Author Topic: Getting back in (Read 2809 times)

Graham Middleton · « **on:** July 16, 2015, 07:22 AM »

Hi all. I am a 47 year old mountain biker who used to be into freestyle back in the 80's. I want to get another bmx for messing around on. Nothing too serious, but I love ramps and old school tricks. So do I get a new bmx or a retro one like a Dominguez Sport? By the way, I am 17.5 stone now!!!

pickle · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2015, 08:03 AM »

If you want to ride one at a park or trails then you need a new one.......the old ones are great for cruising about on but for riding they're rubbish! this coming from someone who is around your weight

come along to MK in August and have a go on a few rides there

chownie · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2015, 08:12 AM »

I've been thinking along the same lines, but also toying with the idea of starting racing.
Good call pickle, I'll hopefully make MK as would be good to see old school and new school bikes. But aren't the new school bikes just a little dull looking compared to our old school rides :-). Or I'm just stuck in the 80's haha

pickle · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2015, 08:16 AM »

I hear that all the time about new school bikes, I even thought it myself years ago.......but when you get one and ride it, you really get to love them and when you look at them properly they have lovely individual touches.

The main plus point though is that you CAN ride them and they don't need putting back together every 10 minutes

chownie · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2015, 08:24 AM »

That makes sense, hopefully can get a go at MK. I'll bring my survivor GT with me too, but I'll leave my wallet at home lol

griff · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2015, 09:06 AM »

welcome to RAD Graham

definitely NS if you want to do some stunts & that, but have a look around & you might find something interesting that will be strong enough

In2bmx · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2015, 10:11 AM »

to

Graham

Graham Middleton · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2015, 11:05 AM »

Hi all, thanks for the replies and the welcome! I have an 83 Haro Freestyler project which I am gathering bits for, but I want something to actually ride. So it looks like I will go for a modern Haro - keeping it in the family!! - what about a Lineage? Oh and I want to put Tuffs on it.

griff · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2015, 11:29 AM »

Quote from: Graham Middleton on July 16, 2015, 11:05 AM

Hi all, thanks for the replies and the welcome! I have an 83 Haro Freestyler project which I am gathering bits for, but I want something to actually ride. So it looks like I will go for a modern Haro - keeping it in the family!! - what about a Lineage? Oh and I want to put Tuffs on it.

Lineages are decent as far as I know, but if you can get to try stuff out first even better - new school geometry can take a bit of getting used to at first but top tube length will have a big bearing on it. How tall are you?

Build it however you want, but expect a bunch of comments about how flexy tuffs can be if you're putting them under stress on ramps
I rode my 85 master with tuffs in the skatepark before switching to a NS with spokes and proper tyre pressure - the difference was remarkable straight away

paulb113 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2015, 12:51 PM »

I have a 85 Haro FST and I put high pressure tyres on it, linear front brake cable, new school pads, repop Kashimax handler, locking Tech 77s etc and I can now do all my old tricks, I have bent a few axles,bent fork dropouts etc. I have new school bikes and they are so much better for skateparks etc but nothing beats the feeling of doing the old tricks on FST

Nearly 46 and 14 stone now!

Graham Middleton · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2015, 01:46 PM »

How tall are you?

6ft 3in

griff · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2015, 01:58 PM »

in which case you're going to need a bit of length

if you don't want to bash your knees on the handlebars

would guess around the 22"mark but someone on here can probably advise
previous advice to try and get out to MK or a Rad lock-in is still the best though

first lock-in I went to I didn't even have a bike ready yet, but someone kindly lent me one to play on

Gnarlyscoots · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2015, 02:11 PM »

Hi Graham, welcome to Rad buddy

There are going to be lots of differing views and opinions on this sadly. You have to take a number of factors into consideration.

If you are looking to just do old style tricks and ramp work, plus bowls, old school is good but look at later 80's bikes rather than early ones. The geometry is not very good for the 'larger' person on the earlier ones. I lent my '86 GT Pro Performer to a guy over the park who was getting some good air on his 24" cruiser and he was throwing it about easily, even though he never rode old school before.

You don't see anybody doing 80's tricks on new school bikes so again, if you just want to learn or do what guys do these days, then opt for a new school bike.

You can always put Hp tyres on spokes but I wouldn't run Tuff's. They use cheap bearings in the new ones which fail far too easily, and they are too 'flexy'. If want 'old school' and like the Haro brand, try getting yourself a 1987/88 Haro Master with 48's on it, in my opinion that is

Dannywhac · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2015, 02:11 PM »

What Griffums said - I'm the same height as you Graham, go to your LBS or a lock-in:

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,12.0.html

And try out some new school stuff before you buy owt. I ride (well, not for months now) a 21.25" TT. The geometry's totally different to the 80's stuff, so you want to also look at rear triangle length (longer roughly = less whippy/more suited to trails/90's riders, shorter = good for parks etc and a more maneuverable whippy frame) and stand-over height. There's the headtube angle to consider n'all.

If you're getting back into it, you might want to try and hunt out a 48h rear wheel as well (as they're nearly all 36's now) as 17st + hook-ups can make for a lot of egging. Not essential though.

ED209 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2015, 03:10 PM »

Hey Graham

Get yourself a nice Subrosa DTT ... looks old ... rides new

Graham Middleton · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2015, 07:05 PM »

Again, thank you all. It is so good to get real help for a change. I was into tech diving and Alfas and their various boards were a right pain. I just want a bmx I can cruise around on and do the odd ramp. At my age I just don't have the swingers to do what I used to. Besides, the wife is giving off about my mtb crash skills! I admit I do like the OS look. I am in sunny Belfast so MK won't happen this year sadly. You have given me much to think about, thank you.

Jaymz · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2015, 07:23 PM »

Welcome aboard, as far as riding it's different strokes really. I hammer the crap out of my 2014 Dominguez and my lad has smashed it big time round a skate park and binned it a few times and it's put up with that, the frames welds and quality are superb, much better than the og haros

ED209 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2015, 07:39 PM »

Quote from: Graham Middleton on July 16, 2015, 07:05 PM

Again, thank you all. It is so good to get real help for a change. I was into tech diving and Alfas and their various boards were a right pain. I just want a bmx I can cruise around on and do the odd ramp. At my age I just don't have the swingers to do what I used to. Besides, the wife is giving off about my mtb crash skills! I admit I do like the OS look. I am in sunny Belfast so MK won't happen this year sadly. You have given me much to think about, thank you.

If thats all you wanna do then a nice early 90s Haro Sport would be great ... one of my fav bikes :-) tough enough to survive some action ... and cool to cruise on.

Jaymz had that one off me :-)

I rode this one for ages