26" vs 24"

[THIS_IS_DBO]

Hi All,

I'm a middle aged man planning to form my mid-life crisis around giving trials another go, not expecting much, but if I can learn to peddle hop again I will be chuffed!

I rode trials back in the 90's, my last proper trials bike was an Orange Zero when they first came out, with hope 4 pots, man I loved that bike! I used to ride street, didn't take part in competitions or anything.

I currently ride a mullet stump jumper on trails and while it's fun, I'm always drawn to the trials moves more than any kind of jumps.

I'm assuming I would be best suited to a 26" trials bike as it's what I'm used to and isn't to much of a leap from my trail bike.

How do people think I would get on with a 24" bike, would the difference be to much or would I get used to it?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks 

D

[AdamR28]

It sounds like you'd be reet on either. Go street-y style (Inspired Flow / Fourplay / Hex) if you want something that feels a bit like your Zero and is fun just to mess around on!

[Brettoll]

Honest advice.. Get on some and see how you feel?? Where are you based, see if there are any riders locally you can take a ride out with and see.

Everyone here will have a different opinion, but, until you get on them and get a feel on what suits, it is hard to judge. As actually, Zero to a Hex are completely incomparable with the investment in geo, materials, etc. that Inspired have put in.. in a good way! So will feel "different" but more at home as big wheels. 24" though might suit just your riding style and the slightly smaller wheels and feel might suit you more??

Good luck in the hunt!

(I went for the, gonna build a 24" and just absolutely couldn't get my head around it, the body shape differences etc. so sold it and have an Alias and building a Hex as my personal experience/opinion).

Edited June 8, 2023 by Brettoll

[La Bourde]

I have a MTB background too and honestly, I never felt good on a 24".

I never own one for a long time, but I had the opportunity to test some of them (four play and Crewkerz guilty, element)

I felt quite good on the guilty.

But still it felt like a shorter bike, too close to a 26".

I tried 20" comp bikes and I felt almost better on them, cause it is completely different to ride (but not the solution in your case, you want to ride the bike on obstacles I guess and not pedal up everything)

As Brettol said, try both if possible.

I guess 26" will fit you better though.

I had an Orange Zero too (really loved it) and the Hex or the other 26" street trials are a further refinement of it.

I have a NS Majesty Park built as a 26" street trials and it feels similar to the zero:

 

[THIS_IS_DBO]

On 6/8/2023 at 2:11 PM, AdamR28 said:

It sounds like you'd be reet on either. Go street-y style (Inspired Flow / Fourplay / Hex) if you want something that feels a bit like your Zero and is fun just to mess around on!

Thanks Adam, what do you ride?

[THIS_IS_DBO]

On 6/8/2023 at 3:55 PM, Brettoll said:

Honest advice.. Get on some and see how you feel?? Where are you based, see if there are any riders locally you can take a ride out with and see.

Everyone here will have a different opinion, but, until you get on them and get a feel on what suits, it is hard to judge. As actually, Zero to a Hex are completely incomparable with the investment in geo, materials, etc. that Inspired have put in.. in a good way! So will feel "different" but more at home as big wheels. 24" though might suit just your riding style and the slightly smaller wheels and feel might suit you more??

Good luck in the hunt!

(I went for the, gonna build a 24" and just absolutely couldn't get my head around it, the body shape differences etc. so sold it and have an Alias and building a Hex as my personal experience/opinion).

Thanks for the tips Brettoll, i'm based in leamington spa, I'm on the hunt for local riders!

I had considered trying to find a zero to build up, but I'm partly excited to see how the tech has progressed.

I think I might have the same struggle with 24", completely different body shape etc, but hard to say without trying, switching between my stumpy and my old 26" already feels like riding a BMX, I'm not sure how well I would cope with switching between wheel sizes all the time.

Is the Alias 24"? do you know if the hex comes as a frameset or full bike only, i've not seen the frame only online?

 

On 6/8/2023 at 5:58 PM, La Bourde said:

I have a MTB background too and honestly, I never felt good on a 24".

I never own one for a long time, but I had the opportunity to test some of them (four play and Crewkerz guilty, element)

I felt quite good on the guilty.

But still it felt like a shorter bike, too close to a 26".

I tried 20" comp bikes and I felt almost better on them, cause it is completely different to ride (but not the solution in your case, you want to ride the bike on obstacles I guess and not pedal up everything)

As Brettol said, try both if possible.

I guess 26" will fit you better though.

I had an Orange Zero too (really loved it) and the Hex or the other 26" street trials are a further refinement of it.

I have a NS Majesty Park built as a 26" street trials and it feels similar to the zero:

Thanks for the comments, like you say I need to try them out and see how I get on.

Have you ridden a hex?

 

[AdamR28]

6 hours ago, THIS_IS_DBO said:

Thanks Adam, what do you ride?

Mostly ride MTB these days, but when I do bust out some trials moves it's a 20". Have a fair amount of experience with all bike sizes / styles though. A Zero was my first 'proper' trials frame after a Merlin thingy and a Heavy Tools copy, then spent ~20 years working in trials.

[Brettoll]

8 hours ago, THIS_IS_DBO said:

Thanks for the tips Brettoll, i'm based in leamington spa, I'm on the hunt for local riders!

I had considered trying to find a zero to build up, but I'm partly excited to see how the tech has progressed.

I think I might have the same struggle with 24", completely different body shape etc, but hard to say without trying, switching between my stumpy and my old 26" already feels like riding a BMX, I'm not sure how well I would cope with switching between wheel sizes all the time.

Is the Alias 24"? do you know if the hex comes as a frameset or full bike only, i've not seen the frame only online?

 

Thanks for the comments, like you say I need to try them out and see how I get on.

Have you ridden a hex?

 

The nostalgia hit me and I built up a Zero 4 years back, just wasn’t as good as I remember and sold it haha

Yeah 24” just kept looping out and it felt just tiny. The Alias is a 20” but is a weird, fun mix for street and TGS. It’s super sketchy as it’s designed for being all round.. though not ridden it as much as had a baby last year!

Also purchased a BASE TA26 frame and found a NOS 2018 Hex frame-set (as they never pop up) in the garage in case I decide 26” again.

Had a Mk 1 Hex in the past, felt like a nice progression, the chain stays being shorter took some getting used to, kept looping back wheel moves as wasn’t compensating. But wanted dual disc and this was an HS33 rear frame.

Inspired frames are rare as they were typically sold full build, you are better trying for a TMS or Extension if you want frameset and build up.

[marg26]

I went with a 24" street trials bike (Inspired Console) to learn trials on in my early forties. Thought street would be more my thing and wanted to try the smaller wheels as used to ride around on a BMX as a youth. By the end of this year will be 5 years and not once been tempted to try any sort of bar spin or foot jam tail whip. I'm a slow learner so have pretty much been taken up with learning the basics of trials.

The 24" felt pretty weird initially but didn't take that long to get used to (kinda like converting from only ever riding SPD pedals for years to learning flat pedals once again). A couple of years ago I tried a 20" mod and it caught me off guard as hadn't expected it to feel yet another level of weirdness! Almost felt like riding a bike in a plank position.

I sometimes attempt basic trials on my 27.5" rigid/hardtail (depending which forks I currently decide to run on it) and while I can hop on the rear it just feels a bit too big and unwieldy - but as mentioned I'm not an acomplished trials rider by any means.

[La Bourde]

On 6/10/2023 at 12:29 PM, THIS_IS_DBO said:

Thanks for the tips Brettoll, i'm based in leamington spa, I'm on the hunt for local riders!

I had considered trying to find a zero to build up, but I'm partly excited to see how the tech has progressed.

I think I might have the same struggle with 24", completely different body shape etc, but hard to say without trying, switching between my stumpy and my old 26" already feels like riding a BMX, I'm not sure how well I would cope with switching between wheel sizes all the time.

Is the Alias 24"? do you know if the hex comes as a frameset or full bike only, i've not seen the frame only online?

 

Thanks for the comments, like you say I need to try them out and see how I get on.

Have you ridden a hex?

 

Yes, I had the opportunity to ride a Hex, but I never owned one.

I own an alloy Merida 26" street trial prototype, which geometry is closed to the Hex.

Both bikes are much easier on the rear wheel than the Zero. The longer front end make them better for transfer or gap. The Zero has a similar wheelbase, but the chainstays are longer (20mm), the head angle is slacker so overall its reach is much shorter.

The zero was amazing in manual. Maybe cause the bottom bracket is so low and the chainstays not too short. 

The zero is harder to spin.

My NS majesty Park felt closer to the Zero due to the short reach. But it spins much better, it is quite unstable compared to the Zero.

It makes it sometimes harder in manual, but it is so playful, like a BMX... I like it.

[The Dark Knight]

I got back into trials this year after around 15 years off and around 10 years away from bmx.

I went with a 24" with a TMS Silex 24 which I was lucky to get through the cycle to work scheme through Shaun from FXN. Could be an option for you, TMS make a Silex 26 too depending what direction you.

I'm from more of a bmx background which is why I went 24 and not regretted it:

[Luke Rainbird]

I'd echo the comments above - bigger wheels will likely feel less alien (I never got on with 20" even when I was riding regularly) but if you can get yourself to a local group ride I'm sure a few people would let you have a little roll about to get an initial feel for things.

On 6/10/2023 at 6:15 PM, AdamR28 said:

Have a fair amount of experience with all bike sizes / styles though... spent ~20 years working in trials.

I just looked up "understatement" in the dictionary to check, and Adam's photo was looking back at me... 

 

[THIS_IS_DBO]

On 6/12/2023 at 11:03 AM, Luke Rainbird said:

I'd echo the comments above - bigger wheels will likely feel less alien (I never got on with 20" even when I was riding regularly) but if you can get yourself to a local group ride I'm sure a few people would let you have a little roll about to get an initial feel for things.

I just looked up "understatement" in the dictionary to check, and Adam's photo was looking back at me... 

 

Ha, I've just worked out he's the 'adam' 🤣 

 

On 6/12/2023 at 9:37 AM, The Dark Knight said:

I got back into trials this year after around 15 years off and around 10 years away from bmx.

I went with a 24" with a TMS Silex 24 which I was lucky to get through the cycle to work scheme through Shaun from FXN. Could be an option for you, TMS make a Silex 26 too depending what direction you.

I'm from more of a bmx background which is why I went 24 and not regretted it:

Nice, loving the blue 

Thanks for all the input, giving me lots to think about, will probably try out a 26" and see how I get on. 

[Swoofty]

If you do look into 24" bikes, pay attention to the wheelbases. The 960mm bikes feel more BMX while the 980+mm bikes will feel more like a 26".

[La Bourde]

Agree, but compared to the 1200 mm of modern enduro bikes, it will still feel crazy short.

Buying a 1100 WB comp bike won't be a solution neither...

Street/trials bike feel really awkward for a MTBer, even a 26". The head angle, the bar height, the short chainstays...

I think a 26" street/trials makes more sense for someone who already owns a dirt jump bike. 

For someone who only owns an enduro bike, I guess it is much a matter of what kind of riding one wants to do: more spinny things, more BMX oriented or more natural trials things.

 

[Canardweb]

18 hours ago, La Bourde said:

Agree, but compared to the 1200 mm of modern enduro bikes, it will still feel crazy short.

Buying a 1100 WB comp bike won't be a solution neither...

Street/trials bike feel really awkward for a MTBer, even a 26". The head angle, the bar height, the short chainstays...

I think a 26" street/trials makes more sense for someone who already owns a dirt jump bike. 

For someone who only owns an enduro bike, I guess it is much a matter of what kind of riding one wants to do: more spinny things, more BMX oriented or more natural trials things.

 

The thing I find the most disturbing coming from my dirt bike, my trail bike or my FR bike is the stem length! Feels like you're driving a bus on a trials bike haha

[La Bourde]

True. I try to push to carry speed and it feels weird! My street trial is also so short, I have to be careful on the first manuals ...

[Brettoll]

On 6/24/2023 at 4:38 PM, Swoofty said:

If you do look into 24" bikes, pay attention to the wheelbases. The 960mm bikes feel more BMX while the 980+mm bikes will feel more like a 26".

That is also interesting point, some of the Inspired 24"s dance either side of 1000mm wb, with the Fourplay below, the Flow above..

 

[La Bourde]

The flow is more an entry level bike too and has quite long chainstays. The high end 24" models (Skye, Arcade) have a wheelbase smaller or equal to 1000mm.