Kink’s 2022 Cloud BMX bike is a $749.99 dollar bike. Made from full Chromoly frame forks, and bars. This bike comes with 4 pes and 0 hub guards. One of Kink’s strongest bikes in the 2022 line, the Cloud will withstand high-level riding.
Skip right to the good stuff where I give the bike a Dougsterbob Score based on 20 different aspects that determine how good the bike is overall.
Review Video
Overview
The Kink Cloud is Kink Pro team rider Travis Hughes’ signature bike. If you’ve seen Travis ride, you know there is just about nothing he can’t do on a bike, and the Cloud is based on his personal geometry preferences. Component-wise, the Kink Cloud has got you covered with the included four plastic pegs and rear freecoaster wheel. The epic Gloss Iridescent Chrome colorway really sets this bike apart without being too flashy, and graphics inspired by Travis’s design ideas really finish off the look of this bike.
In addition to the full 100% 4130 chromoly frame and fork, the Cloud features an amazing list of components. This model comes with aftermarket Kink Rex 9.5” 13-butted 100% 4130 chromoly bars, Kink Ericsson Stealth seat, and Kink 2.4” Sever tires front and rear. The integrated seat clamp, removable brake design, and Mission Dispatch freecoaster rear wheel solidify the aftermarket look and feel of this bike. To top it all off, the Cloud of course comes standard with four Mission Targa plastic pegs.
from: Kink
Highlights
- Full Chromoly
- Double Wall Rims
- Pegs
- Aftermarket Parts
Other 2021 Kink Bikes
| Bike Model | Bike Price | Bike Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Kink Coast | $149.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Kink Roaster | $199.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Kink Pump | $259.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Kink Carve | $319.99 | Kids |
| 2021 Kink KickerKink Roaster | $319.99 | Kids/Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Curb | $289.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Launch | $329.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Gap | $379.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Gap FC | $399.99 | Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Gap XL | $379.99 | Tall Beginner |
| 2021 Kink Whip | $439.99 | Mid-level |
| 2021 Kink Whip XL | $439.99 | Mid-level |
| 2021 Kink Switch | $499.99 | Mid/high-level |
| 2021 Kink Cloud | $599.99 | High-level |
| 2021 Kink Williams | $749.99 | Pro-level |
| 2021 Kink Drifter | $449.99 | Mid-level |
Specs
Price
The 2022 Kink Cloud will cost around $749.
Colors
- Gloss Iridescent Chrome
2022 Kink Cloud Parts List
| Frame: 100% 4130 Chromoly |
| Fork: Kink Trident 100% 4130 Chromoly |
| 1pc Steerer Tube & Tapered Fork Legs |
| Handlebars: Kink Rex Bars 9.5″ 100% 4130 Chromoly 13-Butted TruTherm |
| Grips: Kink Ace |
| Barends: Kink Thrust |
| Stem: Kink Bold HRD 50mm |
| Headset: Mission Sealed Integrated (41.8 x 45) Brake Lever:Mission Token |
| Brake Cable: Mission L4 Linear |
| Brakes: Mission Cease V2 (Removable Mounts) |
| Cranks: Kink Ridge 3pc Tubular Chromoly 170mm – 8 Spline |
| Bottom Bracket: Sealed Mid 19mm |
| Pedals: Kink Hemlock NF |
| Chain: Mission 510H |
| Sprocket: Kink Bedlam 25t |
| Front Hub: Mission Invade Sealed Bolt-In Hub |
| Rear Hub: Mission Dispatch Sealed Freecoaster 14mm |
| Driver: Sealed 9 Tooth |
| Front Rim: Mission Mylar |
| Rear Rim: Mission Mylar |
| Seat: Kink Pinnacle Stealth |
| Seat Post: Mission Aluminum Stealth |
| Seat Clamp: Integrated |
| Front Tire: Kink Sever 2.4″ |
| Rear Tire: Kink Sever 2.4″ |
| Pegs: 4 Mission Nylon |
| Gyro Tabs: Tapped For Tabs |
| Weight: 27lb 5oz |
Frame Geometry
A: Top Tube Length: 21″ – Learn what size is right for you here.
Check the size guide to see if its right for you..
Getting a top tube that is taller than suggested will make the bike feel more controlled and less responsive
Getting a top tube size that is smaller than normal will make the bike feel a lot more snappy and responsive.
B: Chain Stay Length: 13.25″ – Learn About Chain Stays Here
This is a medium/long chainstay.
A short chain stay makes the bike feel twitchy. Spins will be easy, but airing and jumping might feel hard to control.
A long chain stay will make the bike feel really controlled. Spins will feel sluggish, but manuals and air tricks will feel nice because it will be more stable.
C: Head Tube Angle: 75.5° – Learn About Head Tube Angles Here
Steep head tube angles make the bike “snappy” meaning more responsive to fast turns.
A less steep head tube gives you more control.
D: Seat Tube Angle: 71.5°
E: Bottom Bracket Height: 11.65″
F: Stand over height: 8.75″
This is a medium standover.
A medium standover will make tailwhips easier, but barspins harder. You get less control with a lower standover.
Bar Geometry – Learn more here
G: Rise: 9.5″
Riding a tall rise, will give you more leverage on the bike. Making it easier to pull back and lift the front wheel up.
H: Width: 29.5″
This is a wide width.
Narrow bars make barspins easier.
Wide bars give you more control and stability when steering.
I: Backsweep: 12º
What does backsweep do?
As far as I know, there is a sweet spot for backsweep. Too much will make the bike feel weird, and too little will make the bike unstable. It seems like the sweet spot is around 11º to 12º. If you need something a little more aggressive and straight feeling, go for 10º, but only do this if 11º is uncomfortable.
J: Upsweep: 1º
What does upsweep do?
There is a lot of discussion about 1º upsweep vs. 4º upsweep. Some people are running experiments and testing if the greater upsweep will make drops feel better. It seems like a lot of street riders run 4º to 5º upsweep. This helps for wrist pain and lessens the impact of big drops.
Dougsterbob Score
Now everything above the line is pretty basic info. I break down the specs, geometry and some highlights. But that doesn’t really help you find the right bike. So I created the Dougsterbob Score.
What is it?
The Dougsterbob Score is taken from Doug Demaro’s “Doug Score” (He already had the name so I had to get creative with mine haha) Anyway, this assigns a score to the bike based on 20 different aspects. This way you will know exactly what this bike is good for and how it holds up.
Read how I score the bikes here
2022 Kink Cloud Rankings
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Dougsterbob Score | 5.15 |
| Street Score | 7.33 |
| Park Score | 6.92 |
| Dirt Score | 5.38 |
| Quality Score | 7.4 |
Dougsterbob Score
Dougsterbob Score: 5.15/10
The 2022 Kink Cloud BMX Bike scored 5.15/10. Which is really high, but about average for a bike this price. When a bike scores this high, it is usually really good in one or two disciplines with full chromoly and after-market parts. This is a great bike.
My favorite thing about the Cloud is how many after-market parts it has. This bike is no joke with a lot of aftermarket quality.
It scored really well in street but not so good in park or dirt. In the end I’ll say whether or not I recommend it.
Street Score
Street Score: 7.3
The Kink Cloud scored a 6.75/10. It could have done better if it had hubuards. This bike is still more for street riding than anything else. You just might have to add a few things.
The quality is good so you will not have to worry about thins breaking as you start to jump off big drops and gaps.
I recommend this bike for street riders who need a strong BMX bike. It will perform best in the streets although you can ride it at the skatepark.
Park Score
Park Score: 6.92
The Kink Cloud scored 3.33. It is not MADE for park riding though you can ride it on park occasionally. If you are a street rider who dabbles in park here and there the Cloud is a solid choice.
The geometry is a little mellow on the Cloud. It has a longer (13.25″) chainstay but a steep 75.5º headtube. It is not going to be super responsive like most park-specific bikes, but it will be okay for spins and flips and whips.
Buy the Kink Cloud if you primarily ride street and would like a bike with some minor park abilities.
Dirt Score
Dirt Score: 5.38
For the Dirt section, the Cloud scored a very low 1.67/10.
The Cloud is a little mellow geometry so it will feel somewhat stable when riding dirt jumps. However, the freecoaster will not be fun to have when riding dirt.
All and all, there are much better choices for riding dirt. I do not recommend the Cloud for dirt specific BMX riders.
Quality Score
Quality Score: 7.4
The 2022 Kink Cloud only scored 6.75 in the Quality section. I was kind of disappointed that this “signature” bike did not have many signature parts. The frame isn’t the same as the Hughes signature frame and overall it is a little overpriced.
You can replace all of the parts that come on this bike with almost any aftermarket bmx part. However, the one color option is kind of lame.
This looks to be a very solid bike and I’m sure that it can withstand the test of time with the proper care and maintenance.
Style
I like the color of this bike, but i’m disappointed that you only get one option.
I would love it if we had a couple of different options to choose from. Just because only having one color option really limits the number of people that would enjoy this bike.
The good news is that everything on the Cloud is fully customizable. So you can replace any part with an aftermarket part and run into virtually no headache.
Value
The Cloud is $150 more in 2022 than it was in 2021. Making it a little overpriced in my opinion.
For $750 you get a strong full Chromoly bike, but it uses cheaper mission aftermarket parts instead of strong Kink parts.
Overall, the Cloud is poor value for the price. Hopefully you can find a better bang for you buck bike this year.
Should you get it?
I think the Cloud is a really good bike. Made from full chromoly with some pes and a few after-market parts, it will last a while without breaking. Spending $750 on a BMX bike shouldn’t be an easy decision though. You need to be serious about progression.
The Cloud is designed for High-level riders and someone who has a pretty high budet. Because of the geometry I’d say that you will want to be a pretty serious street rider so you can make use of the 4 pes and the 13.25″ chainstay. It only comes in 21″ toptube so you will need to be a taller rider.
Would I recommend it?
Eh. I’ll have to see how the other bikes are priced this year. Generally for a bike this price you et some more after-market parts, but if all bikes really jumped up in price it might be a good deal. I didn’t really love the cloud when it was a $600 bike so I’m really unsure now that it is a $750 bike.
For a High-level street rider, the Cloud is a solid choice. I think that ti is just a little overpriced. It’s a good bike, don’t get me wrong. I think you might be able to find something with the same quality for a little cheaper.
Common Questions
What is the Price?
The 2022 Kink Cloud is for sale right now for $750. This is a really high price for a bike. It puts it up there with bikes like the WTP Versus.
How Much Does it Weigh?
The 2022 Kink Cloud weighs 27.4 lbs. But keep in mind, this weight includes the pegs. It is not a good bike for someone who really cares about a light bike.
Where to buy it?
You can buy the Cloud from my store here. (obviously, I’m going to plug my new shop 🤫) But if for some reason it is out of stock, or you hate me and want to buy somewhere else, it is available below.
Buy if you are learning:
- 360
- back lash
- grinding rails
- manual combos
- grind combos
- barspin
- 540
- Barspin
- Tailwhip
Don’t buy if you are learning:
- Good for any trick
Conclusion
The Cloud isn’t my favorite BMX bike this year. I think the color looks solid and the peg/hub guard combo is great. I just feel like it costs so much for what you are getting. They really cranked up the price this year and it is disappointing to me.
You will suffer on this bike if Dirt riding is your calling, but fortunately, most people will be picking this up to grind rails, ledges and get technical in the plazas.
