Recommend a new skool bike for an old skool, tall (and fat) guy

[Oneds]

I'm half way through restoring my old burner from back in the day, realistically it is just going to be a piece of wall art that gets cruised around from time to time.

My 3 year old has mastered his balance bike and it won't be long before he progresses to the 16in Mongoose pit-crew hanging up in the garage.

I see this as the perfect excuse to get a new skool bike so I can keep up with him, I've tried adapting my trek 6700 MTB to a reasonably chuckable bike, but the front suspension even with lockout on is too soft and with all the gears, disc brakes and sheer frame size 21.5" it is just too big and cumbersome to get decent and or balanced positions over the frame in anything other general XC riding (even with the seat right down tilted and the 1" riser bars and shorter stem).

I'm 6'2" 15.5st and want something to have a laugh on in my cul de sac or on the dirt trails & small jumps near home now and with the young'un in the next few years before he disowns me. Given the above stats and a price ball park of £300-£400 what would you recommend?

I'm trying to source something that is a bit more robust than standard complete bikes in 21"+ top tube size.

ie. full cromo, sealed everything, 14mm front & rear hubs, with 48h rims fr & rr but can't find anything "complete" that meets that spec. No one seems to do American BB on their bikes anymore either. I'd have thought they would have been stronger, no?

Here are a few in the RADBMX shop that tick some but not all of the boxes.

GT - Calafia
http://s266411575.e-shop.info/shop/article_469.001/GT-Calafia-2010.html'shop_param=cid%3D39%26aid%3D469.001%26

Kink - Gap XL
http://s266411575.e-shop.info/shop/article_387.002/Kink-Gap-XL-%3E%3E2011%3C%3C.html'shop_param=cid%3D39%26aid%3D387.002%26


We the People - Trust (£40 over budget)
http://s266411575.e-shop.info/shop/article_447.001/WeThePeople---Trust-2010.html'shop_param=cid%3D39%26aid%3D447.001%26

Anyway help for the old man (36 in a couple of weeks) gratefully appreciated.

[pickle]

You should be able to pick up something nice with that budget, you won't get 14mm axles up front (you don't need them) nor 48 spoked wheels, 36's are more than strong enough

Give stodgy a call, he'll be able to help you out at the radshop 

[evamedia]

I'd go for the Kink out of those 3, don't worry about 48's , new 36's are strong enough. USA BB's aren't on any current BMX's, no one uses 1 piece cranks anymore, so why have a big BB case.

[Jon The Bassist]

15.5st - that's lightweight!
Seriously, I'd make sure sure that you get a big enough bike for you to be comfortable. I'm just over 6' and my Old Skool Haro racebike has an effective toptube length of about 20" (due to silly seattube angle). If I do a lot of riding and training I do get back ache as it's a little bit cramped.
I also have a New Skool cruiser with 21.3" toptube and this is perfect and I ride this bike to work and back most days, in comfort.

Don't worry too much about strength, I go jumping in the woods (not proper trails) on my OS Haro and nothing is bent or broken yet.

[Oneds]

manythanks, pickle, evamedia & Jon,

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the strenght of components has moved on somewhat over the last 20-30. Hell even the 16" pit crew I got caught "testing"   was able to take a bit of punishment from me.

Lightweight Ha.... 15.5st is my summer fighting weight (you should see me after the post christmas gultony.)

Evamedia, any specific reason for the Kink preference or do you just like the make/look of it?

Pickle will do, just waiting for my birthday money to come through.

[evamedia]

I'd ignore GT, they were good when you were young, not so much now

the WTP is OK, but out of your price range, and pretty low slung

I've had a Kink, rode the shit out of it, gave the frame to someone else, who has rodeit  harder than I ever could, and it's still going strong

[Oneds]

I'd ignore GT, they were good when you were young, not so much now

the WTP is OK, but out of your price range, and pretty low slung

I've had a Kink, rode the shit out of it, gave the frame to someone else, who has rodeit  harder than I ever could, and it's still going strong

  Great, exactly the kind of feedback I wanted, many thanks.

[telelogic]

If you give stodgy a call at the rad shop he will not only be able to give you all the advice you need, but also do you a deal that you can't beat 

[motomagII]

or consider my dk dayton lawst years model exactly wjhat you wnat and way cheaper and in superb nick barely us
ed

[Stodgy]

Out of all of those, I'd go the Kink Gap XL - lovely bike for the money and not too twitchy.

Forget the GT, too tight for you.

The WTP is lovely, but with the high BB and steep head angle it puts you over the front of the bars.

My recommendation over all, would be to go for the Sunday Funday EX - a little more, but I can do you a cracking deal on one to bring it down. The Sunday range all have low BB's and 74.5 headangle - they feel perfect for the old schooler.

Give me a call when you're ready!

 

[HARORIDER]

kink's are nice but the new sundays are wicked

[Oneds]

Give me a call when you're ready!

 

Will do Stodgy, many thanks for the post and recommendation.

  Ouch that yellow is a bit strong but I'm liking the  raw/red, wtf is trimoly? I've heard of chromoly and sanko chromoly but not trimoly

[HEYWOOD BMX]

 Trimoly=cromo front end/steel back end

[Oneds]

 

Interesting, not being full chromoly (@£500 rrp) not sure i'm going to punish it that much especially with what looks like such a short backend, it's got reasonably good parts, but I would say Sunday Funday will have probably missed a shed load more sales for the sake of minimal extra outlay on chromoly seat and chain stays. I suppose they have to distinguish between the pro & the EX but that is taking it a bit far in my opinion.

[lazychubs]

im selling my new skool subrosa armada21 tt owes me well over £1200 to build will let it go for £400
and weighs just shy of 24 lb thats clear with red parts and alot of ti bits fitted
if ya interested