I've always fancied ago but have trouble getting over the 'kids bikes' 'kids sport' thing. At 31 I can't help but think I'm going to feel a bit of a fool rolling up on a BMX race bike and pottering around trying to get more than 3" off the ground. However, as my wife has just had our first baby 3 weeks ago, i'm already excited at the prospect of getting him on a BMX bike and getting him racing in what I've always perceived to be a good family sport, so am keen to use this as the motivation I need to get over myself and give it a bash.
Any other more mature folks raced BMX bikes?
Yes.
It's great fun.
You will probably injure yourself really badly.
It's great fun.
Give it a go.
It's great fun.
They might be kids bikes but you'll be shocked by how easy the kids make it look. It's actually bloody hard work. If nothing else it will make your mtb feel safe and steady.
Good fun though. Crack on and report back.
We've done it quite a few times recently. I'm going again on Monday night! It's absolutely bloody brilliant fun! And absolutely nackering!!! And you'll hurt yourself!!
OP, you're [i]only[/i] 31.
I'm 40, and although I don't (and never will!) race BMX I do enjoy trying not to kill myself at the local track every now and again. It's blinking hard work and jolly good exercise 😀
The good thing is you can pick up a cheap, decent dirt bike for the cost of a good curry and have a laugh. This 1999 (pre sell out!) GT Pro Series cost me £50 and it's really nice to ride-
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38 here and started racing last November. I completed 3of the 4 Indoor Winter Series at the indoor competing in novice 15+. Suffice to say I'm rubbish, but it was great fun. I have crashed in front of three hundred spectators and bust my wrist in a coaching session with Billy Luckhurst and Charlotte Green. I've shared a track with some I the best riders in the world and watched my son, 6, get better each time he races. He won a Moto last time out.
We're both racing at Super Saturday Round 2 at Platt Fields next week, I have a new BMX and I'm proper giddy about it.
I'm getting some quality time with the boy doing something we both love. Only drawback is the mtb is suffering neglect, I nearly rode it this week 😉
To sum up, it's great and there's loads of us older blokes racing, some of the talent I've seen since starting bmxing is amazing, even met josh bryceland through it!
Yes, about three times a week.
You'll be shocked at the standard of 30+ riders but there are plenty of 30+ novice riders up and down the country.
Find a local club. Get to their clubs sessions and have fun. Try both a 20" and 24" before you commit to a purchase. I will be surprised if you will find more welcoming biking community.
Dale Holmes won his last BMX World Championship aged 29 or 30. Yeah, a year or so later I do think I remember him saying "feel a bit of a fool rolling up on a BMX race bike" 🙄
Yes and love it. Miss Smoggy decided she wanted a go at the indoor when she turned 7. It coincided with our local track being rebuilt and a club launched. For the last year we've spent Saturday mornings and summer Wednesday evenings riding at Bruntwood Park. Ended up on the club committee which is a mix of mountain bikers with kids and BMXers. We started racing in January at the indoor and it's brilliant fun.
It's a great workout and harder than it looks
Brilliant to do with kids, you can both ride at own pace
Everyone is really friendly from other novices to world class athletes, been on the same gate as Liam Phillips
You can ride 24" cruiser as well as 20"
My mountain biking skills have improved
Wear pads, full face as a minimum
Good chance of hurting yourself, had 2 big crashes indoors so far, one collar bone and some ribs, then again broke ribs this week in a freak commuting fall
Most clubs have kit and bikes you can hire. If you're in the north west, the starter sessions at the indoor are great. Manchester and Bruntwood Park (Stockport) both caterer people wanting to give it a go too.
Should have said I was 41 last month and been riding Bmx for a year (when not injured) 🙂
Waves at twistedpencil - Hi Steve!
31? Mature? Maybe I'm a late developer 😆 Oh and kayla1, that is a very nice bike 8)
Hi Mark, I'm glad you pointed out not all your injuries are bmx related from the last twelve months. Spent the afternoon cleaning the bikes for next Saturday.
I keep meaning to post a pic of my bmx on a single speed thread 🙂
There's a huge 30+ crowd around G.Manc thanks to Platt, Heywood, Indoor & now Bruntwood.
yeah, both my crashes were my own fault and a case of confidence overtaking skill!
It really is great fun, and only downside is possibly less time to get out on big bikes. For me it's win, win - I have Missed Smoggy on Saturdays when we ride Bmx and get she's at her Mum's on Sunday, so I can still play out in the hills.