Same gi, which would have put me at the same speed.
Same gi, which would have put me at the same speed.
Originally Posted by seau grateau
I think a bmx could be very useable for neighborhood riding & commuting. Most of the applications I've seen older retirees use them for ? An alternative for a folding bike. I think they get tired of folding and unfolding those type of bikes, but they'll put a longer seat post in the seat tube and add a basket and off they go to the convenience or grocery store. The frame and bike are sturdy and slower so they feel safer to ride. I have a 20 incher that I want to put a longer seat tube on for that purpose to see how it does. The bmx was free, one's you can get from Wal-Mart can be economical too, but a 26" Huffy Cranbrook makes them hard to justify setting up like a folding bike. I think the older folks that convert them as an alternative to a folding bike like being able to step over them onto the seat without fear of losing their balance and fralling down. Loading up the basket with groceries, trying to step over a 26" top tube & riding home from Wal-Mart is an event for the senior Olympics ? That's the worst thing an older person could have happen to them, break a bone because the bike they had was too fast for them or lose their balance trying to get on/off the bike.
This thread makes me laugh. I don't get why there is so much arguing about this. I mainly just bmx with some mountain biking and the very rare instances where I do road. And all I have to say is road/mountain bike = better in the long run. Bmx is only good for going to the corner store and doing tricks. Maybe these people are talking about going places that don't require uphill rides, but I don't think that exists. I wonder if any of those people have ridden anything besides a bmx. When you go from one to another you realize why you were exhausting/torturing yourself more than you needed too.
Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.
Right? And that one kid calling himself a beast makes me laugh. I'm sure he's like 12, with tiny chicken legs that couldn't handle any real riding stress.
Usually I like to sit down to pedal, do you put a 2.5 ft seat post on a bmx?
I wasn't advocating using a bmx, I was saying that it isn't the wheels that are necessarily slowing you down. They make bikes for average adults that have small wheels and can still go fast, a bmx bike with 20" rims isn't something I consider designed for a average adult to ride any distance. I certainly wouldn't choose it. This is what I meant about "it isn't the wheels, it's the bike".
I agree with you krome, the bmx I have is hardly going to get me anywhere quickly, but by the same token, a longer seat tube like Leebo asks about can be done and a bmx becomes a 55 GI SS 20" bike. It's only going to go so fast. If you ride a mile or two to school or work that setup works just fine. Swap out the seat post and seat and one can go back to using it as intended, a fun toy. With the higher seat post and more comfortable seat, you can use it to ride thru the neighborhood, to the grocery/convenience store, even throw it on the Winnebago and ride it thru the KOA campground or State park campgrounds in the FL Keys ? It's a take your sweet time ride. I like mine in the neighborhood and don't have the extended seat post. I ride it to the nearest Starbucks, Wendy's, Publix/Winn Dixie, pizza place and even Subway for a quick ride and something that gets there pretty quickly for a shorter distance. A few blocks away, the voting precinct is located, I even ride it up there to vote. Saves me the hassle and headache of parking & traffic in the car.
And I understand that, but I'm pretty sure that something like a folding bike is going to have to be in a slightly higher ratio just to put out the same speed as a road bike in a lower gear, mostly because of the wheels. Folding bikes have a great design and concept, and their intentions and purpose are awesome, I just wouldn't ever want to go very far with smaller, more inefficient wheels.
Street Rider, I just got back from riding around Washington DC and I literally owned everyone on the road. Cars, other bikes, motorcycles anything. No one passed me and I passed plenty of other people. I didn't have to ride on just paths, but could go down steps, across medians, on side walks, jumping thick granite curbs with sharp enough corners to cut paper, running every light that was possible (safely enough)... All until I managed to loosen the back wheel and the chain popped off. Fortunately I was on the way back, and most of the way there, but I did have to walk it up a mile long hill because the chain kept slipping. That was really more my fault then the bikes though the chain was already a little loose and i didn't have the nuts tightened enough. I was pretty hard on it and jumped a lot of stuff too. I have racing slick animal ams tires that are rated to 110 psi, though I filled them to about 85. This is not a little kids BMX. the grear ratio is 44:14 and the chain is fat, which is important to me as i have broken a few chains in my day. Also the crank is thick, also important as I have broken a few of those too. And the Handlebars. Actually someone else threw this bike out and it was pretty wrecked. needed new handlebars tires breaks... It is Hellion...something
I am not saying that BMXs will work for anyones commute, but if you live in a city filled with potholes, tall curbs, cars, bikes, and people, you can not beat the BMXs agility, accelleration, strength, durability, and weight. The smaller dimentions and extreme durability make it a winner.
44 to 14 is my gear ratio btw.
And no I am not saying it is ideal for every commute. if you have an 8 mile bike trail to tackle every day, you would be insaine to try it on a bmx. Unless at the end of that you have 4 more through traffic and congestion and potholes.
but if you have to go 2-4 miles through traffic and congestion and potholes and derelict public officials at every corner, and you dont want to travel the beaten path, a BMX might just be for you.
LOL
P.S. the same thing happened to me once on a road bike, the chain popping off.I used to have a 10 mile commute on a bike trail too. except on the road bike, i was peddling so hard my next press had no resistance and the force of my foot crashing down unrestricted in that compromised position street bikes leave you in caused me to loose balance and come crashing to the ground. Down hill at about 35 mph(downhill top gear pushing hard). I cracked my helmet in half and fractured my scapula. On the bmx, i didn't fall when the same thing happened, granted at much lower speed, but the threat is just not there, because as another user noted in this thread, on a bmx bike you are ontop of it, not in it. your center of gravity is much lower.
Last edited by Anu; 05-01-12 at 07:01 PM.
I used to ride to work with a dude who rode a BMX. I was always kinda ashamed he could keep up with me for the 10 km ride.
BMX for commuting: Not ideal, but some people do it.
I understand that it can be done, I already said that. And I know that plenty of people do it. And 'nimbleness' hasn't changed for me from a BMX bike to a track bike. Sure, theres a bit of a difference because the wheel base is longer, but riding in Michigan, the roads are complete **** and you're lucky if you get to ride on a smooth road. And I have people who don't know how to drive who are constantly pushing me into the worst of it. And honestly the only reason that you're able to go that fast is because you're over 80 gi. So you're really not riding that bike as it was intended, are you? If you took that thing into a park, having such a big sprocket would make a bunch of stuff impossible, and having that amount of gi would make it hard to maintain a speed that is optimal for park/street stuff. Too hard to start when you don't/can't go very far or you need to be slow to start.
Anu, sometimes I take my mt bike for the 18 mile commute. Stair gaps to flat, bunnyhopping curbs, dirt and trails too, sometimes its nice to mix it up some.
seriously street rider, im not why youre so set on arguing about this.
if you get bored or impatient pedaling across town on 20" thats fine. not everyones racing, trying to be super efficient or looking to spend the least amount of energy possible.
back in 2002 i use to ride 5 miles to work each way plus another 10-20 in the evenings after work hitting up various spots, if i wasnt hanging out in some parking lot or wall ride spot closer to home instead. i would also carry a bunch of tools(socket wrench, allens, flat kit) and a big heavy chain and lock in my backpack too.
seat post wasnt slammed back then as they are now. knee problems were never an issue biking but the hurt a lot after running.
My argument was against the people telling the OP that a BMX bike would be good for a commute. Sure, it can be done and there are people who do it. But that doesn't mean that you should. Thats what I've been saying. If you're buying a bike specifically for a commute, its more worth the money to buy something that is set up better. Like any type of road bike whether it be ssfg for simplicity, or geared. That was my whole point, which I have stated several times.
Your argument clearly does not apply to all riders in all conditions SR. I have no doubt that what you say applies to you, but not to me and several other riders here. Let the OP decide for him/her self if a BMX is right for their commute.
And if anyone has any doubts about BMXs being capable of going fast, watch "BMX bomb down Broadway" on youtube.
Haha this is still going on? I don't think anyone here is doubting you can't go fast, you just have to use way more energy to and get tired faster then if you were on a full sized bike. And if you get a bike that has multiple gears then it is going to be way easier. If you are in a congested area no **** you are going to beat traffic. If you raced a road bike against bmx for 5 miles who do you think is going to win? The person on a bmx could only keep up for so long.
Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.
Yes it does, the only exception being monetary reasons. If thats all you have at your disposal, then do it. But if you have a full sized bike, or the money to buy one, do it.
In issue two of the Japanese Encounter Magazine there's a story about a guy randoneering on a bmx. He rode longs distances on a flatland bike with tent, sleeping bag and other camping accessories in a backpack. The trip didn't last more than four days, but it's impressive anyhow.
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