Do you have to be tiny to ride a bmx?

[Moose]

But how old is too old for bmx, I used to ride Craig Campbell Prolite in the 80's and would love to do it again but I think I may get some strange looks at 39.

Stop worrying about it and buy one! Prolite CC eh? You don't still have it do you?

I have a small collection of old school BMX's (a lot smaller than it used to be) and had a Prolite at one time.

Here's some more of my old school stuff past and present.

 

[punkypossum]

Wow! They look fab!!!!

 

[grhm]

What purpose do the extra bit of frame on the last one the serve? The bit at the back that almost look like a pannier rack? And the bit at the front that loops over the wheel?

Are they just extra places to stand/put your feet when doing tricks?

 

[summerdays]

Speaking as a completely non BMX person who is just following this thread I have a couple of questions...

Moose - why so many bikes.... I'm intrigued by their value - I take it they aren't the sort that the kids normally buy to ride around on - what would be the average value of one of those bikes above?

Also the size of the chain ring looks a smaller than I traditionally see them struggling on hills with. To do proper BMX'ing as opposed to trying to look cool is that the size chain ring that you need? If so why are the kids copy versions sold with such large chain rings?

 

[summerdays]

What purpose do the extra bit of frame on the last one the serve? The bit at the back that almost look like a pannier rack? And the bit at the front that loops over the wheel?

Are they just extra places to stand/put your feet when doing tricks?

I've no idea but that and the first white and black one are my favourite ones for looks (the pink and blue one is gross!)

 

[Paulus]

At the risk of being cast out from the forum in disgrace, I never quite got the thing about BMX bikes, ok, maybe for kids to ride about on doing tricks, but for adults it doesn't grab me. I never wanted one when they first appeared, maybe I was already too old? I passed a teenager yesterday on the way to work who was riding his BMX, he was sitting down and his knees were almost hitting his chin. It must be pretty uncomfortable to ride any sort of distance on one. Sorry they don't do it for me.

 

[grhm]

At the risk of being cast out from the forum in disgrace, I never quite got the thing about BMX bikes, ok, maybe for kids to ride about on doing tricks, but for adults it doesn't grab me. I never wanted one when they first appeared, maybe I was already too old? I passed a teenager yesterday on the way to work who was riding his BMX, he was sitting down and his knees were almost hitting his chin. It must be pretty uncomfortable to ride any sort of distance on one. Sorry they don't do it for me.

I had one as a kid - but only because thats what the other kids had and thats what my parents bought me. I moved to the typical cheapy moutain bike when I got bigger and have never fancied a BMX since.

I'm impressed by some the skill and dedication of some BMX/trials riders - and will take a passing interest (like following this thread) - and can see and appreciate the time and effort some put into making their bike look good (if not to my taste - like those above) but they're not my thing either. Each to their own.

It'd be boring if we all rode/liked the same type of bike and the same style of riding.

 

[montage]

Whats the difference between a BMX race bike and BMX stunt bike?

 

[Moose]

What purpose do the extra bit of frame on the last one the serve? The bit at the back that almost look like a pannier rack? And the bit at the front that loops over the wheel?

Are they just extra places to stand/put your feet when doing tricks?

Yes. All of them are from the early/mid 80's when BMX 'freestyle' was in it's infancy and so experimentation with integrated platforms, toe loops and pegs on the frames was fairly common

Speaking as a completely non BMX person who is just following this thread I have a couple of questions...

Moose - why so many bikes.... I'm intrigued by their value - I take it they aren't the sort that the kids normally buy to ride around on - what would be the average value of one of those bikes above?

Also the size of the chain ring looks a smaller than I traditionally see them struggling on hills with. To do proper BMX'ing as opposed to trying to look cool is that the size chain ring that you need? If so why are the kids copy versions sold with such large chain rings?

Why so many? Addiction!! Sadly, when I moved I sold most of my collection. I still have about 6 or 7, but at one time I had around 25-30. Value on these (as with anything these days) depends on supply and demand but anywhere between £500 - £1500 each depending on condition. BMX like these were ridden by loads of kids in the 80's, but nowadays rarely ridden apart from sometimes by 'big kids'.

As for gearing 44-16 (sometimes 42,43 or 45) used to be the norm up until smaller chainrings became available. 33-13 seems to be the current favourite, but there is now a wider variety with the availablility of down to 9t rears.

Whats the difference between a BMX race bike and BMX stunt bike?

BMX race bikes tend to have longer chainstays, longer top-tubes and slightly more relaxed headtube angle with aluminium alloy becoming more prevalent than cro-mo as a material than trail/park BMX's.