Old School - The Future?

[dialledbikes]

So guys, what's the future for the Old School race series?

Have you lobbied BCF to get an old school class (and/or 40+ 20" class) added to the National Series?

Or will you be following the same format as this season and doing your own thing.

I think you guys have shown by getting off your arses and organising your own series (with more riders in it than some of the national classes) you have a lot to offer BMX racing.  Good luck.

[Zippy]

It would be nice to have it included in the National scene. That would give everyone the chance to take part.

[Dingobmxer]

Mike there were 59 riders registered at MK, that meant 1/4's     
and more riders than some regionals too

  DINGO

[dialledbikes]

That's pretty amazing, Mark.  BC can't really ignore numbers like that.  OS class (and their kids) would give BMX racing a big boost.

[bmx-796]

If BCF ignore this, they will loose a great opportunity in bringing BMXers back into the sport, plus their kids.
We have taken the series races to regionals where we have been the biggest class of the day, then add our kids and thats a large chunk of the gate money for the clubs. The riders in the series have a huge wealth of knowledge to offer the sport and this should be encouraged with open arms

[billstup]

Please don`t flame me for this, but really the natural progression is 40 + on new school bikes imho.

Old school racing eases people back into racing, so the next step would be to move on to the 40 + with bikes that have also progressed.

If however that you prefer the easy going nature of the old school series and are not too competive then it should stay that way, without any interferance from BC  

[dirtyvans]

Hey i tried a few regionals a few years back on a nu skool bike, it just didnt seem as much fun as on the oldskool bikes like at bournemuth and mk. Most of the oldskool bikes held up pretty well, bar a few loose headsets.

Those Robinsons seem real popular and look nice, my zeronine doesnt feel too sketchy. Building a nice oldskool bike up has gota be cheaper than building up a decent nu skool racebike 

[Zippy]

I agree with you in part Billy and also with Rich as well.

I raced reigonal at Cruisers last year and didn't actually enjoy it that much, now I'm back on old school the fun is much better and the banter is insane.

I know for my own progression I should race 30+ but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much and that's the biggest draw for me.

I also have 3 kids that will all probably race so it would really be in the sports interest to let us in.

[billstup]

TBH what I really worry about is a bike breaking and someone getting seriously hurt, I know that you can still be hurt no matter how strong the bike is, but there`s less chance of a new school bike breaking because it`s 20 years old and has metal fatigue 

[Zippy]

Your right there Bill. I'll have that Pro XL back then cos your not the kindest rider in the world are you. 

[billstup]

Your right there Bill. I'll have that Pro XL back then cos your not the kindest rider in the world are you. 

Just got to get it welded back up first Si 

[Zippy]

 

You worry me.

[spillers#1]

i can't see anything wrong with keeping it old school,i think its a brilliant and important aspect of bmx racing and its roots :daumenhoch:most of us have really only ridden 80's/90's bikes and its all we know :shocked:its a bit like having classic motorcycle racing at modern bike race meetings most of the spectators love it. :4_17_5:at milton keynes i was shocked how many old school riders there were racing on the sunday and how fookin quick and skillfull the majority were,it brought back memories of big 80's meetings i used to do :daumenhoch:we started off just filling gaps at regionals without being noticed to practically taken them over and impressing a lot of people

[SaMAlex]

TBH what I really worry about is a bike breaking and someone getting seriously hurt, I know that you can still be hurt no matter how strong the bike is, but there`s less chance of a new school bike breaking because it`s 20 years old and has metal fatigue 

Im with Bill on this one. I love riding my OS bike and everyone riding at MK had such a great attutude but if I was going to race a little more often Id want a new bike. There is only so long Id wanna go on riding with a loose headset, brake that doesnt work and catches my shoe, and god forbid ... forks that fold under me! Id get a NS race bike in a second if I could justify the use it would get. I know full well the people on the gate wouldnt be as much fun as at MK, but if there was a propper OS class at every race, I doubt that would be either.

[ron burgundy]

Old school is fun...     So is modern racing if you can ride,  it's also great to watch... 

Old bikes don't belong on new tracks, but it's a laugh to ride on 'em

 

[nishiki14]

Its that OLD V's NEW thing that nobody can leave alone, everyone has a preference, mine is purely old school 20", other people like old and new and others just like new school, some people even like cruisers
Why not let people race what the bloody hell they like and get over it!

[Zippy]

It's the same with women, some like fat and others like thin. jeez Quad Pete even likes vicars. 

[dirtyvans]

Good point alex, i never thought of the 20 year old forks snapping on me whilst jumping - ouch 

[kamodo]

Sorry Zipster, but Billy is probably right.The BC will never sanction it.Keep it local and fun.If you want to race National step up to the plate !..........and get good income protection 

[RATTY]

Some really valid points here.
796 is right, we have nearly doubled attendance at some regionals this year, no mean feat.
Bill, what you say about 20 year old metal and fatigue, when I started back a year ago I weighed well over 18 stone, Im sure thats approaching the top end for what these bikes were designed for, I have cracked 2 pairs of forks, but PL forks are prone to that. But otherwise the bikes have held up very well, I cant think of one failure while racing on anyones bike this year!
Alex, the banter has been the same or better at every OS race we have attended, I think its the fact we are mates doing what we love, the competition factor is there, but nothing like what you get in new school racing, I only know of one OS rider who would use elbows at any oppertunity, most of us would rather give way than put some one over a berm.
Ron, they are great to ride, but I dont agree with the new school track business, they can stand up to the rigours of modern tracks, I know one OS rider Martin Parker who still gets his Hutch airbourne over everything he can. And looks amazing while doing full blown flat table tops.
I also agree with Spillers, lets keep our history alive, both for our benefit and the new guys, If you forget your roots then you wont know where the future is

[spillers#1]

FORKS FOLDING?BIKES BREAKING?WHAT THE FOOK....THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OLD SCHOOLERS THAT ARE GETTING AIR ON THERE 20 YEAR OLD BIKES ALL THE TIME ESPECIALLY WHEN NOT RACING,METAL FATIGUE?COME ON PEOPLE WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT I'VE SEEN AND HEARD OF MORE NEW SCHOOL BIKES SNAPPING THAN OLD AND THATS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THAT GREAT ON A BMX :)BMX TRACK IS A BMX TRACK WETHER ITS 25 YEARS AGO OR A NEW ONE 2 WEEKS AGO....OFF ROAD UNEVEN SURFACE WITH STEP UPS...TABLETOPS.....DOUBLES....TRIPLES....BERMS ETC ITS JUST ABOUT ADAPTING YOUR RIDING TO EACH TRACK WETHER ON OLD SCHOOL OR NEW SCHOOL.MYSELF AND SE MARK HAVE RACED IN 17+ THIS YEAR AT BRAINTREE WHICH HAS HAD 2 GATES AND STILL HAD A GOOD GO WITH THE YOUNGENS...AND HAVE YOU SEEN THE 2 SETS OF DOUBLES THEY'VE GOT NOW

[harris]

i love to see the oldschool bikes racing and me i would prefer to see it staying that way.
i would love to see some mid school bikes getting put into the pot or even their own race
at an oldschool meet.keep it seperate but give all the 90s frames a run out even if its just
for fun  even a list of frames aloud in as they aint getting out of the sheds ,it needs addressing guys.
dan

[jazzyje]

  i think you guys have done an amazing job with oldschool racing this year but i would have serious misgivings about attaching it to nationals.to much beaurocracy,licence fee's,camping fees etc.it would destroy the fun aspect of it and make it too competitive.
   doing what you do with regionals is perfect.whose oldschoolers kids would want to have a go with the fast lads at nationals?a few maybe but kids and adults alike needing easing in to racing through novice classes.
     regional racing,one big weekend like mk and a brits i think is the right way to go.anyone who wants to do nationals has to go nu skool.bmx is about progression after all.just my opinion though and no more valid than anyone elses.

[spillers#1]

I DO SEE PEOLPLES POINTS ON THE FUN ASPECT OF OLD SCHOOL BUT..............PEOPLE ALSO HAVE CHOICES,MOST OF US OLD SCHOOLERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REGIONAL/NATIONAL LEVEL RACING FOR YEARS,ALL BE IT 20 ODD YEARS AGO..BUT IF SOME DO WANT TO RACE OLD SCHOOL AT A NATIONAL LEVEL OR REGIONAL/OPEN MEETS THEN WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO SAY YES I'LL HAVE SOME OF THAT OR NO I'LL STAY AS I AM THANKYOU

[JT Smooth]

Bof managed quite well on a OS bike on new track!!!!