Author Topic: Speaking of BMX  (Read 2606 times)

surf4food

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Speaking of BMX
« on: June 13, 2019, 07:01:10 PM »
Remember racing?  It's still around and according to some sources its making a comeback. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Vp_sPdQUw

PonoBill

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2019, 07:54:10 PM »
What a strange video. I watched it with Mikes dog, and he got up and left the room to look at my old copies of Architectural Digest.
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Badger

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2019, 02:41:57 AM »
I remember it well. I was wondering if it was still going on. That track seems a little boring. It needs to be more technical to make it interesting.

That's how it all started back in the mid 70's. Kids were converting their old Stingrays and racing on neighborhood tracks. Then the bike companies caught on and started selling real race bikes. By 1980 it had spread all over the world and eventually turned into an urban street thing.

I watched the whole evolution of the sport from the bike shop I worked at. Same with mountain bikes. I built one of the first mountain bikes in northern New England in 1978. At the time there were only a few guys doing it. A year later we saw custom frames being built and the first production Ross bikes. People thought it was just a fad. Many traditionalists hated the idea and refused to ride them at first. A few years later, everybody had a mountain bike in their garage.

« Last Edit: June 14, 2019, 02:49:46 AM by Badger »
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surf4food

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2019, 07:29:58 AM »
Maybe this vid is a bit more exciting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLDMeNJ61ls

Badger

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2019, 08:11:44 AM »
Nice. Yeah, that's much better.   8)
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TallDude

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2019, 09:23:53 AM »
I was there racing in the beginning. I have 8mm film of me racing that I'm going to get converted ASAP. Just about the time I split my femur jumping too high. 

Notice the hand made fenders and taped together stingray frame that was broken.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2019, 09:25:49 AM by TallDude »
It's not overhead to me!
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eastbound

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2019, 10:22:08 AM »
you ever drop that thing into a pool, td?
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Quickbeam

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2019, 03:52:49 PM »
I’m not a BMX rider and know little about the sport. But a good friend of mine recently mentioned that the son of one of their long time family friends is a world champion BMX rider. Just about a month ago he had a crash in a race in the Netherlands which resulted in a serious head injury. The good news is that even though it's going to take some time, the prognosis is now for a full recovery.
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TallDude

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2019, 04:31:52 PM »
you ever drop that thing into a pool, td?
Never biked in a pool or park. Skated parks till my growing spurt ended that. Then it was mountain biking and road biking, surfing, skiing, windsurfing, Hobie Cats, etc. all which fit my long legs somewhat better. I didn't grow into my body until I was about 20. I was 6'5 and 165 when I graduated HS. I was 6'7 and 215 by the time I was 20. Lots of cycling and skiing built my legs up. 
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

surf4food

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2019, 06:57:54 PM »
I was there racing in the beginning. I have 8mm film of me racing that I'm going to get converted ASAP. Just about the time I split my femur jumping too high. 

Notice the hand made fenders and taped together stingray frame that was broken.
Wow, Escape Country?  I'm 57 now and thought that place was pure heaven.  Only went their twice with my dad.  I think maybe when I was in 6th grade? 
I had the same kind of set up as in this pic, though not really a stingray frame but rather some Sears brand knock off. I eventually took the fenders off (that's what everyone did), later replaced the banana seat with 10 speed kind saddle, then when they came on the market, actual BMX handlebars and gooseneck/stem.  Though when actual off the line BMX bikes came around, I never got one.  Shortly after that, got into surfing and skateboarding and bikes just sort of became an afterthought.   

But holy f**k did your pics make me wax nostalgic. 

surf4food

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2019, 07:16:24 PM »
I remember when Yamaha came out with their own off the assembly line BMX bike in 74.

TallDude

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2019, 07:19:34 PM »
I rode one and it was heavier than was worth the shocks. The rich kids who couldn't really ride had them ;D

I did have a yellow Yamaha mini-enduro 60 motorcycle that almost looked like it. I rode motorcycles at Escape Country and Saddleback Motorcycle park regularly. They had one of those early skateparks at Escape Country that was just a big sloped paved area that they put out cones to do slalom around. I was a joke. 

BTW, I'm 56 and that was 5th grade / 6th grade for me too. I remember the Cook brothers racing with us at Escape Country in the older class on titanium frame bikes their dad had built them. They became Cook Bros. Racing. I also raced at a small track off Lincoln Avenue in Orange, Ca. on Friday nights. I don't remember the name, but someone said there is still a track around there.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2019, 07:35:11 PM by TallDude »
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

surf4food

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Re: Speaking of BMX
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2019, 08:14:19 PM »
Very interesting story TD.  Thank you for sharing.  Now I'm annoying my wife of my 12 year old glory days LOL.

 


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