I keep seeing grown men riding around on bmx's... what is that all about?!? They look ridiculous!

I know bmx'ing is a sport, and these bikes are indeed great for performing tricks, making jumps and racing across bumpy dirt tracks etc, but when it comes to urban commuting, by grown men!, they have surely got to be a no-no haven't they?!?

First off, how stupid does it look pedalling at 400rpm and still only travelling at 9mph? Then there are those ridiculous riding positions. You either ride along with your arse stuck right up in air like some sort of prison "bitch", or you sit down and repeatedly smash lower jaw into upper jaw with your knees.

Where will this trend end? Are we going to see grown men on Barbie bikes next? Will we see grown men venturing out with stabilisers on and not a hint of embarrassment?

Please advise, do I have a point or am I getting too old to recognise “coolness” when I see it?

lol!

I know what you mean.

I used to ride a BMX when I was a kid. I loved it, but I wouldn't ride one now, I'd just look stupid.

I still own and ride a BMX. Why stop doing something you enjoy becasue everyone else frowns upon it because of your age.

I think you're thinking of the bikes that fold up and fit into a bag, very convenient! Although they look funny as hell :P

Originally posted by Skatiechik
I still own and ride a BMX. Why stop doing something you enjoy becasue everyone else frowns upon it because of your age.
I can see why you might want to carry on bmxing but why do people use these bikes as their chosen means of transport around town?!?

What do you expect them to do Zamo? Buy seperate bikes for different uses?

Originally posted by Zamo
why do people use these bikes as their chosen means of transport around town?!?

why not?!

if they look stupid they look stupid - it's up to them!

Originally posted by jackthedog
What do you expect them to do Zamo? Buy seperate bikes for different uses?
Yes!

I don't see people commuting around town in go-karts because go-karting is their hobby. No, they would either walk or go by car, bus, train or on a "proper" bike like normal folk! ;)

Do you also disapprove of mountain bikes being used on the road? They're not really designed for the job either, are they.

Originally posted by jackthedog
Do you also disapprove of mountain bikes being used on the road? They're not really designed for the job either, are they.
They are these days!

Originally posted by jackthedog
Do you also disapprove of mountain bikes being used on the road? They're not really designed for the job either, are they.
Full suspension is OTT but otherwise mountain bikes are a good choice given the state of the roads in Sheffield!

You wouldn't get very far in a go-kart that's why - the coppers would stop you as as soon as they caught sight of you.

If someone wants to ride a bmx let them, it's got sod all to do with anyone else but themselves.

Originally posted by Bedhead
why not?!

if they look stupid they look stupid - it's up to them!
Agreed, but it does look stupid doesn't it?

Isn't it possible to be "cool" and practical? I took this :picture (http://www.mybmx.com/gallery/flatland/aae) of some bloke who thought it was cool to commute like this on his bmx from Millhouse to his mates house in Hillsborough? :loopy

Flatland is the best :D

Flatland is the silliest form of the sport.
Dirt is the best. Crusty bikes and crusty jumps. The way god intended. :)

Although I cant deny that flatlanders do some pretty amazing stuff. Although it looks very silly, it is amazingly skillful.

Flatland is amazing - some of the stuff is mindblowing.

Saw a bloke round commonside riding a UNICYCLE on the roads the other day!

Nomme

Originally posted by nomme
Saw a bloke round commonside riding a UNICYCLE on the roads the other day!

Nomme
Yeah, there's a kids round my way with one! I saw him for the first time (obviously a present) on christmas day. He was all over the place and falling off but now he's really good. Still, I don't think he uses it to go to school on!

Saw a bloke on a unicycle on Friday night as we were on the way to the Devonshire Cat. He had a reflective vest, helmet, lights, the lot...everything someone riding to work on a 2 wheeled bike would have. And theres nowt wrong with grown men riding BMXs. Youve got to get them to your chisen skatepark/street spot/dirt trail somehow, why not just ride it there?

I refuse to grow up - I still ride my BMX, and still skateboard every now and then (although not as much as I'd like - got into a bad habit of breaking bones). I'm not in the least bit bothered about what looks cool or practical - I just do what I do, because I enjoy it - sod what other people think :)

I've even riden to a meeting at work on my BMX... while wearing a suit. Although skateboarding in a suit is not something I'd do again, purely because shoes are crap to skate in! I did get some funny looks whan I walked into the meeting room with a brew and a deck though.

all bikes should be banned from the road as they are a menace

Originally posted by Hodge
I refuse to grow up - I still ride my BMX, and still skateboard every now and then (although not as much as I'd like - got into a bad habit of breaking bones). I'm not in the least bit bothered about what looks cool or practical - I just do what I do, because I enjoy it - sod what other people think :)

I've even riden to a meeting at work on my BMX... while wearing a suit. Although skateboarding in a suit is not something I'd do again, purely because shoes are crap to skate in! I did get some funny looks whan I walked into the meeting room with a brew and a deck though.
Fair play to that man! :thumbsup:

Originally posted by tittyheed
all bikes should be banned from the road as they are a menace
Seeing someone ride to work in a suit on their bmx may make your sides hurt from laughing but at least bikes don't kill people every day.

All cars should be banned from the road as they are the menace.

Nowt wrong with BMX's, few of my mates (late 20's) still own/ride BMX's, its great fun. You could say it's the 80's child generation refusing to grow up but I'd say its fun and if your mates are doing it and it get's you outside interacting, getting fit then why not.

Originally posted by Zamo
I keep seeing grown men riding around on bmx's... what is that all about?!? They look ridiculous!

I know bmx'ing is a sport, and these bikes are indeed great for performing tricks, making jumps and racing across bumpy dirt tracks etc, but when it comes to urban commuting, by grown men!, they have surely got to be a no-no haven't they?!?

First off, how stupid does it look pedalling at 400rpm and still only travelling at 9mph? Then there are those ridiculous riding positions. You either ride along with your arse stuck right up in air like some sort of prison "bitch", or you sit down and repeatedly smash lower jaw into upper jaw with your knees.

Where will this trend end? Are we going to see grown men on Barbie bikes next? Will we see grown men venturing out with stabilisers on and not a hint of embarrassment?

Please advise, do I have a point or am I getting too old to recognise “coolness” when I see it?

Too old to recognise coolness.!
I'm 35, been riding for 25 years, Am fit and healthy, have travelled the world because of BMX and met thousands of wonderful people through it.
Just about everyone i ride with are in their 30s. Most of the people who quit back in the 80s - and are of a similar age - that I knew from back then, now bitterly regret stopping. But are too fat and embarrassed to try it again.
BMX has grown up as a sport. The people who ride round town on them are probably a lot more grown up than our boy Zamo here in that they dont give a s*** what you think about how they look.
And now I get to build BMX tracks and jumps for a living.
My lifes been great through bmx.
So I dont care what you think now - or in another 30 years when there are old grandad types cruising round town on those 'little kids bikes'.
:D
(for BMX and BSX in Sheffield check out www.dirtsociety.com)

I asked an ardent user of these bikes about it and he said (and I paraphrase here)

"they are like the bike equivalent of a 4wd sports mini, manoeuverable, good accel from stop, easy to store, light, hardwearing and they can ride over more or less any street obstacles"

I dont actually think he has a saddle or saddle post.

Originally posted by tittyheed
all bikes should be banned from the road as they are a menace
incisively put. All those poor car drivers getting spinal injuries as aggressive cyclists force them off the road. Not to mention all those appalling scars on their paintwork.

Originally posted by Zamo
Yes!

I don't see people commuting around town in go-karts because go-karting is their hobby. No, they would either walk or go by car, bus, train or on a "proper" bike like normal folk! ;)

BTW Zamo...I noticed on your profile that you have 'cycling' listed as a hobby.
Do you really ride around on one of those 'proper' old-fashioned drop handlebars 'racers' all clad in lycra?
We bmxers would be laughing at you, but we passed that stage years ago....;)

Originally posted by Zamo
Seeing someone ride to work in a suit on their bmx may make your sides hurt from laughing...

lol, If I make a few people laugh or even smile by doing this, then all the better :) (it's certainly better than enraging them, anyway)

Originally posted by Zamo

...but at least bikes don't kill people every day.

All cars should be banned from the road as they are the menace.

Too true mate.

Originally posted by hudu
BTW Zamo...I noticed on your profile that you have 'cycling' listed as a hobby.
Do you really ride around on one of those 'proper' old-fashioned drop handlebars 'racers' all clad in lycra?
We bmxers would be laughing at you, but we passed that stage years ago....;)
I have a race bike and a MTB. I use the race bike for commuting but with flat bars because it's easier to keep an eye on the traffic and the pot-holes!

I have a mixture of lycra and "baggy" stuff - what I wear depends on what I'm doing on my bike. Of course, feel free to take the p*ss out of me next time I pass you on my racer in my lycra shorts... but make it quick as I'll soon be out of sight!

It's a long and fun tradition for different biking "sects" to rip the p*ss out of one another and I'm please to see you getting into the spirit of the thread! ;)

Been a downhiller for 8 years.
Due to injury, I am now too scared to continue with it. :(

So now I am considering starting *gulp* cross-country.

I know only too well about the different aspects of biking - I'm about to do the terrible thing of swopping from one to the other.
After neary a decade of taking the p*ss out of the bar-end boys, I might be joining them.

NEVER wearing lycra though. OR shaving my legs... :)

At least you won't have to dress up like an American football player now just to ride a bike down a hill

Originally posted by jackthedog
Been a downhiller for 8 years.
Due to injury, I am now too scared to continue with it. :(

So now I am considering starting *gulp* cross-country.

I know only too well about the different aspects of biking - I'm about to do the terrible thing of swopping from one to the other.
After neary a decade of taking the p*ss out of the bar-end boys, I might be joining them.

NEVER wearing lycra though. OR shaving my legs... :)
Got to agree with you about the shaving of the legs! We had the discussion here before. Some people apparently shave from just above the shorts-line to below the sock-line. If I did that I'd look like a hairy zebra crossing!

Must admit to being a bit of a fan of lycra though! :blush:

Originally posted by wibbles
At least you won't have to dress up like an American football player now just to ride a bike down a hill

Haha! Although it does look ridiculous, all that kit is very neccessary!
I stuck to full face helmet and kneepads. I never went for the body armour, but paid the price for it many a time. :(

Originally posted by wibbles
just to ride a bike down a hill

LOL its a bit more involved than that!!! :)

Originally posted by Zamo
Got to agree with you about the shaving of the legs! We had the discussion here before. Some people apparently shave from just above the shorts-line to below the sock-line. If I did that I'd look like a hairy zebra crossing!


See, if they do it to be more aerodynamic, then it's just ridiculous.
If they do it so mud doesnt stick to their legs as much (?) then I can sort of see why they do it. But still dont think they should!!!

Swimmers - yeah. Riders - no.

Originally posted by jackthedog
NEVER wearing lycra though. OR shaving my legs... :)

I think men look quite nice with shaven legs and wearing lycra. Can't get a good impression with baggy shorts ;)

*sorry for lowering the tone*

ok then..ride down a hill...fast!
I know cause I've done it and got bored of it...plus couldn't put up with the 'totally radical dude' posse.

It may be simple to ride down a hill Wibbles that is perfectly smooth and straight at 50mph.

But trying doing that down a hill, that has drop offs, trees, tree stumps, tree roots, stones, and the odd rambler bikers trap then it becomes a tad more difficult and requires more skill. I know I certainly couldn't do it at speed.

Typical...read what I said. I have done it before. Why do you make assumptions based on nothing?????

Originally posted by wibbles
ok then..ride down a hill...fast!
I know cause I've done it and got bored of it...plus couldn't put up with the 'totally radical dude' posse.

Yeah, the Radical Dude Posse are a buch of nobs.
I did it cos I loved to ride. To be in the woods with my friends having a laugh, feeling the buzz of a good run, and scaring yourself sh*tless. And tiring yourself out for the rest of the week.

Then you get the kids who've got the four grand bikes that daddy bought them, talking about how 'stoked' they were with their 'bitchin run man' and their '60ft hucks' etc etc.

I used to ride. Pure and simple. The local woods was my home every weekend. It was a way to push myself - it made me feel good. It was a way for us to escape the from traffic, TV, work, girlfriend, bills etc etc .

Now I sit at home getting fat on a weekend. My life has no inspiration.

Must get that XC bike on the go.

For my sins I turned to XC and really really enjoy it. Seem to get more time to enjoy the surroundings. I do try and find rides that go a bit beyond typical XC...with some hairy technical downhilling. I'll give you a few pointers of good rides when you get sorted with a bike. Oh and I never wear lycra but I do have bar ends!!!

I'm after building a replica of Caroline Alexander's Olympic bike back when she was on the BMW Klein team.

1996 Klein Pulse II frame, Girvin Vector forks, Michelin Wildgrippers (green), XTR drivetrain and Synchros kit.

Should be fairly cheap to buy stuff from '96 I reckon...

Then i'll be thrasing away again.
until the Girvins collapse...

get most of that from ebay :)

Originally posted by wibbles
get most of that from ebay :)

Yup, and Singletrack!

Just ride your bikes people....don't worry about what anyone thinks ever!

Peace

The BMX hippy.

Oh, okay then.

Whats this problem about grown men on bikes, men, thank goodness, don't grow up, I hope I never grow too old to play on anything, mind you, i'm only 60 so I am no where near grown up yet!!!

Well, I think we can safely say that animal may have a BMX but is far from being a grown man.

Saw a bloke round commonside riding a UNICYCLE on the roads the other day!
I've seen people do mountain bike events on unicylces. And so as not to break the law [seriously] they hung a second little wheel from their seat.

I don't think that grown men on BMX's look half as stupid as grown men ( especially the ones with beer bellies) in football shirts.

I don't think that grown men on BMX's look half as stupid as grown men ( especially the ones with beer bellies) in football shirts.
So True :D :D :D

I don't think that grown men on BMX's look half as stupid as grown men ( especially the ones with beer bellies) in football shirts.

What about grown men with beer bellies, wearing football shirts AND riding a BMX?!?

Mod note:

We have a new member called Animal who has just had his first 2 posts deleted, along with a couple of follow ups from more sane members.

To Animal: Learn a few manners please. Failing that we'll simply ban you from SF.

I'm after building a replica of Caroline Alexander's Olympic bike back when she was on the BMW Klein team.

1996 Klein Pulse II frame, Girvin Vector forks, Michelin Wildgrippers (green), XTR drivetrain and Synchros kit.

Should be fairly cheap to buy stuff from '96 I reckon...

Then i'll be thrasing away again.
until the Girvins collapse...
I hope you can ride better than she could! :thumbsup:

Mod note:
We have a new member called Animal who has just had his first 2 posts deleted, along with a couple of follow ups from more sane members.

To Animal: Learn a few manners please. Failing that we'll simply ban you from SF.
Awww, he was funny! :D He made the rabid car drivers look chilled.

I am nearly 40 and I still love BMX's. I was really into them as a teenager and my last bike was a Redline, complete with Redline flite cranks and a whole arsenal of expensive eye candy, cost hundreds and hundreds. If I still had it I would use it for commuting to work and back.
Almost anything that is engineered and machine to high tolerances gets my juices flowing.

I can't believe people spend so much time worrying about what other people are doing.

Agreed, but it does look stupid doesn't it?

Isn't it possible to be "cool" and practical? I took this :picture (http://www.mybmx.com/gallery/flatland/aae) of some bloke who thought it was cool to commute like this on his bmx from Millhouse to his mates house in Hillsborough? :loopy

ha ha thats my bike and i used to be able to do the funky chicken (not brakeless though as thats insanely hard) nothing wrong with grown men on bmx's in fact its only grown men who can do the high end moves(hofman,mirra, bestwick,that yank whose name I can never remember-flatland guy kevin?? or something)
every time you see an adult on a bike it should give you hope for the future of mankind.
one thing that biker's universally unite in hatred over is bleedin' ROLLERBLADERS.
plus bmx's are far better for nipping in and around town on than a mtb as you can get away with more dense pedestrian situations cos of their smaller size.

every time you see an adult on a bike it should give you hope for the future of mankind. That's a H.G. Wells quote I believe.
one thing that biker's universally unite in hatred over is bleedin' ROLLERBLADERS. Is it? News to me.

Like Nathan Barley :D