NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH A BEACH (beeotch) CRUISER
HISTORY: (from my failing memory of some crazy website I read a long time ago) The first BMX (bicycle motocross) bikes were simply chopped old stingrays or whatever the kid was riding. If you have ever seen Steve McQueen's On Any Sunday you'll see the birth of BMX (or so they say).

Just a bunch of kids on a dirt track racing and jumping. Well, shortly after these kids started racing and jumping... EVERYONE else started racing and jumping. Of course bigger kids had bigger bikes. These bigger bikes were typically riding on 26inch tires. but that is a lot of tire... So as BMX rules and regulations came into being the cruiser class settled at 24" wheels.

I love these bikes because they are NOT small MTBs. These bikes have steep head tubes and burly CHROMO handlebars, super compact frames and LOWWWWWWW seats (if you want). All these attributes plus a short wheelbase make these bike turn and jump on a dime and give 8 cents back ;o)

I read somewhere recently that the BMX cruiser class was dead. WRONG !!! The multi-million dollar world of MTBing is starting to use 24" wheels (on the back) of some of the most gnarly rigs built. And the Dirt Jumping world, long the 'locals only' realm of kids with 20inch BMX bikes and bad attitudes is being over run with Europeans and generally 'nice' people on MTBs with 24 inch wheels front and rear. These same guys forgo suspension on a regular basis.

My point...
The closest thing to MTBs in the Xgames is Downhill BMX and everyone knows these guys should be on bigger bikes. 45foot doubles is a bit much for a 20inch bike. Whether they make the jump to MTB depends on whether they want to make the jump to suspension and disc brakes, pricing their audience out of the game.

In the end the CRUISER may be swallowed up by the Hardcore, Dirt Jumping MTB set

[see the images at right:]
 TOP- Free Agent Ambush 24 - a good cruiser $220 25lbs
 BOTTOM- 24Bikes Le Toy III - a really good dirt Jump MTB $2200 45lbs

but its relevance will not be lost. And for my money nothing beats the simplicity of sitting low on fat tires and cruisin...

p.s. the Free Agent Ambush 24 is a cruiser. They are good.