[Closed] for all you guys/gals who have started riding a bmx,how are you getting on?

Yeah I've been getting down to the race track on my lunch breaks and have learnt how to manual through a roller 😀 Much prefer the feel of a bmx now, mtb now feels big and flimsy and even with the seat slammed on 16" frame there's too much standover/not enough seat clearance.

School holidays so I'm far to old/embarrased to go near the skatepark at the moment 😥

Only two weeks until the kids are back in school and my lunchtime fun restarts 😀

The other use my BMX gets is going out and faffing with my 5 & 6 year old boys... been a bit of that recently but it doesn't really count.

Well, not BMX, but I would argue in a similar vein to BMX I have just got myself a new Nukeproof Snap Pro with the intention of entering the 4X Nationals next year.

I've been to my local BMX track once (yesterday) to get a feel for jumping and needless to say, it is waaay more difficult than it looks. It's the moment of hitting the face when I just bottle it and apply a little brake and then end up not clearing the table top or landing short on a double. Love the bike though. Lots of fun.

Why is everything more difficult than it appears?

I've been enjoying it. Went to the local skatepark early on Sunday morning (less kids about) and managed to get in and out of the bowl and ride it successfully. I did get the help of one of the kids to show me how it was done though!
[IMG] [/IMG]

Heading back over there now!

I really want to ride a concrete park/bowl, looks like so much fun. The only one I've tried is the one at whistler skatepark but was on my dh bike so it wasn't the same! Anyone know of any in northamptonhire or MK?

p.s anyone else feel like their mountain bike is like a 29" after switching back from the bmx

Imagine riding a 29er afterwards :p

Not been out in ages. Odly I find the rigid 29er easier to hop/manual/jump than the BMX so must get down to the pump track tonight!

Still rubbish but waay fitter . . . and still shed loads of fun 😛

Had mine a fair old while and TBH not ridden it very much, I had half planned to maybe enter a couple of races but never did, a couple of trips to my local track confirmed that I am;

A) Unfit
B) Far too used to Comfy MTBs
C) Can pump well and carry speed but keep fearing out when faced with jumps that would not phase me on an MTB...

I Tried to flog it twice but got no takers So I think I might just have to give it another go, but really I need a middle aged Dads group to ride BMX with, Any other people in Reading/West Berkshire want to form an STW [I]'Safety in numbers group'[/I] to escort them to/from the BMX track and face down the Tweenagers??...

Edinburgh has a brilliant new skatepark but BMX buggered my back...so much fun though. Got a 24" after the BMX and it was great but have finally moved back up to a 26" for commuting.

Maybe one day I will return to the little bike...

Anyone know much about the rules of racing? To me they all looked grossly under geared. I appreciate that there are a lot of accelerations to do but seemed really to be under geared.

Wheels seemed small as well, I thought I had seen racing BMXs with bigger wheels than what were/are being used at the Olympics? I also appreciate that with a standard 1/2" pitch chain that there is a limit to how small the freewheel sprocket can be and with such small wheels and frames there is obviously a limit to how big the chainwheel can be before it is in danger of grounding on doubles/steps etc.

So is gearing limited by technical issues or is it UCI rules as to max gearing allowed?

Ta

the race is won/lost on the start and first straight dude.

pretty sure they'll all be using the perfect gear choice for acceleration there.
bear in mind their max cadence is something crazy like 170rpm and they only need to use a few pedal strokes at a time.

Anyone embarrassed to ride BMX in public, what's that all about?

I'm sorely tempted to buy another BMX for racing. I've been looking on the ONE bicycles site with a view to building up a race BMX.

Does anyone know if there's any tracks in the guilford/surrey area?

I am with speaker2animals, their gearing looked way off, given the enormous ramp they started on. It did look like if they upped it a bit what they lost on the drop they would gain back plus interest by the first jump.

What do I know my BMX has 26" wheels!

Agree Tinsy. I can probably spin about 120 at the very most (not measured but on my road bike I do spin and know I can do 100rpm with no great problem). When I really spin though it certainly adds an element of feeling out of control. I'd have thought in a technical sport like racing BMX you would be better reducing cadence so you can concentrate on other things.

But what do I know? I am honestly just interested and if there are any BMX racers out there I'd enjoy your input.

Not sure I want to go looking for BMXtrackworld to get an answer.

has anyone got bored and want to sell me a bike?

20" wheels are still the 'standard' unless you are riding/racing 24" 'Cruiser' class...

Gearing (on a Racing BMX)is primarily for acceleration out of the gate, out of corners but is is taller (Harder) than you'd find on Dirt/Street BMXs where short sharp half cranks are often needed for stuff rather than lots of cranking...

I expect the bikes your looking at now are running micro gearing (getting as low as 9/10t sprockets) as they are using cassette hubs now, and a smaller chainring can produce the same sort of ratio you would have gotten previously using 16t screw-on freewheel and of course a bigger chainring...

I'm sorely tempted to buy another BMX for racing. I've been looking on the ONE bicycles site with a view to building up a race BMX.

Does anyone know if there's any tracks in the guilford/surrey area?

Hayes isn't far is it, doable on the train too I think...

Anyone embarrassed to ride BMX in public, what's that all about?

Not being able to live up to the expectation of being middle aged, riding what is generally considered to be a kids bike and having no level of competancy?

Agree Tinsy. I can probably spin about 120 at the very most (not measured but on my road bike I do spin and know I can do 100rpm with no great problem). When I really spin though it certainly adds an element of feeling out of control. I'd have thought in a technical sport like racing BMX you would be better reducing cadence so you can concentrate on other things.

The thing is the pedaling on a BMX is more [I]sprint, rest, sprint, rest, sprint[/I] than the steady constant Cadance which you ramp up to on a track bike, Fixie or SS MTB...

Again I don't think BMXers really worry about "Cadence" as such, more getting energy turned into acceleration quickly...

i have one (24incher) i just rarely ride it, which is a shame because i always enjoy it when i do

lazyness is a big factor bmx track being a 7km cycle away puts me off too, but there are some jumps in the park about 1km away

tbh my most ridden bike is my commuter and i get guilt pangs about neglecting my dh bike and my xc bike so the bmx is a poor 4th

between work, DIY, my wife and my kid riding time is precious so i like to go on big trips to wales etc

But as long as you can actually turn it a bigger gear will give you a higher speed. Obvioulsy not talking Track event gearing as we have seen starting effort is massive and would be useless.

I suppose I'm trying to get at is the gearing a result of a technical reason or an imposed limit by rules?

Had my BMX for a couple of months now and been riding on the new track in Tamworth, but i just can't find the bottle to jump on it. So i'm planning on a trip to the track in Perry Barr for a few coaching sessions.

Definatley having similar issues with feeling a bit of a prat being 33yrs old and no ability. Thing is though the kids at the track are not fazed in the slightest by an old geezer on a bike and are really quite pleasant. Saying that having some other old geezers to ride with would be nice!

I did quite fancy a bash at racing next year, but until i can confidently jump i guess that ain't going to happen.

But I have also been using the skatepark and have improved my bunny hops loads and can now almost fakie and do 180's on the ramp, which oddly enough has been of use on my mtb.

Just got back now. Knackered. More kids about today but all friendly enough. Worked on the bowl again but can't jump out of it yet. I seem to bottle it and just 'pop' out instead.

I understand feeling awkward on the bmx (I'm also 33 and riding a childs bike) but couldn't really care less. I want to work on manuals and fakie next.

But as long as you can actually turn it a bigger gear will give you a higher speed. Obvioulsy not talking Track event gearing as we have seen starting effort is massive and would be useless.

Thats the point [I]"As long as you can turn a bigger gear"[/I], look at it this way, whatever gear you choose you are the one who has to turn it; The gate drops and while you're busy heaving on a monster gear the next rider is three pedal strokes in and sprinting for the first jump...

He/She might touch ~180RPM before they stop pedalling for that first jump but they got away first and Whooped you out of the gate and you now have more work to do just catch them.

If you have legs like tree trunks and think you can turn a harder gear as quickly as the rest turn an easier one then yeah, go for it, but then Muscle weighs a fair bit too and it's not just the gate but the exit to corners and the odd sections of straight where you need to be able to accelerate in a relatively short space, like I said lots of short sprints...

Ultimately Its a balance and riders probably choose a gear within a range they feel works best for them across the whole of a course, sometimes pedaling Harder rather than faster isn't actually the quickest way to tackle the course, then again sometimes it is... but we're probably only talking +/- 2 teeth on a chainring tops between riders...

Coaching sessions? For BMX? Surely thats more embarassing than

being middle aged, riding what is generally considered to be a kids bike and having no level of competancy?

I think Andyhilton knows what hes on about.

If you cant do it, practice!

As a side question Who reckons the 'Olympic glow' will provide a boost to BMX as a sport in the UK??

Personally I think the British public are a bit "Fair Weather" in their general attitude to most sports and the only thing that holds any interest is a gold medal in any given sport...

Then again I'm glad to know I'm not the only time-poor, Tallent defficient, Tubby, 30-something, Dad with a BMX; failing to throw down the Raddness...

I have a BMX, ride maybe 2 or 3 times a year recently. Managed to maintain the few tricks i can do but have given up all hope of learning new stuff, though the trend towards building nuts looking concrete bowls annoys me, no good for beginners/crap riders. Get me a 'street' style skatepark, with small quarters and no spine and I'm laughing.

Such as this:
[url] http://www.wearehq.com/2012/01/clapham-skate-park-opening/ [/url]

worry not about feeling out of place... get yourself some fake tattoo sleeves and sit there with an 'i could do that, but i'm too busy judging you all' look on your face.

Plenty of old geezers over on [url= http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/ ]www.radbmx.co.uk[/url] 8) . . . old gransters though are fewer and farther between 😕

But as long as you can actually turn it a bigger gear will give you a higher speed. Obvioulsy not talking Track event gearing as we have seen starting effort is massive and would be useless

Maybe that might be aplicable if it was a time trial. But it's an 8 man (or woman) race, if you pushed a big gear out of the start then you'd have 7 other riders to overtake. A bit like the spriters on the track running lower gears than the pursuiters or flying lappers, they need to accelerate faster than the other guys.

flange - Member
Does anyone know if there's any tracks in the guilford/surrey area?

There's one in Crawley, if you're heading over let me and I'll join you! (29 and rubbish)

racefaceec90 - Member

i have not been able to wheelie yet

Manuals? It's all about throwing your arse backwards rather than yanking up on the bars.

At the frail old dotage of 37 I've just got my first BMX. It's used everyday to ferry the boy to school/child minders. I'm super rad/phat/gnarly/wicked kool 8)

[url= http://www.crawley.gov.uk/pw/Leisure_and_Culture/Sport__Activity_and_Wellbeing/Extreme_Sports/INT212949?ssSourceNodeId=425 ]Crawley BMX[/url]

Race....how have you managed to send the wheels out of true? you've only had the bike 2mins.

Got mine back the other day after shearing the brake boss, twas a right palava but it's back together now so im off to Radlands plaza tomorrow am before the madding crowds get there.

Tom... there are bowls at Flitwick skate park or Eaton Brae which are a couple of junctions down the M1 from you, otherwise try Radlands on your doorstep it still loads of fun. plans are for a second phase including bowl at Radlands soon, plus some floodlights.

Have also heard through the grapevine about a possible new indoor park in MK....but nothing concrete (excuse punn).

Refreshing to see so many older guys getting into BMX. Been riding BMX for 15+ years and mtb for 2-3 only. I have no problem jumping a 20ft set of doubles on a BMX yet struggle riding down anything rocky/loose on 26"!

I haven't actually ridden the BMX this week after upsetting my back a little from too much riding a tiny bike with less than perfect technique but I'll be back on it shortly. However, I'm already jumping better on the MTB (though it does feel like driving a tank when I first get on it after a few days of BMX commuting/playing!)

cookeaa, I'm 40 and live in Basingstoke, so not a million miles away. Dont have a bmx (yet) having just blown all my cash on a 4x bike, but would be interested in popping over, even just to increase the numbers of old duffers there 🙂

ere

Andyhilton - Member

get a helmet on ya bonce at concrete parks.

it only takes once.

[b]@passtherizla[/b]

YGM re: BMX for sale

cookeaa, I'm 40 and live in Basingstoke, so not a million miles away. Dont have a bmx (yet) having just blown all my cash on a 4x bike, but would be interested in popping over, even just to increase the numbers of old duffers there

Well I think it would be worth assembling a BMX-Curious Berkshire/Surrey/Hampshire? and surrounding area STW members trip to one track or another in the area, BMX ownership should not be a pre-requisite...

Perhaps pick one local to a major route (M4 for instance), set a date in the not too distant future and see who's up for it... Anyone else?

Reading is a bit BMX rich these days, we essentially have four tracks I think now, and quite a few skate parks in the area too (Although they are all of varying quality)...

I hear many good things about Hayes and Crawley (bit more London-ways though obviously)...

So who's up for it?

Depending on location - yes!

i've not ridden a bmx, i have no bmx but if its a mess around meet-up i might well be up for this. i will crash, and if i die then make sure you tell everyone my last words were something awesome or funny.

philconsequence - I'll happily lend you my BMX for a bit if you want to say you rode one before you died...

Anyone got a venue in mind?

So having taken my 5 year old the BMX track near his Grannies house and a skate park having just been built near us, looks like I'll be spending some time around BMXs for a few years until little mr & little miss trb are old to go on their own.

So what's the best BMX for a 41 year old newbie to ride a combination of track and park. I won't be doing any gnarr, but if the kids are going an MTB is all wrong and it's perfect justification for another bike.

An entry level new one or second hand?

[url] http://extremesportsmap.com/uk/index.php?filter=bmx_track [/url]

well i'm based in reading for work and swinley forest for home so.... depends on when the meet is really 😀

[url] http://punchbmx.com/uk-bmx-tracks/ [/url]

I'm keen, depending on location. Also worth mentioning that Guildford is just building a new skatepark. Should be finished soon(tm)

I'm in the West Reading Area - work Newbury ways so not very far from you Phil really, just depends on the where and whens...

Weekend, Evening session or book a weekday off?

Anyone know what Andover BMX track is like? or is that too far west?

Dunstable BMX any good? pretty new and not far off the M1, if it's no good MK isn't far north...

Hayes perhaps (Means straying inside the M25)?

Or we stay local and try Lower Earley/Whitley out? (Not been yet myself) don't think it's on a Par with the others mentioned above, perhaps I should do a Reccy this weekend...

Sounds like we've got a few in the same sort of area, should bump this thread later for the nightshift to chip in...

might be worth starting a new thread "the Singletrack BMX party" or something?

its selfish because its local to me, but reading's easy to get to via the motorways.

day off work will be hard for me personally but it shouldn't be planned around me! so maybe a new thread focussing on when and where to meet would be useful?

Well first time riding in a skatepark (went to radcliff on trent) for years this morning. Was 26" though. Took a few goes but got a nice flowy line for me anyway around and back. Was great till the nibble scooter rats showed up cutting up.everyone.

have ridden about 16 + miles on the bike today (i was doing the fartlek 😯 without realizing it 😆 am bloomin knackered now 😳
donks i think it was just a momentary lack of quality control when they boxed the bike (they weren't that much out of true tbh/partly the tires making them look wonky also).

will be practicing bunnyhopping/manualling in a safe grassy area (away from public view 😆 until i can do them (and i will 😉

Well I was just getting into it then I nose cased a tiny step up at the track today and messed up my already dodgy shoulder, put its recovery back to how it was about a year ago, which was a year after I first did it! 😡 Luckily was wearing a helmet as I hit my head hard enough to stop me being able to move for a short time (I was still conscious but couldn't make myself get up, quite scary). That being said I know why I messed up so it won't stop me going back when I've got full strength back in the shoulder.

Feel slightly bad about it, but mine has had a puncture for 6 months and I've not bothered to fix it. But I'm keeping it, because as long as it's in the garage, I'll not buy another bmx which I also wouldn't ride.

Would cost me £20 to get to Reading on the train so as long as it's going to be a few hours I can get there 😀

Hows about the Saturday the 18th?

during the day.

I'll check with the girlfriend, but looks promising to me

I'm keeping it, because as long as it's in the garage, I'll not buy another bmx which I also wouldn't ride.

I'm taking this on board as one of the more relevant and applicable pieces of advice on this thread

Just got back from Radlands this morning after a great session. Hop manualling the 20m pad most times now and even hopping from manual to the extra pad at the end of the run so well pleased really. Just need to spend some time in the half pipe now as I'm crap in them and can't really boost past the lip very easily... Maybe no brakes will force me to commit.... Or die? Still great weekend this one 😀

I thought Radlands closed down years ago?! Or is that the new skate plaza place in Northampton? I'll have to get down there once my shoulder is healed. In the mean time I'll be trying to get my brake to work and fitting some pegs to re-learn my feebles and smiths 😀

Right then, just to bump this back up and try to thrash out a bit of a plan perhaps, assuming people still fancy it...

Saturday looks like the weather should be alright (provisionally according to XC weather) and Reading is our chosen location might I propose a loose plan of sorts then?

I've quickly put together this Map with locations we might be interested in:

[url] https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208199318300937966553.0004c7379ea44b144c5cc&msa=0&ll=51.432715,-0.92371&spn=0.066887,0.140591 [/url]

I'm thinking we'll stick primarily to tracks/dirt unless the overiding preference is for something other...

Lower Earley looks to have the Best track from youtube and a few other sources, although I've not managed to get my arse over to it yet, it's also not far from the M4 for those driving, about equidistant from J10 and J11...

The Whitley track although on the map doesn't actually look to be great and is in Whitley, which is a shit-hole, so might be best avoided anyway...

Waterloo Meadow might make a good meeting point for those of us who are local/arriving by train early to mid morning?
Its more of a Mini track (not full width) but nicely kept and fun to ride, and means people can get an eye in and then maybe pedal out to Lower Earley which seems to be a bit bigger?

Caversham has both a BMX track (not a great track TBH more a collection of bumps with a start ramp) and a skatepark and could be a nice place to head over to if people do fancy some concrete action, I've only ever ridden there on a 24" wheeled MTB (Some time ago now)...

Thoughts?

Alright then seems like a lack of interest then perhqps for Saturday. How would people feel about a Sunday afternoon session at lower earley?

Argh, forgot to check back on this post!

I'm still interested, and spent Saturday at a BMX track in Wiltshire with a friend of mine. I'm 40, he's mid twenties, and none of the guys there had any problem with us wobbling around, and a few offered some helpful pointers.

Should we knock together an email group for this, to avoid the wrath of the disinterested?

Lets be honest, the disinterested are actually interested but just haven't found a way to justify a BMX to their other halves yet.

A good point, I was really thinking of the posts that belittle anything that isnt 'niche' enough for the forum 🙂

Weekend of 22nd/23rd would be good for me, depending on weather!

Can get to Reading (don't know which station is best!) for 12.30...

This is from a few weeks ago...sorry about the gratuitous lack of a top but it was hot. Love the BMX at the moment 😀

[url=

on mine[/url]

This is from a few weeks ago...sorry about the gratuitous lack of a top but it was hot. Love the BMX at the moment

Christ, those scooter kids are like wasps and they seem to be everywhere

that was at 8.00am on sat....you should see it past 10.00am its too busy to move down there.

Nice manual! (Must keep persevering with those...) Is that the new place in Northampton?

I suspect those seeing me on my BMX are deeply unimpressed by what I'm doing. However, I've just come back from riding Puddletown Forest, which is a mix of DH and singletrack, on the hardtail and I was so much more in the zone than last time I was there, and some of that is thanks to the BMX. Small air = good. Big air = still a bit scared but getting there...

Lifer - Member
Weekend of 22nd/23rd would be good for me, depending on weather!

Can get to Reading (don't know which station is best!) for 12.30...

Bumping this for the new page

Is that the new place in Northampton?

Yep that's the one...there's more though that you don't see.

Nice video,that place looks fun! I should be going there tomorrow for a bit if it stays dry. never ridden a concrete park, looking forward to it 🙂 loads of ledges to grind by the looks. I haven't really been using my bmx much recently, took it to desborough skatepark last week and was bored after 20 mins. Really need to get some closer DJs built, love bmx for that!

Took a look at Trowbridge bmx ramps this weekend. Getting the urge to get a bmx again!

i`ve had my BMX for years and hardly rode it . would be really interested in old geezers ride .

Radlands Plaza is not bad at all, but pretty crowded even on a weekday! Really like the hips into the miniramp bit and the ledges were fun for long grinds 🙂 Would be good if I was a more "street" rider as there's some nice stuff that could be linked together if you have the skillls. Coming to the conclusion that I only really like riding trails on a bmx now though. Skateparks are kinda dull after a while, and full of skaters/scooterers with no park etiquette. It's not like it used to be!