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Dirt bikes are almost the last mountain bikes that still roll on 26-inch wheels. The reason for this? Small wheels are robust, manoeuvrable, agile and accelerate quickly. In the skate park, for street tricks, on the pump track and for jumps on the dirt line, these are exactly the right characteristics and make a dirt bike the ideal toy.
Short geometries and stable parts simplify rotational movements and ensure durability. Basic mountain biking techniques, such as bunny hops and manuals, can also be optimally learnt on a dirt bike.
What does a good dirt bike need?
First of all: Emil Johansson's or Erik Fedko's dirt bikes are not trials bikes. If you want to jump like Danny MacAskill or Fabio Wibmer, you need a special trials bike. But what makes a good dirt bike? There is not much technology on such a bike.
Stable wheels and a strong cockpit should be a matter of course. Short stems ensure direct handling. The handlebar width is a matter of taste, but the fact is that some tricks, such as bar spins, are easier with narrower handlebars.
Studded tyres only really make sense on slopestyle or fourcross tracks. Otherwise, fast-rolling semi-slick tyres are fine. Also sensible: The saddle should not be in the way. Most dirt bikes have a brake on the rear wheel. This is normally sufficient for decelerating and stopping. Problem with the front brake: The cable restricts the ability to do some tricks, for example tailwhips.
When it comes to the drivetrain of a dirt bike, there are really no questions. Defect-prone gears are out of place here and singlespeed is the way to go. Stable, two-piece cranks with a rigid axle reliably carry the rider's weight over the jumps.
One of the most important components on a dirt bike is the fork. Rigid forks save weight and money, but are rarely found on the market, as suspension models are easier on the wrists in the event of hard impacts. High-quality dirt forks, such as the Marzocchi Bomber DJ or the Rockshox Pike DJ, are characterised not only by an air spring, but also by their damping with good support. A 100 millimetre stroke is standard.
There are only a few full-suspension slopestyle bikes off the shelf. They are particularly useful on big jumps and drops in the bike park. When it comes to weight, the lighter the better - but only if the lightweight construction doesn't come at the expense of durability. We show 10 suitable models from € 919 in our quick check, in alphabetical order:
Canyon Stitched 360
Canyon has now limited its range of dirt bikes to a single model. The Manitou Circus Sport is more of a dirt fork for beginners, but already has an air spring and a stable 20-millimetre thru-axle. The crank and cockpit are solid Raceface parts. The external routing of the rear brake line facilitates replacement and maintenance.
details
- Prices: 999 Euro
- Weight: 12.2 kg
- Sizes: S / L
Commencal Absolute
The direct mail order company from Andorra is now a firm favourite among gravity bikers. In the configurator, the Absolut can be customised according to your own wishes. No other manufacturer offers this. The most expensive complete bike model comes with a high-end suspension fork from Rockshox and stylish parts from Burgtec but a no-name crank.
details
- Prices: 1090,83 - 2082,50 Euro
- Weight: n.a.
- Sizes: S / M / L
Cube Flying Circus
Cube advertises its dirt bike as a versatile toy for young people. Cube sells the Flying Circus with a front brake and a gear system could even be retrofitted to the aluminium frame. However, this would not be compatible with the company's own wheels. The heavy RST suspension fork comes with a steel spring and does not allow for many adjustments or wide tyres. A setback seatpost with a two-bolt clamp is a questionable choice on a dirt bike.
details
- Prices: 999 Euro >> available here
- Weight: 12.6 kg
- Sizes: M / L
Dartmoor Two6Player
For a long time, Dartmoor was an insider tip for high-performance dirt bikes. The Poles have now lost their price advantage with the high-quality models. Nevertheless, Two6Player bikes are equipped with many of the company's own parts. The top-of-the-range Pro model comes with a fiery red Marzocchi Bomber DJ suspension fork and is surprisingly light.
details
- Prices: 999 - 1699,95 Euro
- Weight: 10.8 kg
- Sizes: M / L
NS Bikes Movement
Another exciting dirt bike from Poland: NS Bikes was one of the pioneers of affordable but also elegant dirt bikes. The Movement is the model with an aluminium frame. Most of the add-on parts are in-house developments, especially for dirt use. Only the top model Movement 1 has a high-quality suspension fork, but still only a tame Tektro brake. There is also a version with 24-inch wheels for young riders.
details
- Prices: 919 - 1599 Euro
- Weight: n.a.
- Sizes: Unisize
Propain Trickshot
Propain recently presented the optimised version of the Trickshot. Among other things, the dropouts for tensioning the chain and the mount for a brake gyro have been revised. While the cheapest version has to make do with an inexpensive X-Fusion fork, the German direct mail order company has given the top model the Marzocchi Bomber DJ. The frame colour and lettering can be customised in the configurator.
details
- Prices: 1049 - 1449 Euro
- Weight: 10.7 kg
- Sizes: S/M / L/XL
Rose Bruce
The predecessor model of the Rose Bruce won the dirt bike test in our last comparison. The updated bike has solidly bolted, sliding dropouts and nice details, such as a saddle with Pivotal mounting standard. In addition to many parts from our own label, the more expensive model comes with the prestigious Rockshox Pike DJ suspension fork.
details
- Prices: 1199 - 1499 Euro >> available here
- Weight: 11.2 kg
- Sizes: S/M / L/XL
Specialised P.3 / P.4
Slopestyle superstar Nicholi Rogatkin fires off his tricks on the P.3. The internally routed cables and the special design of the dropouts give the Specialized a very special look. The bike with the high-performance Marzocchi fork is not cheap. Nevertheless, it only comes with a crank made in-house. The sales price includes a mechanical front brake, which most riders are likely to remove immediately. Exciting: With the P.4, Specialized also has a dirt bike with 27.5-inch wheels in its range.
details
- Prices: 1700 Euro
- Weight: 11.1 kg
- Sizes: Unisize
XPro Digga
A dirt bike frame made in Europe, by bikers for bikers - that is currently quite unique. The chassis of the Digga is welded in Bosnia-Herzegovina and assembled in Regensburg, Bavaria. Development and design are also based in the city on the Danube. High-quality equipment and limited designs drive up the price. You can choose dirt forks from Marzocchi or Rockshox.
details
- Prices: 1749 - 2500 Euro
- Weight: 11.1 kg
- Sizes: Unisize
YT Dirtlove
At YT, it all started with a dirt bike. The Dirtlove is therefore something like the heart of the direct-to-consumer line-up. The most expensive model has a steel frame and the high-priced Rockshox Pike DJ. If you want to customise it, you can build the frameset with your own parts. The brake mount can be moved with the dropouts for a position-independent function.
details
- Prices: 999 - 1599 Euro
- Weight: 11.6 kg
- Sizes: Regular / Long
Jan Timmermann
Editor
