Is OS the new NS???????

[Dingobmxer]

Seems to me its the only form of BMX racing where the numbers are SIGNIFICANTLY on the rise, Olympics or no Olympics!!!!

Discuss please

  DINGO

[RATTY]

The OSS is on the rise because it brings fun back into BMX, it also has a far larger market to draw from. Old schoolers can be any age including riders over 50 as well as the real young sproggs.
Nu school is far too self important, far to money orientated, in fact, dare I say it, far too stuck up its own arse most of the time.

There is so little grass roots encouragement, what happened to being able to ride to the track with your crash helmet hanging from your bars and racing??
There are far too many sh1t bikes on sale now, too heavy for racing, and bad geometry.

Take BMX back to when you could ride virtually any bike on a track, not have a bike for park, a bike for dirt, one for racing and then perhaps one for flatland.

The OSS series raced at over 10 events this summer gone, we was the biggest class of the day at nearly every meet we attented.
The BCF need to challenge manufacturer's to re produce all round bikes again, not 20 stone, unbreakable piles of junk.

[Zippy]

Some manufacturers do make bikes that lean towards racing though and not all of them are expensive. We sell a Diamond Back Viper which is one of our biggest selling bikes for £130. It doesn't have a gyro and has comp 3 style tyres. It's cheap and cheerfull and a good starting point for anyone who wants to get into racing.

I think one of the problems is the tracks themselves are too few and far between. It's ok for us because we all drive ourselves many miles to a race but for little kids who perhaps don't get the support at home they need then it's an uphill struggle right from the start.

Another issue is that racing isn't in the spotlight the way that street and park are. At the end of the day bmx racing isn't "seen" as cool by most young kids until they try it.

[dialledbikes]

Old school is cool.  It's great that you guys have all come back to BMX.  But if you love BMX, you've gotta give the present and future the respect and encouragement it deserves.  Progression is the buzz word.  Progress your riding, progress your equipment and help BMX progress.

As for the bikes, yes, they're more expensive these days, but there's fantastic choice out there and I bet that £130 Diamond Back Zippy is on about is much better than the £99 Moto One I got back in 1980 (so that only works out at 88p per year in terms of inflation).  A good new school bike will be better (apart from looks and finish maybe) than its old school equivalent in terms of materials, build quality and geometry.

[kennyhunter6061]

I've always though, since the late '80's, that BMX Racing hasn't done enough to promote itself.  In the early/mid '80's we were all over the TV and magazines so no-one had to worry too much about promoting the sport.  When the media stopped covering us as much it's as if nothing was done to maintain public awareness of our sport.  There are several clubs, most noteably Hayes Hawks, who are taking BMX Racing into schools with their roadshow.  This is often the first that any of the kids have heard of BMX Racing in this country 

The BC have a good BMX Racing leaflet which is available to all clubs, but these should really be in every bike shop the length and breadth of the country.  What the Hawks are doing is great but it could, and should, be rolled out country wide.  The volunteers at BMX clubs give up a lot of their time to support the sport and not every club has the means to run a roadshow like the Hawks, which is why I think it should be something the BC consider themselves.  BMX freestyle is popular with the 12+ age range, but kids below this age probably won't be able to throw their 30lb bike around doing backflips etc.  But pretty much everyone can cycle round a BMX track so, for the younger age groups, it would seem easier for them to get involved in racing.  We just need to raise the awareness.

I do hope the Olympics will help raise awareness of racing.  I guess we'll only find out next year.  I don't think many will go out and buy a bike because they think they will be an Olympic champion but it should be a way for the BC to tap into more cash for improved BMX Racing facilities and raising the profile of the sport (I say SHOULD) so, hopefully, BC can exploit this as much as possible.

[THIRSTYKIRSTY]

OLD SCHOOL RACING MEANS THIS TO ME



                        FUN




LIKE RATTY SAYS IT BRINGS IT ALL BACK AND YAS CAN HAVE A BANTER AT FINISH LINE

THE BEST THING IS  NO ONE TAKES IT REALLY SERIOUSLY LIKE NEW SCHOOLERS DO

THATS Y YA HAVE FUN AND MARK IS RIGHT THIS IS WHY OLD SCHOOL RACING IS GROWIN ,,FUN

RUSS

[bof]

OLD SCHOOL RACING MEANS THIS TO ME



                        FUN




LIKE RATTY SAYS IT BRINGS IT ALL BACK AND YAS CAN HAVE A BANTER AT FINISH LINE

THE BEST THING IS  NO ONE TAKES IT REALLY SERIOUSLY LIKE NEW SCHOOLERS DO

THATS Y YA HAVE FUN AND MARK IS RIGHT THIS IS WHY OLD SCHOOL RACING IS GROWIN ,,FUN

RUSS

Russ you actually made some sense, Im astounded  and totally agree, its all about fun. 

[THIRSTYKIRSTY]

hey

thanks tony

see ya soon buddy

russ

[Humps00]

With the renewed interest in racing, and the desire to get more tracks up and running, there will be the need for the Old School riders to pitch in and help at their local clubs. BADBMX is a prime example of the OS riders getting behind a club and pushing it forward. BADBMX has brought new blood into the sport and with training sessions at the track each week under the auspices of CK will be a force to be reckoned with in 2008.

The OS class has given the NuSkool kids the oppportunity to see the bikes of their precessors and provided some classic races.  That the OS class was invited to join in the Brits @ Cheddar is testiment to the popularity it has gained in 2007.  The OS riders have dug deep in their pockets too to support the Stephen Murray fundraising events which has further gained them respect.

The Old School Series races have swelled the rider numbers at lots of meetings this year and with them came their kids. That other regions are campaigning their own Series's over the winter months bodes well for next year. And as has been seen, the OS class is providing a springboard into the 40+ Cruiser class and Masters and, particularly in the SOUTH, should provide some brilliant racing in 2008. Bring it on.

Humps

[oldskoolsux]

There are far too many sh1t bikes on sale now, too heavy for racing, and bad geometry.

Bad geometry .  look at any old skool bike if you wanna see bad geometry, all stupid short top tubes and silly head angles

Any new school bike worth over £100 would piss on any old skool bike geometry and quality/safety wise

[KELLOGGS]

As most of the over 30s on here will remember it was division that destroyed BMX first time round, too many little cliques and snide ego's.  Racing/freestyle, NBMXA/UKBMX, North/South, blah blah blah. To keep the momentum of the recent mini boom moving weve got to be more inclusive. Swell the numbers at races by running old and new skools together. Get the old farts kids racing, get the kids to dig a couple of dirt jumps at the races, invite some flatland guys to do a demo on the car park, etc. Bottom line is you do it because you love it so love it all, even the kids on 50lb bikes from Aldi, with a bit of encouragement they could be the next Dale Holmes, Steve Murray or Jamie Bestwick. Peace.

[se bikes]

There are far too many sh1t bikes on sale now, too heavy for racing, and bad geometry.

Bad geometry .  look at any old skool bike if you wanna see bad geometry, all stupid short top tubes and silly head angles

Any new school bike worth over £100 would piss on any old skool bike geometry and quality/safety wise

Err you fkin shuffle munsterer, without the O/S bikes with their crap geometry, short top tubes and shit you wouldn't have BMX as it is today, every sport evolves, technology moves on as it should, does that make N/S better than O/S?, NO

I'd be interested to sit here in 20 years time and see which of todays bikes make the kind of money or have the influence of a generation that Skyways/Goose's, GHP, Curtis, JMC did

At the end of the day whatever you think of the OSS it's got loads of quality O/S racers back, they got their kids and families involved which swells the BMX family, that is at the end of the day ALL THAT MATTERS WHEN BMX RACING IS IN DECLINE.

Sit and spin on that 

[oldskoolfool]

Kellogg and OOS are spot.

I don't mean to repeat what's been said already, but we need some General BMX love or the racing scene boom will fade as it did in the 80's.  There's room for racing, freestyle, flatland and dirt in this disfunctional family!

It's great to see the OS scene growing, that's how i started back and have now gone NS, brought my son along for the ride and a couple of mates who in turn have brought their kids.  This is how the scene grows and before you know it, it'll be massive again!

OS brings the FUN and the BANTER back, adds to the entertainment and is becoming pretty competetive itself!

 

OSF

[Dark Diggler]

There are far too many sh1t bikes on sale now, too heavy for racing, and bad geometry.

Bad geometry .  look at any old skool bike if you wanna see bad geometry, all stupid short top tubes and silly head angles

Any new school bike worth over £100 would piss on any old skool bike geometry and quality/safety wise

Err you fkin shuffle munsterer, without the O/S bikes with their crap geometry, short top tubes and shit you wouldn't have BMX as it is today, every sport evolves, technology moves on as it should, does that make N/S better than O/S?, NO

I'd be interested to sit here in 20 years time and see which of todays bikes make the kind of money or have the influence of a generation that Skyways/Goose's, GHP, Curtis, JMC did

At the end of the day whatever you think of the OSS it's got loads of quality O/S racers back, they got their kids and families involved which swells the BMX family, that is at the end of the day ALL THAT MATTERS WHEN BMX RACING IS IN DECLINE.

Sit and spin on that 

 

Its all bmx at the end of the day, my 83' Kuwi survivor has new S&M pro race bars and newscool Profile cranks, the rest is pure old school, the bars nod nicely at their roots (28" x 8"), as do the cranks and they are there to work cos i ride hard (on a dry day  )

All bikes should be ridden and above all enjoyed. There is nothing finer to see than an o/s bike flying round a track or goin over a spine at a skate park. MINT 

[KGB Matt]

There are far too many sh1t bikes on sale now, too heavy for racing, and bad geometry.

Bad geometry .  look at any old skool bike if you wanna see bad geometry, all stupid short top tubes and silly head angles

Any new school bike worth over £100 would piss on any old skool bike geometry and quality/safety wise

I assume from your username that you do not approve of old school BMX.

I would like to point out that without the old, badly designed bikes we used to ride ( some still do ride) you would not have mid/new school ,MTB ,4 Cross etc. 

In short you would still be rolling round the street on your racing bike with your bars turned up like horns.

Stop having such a downer on something that has brought so much fun to old and new riders. 

Matt

[sonic-1]

as said above !!!!! couldnt put it better

[oldskoolfool]

I must say, it was great to see soooo many oldskoolers at Preston today for the North Region Winter Regional!!!

There must have been 7 or 8  old skool bikes which where in the 30+ Open Class and they give new skoolers a right run for their money including me!

Why bother having different motos for OS in future?

[Dingobmxer]

I must say, it was great to see soooo many oldskoolers at Preston today for the North Region Winter Regional!!!

There must have been 7 or 8  old skool bikes which where in the 30+ Open Class and they give new skoolers a right run for their money including me!

Why bother having different motos for OS in future?

I am racing new school at Regionals next year so I wanna do the OS racing at the Nottingham club races to keep the fun element 

  DINGO

[darkersomeday]

its a bmx to me!

as long as folk are riding and having fun i'm happy,

is mid school the new old school then?

[dialledbikes]

Forget old school, mid school and new school.  I'm coining a new phrase - Now School.

As Tim Ruck once said in a very old Invert - BMX is BMX is BMX.