Discussion
My little boy got a balance bike a few weeks ago, and has taken to it like crazy. I made sure to buy him the best one I could find, because why not, and ended up getting him a Hornit Airo (£140) which I can hugely recommend to any other parents. It is extremely well designed and made, and even I've ridden on it 
It rolls so easily and absolutely flies along.
Because he took to it so fast over the last few weeks, I took him to a tarmac BMX pump-track thingy in a local park. I was expecting him to just pootle along the straights and not really tackle much else, but to my surprise and utter horror, after about 10 mins he was circling the whole track like a pro including going up the big hills and then absolutely flying down the drops, over the humps, and round the banked corners, laughing his head off the whole time.
Because I'm an unfit man who is fast approaching middle age, I have now realised that I'm on the verge of not being able to keep up with him on the level when he gets really pushing himself along. He can fly along and I'm having to 'Dad run' to attempt to keep up with him, which is pretty unsightly.
So I have decided I need a bike to cycle along with him. I don't want a road bike or a mountain bike, as these are just too large and ungainly. I want something small that I can chuck in the boot of the car, and also that I can just hop on and off really easily when out with him.
I have stupidly decided that I want a BMX as surely one of those will be small, light, can be put in the boot of my car, and I can also ride it on a BMX track with him for a bit of fun, which will no doubt result in me breaking bones and being off work for 3 months.
I'll probably try to buy a cheap used one locally and see how I get on. There appears to be a few cheap modern ones for sale.
The last time I owned a BMX was in 1988, so I have no idea what I'm looking at, but I have questions:
I note some bikes have chainsets where the front sprocket and rear sprocket are the same size, and some have a big front sprocket. What I am wanting for just casual cycling along and possibly some riding round a little track? I'm guessing that the bikes with larger front sprockets are for faster cycling with less rotations of the pedals?
Seat height - Most bikes advertised have the seat lowered right down onto the frame to a point where it looks like actually sitting on the bike and pedalling it is impossible. Do most of them have a long seat post that can be raised up to make them actually rideable or is the idea to have the seat so low to keep it out the way for doing BMX stunt type stuff?
Lastly - Am I stupid for buying a BMX to actually cycle on? I just thought it would be fun for the relatively short distances I do with my boy, but if you guys say they are horrible to actually cycle anywhere then I will reconsider!
Cheers
It rolls so easily and absolutely flies along.Because he took to it so fast over the last few weeks, I took him to a tarmac BMX pump-track thingy in a local park. I was expecting him to just pootle along the straights and not really tackle much else, but to my surprise and utter horror, after about 10 mins he was circling the whole track like a pro including going up the big hills and then absolutely flying down the drops, over the humps, and round the banked corners, laughing his head off the whole time.
Because I'm an unfit man who is fast approaching middle age, I have now realised that I'm on the verge of not being able to keep up with him on the level when he gets really pushing himself along. He can fly along and I'm having to 'Dad run' to attempt to keep up with him, which is pretty unsightly.
So I have decided I need a bike to cycle along with him. I don't want a road bike or a mountain bike, as these are just too large and ungainly. I want something small that I can chuck in the boot of the car, and also that I can just hop on and off really easily when out with him.
I have stupidly decided that I want a BMX as surely one of those will be small, light, can be put in the boot of my car, and I can also ride it on a BMX track with him for a bit of fun, which will no doubt result in me breaking bones and being off work for 3 months.
I'll probably try to buy a cheap used one locally and see how I get on. There appears to be a few cheap modern ones for sale.
The last time I owned a BMX was in 1988, so I have no idea what I'm looking at, but I have questions:
I note some bikes have chainsets where the front sprocket and rear sprocket are the same size, and some have a big front sprocket. What I am wanting for just casual cycling along and possibly some riding round a little track? I'm guessing that the bikes with larger front sprockets are for faster cycling with less rotations of the pedals?
Seat height - Most bikes advertised have the seat lowered right down onto the frame to a point where it looks like actually sitting on the bike and pedalling it is impossible. Do most of them have a long seat post that can be raised up to make them actually rideable or is the idea to have the seat so low to keep it out the way for doing BMX stunt type stuff?
Lastly - Am I stupid for buying a BMX to actually cycle on? I just thought it would be fun for the relatively short distances I do with my boy, but if you guys say they are horrible to actually cycle anywhere then I will reconsider!
Cheers
I want a bit of both I think.
Something small enough to have a bit of fun chasing my little boy around a small pump track and something to cruise along on, but not very far, probably up to a mile per outing.
I'm somewhat confused about the differences between adult bikes and kids/teenagers bikes? Most online stores selling new bikes, or adverts for used ones, don't seem to differentiate between bikes for teens and adults?
I'm guessing this is because once a BMX reaches a certain wheel and frame size thats as big as they get? Essentially an adults bike is the same size as a teenagers?
I'm quite short if that helps with the assessment - about 5' 6" or 168cm.
Something small enough to have a bit of fun chasing my little boy around a small pump track and something to cruise along on, but not very far, probably up to a mile per outing.
I'm somewhat confused about the differences between adult bikes and kids/teenagers bikes? Most online stores selling new bikes, or adverts for used ones, don't seem to differentiate between bikes for teens and adults?
I'm guessing this is because once a BMX reaches a certain wheel and frame size thats as big as they get? Essentially an adults bike is the same size as a teenagers?
I'm quite short if that helps with the assessment - about 5' 6" or 168cm.
Thank you Raceboy... however it is too late... I went and bought a secondhand Blank Tyro at the weekend 
20" wheels and 20.4" top tube.
Only ridden it round my driveway and 10 metres down the road and back so far as haven't had much time spare yet, but I had forgotten how much fun a BMX was, or how much fun a bicycle was. As mentioned I'm 5'6"-5'7 ish and it made a refreshing change to hop on something so small, as I spent my teenage years and my early 20's trying to climb onto mountain bikes or hybrid bikes that seemed absolutely enormous, and I never really enjoyed it that much.
The gearing seems ideal for my needs.
First thing I did was try to move the seat up as far as I could as it felt like my knees were by my ears when sat on the seat, but I discovered the factory seat post was about 3" long
So I have ordered a 400mm long seat post so I can lift the seat up as required.
I modify anything I buy that has wheels, so I think I might do a few mods and maybe even a paint job to the bike.
20" wheels and 20.4" top tube.Only ridden it round my driveway and 10 metres down the road and back so far as haven't had much time spare yet, but I had forgotten how much fun a BMX was, or how much fun a bicycle was. As mentioned I'm 5'6"-5'7 ish and it made a refreshing change to hop on something so small, as I spent my teenage years and my early 20's trying to climb onto mountain bikes or hybrid bikes that seemed absolutely enormous, and I never really enjoyed it that much.
The gearing seems ideal for my needs.
First thing I did was try to move the seat up as far as I could as it felt like my knees were by my ears when sat on the seat, but I discovered the factory seat post was about 3" long
So I have ordered a 400mm long seat post so I can lift the seat up as required.
I modify anything I buy that has wheels, so I think I might do a few mods and maybe even a paint job to the bike.
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