Low points in bmx

[YGT]

I am sure many of us on this forum have had lowpoints in which we have walked away from bmx ...
but my question is, what did you do in regards to other hobbies or interests during this time.

I remember being arround 17 and pretty much finding my bike neglected due to girls, and surrounding lifestyles (college etc).
I also sold my bike (87 pft)  after snapping the cranks (alloy haro fusion) after trying to break into a very private golf course with mad ammounts of security to try and jump a bunker.
I guess i sold it at this low point due to myself knowing at this point that I wouldnt have the funds to replace the cranks, and a bum knee, and a interest in socialising with the oposite sex.

By the time I reached 19 (approx 2 years later) I found myself in a more relaxed and less intense enviroment and started to try to pick up from where i left off.

anyone else given up and restarted again?
if so what did you do, and what were your reasons?

[MartyC]

Great question, I started riding back in 1979/80 with a bike from Alpine Sports in Notting Hill Gate (before it became Alpine Action) rode until late 1986 wneh I sold my Gen 1 Haro to fund the purchase of some wheels (Revolutions with 185/60 P6 Pirrelli's - sweet as!) for my Mk1 Escort Mexico which I duly rolled late one night in Burham Beeches.  Girls and more cars kinda stopped me from getting another bike as I had no spare cash!  I continued to skate occasionally though (and still do from time to time) and then got into mountain bikes and rode those for a while before moving to road bikes.  Did a bit of road racing and time trialing then back to mountain bikes when things got interesting with jump bikes then thanks to Stuntmaster came back home to BMX bikes.

[theRuler]

i stopped in 1990 when there was just no on left to ride with
in 1989 i used to ride with a gang of skateboarders, on my gen 1 haro (spooky coincidence to above post)

by 1992 i had sold off / trashed virtually all my bmx collection
wasn't until 1996 that i started riding again.

[RADHAB]

I rode from 84-86 then went part time got back on and serious in 88 then packed in at the end of 91 for good. Then February last year it all kicked off again.
In the interim..............i used to traffic drugs for a Columbian cartel, went bungie jumping all round the world, used to pimp for several young ladies, worked on a tombola at a fairground, took up nipple peircing professionally, became an amateur Gynocologist, Done whale wrestling, Shot Gorrilaz in the mist and White Rhino's in Africa, Flew a hanglider off the top of Donnington castle naked, went cheese rolling, threw Spens off of buildings, p!ssed up the Alamo, tested amphetamines for Glaxo Smithkline and walked Giraffes for the king of Kenya.

So basically led a dull and uninteresting life whilst not on me bike....glad i packed all that in to ride me bmx again 

[Nosnod]

I raced from 82 to 87, and when I wasn't racing spent most of my hours on my trusty GT Performer.
Basically I stopped overnight when I got my provisional driving licence and saved & bought my first motor (Diamond white Mk2 Escort 1600 sport!)
I shudder when I think how much I sold my 2 bikes for!

[dordymush]

low points in bmx eh.

i dont know about back then but im having a few of them at the minute  .

[DR VINOAH]

the page aint big enuff for my story

79 got a bmx went rom  
86 left school sold bmx
pubs,clubs,wimmin,drugs,music/djing,fila bj,grafitti till the present day.
2003 got a bmx  
2006 thought about building an old school bmx.
dordymush top lad recommended the site  
and i now have the bike i wanted as a kid ,a looptail pk ,curtesey of rhys

in a nut shell,thats it



 

[angry]

Waking up in Paddington hospital after being knocked out for five hours (stacked on the ramp at meanwhile).
That wasn't the bad part.

The bad part was that I had been un-dressed, put into a paper gown, I had ripped the damn thing while moving about while out, and my nads where hanging out. The hospital had called my mum, who was diligently sitting by the bed.

I was the colour of a candy apple trick star 

[scary_leary]

The bad part was that I had been un-dressed, put into a paper gown, I had ripped the dam thing while moving about while out, and my nads where hanging out. The hospital had called my mum, who was dilligently sitting by the bed.

lmfao.....

oh and "diligently"   ...get you! 

[lawnanmx]

Being an old lady I have only ever been a spectator and I love to watch my 40 year old grandson lawman when he goes rock walking.

[sadowdgit]

  yer a Silly bugger Randrew 

[andy irwin]

 

[Flaz]

1980 got in to bmx

end of 1982 got mugged on bmx  stopped riding bmx

1983 got into body popping, break dancing, electro music,  and trendy casual clothes

1984 started smoking pot

1985 started sniffing speed

1986 started sniffing coke

1987 started  eating magic mushrooms

1988 started taking E's and trips

1991 stopped taking acid

1992 stopped smoking pot

1998 became a dad

2004 had my first pure M D M A  (thought it was 1988 starting all over again)

2005 got into BMX

bloody hell ive been a bit of a druggy  aint I        oh well its been all good  (well most of it ) 

[lazychubs]

82 started going rom
88 stopped started skating rom
92 started drinking and clubbing
93 overdose on 4 e's 8 grams of wizz and 6 trips
had a heart attack
6 months later did the same again
second heart attack
stopped doing drugs
95 drank more
99 first baby
03 second baby
04 started riding
05 new baby lol
still drinking but no drugs lol
oh and found you sorry lot which is costing me more money than drugs lol
but do love me old bikes and new ones 

[TwoBobRob]

82-84 Rode predominately at Rom, with the odd demo with Chris Youngs Skyliners team and then with Glyn Lewis on a kinda factory co-sponsor deal with Ammaco. Got a bit burned out at the end of 84, pissed off with corrupt judges and the like and decided to jump ship for a while. My mate and I went off and played first division street hockey in the central london league until 87-88, during which time we represented England in a European tournament  (we came 2nd), won the league and the Koho Cup (kinda like the FA cup). Happy days actually.

I then bought a flat, got old very quickly and had enough money after several redundancies and knocks to allow me to do the sum of fook all... Very dark days... failed relationships, mounting debts and a dark cloud permanently over my head. In 1993, at my lowest ebb, living in one room of my flat and on the dole I happened across a telly program called high 5 which on this particular week was featuring some kid from Oklahoma called Mat Hoffman...

Blew my mind. I didn't even know BMX still exsisted. I had to have me some of this, and within what seems like the bat of an eyelid I had found a barn to rent, a financial backer in the form of a rich skateboarder and had built a vert ramp of my very own  (under the guidance of my old friend Andy Peerless). 1994. what a year.

Also in 1994, largely off the back of the success of the barn ramp, Andy and I started Fearless Ramps and went on the road building ramps. Began making friends again and riding all the time, loving every minute of it. New career, rediscovered my true love (riding) and actually remembered how to smile. By 1995 the barn ramp was gone (cheers Upminster Council - you suck), we sold it Coca Cola who employed Chilly out of Northampton to put it up on the beach at Newquay for the Surf championships that year.

1995-2000 was all working and riding until I needed a break from it all, so to avoid murdering him, Andy Peerless and I parted company - I went and got a 'proper' job. Also started riding supermotos and gradually allowed it to take over from BMX. By 2001, I wasn't riding BMX at all.

2001. Although not riding, I decide to get involved in the Charlton Spine of Justice and spend a lot of time there after work supervising the build. I remain a co-owner of that lovely, lovely ramp.

Late 2004. One Sunday morning and I've got nowt to do. Looked at my Condor in the corner and thought 'fook it, lets go to Rom'. Met RomBloke and bumped into an old friend of mine Crazy Pat who I'd not seen in 20 years and I've never looked back. As long as my knee and back are somewhere near working, then I'm riding 

2006. I'm a better rider than I've ever been, pulling tricks I thought I'd never learn and riding with a smile every time. Got me a new bike, and as the big 4-0 approaches I'm riding with a new sense of urgency which is pushing me on to learn even more. To say I'm looking forward to this summer would be an understatement for sure 

Definately on a BMX high at the moment   

[angry]

Stupid question.  Probably a really stupid question, but where is Charlton Spine of Justice?

Please don't tell me it's in Charlton, south London!

[stuntmaster]

Waking up in Paddington hospital after being knocked out for five hours (stacked on the ramp at meanwhile).
That wasn't the bad part.

The bad part was that I had been un-dressed, put into a paper gown, I had ripped the damn thing while moving about while out, and my nads where hanging out. The hospital had called my mum, who was diligently sitting by the bed.

I was the colour of a candy apple trick star 

i remember that well as i turn up five minutes after you did it ,didn`t you front wheel hang as far as i remember

only downer for me is kept stopping on and off over the years and breaking collar bone a few years ago as after that i never been the same again on a bike ie lost my bottle more now

[Flaz]

Stupid question.  Probably a really stupid question, but where is Charlton Spine of Justice?

Please don't tell me it's in Charlton, south London!

please dont take offence to this but from this moment on you shall be known as "trigger" 

[angry]

Heh!  I only ask as I lived in Charlton for years, and it was fook all good for anything BMX at the time.  I live elsewhere now, and don't get down to the DMZ that was my old street. Charlton was, and still is a shitehole!

[danny silverstreak]

well here ya go then ,had a piranha christmas 82, got db silvestreak christmas 83 i was 13 , rode it like mad until 86 , then  decided i wanted a moped at 16 , funded the bike by getting rid of the silvestreak and bought  a fs1e 50(custom) looked the bollox , had loads of chrome big fuel tank but my mates on their honda dogs used to fly past me , did the usual off my nut 17 to 28 (women ,lads holidays,all dayers international playboy on YTS wages) doing well at work but only really took it fairly seriously when i was about 28, bought a vespa that didnt float my boat ,bought a few raleigh choppers , then got a computer never had an interest in them until my late 20,s , typed in old bmx and fook me , found something that at last floated my boat - BMX BIKES, had a few mongooses,then realised i just need to stick to what  rocked my world as a kid DBS , had a few but now down to the bare minimum , too much money needs firing around the house now.

[TwoBobRob]

Angry, I'd agree with you there - bandit country for sure.  

Sadly, yes. The Charlton Ramp is indeed in Sarf Londoon, tucked away on a quiet industrial estate where no-one bothers us.  Check out the videos section, I've stuck a wee film in there of said ramp. Should whet your whistle a bit  

[dirtyvans]

Similar story here, after racing from 1983-1990 as well as riding southsea i lost 10 years in a haze of Triple XXX's, Ohms, living in ibiza for a summer,  DJing, parties etc (was great fun!)
Although i've always used my old race bike as transport, i didnt realize there was a bmx scene till i was in Vegas 1999 and saw the x-games in a bar. Got back and had a look at nu skool bmx's, and couldnt understand why they were so heavy so built up a street beat and went to the skatepark when no-one was around!

Eventually built up a light Fly nuskool bike and have since been getting more and more addicted to riding. I try and ride everyday now, i work from home so its a social thing too, nice to get out the house, and the brighton  riders are really friendly and a nice crowd. Also it good deterant to getting wasted as i'd rather be out the next day on me bike having fun then recovering from an all night bender

need to get back to skaterham on a thursday, hopefully this week and have been going to horsham on wednesday evenings, cool floodlight park - spine - mini etc

[Wayne Ryder]

I never really stopped riding, there's been (and always will be) a BMX in the shed or under the stairs since I was 15.
Having said that, I get less and less time to ride these days. Missed out on ROM for over 5 years due to starting a family and being a wage slave, though I managed to get there maybe twice last year. So in some ways now is the deadest time in terms of riding, but I get more out of riding now because it's a treat. And due to lack of practise (not  that I was ever that great), it's harder to pull the stuff I could once do at the drop of a hat. Double-boomerang to pedals? No problem in '86 on my Performer. Bit different now, definitely more of a challenge now the bike's so different and my (ahem) shape's changed somewhat.
What I didn't have then, though was the internet, and forums like this. So it's all just egg, bacon n' beans and a fried slice.

[christhejob]

Never gave up.. never will.
Some times I hate what BMX is at that point in time (ripped up many copies of Ride when it was printed on massive paper and rubbish in the late 90s  AND i hate all this no brake rail hardcore street rubbish, it's blinkered)  But bMX is always BMX. It's not about old or new, it's what it is for you.  This sounds all rubbish but having driven 16 of us to paris and back for ninjaspin flat contest this weekend i realise it's all still good, but you can't beat having trivia wars with James White and Effraim in some parisian suburb chinese restaurant, then having a 22 year old ripper from leicester (Keelan Phillips) destroy the whole pro class the next day.  ENGERLAND!

[radders]

I rode from 82-1997 pretty much flat out, raced, freestyled, entered loads of contests, worked in the circus. By 1997 I was 30 and was starting to lose some motivation. I'd ridden at Two Bobs indoor ramp during 94 and 95 and that was a great time, probably my best, ended up winning A group vert at a contest, beating a certain Jamie Bestwick in the process and suddenly I'd lost my way. After the barn ramp went I rode at New Malden and Leigh on Sea. Decided to enter and train for 1997 London Marathon, did it in under 5hrs (pretty slow). I then got into scuba diving, which had fascinated me since I was a kid. BMX took a a back seat and I ended up going to the ROM every few months to make sure I could still ride, but spent most weekends diving. 1999-2002 bike stayed pretty much in the shed, apart from the occasional visit to ROM to get depressed by the negative vibes from a ceratin element that rode there. Got married in 2002 and after a few months my wife started bugging me to go to the skatepark as she'd never seen me ride. Went to the ROM a couple of times, then found out about Skaterham. Rode there a couple of times and bought a new bike. Got to a reasonable standard, but often felt like I was getting frustrated to not be getting as high as I used to and also felt like I was trying to relive old glory. Moved to Petersfield in Hants and trips to Skaterham stopped. Bike back in shed for the time being. I still do a lot of cycling now, but MTB racing, Road Racing, triathlons etc. I still love BMX, but I'm enjoying new challenges. That said, there is a mini ramp in town and I may start riding that again and come late Autumn, I think I will start going to Skaterham again.