As you may have gathered from my previous posts, I’m not afraid to join in the refrain of “steel is real” when people debate the pros and cons of frame/fork materials. That being said, it kind of goes without saying that, in these situations, I’m talking about chro-moly not hi-tensile steel.
Sure, I get low-end completes may have to scrimp a bit and go with tri-moly or main tube chro-moly frames (the rest being steel) and steel bars. Compromises have to be made somewhere.
What I have difficulty in understanding is a hard-core BMX company putting out a complete that is high-tensile steel throughout.
Like Subrosa.
The 24″ Subrosa Salvador cruiser comes standard with high-ten frame, fork and bars. The geometry and components seem pretty good…seemingly designed for serious riding…yet the frame material seems better suited to a department store bike.
What’s bizarre is that it’s spec’ed with chro-moly cranks!
Well, thank goodness for that.
Because once you’ve broken the frame, bent the forks and snapped the bars you’ll at least have a solid pair of cranks beneath you to carry you home.
If this was part of a 24″ lineup I would kind of get it (sort of) but to have this as the sole 24″ offering from a company that should know better is pretty disappointing.
cruiser revolution 
Agreed! I recently bought my first cruiser, and I’m stoked on it. Full chromo frame and forks were a must. I was really interested in the Subrosa and Model C, but was very dissapointed in the hi ten frame construction, especially considering the price. I like the WTP, but ended up with a 2011 Mirraco 20forty for right at 400 bucks nicely spec’d, and I love it. The new 24″ was such a hit my wife got a new DK Cygnus 24 the next day! It’s full cromo as well, and a 2010 was 235 bucks. $500 for a steel bike is pretty stupid, IMHO.
That’s why I bought the new Specialized p24,full chromo,double wall wheels,26 pounds and awesome geometry at 549.00 bucks.My favorite bike by far that I have ever owned.
@buddy where did you get your p24 from? can’t find any in the states.
Any specialized dealer can get them,go on their website and locate a dealer near you.If you google the bike there are a few dealers you can mail order it from too.
Hi-Ten leaves a bad taste (as it turns to ashes in your mouth). Yummy!
I believe you answered you’re own question in your post. The goal of our Salvador Cruiser is to be an affordable cruiser.
Our Salvador Cruiser’s MSRP is 404. The Mirra Co is priced higher for the chromo. If we wanted our Cruiser to cost more, it could easily be chromo, but for what we want it to be is at a better price for the customer.
Holler
Personally I think you messed up.
A lot of people saw your cruiser and very much liked the geo – nice bb height and longer frame – especially when compared to the other cruisers out there that have caught the imagination.
Then, when they saw it was hi-ten steel – oh dear what a let down!
There are comments on your bike on ridemonkey.com to this effect.
A missed opportunity.
And on this cost issue – how come Specialised can offer a full cro-mo cruiser (PT24) with sanko chromo and good geo for only a little more than the price of your bike?
Out of curiosity ….how much difference is there in the cost of chromo over high tensile steel in a frame?
$50?
The problem as I see it is you either have a rider who will actually ride the thing and will bend the crap out of it or you have a guy who is not only over the hill (almost there myself) but resembles one visually who could bend a high tensile cruiser by rolling off a curb.
Seriously Subrosa….unless you plan to offer these for $149 a Walmart go back to the real deal.
Subrosa has never claimed to make a hardcore cruiser like Sunday’s Model-C frame, which is hardcore and can take it much more than most 20″ BMX Frames that aren’t heat treated while the Sunday Model-C completes (although nice looking) will not take no way near as much abuse as the Model-C frame only solution.
That said, there aren’t that many companies that are producing hardcore throw your bike at a wall heat treated cruisers so I would not be surprised that Subrosa’s intentions where to make a cruiser that looks good and can be hopped about on and used very lightly in skateparks for a very cheap price and the parts are nothing special either (stock standard straight out of a catalogue) no cnc and a price to reflect that.
If your after a cruiser complete thats dialled out of the box there is only Fitbikeco, Sundy and Wethepeople to my knowledge and they all should cost a pretty penny more than the Subrosa or Mirraco.
In short, you gets what you pays for!
And all of those options are only slightly more expensive than the Subrosa – so in the Subrosa case – you do not get what you pay for at all
I forgot to mention that Wethepeople 2011 cruiser does not come with sealed hubs which is a bummer but, on the subject of quality frame materials and finishes it does have the Model-C geometry as does the Fitbikeco cruiser but, it also has neat capped chain and seat stays which is a rearity on any complete at that price 20″ or 24″.
Did anybody ever check out the Free Agent Devil 24?Its pretty awesome and full chromo,micro drive with double wall rear wheel for around $400.00,it was my second choice after the p24.
shoots, if someone wants a hi-ten complete, check the 2010 haro F24.
front and rear brakes, rotor, 4 pegs, chromo DT, 21.7 TT, sealed 3 piece chromo cranks, chromo steerer forks, 48h alex rims…. $325 U.S. at my LBS.
i’m thinking of getting one just to do some flatland goofing when i ride with baby girl.
throw a real seatpost and a quick release on there and i’m in bidnet…
Great article brother. I loved the subrosa letum cruiser but then they stopped making it in exchange for a steel frame. And it’s still pretty expensive considering the better cruiser you can find very cheap. That’s why i ride a 2002 free agent hellcat.
@ andy-
yah those DK Cygnus are a lot of bike for the money!
heck i’d still have some money to set it up the way i want.
thanks for the tip- i’ll prolly go that route instead.
[…] here and there a part may need to be replaced or upgraded. But compared to some of the completes other companies are offering, they are hard to beat. This bike deserves a web […]
[…] dunno. Remember the Subrosa Salvador 24 from last year? That was a hi-ten bike with chro-mo cranks priced at $404! That to me, was more of an outrage. […]
[…] was a bit of a disappointment to many…given its high-ten frame construction (check out For real, too much steel for more on this). Has Subrosa stepped up their game this time? We’ll have to see. What […]