BMX Pro XL Cruiser

BMX Pro XL Cruiser: big build, big wheel

The Cruiser Pro XL combines two traits that pull the same way: a top tube of 21.75" to 22", and a 24 inch wheel. Each one lengthens the bike and settles it down. Together they produce the calmest machine in the catalogue, with very concrete consequences for handling and for the drivetrain.

The size that matches you

All of these frames run 24 inch wheels on 507 rims, and the Cruiser Pro XL closes the list. Useful marker: a rider settled on a 21.25" BMX Pro XL lands on 21.75" in 24 inch, while a Pro XXL rider aims at 22". The other 24 inch formats are grouped in the BMX Cruiser section.

What the longest wheelbase implies

Add a large diameter wheel to a long front triangle and the wheelbase exceeds anything else raced on the track. The bike holds a straight line without correction, takes flat landings and is barely unsettled by a broken berm surface. In exchange, weight shifts have to be anticipated and corners entered earlier: a Cruiser Pro XL is ridden ahead of time, not on reflex.

The geometry that comes with the long size

To stop the bike turning inert, builders raise the bottom bracket shell to clear 180 mm cranks and keep the chainstays as short as clearance around a 24 inch wheel allows. The head angle is often slacker than on a 20 inch frame of the same length, and the fork rake is adjusted to keep the steering from feeling remote. A 160 mm disc makes full sense here: the mass in motion is the highest in the range.

The markers of a Cruiser Pro XL frame

• Top tube of 21.75" to 22" depending on the maker
• 507 rim in 24 inch, tyres from 24x1.75 to 24x1.95
• Cranks of 177.5 to 180 mm on a three-piece crankset
• Euro, Mid or Spanish shell, according to the frame brand
• Rear axle of 10 or 20 mm, 36 hole hub recommended
• Dedicated 24 inch fork, longer than a 20 inch fork

Choosing your gearing in 24 inch

The big wheel mechanically lengthens the distance covered per pedal stroke. Left uncorrected, the gate start turns sluggish. A rider using 44x16 on 20 inch finds the same feel around 41x16 or 43x17 in 24 inch. The final setting comes after a few motos, according to the length of the start straight. Chain in 1/8" or 3/32", tensioner and shell all stay at the usual BMX Race standards.

The brands that reach 22 inches

Chase, Meybo, Supercross, Inspyre and Stay Strong all develop 24 inch frames, but not all of them push the range as far as a 22" top tube. Availability of the largest size shifts from season to season, which makes comparing catalogues essential before ordering. Note too that nothing carries over from a 20 inch on the wheel side: no rim, no tyre, no inner tube. The cockpit, saddle, seat post and number plate, however, follow without trouble when a Cruiser joins your usual bike.

The BMX RACING advice

Send us your height, the size of your 20 inch and your current ratio: we confirm frame length, cranks and the gearing to fit before shipping. The full sizing chart can be consulted in the BMX bikes and frames section. Dispatched within 24 to 72 hours, you can spread the cost over 2 or 3 payments.