2022 Sunday EX (Elstran Review)


The Erik Elstran version of the Sunday Ex has an Odyssey Clutch V2 freecoaster and 4 piece handle bars. This is a solid bike from Sunday with full chromoly frame, forks, and bars. Sadly the rims are single wall. The Elstran EX is $659.99 andweighs 25.75 lbs with brakes.

Here’s how it stacks up against my TOP 5 Picks…

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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 2022 Sunday EX BMX Bike features a screamin’ price for a killer build. As Erik Elstran’s signature bike, you will find a plethora of aftermarket components included on this build such as the Odyssey Clutch V2 freecoaster, Sunday Saker cranks, and Odyssey Springfield braking system with removable mounts. Fully sealed bearings create a level of smoothness and reliability that is unmatched. For ultimate strength, Sunday constructed the frame, forks, bars, and cranks out of 100% chromoly. If you want to ride a bike that is pro-level and won’t fold from going too big, check out the Sunday EX BMX Bike.

from: DanscompOpens in a new tab.

Highlights

  • Mid-level quality
  • Erik Elstran Signature
  • 100% Chromoly
  • After market freecoaster

Specs

Price

The 2022 Sunday EX Elstran signature costs $659.

Colors

  • Copper Drop

2022 Sunday EX Elstran Signature Part List

Frame: Sunday EX, 100% Chromoly w/ Wave Downtube 
Fork: Sunday EX 100% Chromoly w/ 2-Piece Steerer Tube and Welded Pre-Load (25mm Offset) 
Bars: Sunday, 100% Chromoly 4-Piece (29″ Width) (9″ Rise) (12° Backsweep) (3° Upsweep) 
Stem: Sunday Freeze Top Load (48mm) 
Headset: FSA Integrated Conical (1-1/8″) 
Top Cap: Sunday M16, Aluminum 
Grips: Sunday Jake Seeley 
Cranks: Sunday Saker (165mm Long) 
Bottom Bracket: Sealed Mid (19mm) 
Pedals: Odyssey Twisted PC Pro 
Chain: KMC Z1 Wide 
Sprocket: Sunday Sabertooth v2, 6061 Aluminum (25 Tooth) 
Front Hub: Sunday Low-Flange Sealed (3/8″ Female Axle) 
Rear Hub: Odyssey Clutch V2 Freecoaster (14mm Female Axle) 
Driver: 9 Tooth 
Spokes: Steel, Black (14 Gauge) 
Front Rim: Sunday Lightning (20″) (36 Hole) 
Rear Rim: Sunday Lightning (20″) (36 Hole) 
Front Tire: Odyssey Path Pro OEM (20 x 2.4″) 
Rear Tire: Odyssey Path Pro OEM (20 x 2.4″) 
Seat: Sunday Badge (Pivotal) 
Seat Post: Sunday (Pivotal) 
Seat Clamp: Sunday 
Lever: Odyssey Springfield 
Brake Cable: Odyssey Quik Slic 
Brakes: Odyssey Springfield U-Brake 
Brake Mounts: Removable 
Gyro Tabs: Drilled 
Extras: Non-Drive Side Plastic Hub Guard 
Color: Copper Drop (Black/Copper) 
Weight: 25.75 lbs

Frame Geometry

A: Top Tube Length:  20.75″ – Learn what size is right for you here.Opens in a new tab.

Check the size guide to see if it’s 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: 13.2″-13.5” – Learn About Chain Stays HereOpens in a new tab.

This is a 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° – Learn About Head Tube Angles HereOpens in a new tab.

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°

E: Bottom Bracket Height: 11.5″

F: Stand over height: 9″

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 hereOpens in a new tab.

G: Rise: 9″

This is an average rise.

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”

This is a narrow width

Narrow bars make barspins easier.

Wide bars give you more control and stability when steering.

I: Backsweep:  12

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: 3

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.

Other 2022 Sunday Bikes

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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 hereOpens in a new tab.

2022 Sunday EX Elstran Rankings

CategoryPoints
Dougsterbob Score4.5/10
Street Score5.5/10
Park Score3.33/10
Dirt Score1.33/10
Quality Score5.25/10

Dougsterbob Score

Dougsterbob Score: 4.5

The Elstran version of the EX scored a 4.5. Basically the EX is a solid bike, but i’m a little dissapointed that it does not have double wall rims. Especially because of the price.

The EX has suffered a number of price increases throughout this year and it is now pretty expensive.

While the frame, fork, and handlebars are made out of good material, is has single wall rims both front and rear really hold back this bike’s capability,

Street Score

Street Score: 5.5

The Sunday Ex Elstran scored a 5.5 in the street section. You will notice that this is higher than the Arteaga version. One of the biggest reasons for this jump in score is the fact that the Elstran version has a free coaster which will allow you to do certain street tricks with ease.

The lower quality parts (especially rims) will also cause some problems since street riding consists of big drops and gnarly grinds. The wheels on the EX is not designed to hold up to this kind of riding.

The Elstran version of the Ex is pretty street specific. However, I would suggest adding some pegs and hubguards to this bike so you can grind everything when you get it.

Park Score

Park Score: 3.33

The Sunday EX Elstran scored a 3.33/10 in the park section. This bike can have a gyro brake system but it doesn’t come with it. Aside from that, the geometry is pretty standard and does not offer the snappy and responsive feeling that you want on a park-specific bike.

There are a lot of things that need to be added to the EX to make it a park machine. Consider some park-specific tires, steeper 25mm forks, and a gyro brake system.

The EX is a bad choice if you want to use it as a “park only” bike.

Dirt Score

Dirt Score: 1.33

A 1.33 dirt score means that this is not a good choice for dirt. The freecoaster on this bike will make it pretty hard to make up speed on bigger jumps and the lower quality rims could bend on impact.

For the section, I like to see a bike with dirt-specific tires, special gearing, and a long stable geometry. The EX has virtually none of those things. Except for the 13.5” chainstay at maximum. This is borderline stable, but that alone isn’t enough to make it dirt-specific.

If dirt is your true calling, don’t buy the EX. Look for a more dirt-specific bike like the WTP Revolver.

Quality Score

Quality Score: 5.25

The Sunday EX Elstran is a medium-quality bike. It has a frame, forks, and bars that are made from chromoly steel. This score is good for people who want to ride BMX and progress. Getting a bike like this means that it will last as you progress without needing to make major upgrades.

Everything is fully customizable, which means that later on, you can upgrade these parts with higher-quality aftermarket parts. But this is an expensive process.

If you are new to the sport, this quality will be ok for you. Just know that as you get better, some of the parts will start to break.

Style

The Sunday EX Arteaga is a very nice-looking bike. I’m always impressed with how Sunday designs their bikes aesthetically. This mid-level bike looks just like a bike that the pros ride.

The EX has 2 color options but is fully customizable. However, it’s important to note that the color options are tied to a specific model. The copper drop color is only available on the Elstran version.

Value

DISCLAIMER FOR 2022 BMX BIKES: DUE TO THE SHORTAGE FACED EARLIER IN 2020, MOST 2022 MODEL BMX BIKES ARE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE 2021 VERSION.

The 2022 Sunday EX Elstran is just over $650.. The value of this bike is decent. It seems like a really high price and kind of seems a little bit over priced, but when you consider the aftermarket parts on this bike, the price is understandable.

For $500 you can find a full chromoly bike with two double-wall rims like the Kink Whip. If you can spend a little bit more, you can get a much better bike that will last even longer.

If you are considering this bike because nothing else is in stock… go for it. I think it is more important to buy a bike and start riding since you can always upgrade the bike as you progress.

Should you get it?

Getting the Sunday EX Elstran means that you want a mid-level bike that can withstand all beginner-level tricks. You like to ride BMX pretty frequently and have plans to progress into learning tricks like barspins and 360’s.

I think it is a little overpriced, but it’s an overall decent bike. If you fit the description, this will be a good choice for you. But if you plan to progress past the mid-level… maybe get a better bike or plan on needing one eventually.

Would I recommend it?

I think the EX is going to be one of the better bikes in 2021. Yes, the quality is lacking but overall it is a pretty solid choice. Especially considering that most bikes of this quality are around this price. I want you to get the absolute best bang for your buck when it comes to buying bikes… but that might not be possible in 2022. Getting the EX and upgrading the wheels is a smart choice.

Common Questions

What is the Price?

The 2022 Sunday EX is for sale right now for $659.99.

How Much Does it Weigh?

The 2022 Sunday EX Arteaga weighs 25.75 lbs.

Where to buy it?

You can get the Sunday EX from Danscomp. I found it in stock here: https://bit.ly/3ArlT16Opens in a new tab.

Buy if you are learning:

Click the trick you want to learn, to see the BIKE SCHOOL lesson

Don’t buy if you are learning:

  • 720’s
  • huge drops
  • backflip

Conclusion

The EX is a very expensive bike with relatively low quality. Well, actually the quality is pretty decent. Single-wall rims just bum me out. I would recommend this bike if it’s within your budget and matches the type of riding that you do.

Douglas Laird

My parents bought me my first BMX bike in 2011 and it changed my life. This bike has taken me all over the world and introduced me to cool places and cooler people. My goal is to help get 1,000,000 people into BMX so they can experience the joy and freedom that comes from a progression based sport.

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