Hi,

My son has joined a bmx club, and is loving the track. He is only 3 1/2 so I am spending a lot of time running round after him encouraging etc. It’s the running bit that is killing me! It looks like too much fun not to be rolling along too.

Should I just use my mtb? or more fun on a bmx bike? If a bmx is worth picking up – how does sizing etc work? I am 5ft 11 and ride a medium (18=19″) mtb, and what brands / styles should I be looking at?

Thanks,

MArk

You can ride a mtb on a bmx track no probs.

A bmx is better though. Try the mtb, try a bmx, see if you want one.

You get two main types of bmx, 20″, and cruisers (24″).

For track riding you want a nice big chainring on the front, not park gearing.

Here is a basic track bmx

Lighter, slightly longer, bigger gearing, single brake.

Then a park bmx

Smaller gearing, usually bigger saddle, heavier and stronger, pegs, etc.

Then your cruisers..

Similar to normal track bmx, but 24″ wheels, designed for bigger riders. They are quicker, and a bit more stable, but slower to accelerate.

More fun on a bmx, or at least fully rigid mtb.

Deluxe bmx have a sale on their frames and completes at the minute – http://deluxebmx.bigcartel.com/

From what I’ve heard on bikeguide, they’re pretty much the best trails/jumping frame. They have the slackest head angle at 74 degrees (apart from the mcneil bibi at 73 ish) and a low bb. Coming from a mtb I’d get a long one 21″ +. I tried to get back into it after 5 years of mtb and trying to use a 20.5″ sunday for jumping was pretty much terrible!

There’s also the sunday model c which is meant to be chuckable like a small bmx, but has 24″ wheels so more stable and probably better from a mtb background.

get the skinniest jeans you can as well.

🙂 thanks for the info! Will have a look into it (and go buy those skinny jeans).

cheeky plug, this one (make me an offer!) 🙂

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-my-pride-and-joy-bmx

every mountain biker who ever complains about their inability to jump/manual/corner should be frog-marched to the local bmx dealer and forced to buy a race bmx / cruiser.

^So they can do it on a bike that’s a lot easier for it, then find it hard again when they get back on their mtb? 😛

bought one in jan and its great,im 6’3″ and went with a 21″ top tube
and 9″x29″ bars feels plenty roomy.

_tom_ – Member

^So they can do it on a bike that’s a lot easier for it, then find it hard again when they get back on their mtb?

er,

exactly yes!

sort of…

if you want to learn something, from scratch, make it as easy as you can.

once you’ve learned a skill you’ll find it’s transferable to something a little trickier.

and you might realise that the super-steep racey xc bike you’ve been trying to wheelie/jump/hop for the last few years really wasn’t designed with that sort of fun in mind, and you’ll feel a bit less crap about yourself and your slow rate of progression.

“i can’t do a manual on my xc bike – i’m rubbish!”

(rides bmx for a few months)

“damn these xc bikes are hard to manual”

@rusty, bit more than I was looking to pay – looks nice though!

Thinking I like the idea of a 24″ – sunday model c, 2nd hand looks like it could be a good shout for the money? what else should I be looking at? (£250 2nd hand is the kind of budget i’m thinking is probably a good price/quality)

Thanks
Mark

I’m a bmx dad too, for what its worth i’m thinking of an se racing floval flyer 24 cruiser. Easily obtained for 200 quid or so. 26 jump/4x bikes are also a blast, but at the bmx club the older guys ride cruisers.

I know that I have one I want to sell!

don’t think about it, do it.

do it now.

what are you waiting for?

@GAV, looks like a good option , will look into it

A few floval flyers on ebay. £250 for a 2007 model seems steep (only £360-400 new). I am thinking £175-200 is a fairer price for a decent condition one?

Havent seen any Sunday Model C’s 2nd hand yet. Although for the money the floval flyer could be a better “starter bike”.

Yes the ones on ebay right now seem steep. Have a look at the classifieds om bmxtalk.co.uk

Im with ahwiles here if you have the cash then get one, i use my lads from time to time and it does take a while to get used to the tiny things but they are loads of fun once mastered. Reckon I know more of the little ne’er-do-wells down the skatepark than the lad does these days.

£170 for a 2007 floval flyer, described as great condition (2 owners), sound about right?

You say your kid is 3 1/2………what bike is he riding out of interest? Also which club? My lad keeps wanting to go on the local bmx track he has a Specialized Hot Rock 12 which i think would be a bit small to let him do the track on.

Got any pics of him on the track?

He has an islabike 16 cnoc which he used a few times, now he borrows a race bike from the club.

You can see the bike here:

I’ve got a 24 Haro. Good fun.

Anyone over 5’8″ should be on a 24 in my opinion.

£170 for a 2007 floval flyer, described as great condition (2 owners), sound about right?

sounds like a deal to me. all the nice flovals i’ve looked at are about 200.

Get yourself over to http://www.BMXtalk.com you should be able to pick up a race cruiser for £150 + no problems.

Enjoy it, it’s fun!

I picked up a nice 2010 Haro with extra bits for 200.

Thx guys, much appreciated 🙂

thats a big 3 1/2 year old. My lad is probs 6 month from that.

Great pics!

He is tall for his age, think he looks bigger with all the kit on as well though