Get down your track and try it out, racing is forall ages andquite a family sport. Most clubs will be really friendly.
Park /ramp riding is very different but just as fun but youll see more kids doing it although its been good to ride recently and see more people over 30 riding these days
Further learnings: You get punished if you land poorly with heavy hands - no give whatsoever! Feels nice when you get it right though...
I've been riding bmx now for about 6 months once maybe twice a week and am now starting to pick things up. At 39 I do feel pretty old and will think twice about riding a very busy skatepark for fear of looking like an arse.
In fairness though I have picked up the following
180 and fakie roll out
360 from flat (sketchy)
Can manual pretty well and hold it out of a quarter and around the top to drop back in again (my favourite trick)
Hop to manual across a pad (no higher than 2 foot)
Footjam the top of a quarter and drop in (sketchy)
Full cab from fakie
The thing I've noticed is that you need the time to master any of this and unfortunately as a full time working married man with two kids, time is very limited but I chuck the bike in the back of the van and when I get a spare half hour or so I'll ride. Looking at getting a new bike in the next week or so (wife doesn't know this yet !) as said you only live once.
For anyone in the Northampton area there is a great new skate plaza opening on sat, I looked over it yesterday and it looks great.
Nice one Donks - you've got some tricks I'm jealous of, especially the manual to drop in.
You ever ride Corby?
New to BMXs - what do I need to know?
The quickest route to A&E... 🙂
I've an old (late 90's) GT Perfmormer in the shed. And a set of coaster brake Skyways that I'll marry up one day. One day....
I had a go on a £900 [i]We the people[/i] last week. It was bloody ace.
Always fancied a go on the ramps in the park but I think I'll wait till theres nobody around... 🙂
taki you're in Lichfield arn't you? What ramps are there and in what park?
donks respect to you sir.if i can do any of those tricks,i will be a happy chappy indeed 😀
Ok, sod it. I'm going to give racing a go. Always wanted to do it and was too young during the early 80's BMX boom so at 30 I'm going to do it.
Where to start? I guess at 6'3 tall I should look at 24"??
Donks where's the northampton skate plaza going to be and are bmxes welcome? Nice trick list 🙂 i can't really do much other than 180 and a few grinds. Really wish i could manual well, it'd open up a lot more lines for street and park riding.
Why is manualling so scary?! Do I need to expect to throw myself off the back of the bike repeatedly until I get the hang of it?
I've been riding park for a few years and went to my first track recently - just took my BFe along with race tyres pumped up to the max. Had an awesome night.
Before (original spec)
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Now (race spec) - replaced post/saddle, removed front brake + gyro + pegs.
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Here's mine..... Haro 300.3 (2011). Found I enjoy racing it at the local BMX track, than killing myself at the skatepark.
Slightly too short (20.5" TT), but it's good enough for now. Might upgrade to a race-specific BMX later this year.
Tom, the Northampton plaza is right opposite the big BMW garage next to the hospital (go onto facebook and check it out). There are no jumps to speak of being a plaza but its big and looks like it will flow really well and should be the place to get manuals down a treat.
chiefgrooveguru this looks like a good tutorial (have yet to learn myself though 😉
i have a fear of slamming the back of my head on the concrete (i just have to mtfu 😉 i will learn how to do it 😀
if you have a back brake you'll be fine, a quick dab or just drag it and it brings you straight back down. otherwise just get used to dropping off the back into a run...dont forget your BMX is quite low and close to the ground plus you have flat shoes not clips....i used to get a right bashing coming off the back of the MTB still clipped but have yet to hurt myself manualling the bmx. Its the other stuff that hurts..especially the pedal strikes from tricks gone wrong.
To manual, lean back, and push forward with your hips.
I've not done any work today because I have been looking at bikes and reading buyers guides. I have totally fallen for this bike, a WeThePeople Justice.
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We have a bit of a Wethepeople theme here cos im looking at the Trust, as I had a quick go on one the other day and it really felt right. Have also spent a bit too much time on ebay and source BMX sites...
for anyone whose interested.here are the 2013 wethepeople bike models (no prices unfortunately) http://www.bmxinternational.com.au/Script/MCH/ShopProductL.asp?CatID=8426774C-8E6D-475A-9919-F9F42F75AD46
i got this from bmx-forum.com
man i'm the only one without an actual bmx at the moment 😆
and here's a great video i just found (modern-retrotastic 😀 sorry i'm suffering with insomnia atm 😳
i think i'll pass on trying to stand up on bike whilst juggling 😉
^^^I didn't know about juggling while on a BMX; I'm sure that the yoofs would think you're da bomb... 🙄
hmm...thinking about this. BMXs look simple, fun and cheap.
I'm still confused though, 20 or 24"? I'd be using it mainly at the local track. I'm 5'11"
20 is easier to learn stuff on , takes up less room in the boot and house.It's the real thing.
24 is more stable, especially in jumping and you can ride it on the road fairly comfortably. It looks almost like a normal bike.
24 cruiser race class is very competitive and full of older blokes.
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My 20". Now has a longer stem.
I was thinking of selling it the other day, but took one spin round the block and changed my mind.
Pulling manuals on a bmx is one of the most fun things you can do on a bike 🙂
Just found out that there's a bmx track and race club about 10 minutes away from where I work 😀 Going on Friday afternoon after work for a ride around to see how I like it, if it's any good I might start going to their practice race meets.
Tom - Which track is it? I went ot Bristol for the first time a few weeks ago on my BFe and loved it although it was hard work, much harder physcially and technically than I expect, but big grins all round 🙂
I'm with bushwacked its bloody tiring, I went on my BFe about 5 weeks ago and I was knackered after two runs. It was fantastic fun and I will be heading back there but I will dust off my old BMX before I go back again. I'm thinking about buying a new decent BMX but I want to give it a go on a 20" before splashing out on another new bike.
Its the Pineham track in Milton Keynes. Taking my bmx so hopefully not quite as tiring as a mtb!
I went to the LBS the other day and asked what they thought about getting a BMX to sharpen my MTB skills (or lack thereof). They said "just ride your MTB." I think that they thought that I was kidding when I first brought it up...
I'm still keeping the idea alive but will probably look for a cheap used BMX to try first. if I don't like it, I can sell it on without losing a lot of money.
I find it makes things harder on the mtb to start with as theres too much seat in your way and the whole thing feels massive and clumsy. Then you get used to it and it's better as you feel like your massive bike can roll over anything 😆 Learning to jump on a bmx improved my mtb jumping loads as well, but again much prefer to do it on the bmx now..
this has just turned up at the bike shop i go to (hmm i wonder what it is 😀 [IMG] 
[/IMG] cannot wait to start riding it (monday,gods help me 😀
BMX thoughts thus far:
1. I never want a singlespeed MTB...
2. I'm not very good on it yet but it's making me better on the MTB - it feels unstoppable in comparison. A few nights ago, following a friend on a full-sus, I noticed that he was going round things whilst I was going straight over them on my hardtail - three dimensional thinking!
3. Although I can now clear small gap jumps on my hardtail I seem to have a fear of casing them with a tiny high pressure rear tyre. Will continue trying to go further on tabletops and see where that gets me.
I miss my BMX. Got stolen outside my old flat... 3 flights up and chained to the railing 🙁
