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Sorry but I'm on a rant, I just got my self a new (second hand eBay) bmx which is really very nice except after half hour at the skatepark the freeking back brake came off!!! On inspection I realised that the culprit is the removable brake boss has sheered and left the thread half stuck in the frame ...grrrr. This means getting the thing helicoiled out and some new brake hardware (extortion @ £20.00 for two bosses).
It's not even like I really grabbed a big hand full of brake either.
So the weathers great, I have a new bike and it's stuck in the shop for the foreseeable,
Anyway after a bit of googling I discover that these removable brake bosses are total cack and always snap!! So where the heck does this leave me then.....time to try this brakeless thing then ( I'll be smashed to bits in no time).
Anyway rant over I'll just cross the fingers and hope a new mount and a shit load of epoxy weld hold up next time.
Right hacked off me.
Brakes are for losers...
Only joking, I haven't a clue how you can ride without brakes 🙂
that's a shame 🙁 i hope you can get it fixed and be riding asap again 🙂
i am currently going to start paying towards a new bmx tomorrow. i blame that "what first bmx" thread that was on here a week ago for my desire to want to start learning/getting a bmx.
my bike skills are non existent (cannot even wheelie/bunnyhop 😳
I know, it's a massive pain in the arse but if it takes a while to get it sorted I'm actually contemplating having a go brakeless.... I had the same reservations about going single speed and then never looked back?
I remember you from that... Lovely looking We the people zodiac wasn't it? I got a bargin wtp trust which brake boss aside is a beauty.
thanks 😀 yep it's the zodiac.i seriously cannot wait to get it,and start to try and learn some rad skillz. the trust is a beautiful looking bike too.hope you can fix the brake problem ok 🙂
Secondhand BMX in broken shocker!
In other news, try teasing the thread of the broken bolt back around with a stanley blade. You should be able to get enough out to get the pliers on it if it wasn't threadlocked in.
Used bmx bikes are a minefield. Every week a kid brings in a " swapped it for a scooter / Nintendo/etc" bmx and thinks something might be wrong.
I have seen, bent, dented, snapped, cracked, no headset bearings, 10mm axle in 14mm drops. Drive the wrong side so you can only go backwards, buckled and largely bodged.
What bike whisperer said is good advice.
Hope yours gets well soon.
I wouldn't say this is a second hand problem, the bike is mint without a scratch, it was a midlife crisis bike for the guy i got it from and never ridden, its really the removable brake hardware that's the issue. I've since researched this in bmx and there are loads of people complaining about them either working loose, stripping out completely or sheering off. The crazy thing is you seem to get these on the higher end frames so that the cool riders can ride brakeless without the "hideous eye sore of brake bosses" on their frame. the solution is to get them welded on but it would be messy and costly. I'll just have to see how new ones hold up.
Only ever had one BMX frame with removeable bosses and it was a nightmare for the eternal fettler which I am - everytime I tried to remove the rear brake arms the bosses would unscrew first 👿 (yeah I know, maybe I should just fit a brake and leave it be). No problem getting the brake pivot bolts tight but the bosses would just work loose at the drop of a hat.
Drive the wrong side so you can only go backwards
Niche is closed now.. There's nothing more to see.