Ive never BMXed, im 57, what should i buy?

Ive never BMXed, im 57, what should i buy?

A good dental plan?

Buy the one I want and tell us how it is...

www.sourcebmx.com/products/fit-series-22-bmx-bike-2023

22" wheels for a marginally smoother ride. Slightly longer frame with a higher front end so an adult can squeeze in. Still looks like a proper BMX unlike those goofy cruiser things.

medical insurance

At about 35 I bought a cheap one. Less than a year later I nearly ****d the family holiday attempting to manual down the garden flipped over backwards flat on my back and walloped my head hard too.

So now older and wiser I'd buy something that isn't a BMX. Your skills may vary 🙂

Really good knee and elbow pads

gravel bike ?

 I nearly ****d the family holiday attempting to manual down the garden flipped over backwards flat on my back and walloped my head hard too.

Lesson there is not to give up but to always where a helmet. Did similar myself on trials bike, wearing hiking boots and no helmet just went out to test the bike setup.

Also, never get complacent over your skills thinking this is easy.

Seriously. I suggest you need to find one to try out.

Fair play to you. Can't give any bike advice but, as a 56 yo, I'd suggest a GoPro and bookmark this link for Friday fails uploads
https://m.pinkbike.com/video/crashes/

<p>a bmx is very unforgiving, in addition to the advice above, i’d suggest wrist and ankle braces. something like a spacebrace. that said, if you’re taking up flatland you’ll be fine with just the regular body armour. </p>

im 57, what should i buy?

At about 35 I bought a cheap one. Less than a year later I nearly ****d the family holiday attempting to manual down the garden flipped over backwards flat on my back and walloped my head hard too.

So now older and wiser I’d buy something that isn’t a BMX. Your skills may vary

Agree.  I spent a LOT of time on a BMX between age 12 and 18 so thought I would relive it when I was around 45.  Was just messing about in garage and managed to end up on my back and was out cold for a minute or two.  Sold it straight after and went back to MTB.

Plus you may be good with your self confidence/image but you will look bloody stupid on a BMX at 57.  I say that as a 55 year old.

Ok....having had two operations last year for sub-dural haematoma i will stay with MTB and look at bmx from a safe distance.

Thanks for the reality check

Ian

what should i buy?

A time machine

Get something cheap and local on ebay.

If a full on BMX seems too much of a step down in size etc how about a 26" street/DJ type bike like the Airdrop Fade?

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all the previous comments apply

Especially the comment about the 26inch DJ bikes. Coming from LLS 29inch wheels 26inch dj bikes now feel really different from day to day MTBs and will give that some of that chuck able feel your after.

If you are set on buying a BMX what do you want it for.  Street? pump track? Dirtjumps? Skate parks? BMX racing? Flat land?

Like MTBs there’s a big variety, an XC race bike isn’t the best choice for riding Uplift centres and a BMX race bike won’t last in a skate park

Pretty much echo the above, it would depend on what you want to do and even then in your situation probably a DJ bike would be better.

Add to the fact that most council concrete skateparks are actually scooter parks with horrible transitions which make riding horrible. So unless you have some good trails or a good wooden skatepark near by I wouldn't bother. Said as someone who rides usually once a week.

OP if you’re near a decent BMX track/club it’s likely they’ll have beginners sessions with bike to hire. For example Decoy BMX track in Newton Abbot do this.

I'm 56 and I fancied something like a BMX/Street Trials/DJ bike a few years ago.

I re-purposed a 2012 26" Cotic BFe frame. Made it single speed, fitted a short rigid fork and some powerful brakes. I'm still riding it and having a blast.

I've just bought an Airdrop Fade frame to switch the bike up from Franken-BMX/MTB to a Rigid Dirt Jumper. I plan to just swap everything across to the Fade frame and see how that feels.

I've tried a BMX and I wouldn't discount it but they are very short with sharp steering geometry. When I had my short ride I tried a Manual and I was very surprised at just how easy they 'pop'. You really do need to be careful :o)

A dirt jump/pumptrack bike.
BMX is cool and there’s no reason not to try it out (wear a helmet and take it easy to start with) but at 44 I’m getting a bit stiff (my fault rather than blaming it on age) so I’m back on a Charge Blender for a bit of squidge on the front and more comfy size.

But I know a few guys in their late 40s and 50s that love their BMXs

medical insurance

This. 🤣

Or, as suggested a dirt jump or maybe even a street trials bike. Perfect for doing some pump track and trials riding and realising just how difficult it is.

I just came here to suggest the jump bike.

Haven't rode BMX for years now but it is nothing like riding a mountain bike. You may as well get yourself a skateboard, or a pair of Rollerblades. Unless you specifically want a BMX to do BMXy things, there are other bikes you can have fun on which will be much easier to transition to.

By all means try it out. I still float the idea in my head from time to time. It's just a completely different set of skills (non of what I could do on a BMX transferred to mountain biking).

I’m back on a Charge Blender for a bit of squidge on the front and more comfy size.

Loved my old Blender! I've had 2 frames actually, one black and one chrome. Great bikes for messing about on, wish I'd have held on to the chrome one but it's really too short for anything other than fun with the seat down.

If you’ve got the cash I’d suggest an Airdrop Fade - it’ll still be quite twitchy / quick reacting vs a 29er / 27.5” trail bike with modern geometry - but it’ll be much easier on you than a bmx.

https://www.airdropbikes.com/collections/airdrop-fade-bikes/products/fade-luxe

Im 42 and got myself a bmx in the last couple of years - went for an old Haro 24” wheel (cruiser) bmx. When I’m on it I love it. But it does feel like you’re one twitch away from hitting the deck - so ease in gently. I use mine purely for pump tracks. Definitely helps your skills with pumping for speed etc. Plus after 30 mins you feel absolutely knackered - so it’s a really good little workout.

I don’t know where you’re based but I’m Bristol we’re spoiled for choice for new tarmac pump track from the likes of Velosolutions. So much fun.

Joebristol - I'm in the process of swapping out my "re-purposed Cotic BFe frame" for an Airdrop Fade frame that I've just bought.

It's very similar size and shape to the BFe - once I've sorted out the pesky Bottom Bracket I shall see how it handles.

Wish me Luck ;o)

@JAG - good luck - I’m sure it will be absolutely ace. I’d love to get a Fade but I think the wife would go mad if I got another new bike…..

@joebristol - you're probably right. Mine certainly did!

Definitely not a BMX

I've got this very little used 21" BMX you can have for nowt if you can pick up

https://flic.kr/p/26x17Ve

Buy the one I want and tell us how it is…

That's near enough my BMX it's great bar height was the same as my S5 stumpjumper 29er (I had to lower the bars to make it feel better riding).

Just the thought of sitting on that BMX is making my knees hurt, can you fit an XL dropper in it 😁

Just the thought of sitting on that BMX is making my knees hurt

I think that's your first mistake - you stand :o)

i turned 44 last year and decided to buy a bmx (never rode one as a kid)

Bought this on ebay for £60

Mainly bought it to mess about on the local pump track with my boys. Decided to learn a proper bunny hop and manage this height a few months ago

Have also started to learn to manual after looking at many youtube vids. I did exactly as they say which is to practice actively going off the back. This didn't quite go to plan recently. I threw it back too quick and couldn't get off. Ended up hitting the tarmac. It hurt a lot! actually worse pain ive had from coming off a bike and i've been to the alps 4 times, bike park wales 9 times and been mtb 18 years. Think next time i'm going to wear pads or attach a pillow to my backside.

My dream is to be able to properly jump at the pump track and the utimate is to manual rollers.

After having the bmx i finally get the bunny hop mechanics. I understand what needs to happen and when. I'm still honing it.

@noeffsgiven you're not supposed to sit down 😉

utimate is to manual rollers

If it's any consolation/motivation to try it, I find rollers way easier to manual than doing proper manuals. I can't flat ground manual for shit but pump track rollers came a lot easier.

I can see what's going to happen.

I'm going to crack when I see a nice bike for a good price. I'll ride it twice then hang it on the wall for 8 years until junior grows into it.

Anyone else with graying hair near Sheffield riding street or pump tracks?

If you don't have a jump bike then that's a better place to start. If you do have a jump bike then just remember that a BMX has much shorter chainstays than even a jump bike and looping out from a manual is very easy, don't pull back hard!