Weight? How much difference will it make it learning basics?

[Hellcat]

After Ramp City on Friday I'm even more determined to get at least half decent. (parks & street).

I've got some lighter bars & forks lying around. Is it worth swapping em over? Will it make much difference while learning?

Currently riding Eastern Element frame with FreeAgent bars & forks. Swap would be for Fly bars, MacNeil Blazer forks & a new 10mm axle front wheel.

Yours thoughts please, gents.

 

[oldschoolace]

I was always taught, if you learn to play guitar on a shite guitar when you get a good one you will be ace at it. 
Dunno if thats true as i have a nice guitar and im no hendrix but the quality gave me a boost just as i was getting bored with my crap one.

I guess the moral of the story is to use/swap what you have and save your money. If you are still into riding when the opportunity arrises to get a better steed then you will appreciate it more...... or something. 

[Betty]

Lighter wheels/tyres make the biggest difference to how a bike rides 

Rotating mass and all that....

[Hellcat]

 

My wheels / tyres / cranks are all ok .

Thinking more about balance / throwing it around / getting the front up...

[TwoBobRob]

Personally, I think no. It's not that long ago we were all riding 35+lb bikes and doing just fine.

If you were a kid trying hop whips, then yeah maybe every last ounce counts.

I think setup is way more important. A bike set up very long will feel heavy as hell and will be hard to bunnyhop etc. This is the biggest problem oldschoolers face when they go new - modern bikes are so long up front it throws everything out until you learn to live with the bike.

Make sure your bars are in the right spot - parallel to the forks. For the future, measure your stem length. A shorter reach stem can help too if the bike is feeling massive.

Aside from that, pump your tyres up. Properly up, as in 100psi+. Don't worry about what it says on the side of the tyre, get plenty of air in there.

Moreover, don't be swapping bars until you know what height and shape you like. You can easily fcuk everything up by swapping kit back and forth. Get a good ride of everyone else's bikes on the night and if you like a particular thing, happy days, you know what you need to do to your ride.

All that said, have fun, go fast and hold on.

Oh, and try to remember; When crashing,  If you stick it out, you'll break it. Usually better to go down with the ship rather than trying to save yourself.

Until you learn where the eject button is of course 

[Dark Diggler]

Some of the fondest recent riding memories have been on my 31lb Holmes and my 30lb Dirtbike , on Friday just gone, I was rocking 36+lb...

[Hellcat]

Personally, I think no. It's not that long ago we were all riding 35+lb bikes and doing just fine.

If you were a kid trying hop whips, then yeah maybe every last ounce counts.

I think setup is way more important. A bike set up very long will feel heavy as hell and will be hard to bunnyhop etc. This is the biggest problem oldschoolers face when they go new - modern bikes are so long up front it throws everything out until you learn to live with the bike.

Make sure your bars are in the right spot - parallel to the forks. For the future, measure your stem length. A shorter reach stem can help too if the bike is feeling massive.

Aside from that, pump your tyres up. Properly up, as in 100psi+. Don't worry about what it says on the side of the tyre, get plenty of air in there.

Moreover, don't be swapping bars until you know what height and shape you like. You can easily fcuk everything up by swapping kit back and forth. Get a good ride of everyone else's bikes on the night and if you like a particular thing, happy days, you know what you need to do to your ride.

All that said, have fun, go fast and hold on.

Oh, and try to remember; When crashing,  If you stick it out, you'll break it. Usually better to go down with the ship rather than trying to save yourself.

Until you learn where the eject button is of course 

 

Cheers. BITD I had an Ultra Burner (30lbs) which I could throw around, then 4 years ago after 20 year gap got a FA HellCat, similar weight but longer. 3 weeks ago I decided to dig it out and try riding again...

It felt long & sluggish. With the parts on an Eastern frame it's MUCH easier.

Mainly wondering what difference lighter forks & bars will make.  

[TwoBobRob]

If it's a pound you'll feel it for sure. Any less and I'd not be convinced.

[Mdbh]

Over the past 10years I've been riding off and on and this time my bike is by far the best spec, and very light which ithink has made me learn way more stuff because ithink a lighter bike makes some stuff easier I find having a lighter bike gives me more control, so I say lighter the better!

[GTnumber1]

Personally, I think no. It's not that long ago we were all riding 35+lb bikes and doing just fine.

+ 1 If you look at Trevor Meyer his dyno slammer weighed about 30lbs  and yet he ruled the flatland world for years, love to see the new school kids trying to ride 30lb bikes 

[Mdbh]

Personally, I think no. It's not that long ago we were all riding 35+lb bikes and doing just fine.

+ 1 If you look at Trevor Meyer his dyno slammer weighed about 30lbs  and yet he ruled the flatland world for years, love to see the new school kids trying to ride 30lb bikes 

That's why there's 15 year old kids doing double flips,triple whips, and stuff that most of us can only dream of, the guy wants to improve his riding...

[GTnumber1]

Personally, I think no. It's not that long ago we were all riding 35+lb bikes and doing just fine.

+ 1 If you look at Trevor Meyer his dyno slammer weighed about 30lbs  and yet he ruled the flatland world for years, love to see the new school kids trying to ride 30lb bikes 

That's why there's 15 year old kids doing double flips,triple whips, and stuff that most of us can only dream of, the guy wants to improve his riding...

totaly agree with you bikes now days weigh fook all, if you look at top spec khe bikes there like 9kgs and under  were our  skyway tuff 2`s weighed that in our day 

[Hellcat]

Cheers for all the replies. Once I get this week out of the way gonna do the swap over. Just need a new 10 mm front wheel and some grips & I'm sorted.

[Mdbh]

Cheers for all the replies. Once I get this week out of the way gonna do the swap over. Just need a new 10 mm front wheel and some grips & I'm sorted.

I may know of a complete set of proper wheels if your interested?

[whatquid]

when i used to ride i was slim and my bike was heavy ,now im fat and my bike is light.............but i can still peg grind hollaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

took a long time for me to learn to skateboard well when i was younger - and i don't expect to learn as fast on a bmx

couple of things are gonna make it difficult for me to be good on a bmx - 1st is my weight ~ i'm not heavy but i am bigger than i used to be  and now my joints do move as fast as they used to 
2nd is i know what pain feels like and i'm not so happy with it now that i know how long it takes to heal - i used to throw my self at every thing ~ nowadays i tend think what might happen if i do a certain thing 

I guess it's, learn how the bike feels and practice practice practice