ENTRY LEVEL BIKE

If you would describe the bike you want to buy as an entry level bike, you are probably more concerned about cost than anything else. An entry level bike is meant to be sturdy enough to learn the basics on but cheap enough to buy without knowing if you will "take up" riding.

Materials: For an entry level bike you do not need a full chromoly bike even though it is recommended. Chromoly bikes will be lighter and stronger than a bike made of steel. I do highly recommend a full chromoly fork, however. It's okay to have some steel for your frame, but you do not want to sacrifice strength in your forks. Also, do NOT settle for one-piece cranks. Get three-piece cranks; no questions asked.

Price/Weight: Entry level bike price range is like $250-$450. Most bikes below 250 do not have any chromoly and bikes above 450 may not be necessary for just feeling out BMX. Weight range is like no more than 30 pounds. Don't be too concerned about weight for an entry level bike but understand that lighter is easier to ride. A light bike in this price range, however, may be sacrificing strength so be cautious.

Sizing: If you are around six feet tall you do not want a frame shorter than 21" and you do not want bars lower than 8". If you are just above five feet tall you can get away with lower bars and a 20" frame. Everybody is different though, so this is why it's best to buy from a local bike shop so you can go and ride and feel bikes out. Also, if you are a younger rider you obviously need 18" or 16" wheel bikes. Read more about this in the young riders section.

Wheels: Even though this is just an entry level bike, I recommend getting double-walled rims at all times. If you can spring for sealed cassettes that is good as well. Double-walled rims are important though because wheels obviously take a heavy beating and a single-walled rim won’t be able to handle a similar beating. Also, the heavier you are or heavier you ride the more important double-walled rims are. Wheels shouldn't go below 36H (spokes). More than that, like 48H, is okay because they are just heavier, stronger wheels. It is okay to have a gear ratio larger than 25/9, but I recommend 25/9 because it saves weight and is a nice feature offered on lower end bikes these days.

Aftermarket Parts: You won’t see many aftermarket parts on bikes at this price range, but it is always nice to have some aftermarket parts on a stock bike. Often you will see aftermarket parts like tires, grips, and pedals on stock bikes. These are generally on the more expensive bikes in this category so you can decide whether you want to spring for those parts or not. I think these are a rather valuable feature because on most stock bikes I would replace three things right away: grips, pedals, and tires. Haha, I am serious.

Look/Color: We all know that bike colors don't really make it ride better, but it is nice to have a bike that you really like the look of and you feel is you. This sport is all about personal expression. Also, the look of a bike is important (referring to geometry and specs). If a bike looks very similar to a pro's custom bike than it probably has similar geometry, which is a good thing. Still, everyone prefers different styles so it is best to visit a bike shop and ride the bike around the parking lot before purchasing.

YOUNG RIDER'S BIKE

If you are a young rider looking for an advanced bike but are not big enough for a 20" rig, this section is for you. This is a tough section because smaller bikes are a difficult market BUT it has been getting better recently for sure. If you are a parent and your kid is really get into riding I recommend understanding biking as much as possible and do not skimp on bikes. Quality bikes cost less than medical bills... got it?

Materials: Get as much chromoly as you can find. Unfortunately, because younger riders are much lighter and less rough on their bicycles, 16" and 18" bikes usually do not come with much chromoly. Steel is okay because kids are a bit easier on their bikes but paying a bit more for chromoly is recommended so you don’t ruin your kid’s braces if his forks snap when he lands hard. Also, do NOT settle for one-piece cranks. Get three-piece cranks; no questions asked.

Price/Weight: Price range for these bikes is like $250-$500. You can work your budget out from there but just be careful with purchasing really cheap bikes because you can spend so much in the long run when parts fail. Weight range is like 20-25 pounds. Since these bikes are smaller they can be lighter but just remember just because a bike is light does not mean it is high quality. However, since your kid isn't a body builder it is a good idea to go light because they should not be riding bikes the same weight as adults.

Sizing: I would say if you are not in double digits age-wise, a 16" wheel bike is appropriate for you unless you are abnormally tall. If you are a young teenager an 18" wheel bike should be good for somebody in the four foot area. If you are abnormally tall you may want to advance to a 20". Once you get five feet or taller a 20" bike is pretty much necessary.

Wheels: Again, kids are light. They can afford to have lighter bikes. If you can get sealed hubs and double-walled rims than go for it. I believe most bikes will only be single-walled however and have unsealed hubs. I would recommend getting the smallest gear ratio available. The smaller the sprocket the lighter the bike will be and the more out of the way it will be during riding.

Aftermarket Parts: I don't think you will find a single aftermarket part on kids' bikes since parts are pretty much made for 20" wheel bikes. If they have something like aftermarket grips, tires, or pedals than I would go for it. Most stock bikes come with really poor quality tires and grips so getting a good set of each right off the bat is important.

Look/Color: Kids love getting a certain color and what not. Let them just go wild on their color choices. You may end up painting your bike several times for your kid. But more important is the bike's LOOK. Many kids bikes are made with weird geometry to try to suit a smaller body. I would recommend having your kid ride several bikes to see which one they prefer and then go off of the LOOK of the bike that they liked most. By look I mean geometry of the bike, the length and height of the frame, the bars, length of the cranks, etc.

Since this is a tough category to shop in, I would recommend commenting on the profile me and asking to help you out. Plenty of parents have horror stories about trying to find the right bike for their young one and every kid should have the opportunity to ride a high quality bike. Three companies I would recommend for smaller bikes are the WeThePeople 16 and 18 inch, as well as the 18-inch Premium and DK bicycles.

ADVANCED RIDER'S BIKE

If you are a fully grown, advanced rider but do not have the cash for a custom complete bicycle tihs one is for you. Complete bikes have become better and better over the past few years and there are some great bikes on the market worth getting even if you are an advanced rider learning tailwhips and hucking threes down stairs. There is nothing wrong with building a custom bike, part-by-part, like I did, but this is a great option for riders with a lower budget and who are less picky as well.

Materials: Chromoly 100%. It's stronger, it's lighter, it's better. Some less expensive bikes may offer a chromoly MAIN FRAME, meaning it has steel sections on it still, which is okay if you are on a strict budget and don’t want to spring for full chromoly. Those frames will probably dent easy, however. I simply recommend full chromoly. Of course three-piece chromoly cranks as well.

Price/Weight: Price range for this level of bike is like $500-$999. I say 999 because any complete bike over a grand sort of defeats the purpose of opting to buy stock rather than custom part-by-part. If you're going to spend that kind of money I recommend buying your dream bike, piece by piece, because it's worth it when you are riding at that level. Full chromoly bikes start at around the $500 price mark so that's why I put that at the minimum. Weight range is like 22.5-27.5 pounds. Let's say 25 is the average and anything below that is considered a lighter bike, above that a heavier bike. Over 27.5 is pretty heavy if you're spending $500 or more so I don't recommend that and anything under 22.5 pounds that is less than a grand is worrisome because strength was probably sacrificed to lose that weight...

Sizing: If you are around 6 feet tall you probably want 21" long frames, or longer. The longest frame on a complete bike I’ve seen is 21.25". If you are around 5 feet tall you probably want to stay around 20". It is a good idea to try out all the different frame sizes at your bike shop to see which one suits you best. I like longer to avoid knocking your knees on the stem.

Wheels: At this level let's say you MUST get double-walled rims, sealed hubs, and 36H (spokes) or more wheels. You are paying a higher price for quality so look for those things and I don't recommend settling for less. Wheels on stock bikes are not known for high quality so do yourself a favor and get the best possible. Also, MAINTAIN your wheels. Keep the tire pressure high enough so that your rims don't slam into the ground when you land. Keep your spokes tight and true because wheels will bend if the spokes are loose and some wheels become trash after they have bent beyond repair. Also, do not over tighten your nuts because it will put extra pressure on the hub bearings and you may experience premature bearing explosions. Of course I recommend 25/9 or similarly small gear ratios to save some weight and keep your bike simple and small. There's nothing wrong with small gear ratios...

Aftermarket Parts: This level of complete bikes is where aftermarket parts become so important. When you are spending this kind of money you really want to maximize the amount of aftermarket parts so you don't have to replace stock parts right away. Remember, even the best bike parts will need to be replaced sooner or later so its best to get the most out of your dollar. Each bike has different parts that make them unique so I recommend going through EVERYTHING and seeing what's what. I personally require aftermarket grips, tires, and pedals because they are a simple addition to make a bike ready to ride right out of the box.

Color/Look: Bikes at this level should be pretty dialed in with the geometry. More and more complete bikes these days look exactly like pro's bikes because the geometry and look of the bike is meant to look that way. Though it is always good to actually try a bike out and get a feel for it because everyone prefers different things. Speaking of that, everyone prefers different colors so be picky! Well, not really. You can always strip your bike down and repaint it what you want. I like buying a complete bike that looks good right out of the box though. You are paying for these little things. You can assume that a company that puts attention to detail in colors, look, and feel of a bike also put attention to detail in quality, strength, etc.

I recommend simply getting what you want in this category. Prioritize with what features you want in a bike, look at every bike you can find within this range, and start knocking them off one by one by priority. By this I mean start by saying, for example, I want a frame 20.5-21 so anything shorter or longer, knock those off the list. I want bars no lower than 8", so knock those bikes off. Bike must be full chromoly, knock off bikes that aren't. And so on and so forth. This way you learn to prioritize with bike parts and weigh out options like price, weight, and other features.