I’ve been fancying trying something a bit different for a while and BMX has caught my eye. I’ve never ridden a BMX for years since my Raleigh Burner when I was about 8 or 9!

I’ve just noticed that here’s a couple of decent BMX tracks fairly local to me so would be spot on for killing an hour or two rather than going out on the MTB or road bike.

Is it reasonably easy to pick up the basics or will I be destined to give up after a couple of weeks due to sheer frustration and probably broken bones 😆

No, go for it, it’s ace! The MNPR lads have done loads of sessions on the big indoor track at the NCC in Manchester, we’re all flipping useless and nobody’s broken anything yet. 🙂

BMX’s are hard work, even compare to rigid MTB’s.

Don’t be surprised if you:
a) scare yourself just riding them across a car park for the first time
b) can’t bunnyhop at all, even if you can on flats on an MTB.

On the upside the skills transfer much better the other way around, so if you can ride a BMX even moderately competently then you’ll get better on the MTB.

On the upside the skills transfer much better the other way around, so if you can ride a BMX even moderately competently then you’ll get better on the MTB.

That’s definitely true, mucking about on a BMX has worked wonders on my riding in general.

I’m not sure that they’re that scary though, so long as you don’t try to do anything stupid straight away. They are very different to bigger bikes, but so long as you remember that and treat the bike with a little respect you should be fine.

And anyone who describes the handling of any mountain bike as ‘just like a big BMX’ has never ridden a BMX’.

It’s like saying a car has go-cart handling or a van has car handling, it’s never true.

Just get one, seriously. Pick up a decent second-hand one for £100 – £150. If its not for you, sell it for something like what you paid. They’re great fun, knackering and as others say are great for building general bike skillzz. Pump/BMX tracks, indoor and outdoor skateparks, messing about with the kids in the garden, I wouldn’t be without mine.

BMXs are awesome fun and a cracking workout. Mid school FTW! (1999 General Lee here although I’m considering dragging the 1999 Pro Series back into use 😀 )

If I can manage to drag my backside round a track when I’d never ridden a BMX until just before my 40th, anyone can. I blame my parents for getting me a Grifter rather than a Burner as a kid 🙂

If there’s a club based at one of the tracks, they usually have bikes you can hire to try it out, pick up a few tips and see if the race seen is your thing. I didn’t know there was a difference between street/park bikes and race bikes until I went to my local club. If you’re in the North West, there are loads of clubs and the NCC indoor track. Quite a few tracks like my local (Bruntwood Park) are open outside club sessions.

Be prepared for aching lungs, sore legs and big grins 😀

I didn’t know there was a difference between street/park bikes and race bikes until I went to my local club.

Not a massive difference though, unless you’re really fast it’s mostly just tyres and gearing I think? Although I’m happy to be corrected.

If you’re just riding a track for fun you can do that on a bog-standard non-race bike (I do). Take any stunt pegs off though, they can leave dents in the track and/or other riders, which is poor form.

Not a massive difference though, unless you’re really fast it’s mostly just tyres and gearing I think? Although I’m happy to be corrected.

Race bikes tend to be a lot lighter which can make a big difference, (especially to kids), geometry – tend to be a lot longer, the brake setup is a lot simpler (but rubbish for tricks) and, like mintimperial said gearing and tyres are different.

If you’re just riding a track for fun you can do that on a bog-standard non-race bike (I do). Take any stunt pegs off though, they can leave dents in the track and/or other riders, which is poor form.

100% agree, you definitely don’t need a race bike to have fun on a track. Good call on the stunt pegs too! You don’t need a race bike to try racing, and you definitely don’t have to race to have fun on a track.

I mentioned it as I really didn’t know there was a difference until I got into the race side of things and almost bought Miss Smoggy a street bike when she wanted to race. We get quite a few kids turn up at our track on their street bike which is more fun riding to the track, jump on a race bike for the club session then ride home again on their bike.

Sounds promising then!

Pick up a decent second-hand one for £100 – £150

That leads me on to another question, I’ve got no idea about BMX’s so what kind of thing do I need to be looking for spec-wise in a secondhand BMX?

I’m 5’11” so what kind of size?

I’m 5’11” so what kind of size?

I’m 5’10 and I bought a normal sized one, 20″-ish TT. 20″ wheels obviously. Some people like cruisers (24″ wheels) but that’s not really a proper BMX is it? 😉 There’s really not that much variation in sizing, they’re all tiny compared to MTBs and whatnot, and you’re stood up all the time so it doesn’t make much difference when you’re starting out, so long as you don’t buy a kids bike or something by mistake.

[Edit: although you’re probably better off listening to other people with more experiece, like exile_smoggy down there. 🙂 ]

My 20″ XXL race bike has a 21.5″TT and is a bit small for me at 6’1″. I built up a longer 24″ cruiser (22″TT) and now I’ve got a bike that fits me properly haven’t ridden the 20″ much.

So I’d guess 21.5″TT would be about the right ball park if you’re 5’11”

I’m 5’10” and ride a pro xl. Picked a mint bottom of the range GT for £200, and it is plenty good enough for me. If you’re riding tracks I’d definitely get a race rather than a park bike, it’s the tool for the job. Lots of fun, I don’t race but ‘train’ with my six yr old, who does. The ‘old enough to know better’ category at our local track is nuts, as anyone involved in the three rider mid-air collision last night would probably agree (although they all got up and lined up for their next moto, so it obviously wasn’t as bad as it looked).

I’m also 6’1 and have a 21″ TT. It’s fine really. For a bit of everything something like 20.75 to 21 should be fine at 5’11. Far less choice of bikes available over 21″ TT. Having said that, in an ideal world I think I’d prefer to have a 21.5″.

not really a proper BMX

I’ve been rumbled 😉

At some point I’d like to build or get a 20″ that fits properly, but I’m really enjoying the cruiser at the moment especially as it’s a bit more forgiving following a couple of crashes last year.

I’ve not made the jump to expert class yet so I’m still allowed to race either wheel size in novice. I only really race as something to do while Miss Smoggy is racing, she’s got way more skill aged 9 than I’ll ever have. I was gobsmacked at the number of 40+ riders and their speed, seems like a load of 70s/80s kids kept riding while the rest of us grew up too fast and forgot how to have fun.

I’m quite long in the body, so the other comments about 20.75″-21.5″ TT sound about right. Had to go down the frame only route to get a 22″TT cruiser and would have to do the same for a longer 20″.

Might get the 20″ out this weekend and have a play on it with the cruiser…

I just sat on my first BMX bike 3 months ago(48y/o)and now go every week to the bike park in EK. The only thing I found hard getting used to was the kids asking me what my signature move is but once they relised I was a novice they just left me alone

My “signature move” involves bleeding. I try not to do it too often.

For riding track I’d also recommend a helmet and pads. Me and a couple of mates have tested these on track before, one of us wished he had padded shorts on the first time he landed on a hip (jump hip to my left butt cheek) which left him (ok me) with a permanent lump on my butt. Also, a mate came off the back of his bike, helmet saved his head, but in the short time after having removed his helmet then passed out trackside.

So yeah, loads and loads of fun, really difficult though and lots of squats required to control the bike over jumps.

I have a cruiser, but probably should have gone for a 20″, they are worlds apart.

And anyone who describes the handling of any mountain bike as ‘just like a big BMX’ has never ridden a BMX’.

Or perhaps you’ve just never ridden one that does 😉 My Chameleon can feel like a big version of my BMX depending on setup.

Is that when you fit it with 20″ wheels, singlespeed it, slam the saddle and tilt it skywards and remove the brakes? 😀

Pretty much 😀 Well except for the wheels, he did say big BMX 😉

I’ve been looking around this afternoon but there seems to be a huge amount of second hand BMX’s about.

Can anyone recommend a make or model I should try and keep an eye out for that I could pick up for £150 or so used?

How tall are you?

something like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Colony-Endeavour-BMX-2014-/282035957945?hash=item41aaa730b9:g:ShIAAOSwLs5XK31N

this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bmx-bike-Premium-solo-plus-21inch-/201583419296?hash=item2eef4edfa0:g:2FgAAOSwjwlXA6n3

or this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-Bike-Co-Benny-One-Oddessy-Cult-We-are-the-People-BMX-/282036551215?hash=item41aab03e2f:g:32oAAOSwYmZXFltm

How tall are you?

I’m about 5’11”

cool, then anything with a top tube length of around 20.5 to 21″ will be fine.

A lot of the cheap completes like Mongoose, Haro or GT will be pretty short with no more than a 20″ top tube and on the heavier side. I’d stear clear of anything by Mafia as they’re generally cheap for a reason.

anything by Colony, We The People, FIT, United will be pretty good

You don’t have to go looking for trouble on a bmx…it’ll find you 😀

I’ve got a BSO BMX (came with the house) that I keep meaning to go down the local skate park on. I’ll be honest, I’m concerned that the 12 year olds will laugh at how rubbish I am more than that the BSO won’t handle the abuse.

OK – I’ve wanted to ask this question for a while.

I’m very tempted to get a bmx – I’ve never ridden one before – but I do ride a Brompton. Is that experience with smaller wheels going to help get started on a bmx? Or at my age (not far from 50) should I forget trying to reclaim my lost youth?

BMXs are great fun but don’t be fooled, if you ride one at a skate park or track you will come off at some point and it bloody hurts!

seen plenty of broken bones and grazes at parks and tracks.

Get a helmet, gloves and pads are a good investment as well

If you are planning to ride solely on BMX tracks then I would get a BMX race bike. Lighter, better fit, faster, more suited to the purpose.

Something like an old GT Pro, Redline flight etc,.

Would something like this be any good?
Seems fairly cheap for a new bike.

http://www.sourcebmx.com/en/Hoffman-Seeker-BMX-Bike-2015/m-28607.aspx

Nah, it’s got a hi-ten frame. Look for something that’s all chromoly if possible- there are some bargains to be had second hand.

Have a look for a WTP Crysis or Justice second hand. Something like this:

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/We-The-People-Crysis-BMX-/282042899581?nav=SEARCH

anono – I was almost 40 before I rode one for the first time. I am rubbish, but have seen plenty of other blokes my age start riding and love it too. A lot of us started taking young kids and then couldn’t resist having a go too. So, I’d say give it a go!

One of the coaches at the indoor track told me they’ve had riders in their late 60s pass the accreditation.

seen plenty of broken bones and grazes at parks and tracks.

Get a helmet, gloves and pads are a good investment as well

Agree with this, it really is worth wearing the right gear on a track and try to cover the areas that will hit the deck first. After a few crashes, I wear padded shorts, knee, shin, elbow pads and a full face. For racing I get the full body armour out – not a great look or the most comfy but it works! Not dared ride park yet, but I’m guessing that could hurt just as much.

For a race bike, agree with the comments earlier, 2nd hand Redline Flight, GT Pro or Haro Annex/Race Lights are all good starting points. BMXers can be just as prone to bike bling as any one else – plenty of nice shiny bits to make me feel that I’m getting better (or at least the bike is) 😉

I’ve got a nice 1999 (all 4130 chromoly) GT Mach One (21″ TT) race/trail BMX for sale if you’re interested.

combien?

£300 ono – it’s in mint condition.