Which bmx bike to buy

Except for flatland, there is a lot of crossover within these disciplines, so choosing an all-rounder bike that is categorised as freestyle will likely be the most versatile option.

Park: Park riding refers to riding in skate parks, which despite the name, are frequented by BMX riders almost as often as skaters. Park riding also extends to BMX specific indoor parks for riders only, which are commonly referred to as 'ramps'.

Street: As the name would suggest, street riders get creative with urban infrastructure such as stairs and rails to perform highly skilled tricks and turns. Riders will always be on the lookout for right 'spots' to try new skills.

Flatland: Quite a niche style, flatland occurs with no external features and all the tricks are done with the bike by the rider. Often described as 'breakdancing' on the bike, riders pivot and balance the bike with on a hard flat surface. These riders look at getting big air and linking up jumps in to perform tricks. Race: BMX stands for 'Bicycle Motocross' so it should come as little surprise that BMX bikes themselves are best known for being piloted over jumps and ripping around berms, much like their petrol-powered cousins.

BMX racing occurs on purpose built courses which are made from hard-packed, well-groomed dirt or bitumen and often feature a mixture of undulating terrain and long jumps. Because BMX race bikes are designed with a sole purpose in mind, they are often unsuitable for use in other BMX riding disciplines. Freestyle and entry-level race BMX bikes are predominately made from a steel composition known as Chromoly chromo for short. CroMo is alloyed steel which offers superior strength properties when compared to cheaper, 'Hi-tensile' steels typically found on lower-end and department store bikes.

Chromo steel can be 'butted', meaning it can be made to be thinner and therefore lighter in the middle of the tubing, and reinforced around the ends and joins for strength. Steel is the material of choice for these bikes as it is highly resistant to fatigue important considering all the hits these bikes take!

For BMX racing, the preference is for stiffer, lightweight frames meaning aluminium is the material of choice.

If you are serious about your racing and want to get the extra edge, carbon fibre frames are growing in popularity amongst elite BMX racers as it reduces weight even further and has vibration dampening properties not found in aluminium.

For more information on bike frame materials , check out our comprehensive guide. Freestyle BMX bikes are ridden by kids, teenagers and adults alike; therefore, although the wheel size stays consistent, the frame size can change subtly to suit the riding style and height of the rider. Most freestyle BMX bikes off the shop floor will come with a 21in top tube so that riders have enough room to swing the bike underneath them if performing airborne tricks, as well as a shorter seat stay which is easier to whip around.

Flatland frames are typically the only exception to this as they tend to be lighter and have shorter tubing all round for better balance and control. On race bikes, slacker head angle and longer wheelbase put the rider further back on the bike, which allows for improved stability and handling at speed.

Race frame sizes come in a broader range to suit the rider age spread that BMX racing sees. The 'standard' size for a BMX wheel is 20in, which is much smaller than a mountain bike or road bike. Even smaller 16in or 18in wheels can be found on kids bikes, and a larger 22in or 24in wheel can be seen on some 'trail' BMX bikes used for dirt jumping.

However, it is safe to assume that 'BMX' will generally refer to a bike with 20in wheels. Racing BMX bikes fall into two categories, depending on wheel size. The first is 20in - the most common, the second is 24in or 'cruiser'. Cruiser bikes are popular amongst taller or older riders, and also offer more stability. Because racing BMX demands lightening-quick acceleration out of starting gates, the wheels are lighter than in freestyle BMX. The standard rim width is 32mm for freestyle bikes. For those riders who expect they will put a few more hard-hits into the wheels, can opt for a wider 36mm rim.

Rims are made of aluminium and can be single, double or triple walled, the more layers of metal provide more structural support, albeit at the penalty of increased weight. The ideal standard for a majority of riders is double-wall as it is a good balance of strength and weight. Advanced riders who put more demand on their equipment will generally choose to have wheels built up aftermarket to suit their requirements precisely and be more selective with rims and spoke count.

Spoke count is another thing to consider when choosing a BMX or buying some new wheels. Spokes are 'laced' from the hub to the rim and rely on tension to stay true and strong. The number of spokes contributes to the strength as well as the weight of the complete wheel. A 36 spoke wheel will suffice for most riders on a freestyle BMX bike.

More advanced riders or heavier riders may opt for up a 48 spoke wheel. Most spokes are made from steel wire and are the same thickness all the way through, but if you see something referring to 'butted' spokes, like butted frames, this means that the spokes are thinner in the middle and thicker at the end for added strength but reduced weight.

Race BMX wheels will be anywhere between a 28 to 36 spoke build and have alloy rims engineered to shave weight where possible. Your bike and the adjustments to it will depend on the BMX style you ride. The styles are broadly classified as street this needs a bike with a sturdy frame to handle drops and grinds , flatland a smaller frame helps since you spin the bike around and mostly balance on a single wheel , park park bikes have a lighter frame and shorter chain stay , and dirt stronger frames to handle tough conditions.

Read Story. There are two ways of getting yourself a BMX bike: a buy a stock bike, or b build a bike from individual parts. If you are a beginner with little technical knowledge, you might want to take the easy route of buying a stock bike.

But it is still best to get familiar with what to look for. Here are a few pointers. The right wheel and frame size. BMX bikes come in sizes ranging from inch wheels all the way up to inch wheels. The size of the wheel depends on the height of the rider; shorter riders are advised to use smaller wheels. The most commonly used wheel size on BMX bikes is 20 inches. The bike size is also dependent on the frame. BMX bike frame sizes are commonly measured by the length of the top tube the top-most part of the frame which is horizontal and usually parallel to the ground.

They are measured in inches. Again, the ideal size of the top tube and the bike frame depend on your height. Height and width of handlebars. Same principal for materials — is best and multi-butted tubing saves even more weight by thinning out the tubing where strength isn't as much a concern. Generally there are 2 types of bars, 2-piece and 4-piece, these refer to the amount of tubes which make up the bars - the function and feel of the bars are the same with the 4-piece offering a more durable bar but with extra weight.

There are 2 types. A-headsets are the traditional type with external cups where the bearings sit whilst integrated headsets have sealed bearings that sit inside the frame itself. Integrated headsets save weight, look better and last longer but traditional A-headsets work just fine. Although the bikes are rarely pictured with front brakes all of our bikes come with them in the box. There are also two types of axle, male and female. The female axles offer a cleaner look but both fit all types of forks and bike.

There are three main types. A freewheel hub, and the more reliable and responsive cassette hub or Freecoaster. Cassette hubs come with smaller gearings typically 9t and are found on most decent bikes these days.

Semi-sealed cassette hubs are good whilst sealed is better and a branded after-market hub even better still. Also look out for Freecoaster hubs on higher end bikes - these allow you to fakie go backwards without the need to pedal backwards at the same time.

The relation between the front sprocket and rear freewheel or cassette hub. The smaller the sprockets are, the more weight is saved and the more clearance there is when riding ramps or grinding.

A t is considered the best on complete bikes. The outside of the wheel. Very few complete bikes are available in this size, and some manufacturers appear to just be ignoring the segment in hopes it will fade away.

WeThePeople has put its back into promoting inch BMX with the well-equipped, right-sized Audio, which should fit riders between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot The geometry is modern, as is the sizing.

This looks like a cool old bike but rides like a new one. Suitable for anything from local racing to a long beach ride. It certainly represents the zeitgeist of freestyle BMX at the moment. At twenty-three and a half pounds without brakes, which is how most riders will use it, this is very much the Ferrari of complete freestyle bikes. Some nontrivial percentage of Monza bikes are apparently purchased for static display in upscale homes, which is not terribly surprising once you look at them.

Ssquared offers an alternative: the light and thoroughly bespoke CEO frame, with unique tube shapes and heavy-duty dropouts for a long service life. The company has a good reputation among hardcore racers and is often a personal presence at major events. Our final pick is a tour of freestyle-BMX history packed into a single bicycle.

If recent history is any guide, it might also be that rarest of things: a bicycle that holds its value after you buy and ride it. Suitable for twelve-year-olds and seventy-two-year-olds, with one stipulation: You have to want to get RAD! Bikes and Gear. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Are Wider Tires Always Faster? Choosing a Wheel and Frame Size Most racers south of middle age will want a twenty-inch wheel.