I’m interested in buying my first BMX at the tender age of 32, just to mix up my riding a bit really. Will be riding on the street and skate parks.

Budget around £200, looking second hand.

There’s one of these in pretty decent nick knocking around for around the budget:

https://www.customriders.com/prodshow.asp?prodid=13413&cat=0&parent=0&sid=3

The main unknown for me is that its a 2011 bike. Obviously in the MTB world, bikes have evolved a fair bit since 2011. Have BMX’s changed that much in that time? Would a novice notice the difference between a 2011 bike such as this and its 2016 equivalent?

To answer your main question, no, bmx has not evolved in the same way MTB has – not even close in fact.

Handlebars might be wider, and head angles have maybe changed in that they can be a bit steeper these days to suit the fashionable street riders, but aside from that everything else is basically the same…but strangely with more plastic.

As has been said before the main thing is to get your toptube length right. Those hitting the 6foot mark will want a 20.75″ or 21″ frame to make it more comfortable, and a bit less twitchy.

Thanks for that.

Size wise – have done a bit of reading. Its a 20.5 inch top tube, and I’m a shade under 5 foot 9. I haven’t sat on the thing, and sadly won’t get a chance to – but does that sound like the correct ballpark?

Have BMX’s changed that much in that time?

There’s fewer brakes on them…

Size wise – have done a bit of reading. Its a 20.5 inch top tube, and I’m a shade under 5 foot 9. I haven’t sat on the thing, and sadly won’t get a chance to – but does that sound like the correct ballpark?

It only ever used to be an issue on race bikes. As a rule (and this is going back a few years, so take with a pinch of salt) short bikes were better for flatland and mini ramps; longer bikes were better on vert and dirt jumps; street bikes sort of fell in the middle. The shortest bikes were purely flatland and had insanely steep angles.

Back in the day longer race bikes only went up to 22″-ish, so it doesn’t sound far out.

20.5″ at 5’9 sounds fine. My BMX is 21″ TT and I’m about 6’1. If its in really good nick and the same as the one in your link for under 200 sheets just buy it already.

Cheers for that, looks like it could be a good option.

Ah yep im 6ft 2 and got a 21″ TT, thing is they get rather adictive and i seem to be visting the skate park (indoor one too) more than riding the MTB! Be prepered to fall off allot! 🙂
At work the y tka e the piss about the amount of scabs and scrapes i have. Oh im 40 too! 🙂

i ride park and have a 21″ tt bmx

Op, I’m in the exact same situation. Me and the missus fancy giving it a go and I’m also 32! (must be an age thing).

Same budget too! I’m reading up online and trying to find out what to avoid and what brand is good to go for etc.