I had a kid ask me “Whats is the best Cult bmx bike?” I decided to do a whole post about it. There are so many options when considering all of the Cult bikes.
However, the best Cult bike is the 2021 Cult Devotion
. Cult’s Devotion comes with strong chromoly, double wall rims for a really good price.
People consider the best bike the most expensive one. This isn’t always the case. The best bike is the one that fits you, has quality parts that meet your skill level and has a geometry designed around what you like to ride. Let me explain…
Getting the Right Size
I have a very helpful size guide here. All you need to do is click your height and it shows you the size bike that you need. So go the the guide and figure out what sized top tube you need, and then match it the options below.
Remember
Picking a bmx bike that is bigger than recommended will make it harder to snap around. But the bike will feel nice and controlled.
Picking a bike that is smaller than recommended will make the bike feel quick and responsive.
Understand Toptube size
Find the right size
Now you know what sized toptube is needed for you, you can look through the available options and pick a few that might work well for you. Remember to get the taller size if you want a more controlled and flowy feeling. Get the smaller option if you want a responsive and snappy feeling.
| Bike Model | Bike Price | Wheel Size | Top Tube Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Juvenile 12″ | $329.99 | 12″ | 13.5″ |
| 2021 Juvenile 14″ | $339.99 | 14″ | 14.5″ |
| 2021 Juvenile 16″ | $349.99 | 16″ | 16.5″ |
| 2021 Juvenile 18″ | $369.99 | 18″ | 18″ |
| 2021 Cult Access | $329.99 | 20″ | 20″ |
| 2021 Cult Gateway | $399.99 | 20″ | 20.5″ |
| 2021 Cult Control | $469.99 | 20″ | 20.75″ |
| 2021 Cult Devotion | $539.99 | 20″ | 21″ |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 26″ | $539.99 | 26″ | 22″ |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 29″ | $569.99 | 29″ | 23.5″ |
After you find the size you need, you can’t stop there. To find the perfect Cult bike, you still need to pick the skill level of your bike, and the discipline. We will do that next.
Your Skill Level
Picking a bike that aligns with your skill level is really important. If you buy a bike that is for a lower skill level, it will get destroyed and you will have a bad experience. On the flip side, buying a bike that is a way higher skill, its going to cost more then you should spend.
Kids Bikes
Kid bikes don’t really have much to them. Sometimes they are strider bikes with no pedals, and sometimes they are just really small (12″-16″) bikes. Since these bikes are so small and easy to build, these bikes are always at the bottom of the list when it comes to price.
- Small Bike
- Hi-tensile steel
- Cheapest Components
Get a Kids Bike if you:
- are a small rider
- want to learn basic bike control
Beginner Bike
Beginner bikes are usually in the 20″ wheel size category. A beginner bike requires more materials to make. Thus making it more expensive than kids bikes. But since they are weaker quality, these bikes come out cheaper than mid-level bikes.
- Hi-tensile steel or chromoly
- Lowest quality parts
- Smaller top tube sizes
- unsealed bearings
Get a Beginner Bike if you:
- Are learning tricks like bunny hop, 180, feeble grinds, smiths
- are new to the sport
- trying to learn bike control
- just want to hang out and ride with your friends that ride
Mid-level Bike
A mid-level bike is usually represented by a hike in price. This is because mid-level bikes add full chromoly to the frame, along with double wall rims and aftermarket components.
- Full Chromoly
- Double Wall Rims
- Limited aftermarket parts
- Sealed bearings
Get a Mid-level Bike if you:
- You have been riding for a while
- You want to learn tricks like whips and bars
- You have dreams of going pro later on
High-level/Pro-level Bike
These bikes are at the top of the price chart. Usually, the most expensive, high, and pro-level bikes include a lot of strong aftermarket parts. This is on top of the strong Chromoly frame, double-wall rims, and so on.
- Full Chromoly
- Double Wall Rims
- Lots of aftermarket parts
- Sealed Bearings
Get a High-level bike if:
- Had a mid-level bike and broke it
- Ride at a high level
- Want to learn tricks like double whips, flips, feeble hard 360
Use the chart below to pick a bike that matches your skill level. Remember to plan ahead a few years. For example, if you plan to ride at a high-level soon, It is a good idea to just save a little more and get a high-level bike. Doing this will save you money in the long run.
Other 2021 Cult Bikes
| Bike Model | Bike Price | Bike Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Juvenile 12″ | $329.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Juvenile 14″ | $339.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Juvenile 16″ | $349.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Juvenile 18″ | $369.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Cult Access | $329.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Cult Gateway | $399.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Cult Control | $469.99 | Mid-Level |
| 2021 Cult Devotion | $539.99 | Mid-Level |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 26″ | $539.99 | Cruising Dads |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 29″ | $569.99 | Cruising Dads |
Specific Geometry
This is the last component to picking the perfect Cult bike, is getting one tailored to your style. While it is totally possible to just pick one and upgrade it to suit your style.. It usually takes a long time and a lot of money. So the closer that you can get, the better off you will be.
I wrote a really in-depth post about “ultimate upgrades for your bike” and this talks a lot about different upgrades that you can do
Street Riders
Street riders need a bike that can handle hefty drops, big spins, and riding around for miles. Sometimes a street bike has a free coaster and even brakes. This really depends on your personal preference and what kind of tricks you like to do.
Upgrades for Street Riders
Sprocket Guard
This can save you a lot of money in the long run. Doing a lot of grinds without a bash guard can absolutely destroy your sprocket.
Pegs
You can always upgrade pegs, or just add pegs if you have a complete that doesn’t come with any. You know why you need to run pegs so I won’t explain it. Here are some options.
Forks
Changing the offset of your forks will help you with your style. Most stock forks are around 32mm. Which makes the bike slow and stable. A snappy and responsive feel is much more common. Look at getting some r25 or if you are feeling really crazy, r15’s. This will make nose manuals easy and the bike will feel so much better.
Park Riders
Park riders need to choose between a really responsive and snappy feeling bike or a really controlled bike built for flow. Most people think about responsive double whipping machines. But sometimes the rider just likes to go really fast and really high.
Upgrades for Park Riders
Better Brakes
To be honest, I don’t know much about brakes. But I have some friends that love brakes. They like to get the best brakes and brake pads. If you don’t already have one, look at getting a gyro set up too. This will help keep your cables from getting tangled.
Stem
Getting a stem with a shorter reach will bring the bars closer to you. This will make steering more responsive, and also make bars so much easier.
Narrow bars
Narrowing down your bars will make your bike harder to control. But it does make bar spins easier. The best way to do this is to go buy a little pipe cutter, tape measure, cut a tiny bit off both sides. 28” is pretty narrow. So, if you have 30.5” bars and you want 28” you will cut off 1.25” on each side.
Dirt Riders
Dirt is pretty unique. A lot of people can ride some dirt on their park or street bike. However, building a bike designed specifically for dirk can make a pretty big impact. Bikes for dirt will have brakes, a bigger gear ratio, bigger geometry for better control, and knobby tires.
Upgrades for Dirt Riders
Mellow Forks
Getting some mellow forks will make the bike more stable. This is good for high-speed dirt riding. Odyssey R32 forks are the best option here.
Sprocket
Get a bigger sprocket so that you can have a higher top speed. Most bikes come with 25/9 gearing. A lot of trail riders go up to 28/9.
- Fly tractor XL 28t
- Cinema Rewind (28t) This is a spline drive sprocket. My personal favorite. You need to make sure that you have 48 spline cranks or the sprocket will not work.
Use the table below to see what bike meets your needs depending on your style of riding.
| Bike Model | Bike Price | Street, Park or Dirt? |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Juvenile 12″ | $329.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Juvenile 14″ | $339.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Juvenile 16″ | $349.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Juvenile 18″ | $369.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Cult Access | $329.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Cult Gateway | $399.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Cult Control | $469.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Cult Devotion | $539.99 | Well Rounded |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 26″ | $539.99 | Well Rounded? |
| 2021 Cult Devotion 29″ | $569.99 | Well Rounded? |
Similar Questions
Is Cult a good BMX Brand?
Long story short, yes. Cult has a good reputation for building good quality parts. Their primary focus is on after market parks. That is why the 2021 complete line is pretty limited. Is cult a good brand?
What Size BMX Do I need?
To ride at your best level, you need a bike that fits you. The size of bike that you choose depends on your height.
- A 20″ bike is for riders 4’10” to 5’6″.
- A 20.25″ bike is for a rider 5’3 to 5’9″
- A 20.5″ bike is for riders 5’3″ to 6′
- A 20.75″ bike is best for riders 5’6″ to 6’3″
- a 21″ bike is for someone 5’9″ to 6’4″
Check out the BMX Size Guide Here
