August 27th, 2010
All BMX bikes, whether dirt, freestyle, or racing BMX models, have a single speed gear. This has its advantages in helping make BMX bikes much lighter than their multi-gear counterparts, and also in providing a greater clearance around the wheel and chain drive area when performing freestyle tricks.
Single speed gears also have the advantage, rather like an automatic car, of providing the rider with the ability to control each movement of the bike precisely through the use of the pedals, without such actions being interrupted by the need to effect gear changes. Finally, maintenance and repair is much simpler when there is only one set of sprockets to remove.
One important advantage that BMX bikes have over many other bikes with a single gear however is that coasting is still perfectly possible (in other words allowing the inertia of the bike or the gradient of a hill to take the rider forward). With many other single gear bikes the lack of a freewheel means that the rider has to constantly pedal in order to move the bike forward.
Most BMX bikes will usually contain a gear ratio that enables both sufficient power when starting up and climbing gradients but also reasonable acceleration ability. In some cases, during racing BMX contests for example, it may be necessary to change gear cogs on the spot to effect better handling of the course. At bmx.co.uk we can explain BMX gearing in more detail, as well as supplying a range of great value sprockets and other BMX parts for the chain drive.
Tags: BMX, bmx design, bmx equipment, BMX Parts, racing bmx
Posted in BMX Bikes | No Comments »
August 8th, 2010
When buying a new BMX bike it is essential to ensure that the shop from where the bike is bought can also offer spare BMX parts for that particular model; or can at least guarantee that there is a nearby, convenient parts retailer that caters for the bike.
Any hesitancy or uncertainty in response to this question should be taken as a warning sign; a BMX bike for which there is no ready source of replacement parts is probably not intended to last the course.
Quality BMX bikes are ‘built to last’ not only in the sense that they are designed for high impact riding, but also because they are compatible with a wide range of replacement parts; the extreme nature of BMX riding makes the need for such replacement almost inevitable.
There are occasions when BMX parts require are a slight adjustment, such as when a chain needs tightening. This can particularly be the case with newly-purchased BMX bikes.
At other times, BMX parts will definitely need replacing because they are no longer fit for purpose. Any signs of cracking, warping or rusting, for example, no matter how small, are a harbinger of only worse to come. In an extreme sport like BMX this can mean a sudden and dangerous snapping of the part during high impact leaps or stunts.
At bmx.co.uk we stock and advise on a wide range of great value BMX bikes and compatible replacement BMX parts.
Tags: BMX, BMX Bikes, bmx equipment, replacement bmx parts
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June 2nd, 2010
Attempting to buy a BMX bike, without first taking expert advice, is fraught with danger, both to a person and to their wallet. BMX bikes not only vary in size and shape, they are also designed with specific uses is mind.
Some BMX bikes are lighter in frame and less sturdy than others, because they are built for speed racing around a track, rather than for performing stunts and tricks. Confusing a stunt – or ‘freestyle’ – BMX bike with a racing bike can be frustrating at best or, at worst, disastrous.
Even within the freestyle category of BMX, some bikes have been further refined for performing specific types of trick. Flatland bikes, for example, are built to give maximum support for balancing on a flat surface, and are far too heavy and far too smooth of tyre for other forms of BMX riding, such as dirt jumping (leaping over large dirt mounds).
Other pitfalls for the novice buyer include: failing to realise that stunt pegs should be removed for certain types of freestyle riding, such as dirt jumping; being unaware that a BMX frame should be of a size suitable for a rider’s height and weight; and mistaking bikes that resemble BMX bikes for the genuine article (these lookalikes can range from poor quality general shop brands, to expensive modified mountain bikes, suitable only for certain mountain bike trials).
At bmx.co.uk, we can guide a new purchaser successfully through the minefield of BMX bike formats, and find the most suitable bike for any rider.
Tags: BMX Bike, bmx equipment, BMX parts supplier, bmx safety advice
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April 21st, 2010
BMX frames have gone through many changes over the years and there are still more subtle variations of BMX frame coming on the market. Many ask, what is the ultimate frame? The best answer is probably that it is still yet to come.
A BMX frame is the key to opening up maximum riding possibilities within each BMX discipline. Slight variations in shape and angle can have a remarkable impact on performance, as can the material used in the frame construction. Generally speaking though, in recent years there has been a trend towards minimising the overall weight of the BMX frame whilst maintaining the frame’s overall strength. There are currently many frames on the market, for example, weighing five pounds or even less.
It is often claimed that the latest lightweight BMX frame on the market is the ‘ultimate’ frame. Incredibly though, frame design continues enthusiastically, with a constant drive to try and achieve small but significant improvements.
One of the main reasons why BMX frame technology continues to evolve and develop is simply because the sport itself drives these changes. Riders are continually trying to get more out of their bikes and are constantly conceiving new and increasingly imaginative riding moves. It is perhaps only right that BMX companies should respond by adapting their designs to these riding trends.
The ‘ultimate’ BMX frame is therefore a long way off. Perhaps it never will be made.
In the meantime, at BMX.co.uk we are sure you will be fully impressed by our current exciting range of top brand frames at incredible prices.
Tags: BMX, BMX Bikes, bmx equipment, BMX Frame, BMX Parts
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April 15th, 2010
BMX frame design has come a long way over the many years in which the sport has been around.
At the higher end of the market in particular, there has been a steady stream of new signature frames ready to tantalise and cajole the rider. These frames usually incorporate subtle variations in tube angles and lengths, the result of intense design modifications by the BMX companies’ affiliated professional riders based on their own wish lists of improvements.
In addition, creative use of different high strength to low weight metals, most notably the steel alloy chromoly, has led to a growing number of super lightweight frames that do not sacrifice robustness. The result has been easier handling when performing physically demanding moves.
One area of BMX frame manufacture that is receiving a lot of attention is the method of production.
Casting in particular is being seen by some as a preferable method of production to welding. This is especially significant for elements that are on the periphery of a BMX frame such as the dropouts (the recesses into which the wheel axles are fitted). Casting, it is argued, gives these elements increased strength and durability.
Casting is also claimed to provide greater opportunity for detailed micro management of the frame’s design, leading to further improvements in performance.
At BMX.co.uk we keep our finger on the pulse of latest developments in BMX frame design, and can often secure top brands at the best prices.
Tags: BMX, bmx design, bmx equipment, bmx frames
Posted in BMX Frame | No Comments »
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