Introducing The Chromag Signature Dirt Jumper

I guess it should come as no surprise that dirt jumpers at what Chromag calls "the pointy end" have different needs than your average dirt jumper. Imagine Joy Ride-sized jumps tricked with ridiculous combinations of spins and inversions, and you'll get the ideal customer. That is who this bike is made for. Which is why Chromag sent us one. For me to ride.

Not only is that not entirely true, it's not even a little bit true. But we do have some riders who can lay down some smooth lines on relatively big sets, so we should be able to get some data.

My plan was to ride the North Shore Bike Park, ten times between January and March. So far I'm on track to complete that task in 2099, since I haven't yet put in a single day. In my defence, the trail riding has been off the charts this January, with temperatures hovering around zero and no precip for about 20 days until today. So far in 2025, I have ridden over 20 days, so I'm not lamenting the absence of plywood plowing. I am however looking forward to my first trip of the year because it absolutely transforms my trail riding experience every time I go for 90 minutes or more. The difference is so stark for me that it feels like magic.

Back to the Bike

The Signature doesn't replace the Monk, Chromag's longstanding dirt jumper, which is of course made from 4130 Chromoly. In fact it's not even dramatically different. The bottom bracket is a little higher and the head tube is longer, as Chromag explains below. Both long and short Signature sizes have 120mm headtubes while the Monk is 95 up to XL and then it skips up to 115. The Monk's BB height is 318 for all models while the Signature is 332. Otherwise the differences revolve around the frame material. It turns out that riders at the highest level want a frame that is less forgiving than what you can expect from Chromoly, which is why the Signature is constructed with 6066 T6 Heat Treated Aluminium.

Signature Specs

Wheel Size // 26"
Recommended Fork Travel // 100mm
Material // 6066 T6 Heat Treated Aluminium
Frame Weight (Long) // 4.4lbs
Hub Spacing // 135 x 10mm (Axle Not Included with frame-only)
Headset // 44-56 Semi Integrated
Seat Clamp Size // Integrated
Seat Post Size // 31.6mm
BB // 73mm Threaded
Hanger // N/A
Brake Mount // 140mm Post Mount
Frame Origin // Taiwan

Where the Monk Differs

Material // 4130 Chromoly Steel
Frame Weight (Long) // 6.43lbs
BB Height // 318mm (14mm lower)
Head tube Length // 95 (25mm shorter sizes XS to L) or 115 for XL (5mm shorter)
Sizes // 4 vs. 2 for Signature

Signature Build - 2800 CAD/2200 USD

• Fork // Rock Shox Pike DJ 100mm, 100x15mm
• Stem // Chromag HiFi BSX 31mm
• Bar // Chromag FU40 40mm Rise, 800mm
• Headset // Cane Creek Forty ZS
• Crankset // Descendant 170mm, 30t ring
• Brake // SRAM Level (Rear Only)
• Rotor // SRAM 140mm
• Cassette // 14t Single Speed
• Rims // Chromag Ally 26" 32h
• Hubs // Chromag D1 4 pawl 32h
• Tires // Maxxis Ikon
• Seatpost // Chromag Bassix 31.6
• Seatclamp // Chromag Signature
• Saddle // Chromag Overture
• Grips // Chromag Wax
• Chain // KMS SS

Build options are subject to availability and liable to change without notice. 

Ian Ritz Interview

Ian and his wife Rebecca are the founders of Chromag and I got the chance to ask Ian a few questions about the Signature.

Cam McRae - Most pertinent, since this is made for riders hitting the biggest sets, how would it be for those with meagre skills or who are just learning to dirt jump? 

Ian Ritz - The Signature will be a lot stiffer and in this respect will be less forgiving than the Monk.  It will demand precision and a rider who is proactive and has sharp timing.  That said, it is lighter and this could benefit a young rider who is smaller and will notice that difference. 

Would the Monk be a better choice for those riders?

Something to note here is that the Monk shouldn't be considered a bike relegated to pedestrian use.  Many high-level riders who go big will prefer the calm feel of a steel bike, especially if highly technical tricks aren't a priority.  Both Monk and Signature are meant to be premium products and to someone who is a beginner, these differences may be pretty nuanced.  In truth, when you are starting out, the differences will be less clear than when you are more advanced and have a specific purpose.  But to answer the question, the Monk will be more forgiving to riders who are still learning their timing and precision.  The Signature will be lighter and more reactive, but also more demanding of timing and precision.  

Can you tell me what the design process was like and whether there were any surprises switching to aluminum - on a bike for adults - after working with steel for so long.

We definitely didn't have the same long-term history that we did with steel tubes and this caused us to discover some things that required modification along the way.  That said, there is a lot of precedent in this kind of construction.  We've seen so many bikes passing through, and had lots of opportunity to cut up and measure used and broken bikes from other brands.  Our factory in Taiwan has a lot of expertise in high-end aluminum construction, with a comprehensive in-house testing facility. This allowed us to test and optimize as we went!

We've been getting feedback for a few years now from riders that they were looking for an alloy frame to ride at the competition level. Obviously, it's a shift for us; we've been the steel bike company for so long. It's a big part of our identity, and you could say, our DNA. But, you know, we've never been zealots about it. Steel has just been a great material to work with and so well suited to our needs, both on the manufacturing and the ride quality side.

Can you give us some insight into the testing process with Marcel? It seems stiffness was very important to him. What were other parameters he was looking for?

Marcel and other riders have been giving feedback that they were getting a better response from aluminum frames at the sharpest end of competition. I think this has really become more of a standout issue as the level of progression and technicality has advanced so much in the last few years. For each rider to compete and score every possible point, they need the equipment to be as fine-tuned as possible for every advantage. Again, this is nuanced but if you can get a little more pop on a jump, or a little more spin on the takeoff, it all adds up.  Marcel did the bulk of our ride testing, but we also had Liam Baylis on one of the prototypes last year.  We used a premium, 6066 alloy for this frame and in addition to material, the Signature has a very robust chainstay yoke and assembly to really stiffen up the rear end. It features a slightly higher BB, and taller headtube.

The project really kicked off due to Marcel's relentless encouragement. Any new development project is a team—and even a community—effort. We take input from staff and riders who drop in and share their feedback, but the bulk of the development work was performed by Joe Swann, our engineer. We also had help on the Taiwan side from Stevie Lin, who acted as a development liaison and played a role in advising on material types, dimensions, and testing protocols.

Does he switch between the Monk and the Signature?

Marcel has been on the Signature full time ever since we produced the first proto.  Maybe he'll chill out and be a steezy shred dog in the future, but for now I think he's still wanting to push himself technically!

What does he say about the finished product? (I have seen his review but you may have more comments than those he wrote there).  

Sometimes when we design a bike and go through all the steps it takes to bring it to fruition, a process that can take a few years, you launch it and are already thinking about the next changes.  But, right now, we are really happy with this bike.  Because we've spent so many years refining the Monk and other hardtails, we had a really good idea of what we wanted, both in terms of features, and design detail.  This bike was a team effort and everyone is super proud of the result!

Who are the other dirt jumpers you've had riding the Signature?

I mentioned Liam Baylis as one of our testers in 2024. We have a couple other key athletes on the Signature this year. Ayden Siebenaler is featured in our launch video and is a serious up and comer! Sebastian Riopel and Rex Johnson are two juniors to watch for!  I think everyone is pretty stoked!

The frame is 2 lbs lighter than the Monk. Is that something top end dirt jumpers are looking for?

It's true. There is a pretty big weight difference between the steel and aluminum frames. Overall a lighter bike is going to be easier to spin, tailwhip, etc.

And here's one for me - do dirt jumpers cut their bars to similar lengths or is it like trail and enduro style bikes where everyone has their own preference? 800s seem a little excessive but I have no idea.

This varies, but in general, I'd say technical dirt jumpers are running narrower bars.  For example, Marcel who is probably on the wider end, runs 760, where Ayden is at 735.

Thanks Ian!

What's Next

We'll be passing the Signature around between our various testers to get feedback on how it feels to mortals and whether there are any downsides to riding smaller jumps and pumptracks on a bike designed for superheroes. We'll talk about the component choices and their performance at the same time. Until then, enjoy the video and head over to Chromag and check out the Signature.

The Signature is available as a complete bike for 2800 CAD/2200 USD and as a frame for 920 CAD/775 USD