OLD SCHOOL OR NEW SCHOOL .

[dialledbikes]

i always think
f##k me 80's bikes look better, and seem better made too

Looks are subjective so no argument there, but if you think 80's bikes are better made than today's bikes you need to take off those rose tinted specs.

[COZZFATHER]

i have seen the welding on some new branded bmx's and its not a patch on my old dp, some of these tiwanezze bikes look ready to break
 

[zed4130]

At the end of the day we build these bikes as we wont them, i love OS , but can only have one bike at the mo, no room or fundage, so i built my nuschool as i wanted it, back in 2000 i saw a dk general lee, i loved it, i enede up with a haro 540 thing , it was ok, i then got a second hand shredder, and then a dk 6pack, none of these bikes cost a bomb, but its about passion for riding and bmx, thats what it all about, lets face it i built my bike for reasons that are mina alone, im sure not many people like it, mainly because i havnt followed the whole nuschool look, im never going to do a tailwhip, so no giro/no brakes, i like sitting in my saddle plus i use it going around berms etc, bmx'a are as indervidual as you make them, and most are, i think mine is, pads aswell 

paul

[magna13]

i'd have to say that i like all types of bmx os, ns and ms. they are all rad! but they all have their qualities!

+ loving that s&m thats lush!!

zak

[dialledbikes]

i have seen the welding on some new branded bmx's and its not a patch on my old dp, some of these tiwanezze bikes look ready to break
 

When I read stupid/unfounded comments like this I completely understand why Joe goes off on one from time to time.

Which bikes are you on about?  Examples?  It's one thing to say you like the look of OS bikes more than NS bikes, but if you're gonna claim a DP is better quality you need to back it up.

Sure, there were quality bikes in the 80s (not sure Burners or DPs were among them though), but today's bikes beat them hands down on quality of tubing, welding, heat treating processes and geometry.

I love to see restored OS bikes as much as anyone.  But I live/ride for now, not in the past.

[Longun]

I think that some people get the impression that NS bikes look ugly from the fact that a lot of the ones they'll see will be black/grey/unpainted, destickered and often looking a bit tatty whereas the OS ones they're seeing are the lovingly restored and polished ones on here combined with their age clouded memories. Thing is the NS bikes are still being ridden (hard in many cases) and riders seem more concerned with how their tricks look than how their bikes are. We seem to forget that for all the nice shiney bikes we saw bitd there were many more that were a bit run down/patched together etc etc (hell I know funds meant that several of mine were). If you wanted to build an NS bike just to look good I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult, hopefully my new one will stand as an example of this, but if I could trade it's looks for the ability to go big and pull off some stylish airs, I think I would.
As to the quality of NS bikes compared to OS, I'm not sure there is a comparison. OK, there were some nicely built OS bikes (JMC, TAs etc) but there was also a lot of crap (Burners, Halfords Turbos, Iron Horse). Technology has given us improved materials and heat treating, experience has refined geometry and given us things such as dropouts that aren't the thickness of a coke can. I'm not sure I could see an OS frame surviving a lot of what is pulled or attempted on NS bikes.
So while I'll still race an OS bike and I will build my 82-83 GT Nora cup, still be pleased to see some nice OS machines being ridden, most of my riding now will be on a NS bike - it'll just be a pretty one.     

[SaMAlex]

then another raleigh dealer told me they had seen the new tuff burner and it wasn't as good as a original,

Now that would be some feat. I dont think its posible to make a new bike WORSE than the first burners 

[jedi]

i like new school best.
loved my old bikes (torker 280xl best) but i love the feel of the new school more

[Sean 2000]

Love the builds that peeps do...........but its not for me! Its all about the riding. 

Er, ugly, boring........nah dont think so.





Sean. 

[Trev]

If you look at the average new school bike, then they won't look as good as they will have been thrashed.
The old school bikes you look at now are all built to preceison and look immaculate.
The old school frames had a lot more individuality. You can look at an old school pic and almost instantly tell what frame is being used.

However I love the look of Sean's Proper. I think it looks as good as most old school bikes. It is probably one of the best looking new school bikes I've seen.  Jim Wise also had a really nice looking new school.

[andy619]

I like the look of just about all bmx bikes.  The old bikes are definately more distinctive from manufacturer to manufacturer. Example, you could see the difference between a burner and a performer, a haro and a streetbeat and just about any other bike made in the 80's while driving by at 80mph.  The colors, anodized parts, pad sets and number plates customized each ride and made them unique to each rider.  I love old school bikes. 

I can't really comment on mid-school because I missed all of the 90's and 3/4 of 2000's.

While I can understand the point of view that new school frames all look the same, like Joe delicately put it, you probably don't know what you are looking at.  I would have never known that Joes bike is a one of a kind, but really I don't look that close.  I have seen a lot of absolutely stunning new bikes, Joe's and Sean 2000's bikes are good examples.  In my "opinion" new school bikes look just as good as any era, but as far as riding, there is no comparison, new school rules hands down. 

[Broggie]

Most people know that I aint a rider from BITD...therfore I'm (almost) unbiased...

Well I've got OS bikes (84's TA and master) they look great, brakes are shit but there's something about them that just calls to me...

Mid school, I've got a 95 Group1 Ci and it seems to be rather nice...though I havent finished it yet   

New school, Well I used to be one of those biased people of Joes...and I guess there was a period that my experience of NS was just kids riding past on black bikes which didnt seem to have an identity as such.  given more time I found that a ns custom is the way to go for me, then I can get exactly what I want.  NS manufacturers (and this is not a flame) are now producing the sort of colourways that I would want.  Arguably I have already tried NS in the form of 06 sports and retro rippers...they ride well though I have a feeling that I could have got better for my money (shhhh!)

One day in the not too distant future I may well either buy myself a complete ns or build a custom...

Though I have to say there's still times when I look at a ns bike with a huge price tag and think...er where's the money gone, its just me and I'm a bit too old to change totally ok!



Ray.

[COZZFATHER]

i have seen the welding on some new branded bmx's and its not a patch on my old dp, some of these tiwanezze bikes look ready to break
 

When I read stupid/unfounded comments like this I completely understand why Joe goes off on one from time to time.

Which bikes are you on about?  Examples?  It's one thing to say you like the look of OS bikes more than NS bikes, but if you're gonna claim a DP is better quality you need to back it up.

Sure, there were quality bikes in the 80s (not sure Burners or DPs were among them though), but today's bikes beat them hands down on quality of tubing, welding, heat treating processes and geometry.

I love to see restored OS bikes as much as anyone.  But I live/ride for now, not in the past.

up yours saying stupid comments

i have a recent mongoose  and its not my cup of tea at all, i would rather have my old mongoose from the 80's than this one
it cost  new was over 500 dollars,and was i was told "it aint no wal mart bike"  well it is and i'm surprised toys r us don't sell them too.


my old DP is way better made than this pile of crap mongoose taiwan wish it was.
it has a sticker on it saying designed in usa and made in taiwan, it should have stayed in taiwan too.

 there just one comparison  for you.
another is the new 25th aniversary team burner isn't as good as the one my brother owns from bitd.
i am glad i never bought them and the fact i know of people making new ones like the 80's one tells me somthin

[COZZFATHER]

Sure, there were quality bikes in the 80s (not sure Burners or DPs were among them though),

thats got to be the stupidest thing i ever read about bmx's ever.
somebody tell andy ruffell his bike was a munter
 

[SaMAlex]

Sure, there were quality bikes in the 80s (not sure Burners or DPs were among them though),

thats got to be the stupidest thing i ever read about bmx's ever.
somebody tell andy ruffell his bike was a munter

It is a surprise that it was the pay check that made Ruffle ride a Raleigh, not the frame quality. And if he was anything like some of the other guys on the "Burner" team, he didnt even ride a Raleigh. Some of them used repainted Skyway TAs.

[COZZFATHER]

i new people who painted up bikes to look like a team pro because they couldn't afford a team pro.
i have inspected my bruvs 86 team pro and the competition  tange frame and forks are very well made
i think its a insult on old bmx'ers to say burners were not quality.

[COZZFATHER]

i have seen the welding on some new branded bmx's and its not a patch on my old dp, some of these tiwanezze bikes look ready to break
 

When I read stupid/unfounded comments like this I completely understand why Joe goes off on one from time to time.

Which bikes are you on about?  Examples?  It's one thing to say you like the look of OS bikes more than NS bikes, but if you're gonna claim a DP is better quality you need to back it up.

Sure, there were quality bikes in the 80s (not sure Burners or DPs were among them though), but today's bikes beat them hands down on quality of tubing, welding, heat treating processes and geometry.

I love to see restored OS bikes as much as anyone.  But I live/ride for now, not in the past.

up yours saying stupid comments

i have a recent mongoose  and its not my cup of tea at all, i would rather have my old mongoose from the 80's than this one
it cost  new was over 500 dollars,and  i was told "it aint no wal mart bike"  well it is and i'm surprised toys r us don't sell them too.


my old DP is way better made than this pile of crap mongoose taiwan wish it was.
it has a sticker on it saying designed in usa and made in taiwan, it should have stayed in taiwan too.

 there just one comparison  for you.
another is the new 25th aniversary team burner isn't as good as the one my brother owns from bitd.
i am glad i never bought them and the fact i know of people making new ones like the 80's one tells me somthin

[COZZFATHER]

double post

[SaMAlex]

i think its a insult on old bmx'ers to say burners were not quality.

Burners were not quality* .... There. I said it.

(*some less so than others)



I doubt even Beard and Julian would be insulted by that.

[perry]

your basing new bikes on the purchase of a mongoose 

that wasnt well thought out eh 

[Trev]

$500?? That's £250 in real money. How can you buy a bike like that and make a judgement on all new school bikes??
My frame alone nearly retails at the price and a lot of riders here have frames that cost more.

Get yourself a decent bike then tell us how badly you think new school bikes are.

[dialledbikes]

Cozzy, if you love your Burners and DPs, cool, each to their own.  But to call them "quality" is a big stretch of the imagination (at best, they were average budget bikes).

[jedi]

hiya mike,long time no see bro!

[SaMAlex]

Can someone post a photo of the BB welds on the mk1 burners (not the pro). They are a total treat! 

[Longun]

Can someone post a photo of the BB welds on the mk1 burners (not the pro). They are a total treat! 

They were welded? I thought they hammered the down tube flat and glued it in place.