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My BiL built me up a BMX for my birthday and (with a little help from my niece) resprayed it orange and black. A lovely, thoughtful gift I was was absolutely blown away by!
Now, what next? I’ve never had a BMX before.. I ride MTBs and can bunny hop and do drops/jumps (very average/medium sized stuff!). Where do I even start getting competent on it? There’s a local pump track just opened (Chopwell for any North East folk) so I’m probably gonna head up there and make a reet tit of myself as a first port of call.
Yours, 35 year old man with 1st BMX.
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Edit: For completeness, I can’t wheelie or manual.
If it's anything like my jump bike...
Cycle around standing up alot, with half hearted attempts to develope skills.
Repeat every 12months.
Go to the pump track and enjoy it.have a look to see if there are any local bmx tracks.go slow at first as they react very quickly.
Take it along to the pump track, play. It'll feel totally unnatural for a while and if anything like me, you'll toy with the idea of putting SPD's on so there's one less thing to think about.
It'll be made worse by the fact there kids been there every day since opening and are now way better then I'll ever be. Being shorter, they don't have as far to fall. Being younger, their bones bend rather than snap. Being youths, they don't have responsibilities like "grown ups".
Just watch out for the little ****ers snaking.
1) move the angle of that lever down
2) put on pads and helmet
3) go find a pump/bmx track
4) have fun
Make sure what you learn you transfer to your mtb.
It's time to get yourself to a pumptrack.
If at all like me - throw yourself down the stairs and then head straight to A&E, it'll save time.
I’ve got a BMX..! What next?
Haha! Howling at the replies, thanks all. Young’uns do seem to be able to tuck and roll extremely well when they come a cropper don’t they?
Re. the brake I‘ll get it angled down a bit and maybe swap to the left as I’m not used to the back brake on the right! Also great shout on the pads.. I reckon helmet, knee and elbows is what I’ll do. Will try and enjoy it even if the local yoofs give me a load of shit!
Looks like your bars are leaning forward like a 90's vert rider. Start with them at the same angle as the forks.
Like this...
Now go out and be humiliated by teenagers.
yeh Chicago bars are like the bar ends of the bmx world. Also I would say remove that brake don't need those on a bmx. Love mine will never sell it. Doesn't see much use these days but once we move I have a small skatepark about 5mins away maybe less.
My mum bought me a BMX for Christmas a few years back... I was 33 at the time. Kinda like 20 years too late, but it was either a BMX or a penny farthing (GF fortunately vetoed the penny farthing!).
Took it the three local skate park. Stood at the top of a 50cm high quarter pipe and said... No!
Was fun cruising around. 180 bunny hops. Short manuals. Foot jam.
Tried to learn to tailwhip but bruised the **** out of my shins and ankle.
Ended up lending it long term to a mate's kid who is 12 and lives opposite a pump track. Figured he'll get more out of it than me.
Oh, and if you're going to show the kids how to do a foot jam, make sure you're wearing shoes. I managed to skin my big toe. It was ugly.
Also I would say remove that brake don’t need those on a bmx
Good brakeless riding is impressive. I am not impressive and very much need a brake.
Also this guy is still running two and he's more stylish than most:
From my experience of getting my first BMX in my late 40's, the next thing you will do is bleed quite a lot.
Hope that helps.
Has a member of your family recently increased your life insurance or anything?
Worth checking.
Oh, check the brakes on your car too.
Also I would say remove that brake don’t need those on a bmx
Well that's a personal preference, which is the point of BMX.
I notice you have a V-brake which might actually kind of work. With regular bmx brakes back in the day it was faster and easier to just put your feet on the floor and stand up.
I'd love a bmx for messing around on but I've got a good dj bike which never comes out so I know I'd never use it. Plus I'm a total snob so I'd have to go full S&M frame and forks with all the trimmings and it would spiral out of control.
I notice you have a V-brake which might actually kind of work.
Nah, just mean it's either a race frame (doesn't look like one) or a cheap frame (but if it makes you happy it good). U-brakes work well on a BMX.
I'd leave the brake on, I use mine quite a bit (but I do ride to spots on it).
Just ride it! Don't worry about going anywhere special, just bezz up and down the road, maybe try hopping off some kerbs, get used to how it feels to ride.
Then film yourself doing tiny bunny hops in slow motion because secretly you're really proud.
Get it sold and cut your losses
Good brakeless riding is impressive. I am not impressive and very much need a brake.
Also this guy is still running two and he’s more stylish than most:
/a>
This is very true. I remember watching Nyquist in the 90s / early 00s at the xgames. Brakes for me are sorta pointless yes its all personal preference but when ever I use mine its at relatively slow speed cruising around town.
Watch Scott Cranmer styling it up on YouTube...... then go out and replicate.
But don't die.
Ride it down every staircase to Newcastle Quayside.
Why do BMX's have the rear brake on the right hand side?
Re the brakes
I was told that this is due to your right hand being your dominant hand.
In the uk the rear brake is normally on the left hand side so that you’ve still got a hand covering your brake if your indicating and turning Right into traffic. Not something that’s much of an issue with skate parks or bmx tracks.
Or it could just be that’s the way that all the cool American pros run it and every one want to look like a pro.
I run my brakes normal on most bikes but in my dj bike with only one brake it’s on the right, it’s just feels right.
Before hitting the pump track, just go and find a car park or wide street and practice riding and turning at speed. This isn't meant to be patronising but if you're used to a larger bike you'll find it quite easy to oversteer and tuck the front wheel under - and a tarmac pump track is not the place to work that out 🙂 Get low, keep your elbows down & weight on your feet. Don't remove the brake but do angle the bars back in line with the fork and the lever down. Keep the tyres hard, Have fun!