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It's because the guys owning old-mid school bikes are OLDer...We just don't go as fast...

Huryupanbuy wrote:

It's because the guys owning old-mid school bikes are OLDer...We just don't go as fast...

I dont know about all that at the bmx society 2012 cali show last month the oldest dude whooped everyone in the bmx race    of course it was jmc 35th anniversary reunion too whoooops. lol.  anyways, im sure those who really tear it up on an old school bike can keep up with those on a new school. not talking about the average person, i get one may be easier to master.

LIFE BEHIND BARS wrote:

Sure the bikes have changed but it's all about the skill of the rider not the bike.At 44 I can still smoke a lot of the guys at my local track on their new school bikes with my 86' Group 1.I may be a little slower and don't heal as quick if I bail but the bikes are only part of the equation.If you have skills the bike really doesn't matter.

Racing is one thing, but what about the park and street? Did engineering and design evolve to meet new riding demands or has it been just a series of fads?

Skate went from obscure to mainstream and we followed them from the dirt track to the park and our bikes had to adapt. New bikes are geometrically superior for park and street.

My son wanted to try out BMX racing about 5 years ago.  The day before his first race, we went into our basement where I have tons of bicycle parts/frames.  I said, pick out a frame and parts and we will build it.  By the end of the day, he had a Hutch Pro Racer ready to race. 

The next day, some of the 8 kids on the gate with him were making fun of his old bike and funny brakes.  They were all decked out in the latest and greatest.....my son came in second place!  He smoked all those kids who made fun of him.  This was a great lesson for him- its' not the bike, its' the rider!

I am thinking that with bmx now an olympic sport, the new designs are more based on quantitative analysis than what looks or feels right.   Back in the day there were no computers to figure thus stuff out and measure performance to the Nth degree.  Of course the old timers may have just gotten it right.

lets say a boy is 6 years old and 4 ft tall,  he cannot be riding on a mini because the tt is too short, thus has to be on a junior.  The frame is longer but the seat post tubing is the same (almost the same) height as the mini.  This is because you dont want to crowd him with the handlebars and give him room to pull on it at the gate.   Most new school are already tweaked out and longer than old school.   Most old school  is higher/taller in the seat post tubing.  Then again, for someone who has been racing for a while and been riding new school and old school can hack it up at the track.

Thanks for the input guys. My boy is just starting out and doing really well. But I know as he moves up and becomes an intermediate and then expert, this is going to get exponentially harder for him. I think it's awesome that he loves his old Robinson and does well on it, and we're in the process of loading it up with modern race parts. I just worry about sending him out to fight with one arm tied behind his back. But then, he really loves that old Robi. It might actually hurt going to something new if he doesn't dig the new stuff as much

first, i want to ask you budgolf,  how old is the boy? how tall is he? I have to agree with the poster ^^^  old frames are unpredictable.

Last edited by JAMMJ (2012-07-09 8:27am)

i hadn't thought about old welds. i was just under the impression modern engineers had come up with some magic geometry:). He's 13. Small for his age. I want to say about 5'4" give or take an inch. And maybe 95 pounds. i've got him in a good motorcross helmet and gloves. And some elbow and fore arm protection. As far as the bike goes, it's not ancient, its a 96 Robinson Rebel. He really rips on it. Here he is at his last race. He's only been on a BMX track twice in his life and he took first in the main event both times.



As you can see he's not a big guy for his age. And like I said, he really rips on it. But tracks sure are different than they were when I was his age. I just want to make sure I'm setting up with the best equipment I can get him. I offered to build him a modern PK, but he's not having it. Just wants awesome parts on his Robi

thats a nice looking 88 mongoose decade you have

Please Get new stuff or newer stuff...the transition will be crazy if he gets to use to that old geometry he needs to learn on a new geometry bike.. He looks like he could really be fast (1996 is old school )

Last edited by rocs8x9x (2012-07-09 10:58am)

Generally speaking decades of racing creates knowledge in frame builders and in return they create better and faster bikes. Weight matters quite a bit. Fitment is key too. If you have a ill fitting modern bike compared to a well fitting older bike the old bike will be faster. I love old bikes but if I raced I'd build a new bike with some old school decals. I'd be afraid of snapping a frame which may be internally weakened and breaking bones.