Hello - senior with bmx bikes, repeating my history

[kissmyklunker]

Thanks for letting me in.
Mind you when I rode in the early 70s as a kid, there were no bmx bikes. After seeing the huffy's my friends owned fall apart, I discovered Schwinn. So a $10 Schwinn junior stingray it was, adding welded motorcycle bars/stem and a varsity seat made it my hero. I was the wheelie king in the neighborhood then and learned to relace rims at 13 between playing Evel Knievel and doing dumb stuff. I broke everything but frame/fork on that bike. To this day I can't leave anything stock.

Got back into bikes a couple years ago as a way to trim up. Was mostly away from bikes from driving age to 2018, with the exception of a Schwinn Spitfire I rode when the kids were growing up. A Pomona swap meet pickup in the early 90's, partially complete frame and wheels for $20. Left the Patina alone and rode it.

Started mountain biking, then resurrected the old Spitfire. Then the BMX urge bit me.
Collected a few Haro backtrails and rode them yesterday at the Ft Tuthill Bike park in Flagstaff with one of my sons. Fun place! Working on clearing the flat tops so I can do the gap jumps.

Recently sold the Spitfire on a whim and regretting it. Ended up replacing it with a Transition Klunker and its become my goto bike as much as any one bike can. But also built a SE 29 Stout and a Skyway 26 from a frames, mostly for cruising.
Always building something.

Is 61 too old to ride 20 inch BMX bikes? LOL thats not a question!

 

[kissmyklunker]

a couple of my favorites...

 

[Oak Tree]

Yelp you fit in just fine here. Although this site welcomes a broad spectrum.
There are several more specific forums here that cater to the BMX feel and I’ll let you discover those.
Cruiser, klunker, 24”, 26” BMX, strandie are all terms that fit.
Enjoy.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Yelp you fit in just fine here. Although this site welcomes a broad spectrum.
There are several more specific forums here that cater to the BMX feel and I’ll let you discover those.
Cruiser, klunker, 24”, 26” BMX, strandie are all terms that fit.
Enjoy.

 

[threeforks]

Is 61 too old to ride 20 inch BMX bikes? LOL thats not a question!

Hi, and welcome.
Question or not, and LOL, I'm 73 and still riding 20" bikes.

Am also new to this forum.

I did not go for the BMX jumps, or racing, but I started converting 20 inchers to adult size
for fun rides in 1985, after a bad crash .
No more "gung-ho" MTB rides for me.

Some of my builds can be found in the Gallery.

One in progress is the "RedGoose" tandem, made from two of the first of my "fun bikes"
built in 1985.

Have lots of other bikes, but the 20" bikes can be fun and add a bit of youthful enjoyment
at any age.

Have you watched the USA BMX racing on U-tube ?
They have 61 years old and up still racing.

While racing is not for me, i do enjoy knowing that other "old guys" still race.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Is 61 too old to ride 20 inch BMX bikes?

Yes. Send all to this 45 year old. Once I reach 61, I'll return them. I can hold on to that Transition for you as well, but that one might not make it back in one piece.

Welcome to the nuthouse!

 

[kissmyklunker]

Hi, and welcome.
Question or not, and LOL, I'm 73 and still riding 20" bikes.

Am also new to this forum.

I did not go for the BMX jumps, or racing, but I started converting 20 inchers to adult size
for fun rides in 1985, after a bad crash .
No more "gung-ho" MTB rides for me.

Some of my builds can be found in the Gallery.

One in progress is the "RedGoose" tandem, made from two of the first of my "fun bikes"
built in 1985.

Have lots of other bikes, but the 20" bikes can be fun and add a bit of youthful enjoyment
at any age.

Have you watched the USA BMX racing on U-tube ?
They have 61 years old and up still racing.

While racing is not for me, i do enjoy knowing that other "old guys" still race.

hah - You got me beat at 73. Hope I can still do it then.

I broke three ribs at 59yo on a 24 in bike. It forced me to work hard to come back, but now much stronger than I was. Been watching PinkBike "Friday Fails" religiously to avoid the same crashes, altho I'm sure it will catch up to me eventually.

Yes, have watched the USA BMX racing. Always wanted to do it as a kid, but nothing was nearby or so my mom told me (she didnt want me doing it). I was going to try the BMX racing in the 56-60 class, but there weren't enough for a class most weeks (Chandler BMX). I was attending practice nights every week with a friend (54) on a 1999 Schwinn Super Stock 20 inch, until an old lower back injury got aggravated and made my recovery time almost constant between practices. Tried riding a 24 which didnt help at all. Apparently the pump action and lower back injuries dont play together well. Ultimately I gave up on it.

I still enjoy the skatepark bowls along with weekly group rides and occasional MTB rides. My youngest son tags along but doesnt seem driven to learn new stuff. The bike park we go to is world class, which means its got big features and a bit risky to learn on. so we've been working the dirt jump side to get it down with minimal risk, since those skills transfer.

 

[kissmyklunker]

Yes. Send all to this 45 year old. Once I reach 61, I'll return them. I can hold on to that Transition for you as well, but that one might not make it back in one piece.

Welcome to the nuthouse!

Hah, I'll take threeforks advice, and keep riding em...

and yeah, I fit right in the nuthouse ;-)

 

[threeforks]

Injuries suck rotten eggs !

Sneezing while getting out of a waterbed, then off to work driving a truck ruined my lower
back in one month. Been fighting that for 40 years. But I could still ride, as long as I could
get on.

But the "overthehandlebars piledriver faceplant" onto the pavement at about 25 mph
changed my attitude.

I have enjoyed riding the 20" bikes, and still do, but not fast, and not over jumps.

That same year, 1985, is when I started up-sizing the small bikes to adult size.
Mixed a solid BMX and a Schwinn 10 speed.
Ended up with a high seat, bars, and 5-speeds.
on the ground, on the seat, and around 10 mph max.

Called them "fun bikes".
The blue "DiamondGoose", with chrome fenders, as seen in 'some old builds", gallery here,
was one of the ones I built in 1985.

Small and nimble, easy to pedal, and a foot or toe could touch when stopped.
Designed to withstand hard use, the end result could carry the weight and last for years.

Still have the wheelset, blue Araya rims, blue Suzue hubs, and stainless spokes, now
on the "RedGoose" tandem.

While I'm glad to see others race, and jump, I am content with rollin' around.

 

[threeforks]

PS.
I think Matti enjoys contributing to the "nuthouse" part of RRB.

 

[kissmyklunker]

Actually been really lucky over the years, considering all the things I did. Kids bounce, not so much after 40 or 50.
I do remember rolling a lot when I crashed as a youngster, maybe that helped avoid injuries. But rib injuries are the worst I've encountered. I went down on gravel on my motorcycle (at 56) and either cracked or broke a rib. Then early in my return to bicycles (at 59), I tried to roll over an unexpected drop and did a chest plant more or less with my arm folded up under my chest, lucky I didnt break that too. I dont remember hitting my head, but there was a scab on my forehead afterword. It was a mental thing to overcome as much as the physical injury.

Most of my bikes have at least a bit of BMX or mountain biking built into them. If I can't jump curbs and bunny hop or take an occasional jump, the bike isnt interesting to me.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

If I can't jump curbs and bunny hop or take an occasional jump, the bike isnt interesting to me.

Being able to do that on just about any bike can make all bikes interesting.

I did an unplanned 4' to flat ledge drop on this bike while cruising on a singletrack.

 

[threeforks]

Actually been really lucky over the years, considering all the things I did. Kids bounce, not so much after 40 or 50.
I do remember rolling a lot when I crashed as a youngster, maybe that helped avoid injuries. But rib injuries are the worst I've encountered. I went down on gravel on my motorcycle (at 56) and either cracked or broke a rib. Then early in my return to bicycles (at 59), I tried to roll over an unexpected drop and did a chest plant more or less with my arm folded up under my chest, lucky I didnt break that too. I dont remember hitting my head, but there was a scab on my forehead afterword. It was a mental thing to overcome as much as the physical injury.

Most of my bikes have at least a bit of BMX or mountain biking built into them. If I can't jump curbs and bunny hop or take an occasional jump, the bike isnt interesting to me.

I did an unplanned 4' to flat ledge drop on this bike while cruising on a singletrack.

I am glad for your enthusiasm . I enjoy seeing others having fun jumping.

It takes much less for me to find a bike "interesting", like if the wheels roll and don't
fall off or out.

When the wheel falls out, like on a jump, even a small one, the bike does not roll smoothly
anymore.
Leaves a lasting memory.

 

[kissmyklunker]

Had a friend jumping who lost the front wheel in mid air. It's indelibly printed in my memory. I've always been one for checking front wheel, bars and headset

 

[threeforks]

It's indelibly printed in my memory.

Yes, that's my story also.
Only mine happened off a curb and onto the pavement.
Things like that happen so fast. No time to react.

Then for about the next year, When I repeated that story, LOTS of other folks had similar tales.
That's when I started noticing the "safety" washers, with hooks, many bikes have.
Also the nubbins or bumps on the fork to keep the front wheel in.

One man had it happen on a Harley. He had serviced the fork, forgot to put the top nut
back on, popped a wheelie, and dropped the complete fork.

I am re-reminded every time I bolt on a front wheel. That's since 1985.
Yes I check, and double check.

Today's "through bolt" hubs should stop that, but mid range and cheap kids bikes
won't have thru-bolt.

 

[deorman]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Kevin B]

Yes, that's my story also.
Only mine happened off a curb and onto the pavement.
Things like that happen so fast. No time to react.

Then for about the next year, When I repeated that story, LOTS of other folks had similar tales.
That's when I started noticing the "safety" washers, with hooks, many bikes have.
Also the nubbins or bumps on the fork to keep the front wheel in.

One man had it happen on a Harley. He had serviced the fork, forgot to put the top nut
back on, popped a wheelie, and dropped the complete fork.

I am re-reminded every time I bolt on a front wheel. That's since 1985.
Yes I check, and double check.

Today's "through bolt" hubs should stop that, but mid range and cheap kids bikes
won't have thru-bolt.

Here's my story. I don't know if my "Swinger" had safety washers.- "At about age 10 I hit a pot hole flying down a hill on my street. The front end of my muscle bike went up, the front wheel fell off, the forks dug in and I did an endo. Tore off the sissy bar and etc. A motorist picked me up and took me home. He put my bike in his trunk in a few parts. My injuries were just scrapes and bruises. Took an LBS to get the bike back together."
That is from one of the rrb accident threads, there are several.

Oh and welcome KMK

 

[threeforks]

Those kinds of things are too common.

Glad you had no broken bones or skull.

Accident threads ?
Winning one of those is not so fun when the grand prize is a hospital stay.

 

[Kevin B]

There are threads here about crashes, accidents, and etc. Maybe I will look some of them up and consolidate them in a new post.

 

[threeforks]

that would make it worthwhile to review.

Not that I enjoy other folks crashes, but sometimes it's good to know what NOT to do.