Going off road on a BMX

Right, shooting for the moon a bit here.

The stricken p7 has to be in the bike shop over the weekend and I am full on jonesing for some off road riding.

I was thinking of taking the BMX out over the trails in the local woods for a few hours to get my fix. Nothing too uphill down dale and nothing majorly dangerous – well maybe…

Wondered if anyone on here has had a go at this in the past and how it went?

I know it’s a silly idea but I think it will be a laugh.

Naturally I have taken the stunt pegs off.

Go find your local bmx/skatepark, it’ll be much more rewarding, what area do you live in?

I take mine round trail centers, it’s slow, but ohhh so much fun on the smooth bermed bits.

you could try this:

https://vimeo.com/59930011

I’ve always fancied taking a bmx down lower cliff at cannock, go for it Op. Report back.

Small wheels prefer smoother trails; I would have thought a bmx on lower cliff at Cannock would be extremely slow and uncomfortable…

It’s awful. Shakey, uncomfortable, rattly… and that’s just riding to the local bridleway! Wehey! My mother in law, etc…

But really, it is awful. Funny and tiring and awful. Awful, awful, awful. I do like a bool about on a BMX every so often but only at our local track or to the shops and back.

qwerty – I’m in Maidstone, Kent.

I will give it a bash and report back kayla I really hope it isn’t totally awful!

Too right! What’s the worst that can happen? You have a ridiculous time and good laugh? Have fun 😀

If the trails are smooth flowing singletrack stuff it should be great. If they’re rooty / rocky it will be more challenging…
I remember there was a video of one of the tree bike co. team riders doing some innovative stuff in the woods, just riding some regular woods and pulling fastplants, treerides and grinding fallen logs. Can’t find it now though so this information is next to useless…

It’s hilarious on really smooth trails in the dry. Anything rougher is terrifying if you’re as bad at riding a BMX as I am!

Stevet1 – interesting point should I go pegged or pegless?

My thinking of pegless was there is less parts of the bike to stab me if when I fall off!

Went for a spin around Thetford once with a guy who came on a BMX, he was admittedly pretty comfortable on it, but he popped every root, railed every berm and seemed to have a bloody great time on it.

So worth a shot in my view 🙂

I discovered and grew my love of the woods and off road riding by riding my BMX as a kid. If I hadn’t had such a scream building and riding jumps, trails and riding down scary drops as a kid on BMX I might well have a set of golf clubs in the shed and one of those little dolly footballer outfits in my car window today.
Ah, the low sun of autumn and an oakleaf rooster tail from a 20″ comp IV nobbly ragging around Fleet Pond woods, popping over roots and laying down some sweet broady’s.

Stevet1 – interesting point should I go pegged or pegless?

I’d go pegless, wouldn’t risk a peg catching in the undergrowth or on a tree stump.

What language is that you’re speaking? 😉

BMXs do rock though. I hurt myself landing a three-bricker (two bricks and a piece of wood for the ramp was the norm) when I was about ten. My mam went mental 😆 It’s nice to see my niece enjoy blasting about on her BMX too 😀

Riding any inappropriate bike off-road is ace fun. I stuck my 700c commuter wheels in my 26″ Inbred frame and ran it fixed off-road for a few rides. It was a brilliant.

Thanks guys, I am really excited to give this a go. Just have to get through a parents evening and Friday first.

I will take the GoPro out and report back on how awesome it was.

I have nothing to add, I’m just trying to keep this thread at the top 😀

Broady’s as in broadside skids, speedway style!

kayla1 – nice work but I am sure that behaviour will only annoy someone 😉

I really dislike the way ‘work’ gets in the way of ‘play’.

If only the two were the same!

I have ridden a fair amount off road on BMX and 24″ cruiser.
BMX is slow and requires more effort to maintain speed and turns into more pissing about / jumping around than actually riding.

I presumed most of us on here that were old enough all used to ride BMX’s off road before mountain bikes came long ?

I know I certainly did, and it was awesome.

nealglover – I had a BMX when I learnt to ride and one for a paper round but never really rode it off road. Ended up on a cheap townsend fixed frame for that, so this will be new to me (at the ripe old age of 29 too).

was going to say something along the lines of kaylas first post but

Riding any inappropriate bike off-road is ace fun

mike speaks sense as per.

apart from the fixie bit, that’s just daft.

I presumed most of us on here that were old enough all used to ride BMX’s off road before mountain bikes came long ?

I’m old enough yeah but my parents never sprung for one (bitter? me?) only tried bmxing after many years of mtb.

BMX is slow and requires more effort to maintain speed and turns into more pissing about / jumping around than actually riding.

Sounds ace – where do I sign up?

No, they are awful. Absolutely awful, wonderful, lovely, awful things 😆

edit- bugger it, any excuse. Here’s mine-

I’m 40. I still drive my mam mental.

I presumed most of us on here that were old enough all used to ride BMX’s off road before mountain bikes came long ?

I know I certainly did, and it was awesome.

I thought that when I saw the thread 😕 My BMX was my MTB, roadie, cargo bike, commuter, racer, CX bike and I did my paper round on it to earn money too.

I’m old enough yeah but my parents never sprung for one (bitter? me?) only tried bmxing after many years of mtb.

My little brother got a spanking Super Tuff Burner. I was gutted as I was stuck on his Raleigh Strika at the time. My folks wouldn’t spring for a new BMX for me as I had my uncles old Carlton racer!!
Finally found a Falcon Pro Sigma, with mags for £70 second hand which I loved.

OK as I am new to BMX off road is there any pearls of wisdom I should know before I begin stacking it?

30 psi (ish) in the knobbly tyres, ride loose and let the bike move around, have fun and be careful. Maybe take a pic of your teeth now so your dentist knows what you looked like? That was a joke, by the way 😀

No, chris, in all seriousness, take a picture of your teeth and face. I have seen how badly you ride. 😉

Thanks for the vote of confidence MrWhyte!

Kayla I shall check the tyres… might not be that knobbly though!

apart from the fixie bit, that’s just daft.

That was the best bit! 😉

Really missing my BMX days. Was a handy street and park rider in my day, but I really miss endless manuals and hoping into manuals over/across benches. 🙂

Keep thinking about getting a 24″er as we have loads of pump tracks/parks/race tracks in Sheffield.

You’ll be fine! I use to ride off road and managed, just stay on smooth trails and bump off everything!

Been out for a couple of hours on my BMX round local trails in the sun this afternoon.
I often use a BMX when I ride with my kids as it makes me appreciate how their wheels roll and it stops me leading them anywhere too rough or boggy.

30 psi (ish)

No. 60psi unless you are an 8yr old child

just like the thread a few days ago on BMX commuting there’s an awful lot of nonsense from non BMX riders.

I never had a bmx as a kid, I had a grifter. Do bmxs have a freehub or fixie as standard?

freehub/freewheel

Hey! I ride a BMX you **** smartarse, but I’m only about 10st. Maybe my pressure gauge is wrong…

Ha ha 😆