[Closed] Should I buy a BMX?

Yes!

Well they say a&e wait times are pretty good at the moment...... So go on knock yourself out!

During lockdown it's a sure fire way of being hospitalised:-)

Twitchy little face planting bastards in my experience, but I've built mine back up to play on for the time being.  Trying to flat manual across the local carpark...

Yes great for learning stuff on just maybe take it easy at the moment.

I'd wait for more ordinary times I think.lol

BMX
short of cash
enjoy tipping over the edge of control
Who needs brakes right
Enjoy taking big risks
Hurting yourself is fun right?

Street trials bike
money going spare
have to be in control
brakes essential repeat brakes essential
Plenty of time to spend doing weird stuff on a bike that most people think is abnormal before you even get onto the fun stuff which also is incredibly difficult to master.

One or the other - definitely

I'm biased toward the latter having not ridden bmx since the 90s.

Just because you have a bmx trials bikes jump bike what ever doesn't mean you need to hurt yourself sending it on a vert ramp or sending 15ft flat to flat drops!
Start small build confidence make small increments avoid pain!

Go for it

Im 43 and have been riding bmx's properly since i was 14

start small, find an empty car park and get used to riding a small bike and changing direction quickly

Then once it feels comfortable move on to trying small stuff like bunny hopping up and down kerbs

If you have a local pump track that is open then go for a pedal round it, take it easy and keep the wheels on the ground, this will help you get used to the bike changing direction quickly whilst being at different angles as you go through small tight berms

Finally find a small skatepark with mellow ramps, just cruise around carving the ramps to get the feel of riding one

Take things easy and as your get more and more comfortable and confident on a small bike you will find it gets easier

Wear a good helmet, knee pads, shin pads and gloves, these are the main impact points when you fall off a bmx

Cant wait till this lockdown is over and the local skatepark is back open, i miss riding my bmx

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I've gone for a jump bike (Canyon Stitched) as I've got chicksands, the XC and a few small skateparks/pump tracks near to me, should be with me Mon/Tuesday

@escrs What do you recommed helmet wise, i've seen POC Crane, TSG Super light and the Giro Quarter which seem to fit the biill (higher end, better protection)?

I wouldn’t unless you fancy sub optimum repair of your broken arm/leg/brain, but then again at least you will get a free dose of COVID with every hospital visit

Agree, not a great time to get one. Maybe wait a few months.
If you are not going to be trying anything new on it (and will hurt yourself doing so) then what are you going to be doing on it? They are crap for just riding around on (they don't roll well, you can't sit down)

@escrs What do you recommed helmet wise, i’ve seen POC Crane, TSG Super light and the Giro Quarter which seem to fit the biill (higher end, better protection)

No idea as Ive always worn Protec helmets on the bmx

Tag is standard brand for BMX. I am sur eyou can be separated from more cash if you want and buy a poc. More expensive doesn't mean more protection.

Depends if you have anywhere to ride it
I am not into parks as you need skills and it's hard to be any good and enjoy them. I love bmx tracks and pump tracks though plus I've got one as a street night riding bike.

Go for it, you don't have to do anything crazy on it at the moment. I got one a few years ago, I don't use it a lot but it's fun to take to Corby every so often so I can see how rubbish I am.

Speaking as someone who bought one quite recently - yes.

If you have somewhere to ride it nearby, now is the perfect time to get a real good feel for how a BMX handles with the perfect excuse not to try anything risky.

Find a nice empty car park and spend some time just learning how it handles, cos a BMX is a lot different to an MTB. I wouldn't worry too much about sustained manuals yet (falling on your arse can get pretty sore pretty quick) but learn how to pop the front off kerbs and land on both wheels (also how to land with no sus and rock hard tyres...).

Then maybe have a go at bunny hops - the timing is a lot different to an MTB, I'm still getting the hang of hops. I quite like trying top hop over really low impact stuff like drain covers and repaired bits of tarmac, and I'm getting the hang of going up and down kerbs.

My theory is once things are a bit more normal my BMX handling skills will be a bit better for when I go try some bigger stuff, like the small step sets I've been eyeing up and the skatepark down the road.

Practicing your cornering technique on a bmx will make you better on a mtb.a bmx track will help with sprinting and core strength if you ride hard.

Yes yes yes.
I'm 49 and got a 2nd hand BMX last October and it's the best money I've ever spent on a bike.
I ride with my son but also go to the skatepark (pre c19) with a mate of similar vintage. We both rode BMX as kids / younger adults but the newer bikes are just so much better. Check out Ride On BMX Facebook group for inspiration

Make sure you get a bike long enough for your height and with a mid to long chain stay (13"+) or you might find it super twitchy and if you haven't ridden one before spend time getting used to the balance and steering + Have fun

I’m deliberating similar but .....

A few years ago I got to ride at the Olympic park velodrome and BMX track.

Having not ridden a BMX for years and not really being a BMXer bitd I took it steady until cockiness I suspect took a grip. Pumping the jumps (ooh er Mrs) I think I either over cooked a jump and went into the up of the next double or landed and went OTB into the next double. Thankfully I was wearing a full face, that I broke. I got back on and rode the rest of the lap **swoon** but by the end of the lap it was clear I was broken. Scuffed face, broken hand and not yet visible at that time deep abdominal bruising from I suspect landing on the bars. I’d managed to hit the floor so hard with my hand I punch holes in the knuckles of my gloves - BMX tracks are not soft places.

Freak accident down to over confidence I’m sure couples with riding a lightweight race bike that was certainly not an XXL but certainly unnerving ..... I still get flashbacks when wheels come off the ground now!

I think if I went the BMX route again it would be on a cruiser 22” or 24” and I would be buying and wearing a full face ......

I find a good strong fear of pain and injury and loss of work and all the strife that would bring to my family helps me to not attempt anything until I've worked my way up to it.

I have just put one together, never had one as a kid I had a grifter, now 42. sadly on skate park in my village, at least that will keep me out of a&e for the time being, plenty in the local town along with the UK's oldest BMX club

I find that most reasonable humans are able to make their own risk assessment and act accordingly. There's a ton of low risk low level stuff you can do on a BMX. A set of pegs opens up flatland and balance tricks for example, there's no rule that says you have to throw yourself down a massive set of stairs backwards to justify the bike

I'm so tempted by one to. Looking at 22" or 24" wheel.

I'd say go for it, just take it easy during the downtime and rise sensibly.

I find that most reasonable humans are able to make their own risk assessment and act accordingly. There’s a ton of low risk low level stuff you can do on a BMX. A set of pegs opens up flatland and balance tricks for example, there’s no rule that says you have to throw yourself down a massive set of stairs backwards to justify the bike

This is it. Little skilly stuff is great fun, or that's what I find anyway.

If it's just for riding around you can get 26inch and even 29inch wheeled ones
The 29er I saw was a gt.they are pretty pricey mind

Also 40 and of course had a burner in my youth which I loved.

In my early 30s bought a bmx again and sadly had to admit to myself that MTBs had softened me up too much.
It was great fun in short stints very responsive fun to whizz about the streets/trails/Park on, but harsh as a harsh thing when you got almost any landing wrong and just physically exhausting. I scared myself on it a couple of times, and With kids/mortgage/job excuses already lined up, I simply wasn't feeling the same joy from it I did when I was a kid.

So the BMX got neglected for a couple of years, during which time various 26" & 24" DJ bikes got slightly more love as they are simply more comfortable and easier for a podgy middle aged bloke to get on with... Eventually when I cleared the collection out the bmx had to go. I reckon lots of blokes follow a similar pattern at some point.

In retrospect I might have been better being slightly more realistic, buying a 24" cruiser and sticking to BMX/pump tracks only...

But honestly, odds are you won't suddenly discover a hidden talent for BMX that's somehow lain dormant for three decades...

I did an excellent coached adult BMX session through my cycling club - nearly injured myself in the first 20m when I thought “how easy is it to lift the front wheel?” (very).

I have an underused DMR Wraith that is basically a 26” wheel BMX. Hoping that now my eldest is getting going on pedals we can get down the local pump track soon.

If it’s just for riding around you can get 26inch and even 29inch wheeled ones

Or just get a gravel bike ;-)p

I have a BMX that I have a love/hate relationship with.

It came brakeless so I fitted one to the back which is good enough. Seatpost is cut to nothing so sitting is off the cards, makes riding it anywhere a chore. Tyres are Fit OEM and weigh a ton, the previous folder will be going back on the front with another lightweight for the rear.

After a previous spill at a park nearly a year and a half ago I still haven't got my confidence back and still get a sore shoulder. However, as said, as long as you take it easy you should be fine. Flatland and just farting about manualling is fairly risk free.

When this is over it still might get sold but for now it's providing something different to work on.

I bought one last year at the age of 40 because I was spending more and more time watching my kids in the skate park and getting jealous because looked so much fun
Got a 2nd hand we the people from gumtree Best £60 I’ve spent in ages
I’m pretty shit but the small amount of things I can manage in the park are a right laugh and I think it has improved my jumping and bunny hop technique as well
Once COVID 19 is over I’d say definitely get one
A lot of skate parks will loan you one as well

I bought mine when I was 40, I’ve hardly used it but it looks cool so that’s fine. Collective C1 and great value.

i bought one at 45. it looks great in the bedroom propped up in the fireplace!
i was consistently the oldest rider at the skate parks by some margin and i properly managed to hurt myself..numerous times!
fortunately i live reasonably close to a VeloSolutions pump track so im keeping the BMX as its brilliant for that sort of thing.

I bought one week before lockdown. A 22" wheeled thing. First manual to arse plant was embarising.
Am waiting for asylum to open again as had a good session there even if i only lasted an hour.
Skate parks seem a lot more chilled than 10 years ago.

First manual to arse plant was embarising.

been there!

I’m proud to say I’m pretty good on a BMX, at least I was in the 80’s 😜
I bought one in my 40’s & i was having a lot of fun on it, going to skate parks I used to frequent bitd, then I fell off the silly little ¼ pipe at my local park, bloody hell it hurt, no more than 7’ to flat but if it’s your head that hits first then you know about it & you realise that you don’t heal like you used to & it’s probably best that you don’t. (Deliberately cut short at the full stop)