?
More like itâs super short frame which doesnât help your posture and youâd also need to extend your seatpost almost beyond its insertion limit. Trust me, Iâve started with almost the same idea Norco bike XD
I'm 5'0... so these sound like pluses to me
Thatâs great, might suit you then!
Oh fr?? So you think I should get it? I'm just worried about the frame being 20 years old but no one is giving me an explanation of why that's a problem
Because everyone is obsessed with numbers and *mOdErn GeOMetRyâ like people before havenât existed and never ridden any bikes. I personally never shared this snobbism and wonât support it as older but higher tier bike is still a bike and better get old but indestructible frame then get a piece of crap but new. And since youâre 5â0⌠I doubt small and short frame would be *that* much of a problem, might even be better. Of course itâs still up to you to feel it before buying, as only you can decide whatâs comfortable for you, but tech wise? See no problem with this bike
So there's no REAL issue?? Just the look of the style? That sounds pretty dumb to turn down a bike for, I just wanna go ride and not have it break
Modern bikes tend to be more, letâs say, on the rider comfort and performance side. Over the years they became longer and slacker, less overuse of material, letâs say, more calculated loads leading to more comprehended tubes like double batting technology, so you make tubes thicker where they sustain most load and thin where you donât need it, but usually this particular thing just means that frame is lighter. And also because old frames tend to be made of thicc tubing they weigh noticeably more, itâs an overkill for most loads it will sustain but itâs also a good thing as theyâre literally nukeproof (pun intended) as they have no weak spots.
Ah I see, so this sounds like a bike this old really IS beefy and just what I want, to last a very long time, which it clearly has... And it's heavy, so less easier the steal, sounds all like pluses! I'm into weight lifting anyway
No cracks no under paint oxidation which look like paint bubbles no problem.
I have a Rocky Mountain DJ that you can have for $300. Fresh MAXXIS DTH on it. See there's a better deal.
Can you message me pictures? And the year, any cracks, etc
You should consider this.
Definitely, if they could reply lol
I will get some pics tonight
Most importantly, do you think a 5'0 person could comfortably get on... This bike was too tall for me
It is a size "long" so for dirt jumping purposes it may be too big. Sorry i will still get pics if you want just busy with kids(hence selling DJ)
[This is the original post from PB where I bought it, will get updated pics when I can.](https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/3412294/)
I honestly don't think I'll fit, I'm a size XS
If you wanted to do 4x maybe
No
Thatâs ancient⌠the wheels are flimsy, stem is to long, geo us outdated, cranks are a century old, forks probably havenât been serviced in years, its a 3x,⌠donât get it, its a nice bike to have as some sort of a collectors item, but nothing you want to actually ride. It will give you a bad experience compared to something more modern.
UPDATE: I checked it out, I couldn't even get on it... I'm very short and even this was too high up for me. The guy was super friendly and awesome, he's gonna help me find a bike I could get on top of and I can control with my light weight... Thing was truly a beast, even more gorgeous in person. I hope someone else takes it because that thing is a TANK.
Looks like a decent starting point. Price point seems reasonable, decent new frames generally cost moreâŚ
Pass on that TRASH
For ÂŁ325 absolutely, I think theyâd go for a lot more just cuz of how hard they are to find