New School: Microdrive... WHY?

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yoothgeye

yoothgeye

I build stuff.
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Is the reasoning behind microdrive (small front chainring and rear cog) because it is "lighter" and gives more clearance?

The microdrive rear hubs I work on are garbage, I'll take a freewheel any day.

All the kids around here turn up their nose at a "big gear" bike and don't understand gear ratios, they think the "small gear" makes them faster.

Just wondering all of you guys take on it.
 
This is what I believe because guys were doing awesome ramp and flatland with "big gear" years before all these kids with no brakes.
 
Hey now, watch it! Back in 1983 I ran my freewheel Z-Rims with no brakes. We were the original "no brake" kids. :lol:

And here is the obligatory "big air" shot from a few years before that:

 
Back during the ratrodbmx.com days I stated my position on riding brakeless only based on what I see around here. The kids ride brakeless because they've seen pros on YouTube videos riding brakeless. Those guys ride brakeless stating that with no brakes they are more "committed" to newer and bigger tricks. Ok, they also aren't using their bikes to ride to school and navigate traffic. Danger! I've seen too many close calls around here with kids not being able able to stop at cross streets. You ask these local kids why no brakes and they answer, because it's lighter. Wrong.

Anyway, if you can ride safely brakeless, great, my issue is with 10 year olds doing it because everyone else is.
 
Back in '83 (I only know the year because I bought a brand new looptail Supergoose frame) yes I ran brakeless. Why?

I bought a set of Z rim hoops. I bought colored spokes. I bought the cheapest hubs I could find and had them built up. But I couldn't afford or find brakes I liked (can't remember the circumstances). I remember I had a Dia-Comp lever bolted to the bars...but never quite around to installing a caliper. My parents must not have known. I wasn't trying to be cool or emulate others, it was just what is was.

Obviously I would never recommend anybody ride brakeless. It's just asking for trouble.
 
LukeTheJoker said:
As far as I understood it is just a matter of clearance for flatland tricks...

Luke.
Click to expand...

I call bull on this since flatland was doing just fine before microdrive and most of the old flatland stuff I see videos of is better than most of the new stuff I see.
 
Some thoughts:

-microdrive has been around forever.
-the idea is to offer more clearance for tricks, especially grinds n such
-in my neck of the woods, no one wants a fixed gear bike anymore
-the brakeless bmx trend peaked a few years back

i think the trend towards smaller setups has reached the pinnacle,but i doubt that they'll ever go big again. I'm glad that they moved to microdrive b/c it helped me get some really nice REALLY CHEAP NOS profile sprockets direct from profile racing a few years back

In my experience, bigger drivetrains last longer b/c it's less wear per tooth plus the angles of the chain are less dramatic. Plus, as an almost-old guy, I think it looks better... but I think the kids should do what they like...
 
My unchangeable closed mind opinion: I could see micro-drive improving clearance, but if the components are weak, there's no point. Riding brakeless on a closed stunt track to avoid entanglements or inadvertent braking is not without logic, but doing it on public streets is just plain stupid.
 
I have "fixed" and adjusted cheap microdrive units over and over. Recently one that kept coming back the guy brought another axle with a microdrive on it to use the outer bearing, turns out he brought me a microdrive freecoaster. That's a nice strong unit, I wish I'd see more of those. Anyway, I used the bearing and he let me keep the rest of the hub, it fits into any other coaster hub, so I will be using it on a cruiser, keeping the braking ability of course, with a small front ring. Pretty excited about that, I just have to now get the outer bearing and bearing retainer.
 
deorman said:
My unchangeable closed mind opinion: I could see micro-drive improving clearance, but if the components are weak, there's no point. Riding brakeless on a closed stunt track to avoid entanglements or inadvertent braking is not without logic, but doing it on public streets is just plain stupid.
Click to expand...

I totally agree about the brakes, but there are some very reliable microdrive set-ups. All things being equal, the bigger stuff is stronger and will wear less quickly, but you can get quality hubs with 9t drivers... Far from weak, but you gotta pay for it.... :shock:
 
This has already been answered.
But number 1 reason for microdrive is fewer moving parts.
 
i rode brakleless for years because when the cheap brakes wore out or the cable broke , as for micro drive set up i don't see the point , i heard the crank spins more , bmx racer say they don't liike the small spocket because of the amount of times ithe cranks rotates !
 
Basically it is to save weight(yeah I know its not really, but they drill bolts to save weight also) and for clearance Clarance(for grinding tricks)!
Ratios will stay the same as long as you cut the tooth count in half. So spinning and going nowhere is for the uninformed.
 

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