DJ bike for 6'5" rider

Jesterarts

Likes Dirt
Sooooooooo I've decided to let go of my Enduro Comp 29er, :( :( :( :(, and explore putting a DJ bike in its place.

My reasoning; I have a 2yo daughter and while I thought I would get to ride at Lysty but the only dust I'm getting on the bike is from hanging on the wall.

It also turns out, I have a BMX track about 2km from my house.

But I have three issues:
1. I am 6'5"
2. I have exactly NO idea about DJ bikes.
3. The cheaper the better as there is a chance this one will hand on the wall too.

Essentially, the purpose is to downgrade/size. With a lateral move to have a bike I can go to the BMX track or rise very slowly behind my daughter as she embarks on her journey into 2-wheeled adventures.

Thoughts, advice, opinions are all welcome.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
What’s your budget?

I’m a 6”4 dj bandit. Firt 26 DJ bike to fit me is a transition PBJ, long size

Just grab some higher rise bars like the NS ones and away you go
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Hmmm, if its your first laps on a jump bike then you're gonna really have your head ready to make the adjustment mainly because you're tall and a jump bike is a super short wheelbase.
I've had a few jump bikes but nowadays a good sized bike for tall guys (I'm 6' 4") is tricky to find on a tight budget. I currently ride a Specialzed P2 and it's basically a frame on a skateboard its that short! It is all about technique though, thats what you'll find tricky but if you get your head around it, its awesome fun.
With that in mind, I'd aim to get something more suited if you aren't gonna turn into a dirt jumper or BMX track guru. I'd get an all mountain hardtail that you can then use on anything. Look for something in the Norco line up from days gone by like a Saquatch, a Manik etc. They can be a do it all bike and you'd still love it.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Alternatively...you could throw all your pennies into it and build a weapon!!! Well you know something you can have fun on all over the place, like a slope style bike. Or one of those spitfires people always talk about. Larger size, slam the geometry in tight, run 26 inch wheels, and use a dual position fork 120-150 or similar...then you may have something you can have fun on the bmx track, skate park, streets, and trails. I've never ridden one (I have a slope style bike) so not 100% certain it can be done, but the bike looks like it could do it. A bit like the old 4X bike Santa Cruz made out of their blur frames...but modern.




And if you need to burn money you can have the 27.5 drop-outs and spare wheel set as well.
 

Jesterarts

Likes Dirt
Less money burning is the goal. :p

I want to have change left from the sale of the Enduro.

If I am super realistic, for the short term (next 3-4 years) I expect use of the bike will be:
1. Following my daughter and TBC to and from the local playground
2. Occasionally ducking out to the BMX track for an hour to burn off some stress. (If all i do it pump... I will be happy)
3. Towards the end of that time scale, some firetrails at Lysty with with the kids at which point I would start looking at something more appropriate.

DJ seemed like a good choice since it's just near the house. But again, the amount of air time I am aiming for would be all about baby steps.

So something that will do the job. I'm probably going to keep an eye out on the TP section to see about picking up peoples scraps to keep cost down.

Had a look at the Sasquatch and Manik... they look like they would fit the bill.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
One of my hombres rode a sasquatch back in the day - dirt jumps, trails, street, dh shuttles...whatever was on offer and it didn't hold him back any. Student budget will do that for you! I watched him throw it off a cliff about 20-25ft high with a beautifully flat "pancake" and quick release 125mm forks.

Just put a chain guide on it. For some reason the golden era Norco bikes didn't often come with one.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Haaaaaave you checked out out the commencal meta hardtails? They sound like somethin you could be after, and are alot cheaper than a dedicated DJ bike will be that’l work with your height.

It won’t be as nifty at the jumps but not so bad to hold you back.

Something about rad hardtails makes me moister than an oyster. Probably rose tinted nostalgia
 
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Jesterarts

Likes Dirt
Haaaaaave you checked out out the commencal meta hardtails? They sound like somethin you could be after, and are alot cheaper than a dedicated DJ bike will be that’l work with your height.

It won’t be as nifty at the jumps but not so bad to hold you back.

Something about rad hardtails makes me moister than an oyster. Probably rose tinted nostalgia
The Meta HT's look great. A bit pricey for me though. I do find the 27.5 appealing as given my size, that would work well.

I'm hoping to contain by budget to under 1k. o_Oo_Oo_O
 

mooboyj

Likes Dirt
At your height I'd build up a NS Surge Evo. I have a friend who built one as a muck about bike, he's 194cm and solidly built. He has no issues using one as a dirt jump/street bike.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
From a MTB point of view - short reach for your height (even on the size L). Might be good for goofing about at the BMX track, but won't crossover to MTB very well if you want to keep that option open.

Not sure I'd be keen on a 135x10mm QR rear end either.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
I don't like your new idea.
He done goofed.


Any decent 2nd hand options around? A mate of mine sold his Mint NS suburban 26” bike for $1200 a year after building it. Profile cranks, manipoo circus’s (the good ones), hope trials hub, decent DT swiss rims(cant remember exactly what ones but not cheap), NS bars + s&m stem.

Really solid dj bike that cost around $3k, sold for under half that a year later. It wasn’t that much shorter than my PBJ and could’ve been made better easily with a normal stem not a negative rise bmx jobby. Can someone check facespace or link some buy + sell groups? Don’t have the facespace
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
i wih i could get my hands on a set of those circus forks....the good ones in 130mm with a straight steerer.
 

Jesterarts

Likes Dirt
He done goofed.


Any decent 2nd hand options around? A mate of mine sold his Mint NS suburban 26” bike for $1200 a year after building it. Profile cranks, manipoo circus’s (the good ones), hope trials hub, decent DT swiss rims(cant remember exactly what ones but not cheap), NS bars + s&m stem.

Really solid dj bike that cost around $3k, sold for under half that a year later. It wasn’t that much shorter than my PBJ and could’ve been made better easily with a normal stem not a negative rise bmx jobby. Can someone check facespace or link some buy + sell groups? Don’t have the facespace
No Suburbans on any of the MTB groups or marketplace ATM.

Nice looking rigs.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Keep an eye peeled for a second hand one. Dudes in the mid to late 20’s have a habit of building up the dream dj bike from their teens then realise it hurts and they have reaponsibility, so they sell em.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I have a le toy in the shed that might work for you. It might no though so no worries either way.

Do you have any intention of taking your dj bike off road, like a trail bike or similar? I rode an old Norco 125 off road a ways back and it was heaps of fun except for climbs. One of my mates rides his fire eye dj off road a fair bit. Some of the landings look rough on the body but he gets it up there!

Do you have a dream dj bike @Jesterarts?
 

RAD82

Likes Bikes
Late reply, but definitely keep on the lookout for an NS Suburban/Metro, i'm only a couple inches shorter and my metro fits great. May be waiting a while, was lucky to find one for sale here on rotorburn.

Mid 2000-ish Norco's are also a good idea, but they're either in one of two conditions; used for three rides, and kept for over a decade in the family garage until the son moves out, and the parents sell his junk. Or absolutely trashed by a bogan, who's never put a minute of maintenance into it.
The Kona 'out of bounds' hartails aren't bad either, picked up an almost unused 5-0 for a song.
 

Jesterarts

Likes Dirt
Thanks for the thoughts.

I should probably update this thread for some closure.

I've deferred to my default behaviour; researching a thing, planning to get a thing, modifing the thing in my head and then going rogue at the last minute, and getting another, other thing.

So I got a 2019 Norco Fluid HT.

:p
 
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