BMX - Which bikes are tougher - BMX or mountain bikes?

Which can stand up to more abuse.

As a general rule, BMX.

You can build a MTB to be much tougher than a BMX rig, but as "dooley" said..............

I say bmx. They are made with a more solid construction without all of that shock business. Mountain bikes are made to take abuse while riding and bmx bikes are made to take abuse while falling off of them. A bmx bike takes more every day abuse just smashing into the ground, Mountain bikers dont fall down as often but ride on much more sever much less level terrain. So if you are talking about the bikes themselves, I think bmx bikes are made stronger but as far as the sports, I dont know. Serious mountain bikers do some crazy stuff down some crazy terrain.. but I guess I have to say bmx because thats what I ride.

http://whnz.lostillusionsxxx.com/bf1.mpg
http://www.mbuk.com/images/Kettles%20Drop.mov

No idea. Both are strong builds.
Sorry, I have no phat bmx vids to link to.

phat bmx vids

I LOLed.

Which can stand up to more abuse.
i think that BMX bikes are stronger becuse the frames (except for race bikes and some other weird bikes..[like the 2-HIP Pork]) are all made from high tensile Steel or chromoly (4130)...and since almost all BMX parts are made from 4130 so then they would be stronger than aluminuim....ya ok....

I LOLed.

Hook us up with some jump vids. I watch bmx racing, but don't 'net for it.

http://static.zed.cbc.ca/users/d/downandoutvm/files/web_promo512K_Stream001.mov
http://www.eengoedidee.nl/videoz/bmx/playgroundline.wmv
http://www.dominatevideos.net/v377
http://www.sfbmx.com/sfbmx/thevids/visionvids.html

i think that BMX bikes are stronger becuse the frames (except for race bikes and some other weird bikes..[like the 2-HIP Pork]) are all made from high tensile Steel or chromoly (4130)...and since almost all BMX parts are made from 4130 so then they would be stronger than aluminuim....ya ok....

http://www.teamhardcore.net/vids/mov/joepipe.mov You're right about stronger parts.
I use some bmx parts on my mtb -no, I don't do ANYTHING like the vids.

Kinetic is wrong about the parts, not right. "Almost all BMX parts are made from 4130"? Since when? Rims, hubs, pedals, seatpost clamps, stems, etc, are aluminum.

http://static.zed.cbc.ca/users/d/downandoutvm/files/web_promo512K_Stream001.mov
http://www.eengoedidee.nl/videoz/bmx/playgroundline.wmv
http://www.dominatevideos.net/v377
http://www.sfbmx.com/sfbmx/thevids/visionvids.html

Sweeeet, real style and flow.

The answer to your very general question is not so simple. Most BMX freestyle bikes are built stronger than MTBs built for cross country racing. Conversely, your average MTB is probably much stronger than any BMX race bike. There are guys jumping 60 foot gaps on mountain bikes. I don't think a rigid BMX would hold up to that. This thread was started by someone who wants to know if a BMX race bike would be suitable for mountain biking. It would help if he gave us a bit more information, such as what kind of terrain he plans on riding.

That's true - bmx racing bikes are stronger than say - a road bike.

But, bmx freestyle bikes are stronger, on average, than a mountain bike. Most of that durability comes from the smaller frame and wheel size combined with things like more spokes, thicker walled metal, and just beefier construction.

That doesn't make mountain bikes weak, but mountain bikes definitely are built more for straight up and down forces. BMX freestyle bikes, especially better ones, are designed to take some very serious abuse from all directions, especially harsh bails that stress forks, wheels, and frames.

Specifically, he wants to know if he can use a Haro Group 1 SX 24 for mountain biking. He's been told that it's a BMX race bike, and would likely not hold up to much MTB type abuse. Rather than accept the advice given, he's started another thread, without ever explaining what kind of riding he'll be doing.

Since when can a 26" 36h dished wheel be built up stronger than a 20" 48h undished wheel. It's all a question of size, lb for lb smaller = stronger, that applies to frames too.
As far as the strength of race bmxs goes, what did extreme mtbers start using when they realised their cranks weren't up to the job, yup, profile racing cranks.

Part of the reason I gave up mtb's was the fragility and expense the bikes.

I haven't seen any 20 inchers clearing 60 foot gaps. Your question is actually pointless, as this wasn't a question of wheel strength. Mountain bikes simply don't have issues with wheel strength any more. You can buy one as strong as you need, if you've got the money. Did you give up MTBs for BMX? If so, strength and expense have nothing to do with that either. They are 2 vastly different disciplines within the sport of cycling. I can't picture someone saying "Oh, this is just too expensive, I'll go try a completely different sport".

How does 116' grab you? On a bike with no suspension.
As far as BMX and MTB being 2 completely different disciplines, I see MTBs down the skatepark all the time, I also see MTBs racing at BMX tracks. I don't gaive a **** what bike you ride where, if you can afford to keep busting wheels when you do piss poor table s at the trails/180's at the skatepark then fair play to you.

Is a 26" wheel as strong as a 20" wheel? No.

Why is it so hard to believe I gave up MTBs because of the expense of breaking forks and wheels? I know a few other people who've done the same thing. A BMX is a bike, not a discipline.





The original question was which bike can take more abuse? Answer - a BMX

You'll have to provide some sort of link to back up your 116' claim. A mountain bike at a skate park is not being used as a mountain bike, is it? They do make MTBs specifically for skate parks and jumping, but they have a single chain ring up front, and are a lot closer to a 26" BMX than a true MTB. They're built for jumps, not trails. If you kept breaking forks and wheels, you either bought cheap gear, or were using the wrong tool for the job.

As far as the original question, he wanted to know if a certain BMX bike was suitable for MTB riding. He wasn't just asking about wheelsets. A cheap set of 20" wheels are no better than a good set of 26" wheels.

I think Austin-Rider should participate in the threads he starts. He still never stated exactly what he intended on using the bike for.

116' is the world record, Colin Winkelman, google it.

Marzocchi DJ forks are hardly the wrong forks for the job.

As far as comparions go, you should really compare like for like. A really good 48h 20" vs a really good 26" 48h wheel.

I'll google Colin. The failure rate for the DJ is extemely low. To the best of my knowledge, they are the only single crown fork to be rated for use on tandem MTBs. If you broke a DJ, I wouldn't think it was due to lack of strength in the fork.

A good 48 hole MTB wheel would be for a touring tandem. They can stand up to a load of 600lb or more.

I don't know how strong the wheels you're talking about are, but I have Halo SAS 48h rims, undished build with DT Champion spokes on Bullseye tandem hubs on my commuter, and I know for a fact they're not as strong as my BMX wheels.

wouldn't a bmx be stronger? Don't those derailler things break?
I don't even know why bikes use suspension anyway

wouldn't a bmx be stronger? Don't those derailler things break?
I don't even know why bikes use suspension anyway

You don't know much about bikes. Why is it the kids on the BMX forum always critique a bike by stating that they can break everything on it in an hour, yet still feel BMX bikes are the toughest bikes out there? You rarely read about broken stuff in the MTB forum, and almost never in the road bike or tandem forums.

I can understand the comment about broken parts in the MTB forum... but the roadie forums? No offense to road bikers, but how exactly does one go about destroying a road bike by riding it in its intended manner from doing anything aside from improper maintenence? I can't imagine actually breaking one from racing/commuting it around on the streets.

I can understand the comment about broken parts in the MTB forum... but the roadie forums? No offense to road bikers, but how exactly does one go about destroying a road bike by riding it in its intended manner from doing anything aside from improper maintenence? I can't imagine actually breaking one from racing/commuting it around on the streets.

Roadies are into putting their bikes on roof racks and driving them around. Overhangs, drive-throughs, and garages are all good for wrecking those fancy road bikes.

You don't know much about bikes. Why is it the kids on the BMX forum always critique a bike by stating that they can break everything on it in an hour, yet still feel BMX bikes are the toughest bikes out there? You rarely read about broken stuff in the MTB forum, and almost never in the road bike or tandem forums.


i don't know much about bikes other than bmx, but i can probably build any kind of bike.

tandem and road bikes never really get off the ground, so i don't know how they can be broken.

Also, bmx bikes probably land rougher than mtbs because not every landing is downhill, and there is no suspension on them

Expartriate - you are going to hear a lot of information here and there is no question that a 24" cruiser is very comparible to most 24"-26" mt. bikes. There are definitely some quality/cost considerations which may come into play as bmx bikes have long been a far better value for the dollar when compared to mt. bikes of similar build quality (this info comes first hand).

But, the less moving parts can mean a lower failure rate, unless those moving parts help absorb failures. So, shocks can help 32 spoked wheels last a lot longer... But, a shock doesn't help a miami hopper landing onto flat ground. Most 48's don't survive either though. But, a 48 spoked wheel will fare a lot better.

Frames - same thing - the lateral forces generated in the sport of freestyle bmx are dealt with by the smaller frames and have been engineered to have a much higher survival rating then the BMX racing frame counterparts and early freestyle bikes of just 10-15 years ago. Heck, I snapped half a dozen frames just doing flatland in the early days. BMX freestyle is brutal on bikes.

It doesn't necessitate the bikes to be stronger in all aspects. But, in general, a 20" freestyle bmx bike will be stronger than a larger bike of almost any other discipline where they are made for that discipline.

But, bmx freestyle bikes will also be heavier and are made FOR freestyle. They aren't made for racing, mt. biking, downhill, or road racing. Purpose driven bikes are engineered for their purpose.

NOTE: I don't take pleasure in saying that I can snap a bmx bike. It is a warning to others who ask about crap bmx bikes. If a bike is marketed as a bmx freestyle bike, then I should NOT be able to say "I could break that bike within 10 minutes of riding it." Any halfway decent freestyle bike I could ride for a couple of years and it would only need regular maintenance. If a frame snaps due to freestyle riding within ten minutes - it's NOT a freestyle bike, it is a very dangerous weapon.

i don't know much about bikes other than bmx, but i can probably build any kind of bike.

tandem and road bikes never really get off the ground, so i don't know how they can be broken.

Also, bmx bikes probably land rougher than mtbs because not every landing is downhill, and there is no suspension on them

This is a comical conclusion drawn by a total lack of knowledge. Does something have to get off the ground to be broken? Have you ever watched more than 10 minutes worth of any serious road race? Those guys are mixing it up a couple of inches from each other in 35 MPH pacelines. One screw up, and a whole line of riders can go down, at speeds that nobody has ever hit on a BMX bike. On descents even a fat old guy like me gets over 35 MPH, the pros may be doing 50 down a wet mountain road. An out of adjustment dérailleur can get a chain into the spokes and eat a lot of parts.

Granted with decent care and casual riding, none of these things can happen, but to say that you don't know how they can be broken...well you could have left it at "I don't know" and been done with it.

Getting into the real question at hand, which apparently is whether or not a cruiser class BMX race bike should be up to mountain biking....I wouldn't want to do it. Single speed would suck for that purpose, and lack of suspension would put a lot of stresses on both rider and bike that neither were designed for. Trail riding maybe, although again, BMX racing is all about being smooth, the bikes really aren't built to be beat all to hell. Freestyle bikes aren't even part of this equation, but they are built to have everything done to them short of being run over.

i don't know much about bikes other than bmx, but i can probably build any kind of bike.

tandem and road bikes never really get off the ground, so i don't know how they can be broken.

Also, bmx bikes probably land rougher than mtbs because not every landing is downhill, and there is no suspension on them

Not every MTB landing is downhill. As far as tandems, you are completely clueless. Past tandem problems have included melted brakes, tires blown up from too much heat, broken chains (drive chain and timing chains) snapped forks, complete drivetrain failures, and spontaneous spoke breakage. That's just for road tandems. We take our tandem off road, but it's built for it. We've had a timing chain break, and we've had the front brakes sieze up and forcefully expel the brake shoes. And that was with one of the few tandem rated disc brakes. A tandem is a single bike with 2 engines, and the weight of 2 riders. And yet they still don't break like BMX gear does. Just don't think for a minute that they don't get abused. Go to www.mtbtandems.com and look at what Alex and his wife do on theirs.

BMXTRIX, I couldn't find anything to disagree with as far as your post. You guys all ride freestyle bikes, none of you race. If the question was "Which bikes are tougher, freestyle BMX or mountain bikes?", this would be a no-brainer. But the bike he's referring to is a BMX race bike, not a freestyle bike.

Care to point out exactly where Austin Rider specified BMX racing?

Kinetic is wrong about the parts, not right. "Almost all BMX parts are made from 4130"? Since when? Rims, hubs, pedals, seatpost clamps, stems, etc, are aluminum.



ya thats why i said almost all parts..........

Care to point out exactly where Austin Rider specified BMX racing?

This thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=104921) where he is asking about this bike (http://www.harobikes.com/bmx/sx-24.php) which is a Haro 24" BMX race bike. Even Haro says: "BMX bikes have one purpose, to transfer every ounce of power in your legs to the ground."

It appear that he came to the BMX forum to get some support for his idea of using it for mountain biking, which is funny because they way he asked the question, most of the posters in this forum would gather all around him and say "U can us a bmx bike becuas they can handel nething!!!111!1!"

This thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=104921) where he is asking about this bike (http://www.harobikes.com/bmx/sx-24.php) which is a Haro 24" BMX race bike. Even Haro says: "BMX bikes have one purpose, to transfer every ounce of power in your legs to the ground."

It appear that he came to the BMX forum to get some support for his idea of using it for mountain biking, which is funny because they way he asked the question, most of the posters in this forum would gather all around him and say "U can us a bmx bike becuas they can handel nething!!!111!1!"


So, the aluminum used in the framing of the BMX race bike is obviously weaker than the MTB aluminum, and will fall apart if used for MTB purposes...oh unless there are front shocks - that will save the bike.

Some of the extreme freeride and DH bikes are chromoly. Weight is not really a factor.
Most are however Alu. Freeride HT come in steel.
Full suspension =Alu...maybe the suspension helps the frames not fatigue.
I ride a chromoly frame mtb because it has no suspension, I knock it around and don't want a failure.
If my bike was Alu, I'd use front suspension.

So, the aluminum used in the framing of the BMX race bike is obviously weaker than the MTB aluminum, and will fall apart if used for MTB purposes...oh unless there are front shocks - that will save the bike.

The tubing walls are thinner for a race bike. That's the most obvious difference.

Care to point out exactly where Austin Rider specified BMX racing?

In the thread he started before this. He specifically asked about using a Haro Group 1 SX 24 for mountain biking. I have that bike, it's the one I race, and I can assure you, that frame would not survive too much MTB abuse. It's made from paper thin hydroformed aluminum. Hardly a good choice for rough trails. If it weren't so rigid, it might not be so bad.

ya thats why i said almost all parts..........

And you're still wrong, because most parts are not chromoly.

In the thread he started before this. He specifically asked about using a Haro Group 1 SX 24 for mountain biking. I have that bike, it's the one I race, and I can assure you, that frame would not survive too much MTB abuse. It's made from paper thin hydroformed aluminum. Hardly a good choice for rough trails. If it weren't so rigid, it might not be so bad.


Okay! Enough!

I was asking because I didn't know....that's why I asked. :D

And you're still wrong, because most parts are not chromoly.

Pedal axles are all I think of.


I mean I think of other things...the axles are chromoly...

Okay! Enough!

I was asking because I didn't know....that's why I asked. :D

I hope we've clarified it all for you. What's the bike selling for in the US?

Pedal axles are all I think of.


I mean I think of other things...the axles are chromoly...


All tubing is chromoly. that would be frames, forks, bars, and cranks.nuts and bolts

All tubing is chromoly. that would be frames, forks, bars, and cranks.nuts and bolts

Wrong.

Wrong.

on freestyle bmx bikes they are

on freestyle bmx bikes they are

Yeah, it's all chromoly. Except for the trimoly, the hardened steel, and the mild steel.

Er, trimoly is just another way of saying cromoly front triangle.

Er, trimoly is just another way of saying cromoly front triangle.


I'm not sure that's correct, but if it is, that would make the rest of the bike... not chromoly?

are you going to cross over to mtb? i think bmx is better.

are you going to cross over to mtb? i think bmx is better.

Are you asking me? I've been riding for about 30 years now, and just decided to start racing BMX again.

I'm not sure that's correct, but if it is, that would make the rest of the bike... not chromoly?

Correct.