Buying bmx - how to choose a bike? BMX bicycles and tips for choosing them Bmx which company to choose.
- Are you choosing a bike to race?
- Are lightweight frames and body kits important to you?
- Are you going to cut through the streets or stir up mud?
- Where will you spend your leisure time: at the local skatepark or on the BMX track?
Thinking through these questions and being clear about what you want and where you'll be riding will ensure you're choosing the right BMX bike.
It is important to understand that there are three different types of BMX bikes: Bike motocross, freestyle and dirt bike.
This article shows the difference between the different types of BMX bikes.
Types of bicycles with 20-inch wheels
| Type | Description | Peculiarities | Scope of application |
| Bicycle motocross (BMX) | Dirt track racing bike | Deep tread on the tires, lightweight frame and body kit, powerful rear brake | Short distance dirt track racing |
| Freestyle | Heavy Duty Stunt Bike | Heavy-duty frame and wheels, road-ready tires, cable-assisted steering column, axle bushings | Riding in skateparks, practicing and performing tricks |
| Dirt jumping | Synthesis of bicycles for velomotocross and freestyle | Durable frame and wheels, rear brake, deep tread on tires | Riding along forest trails, sliding down slopes, mastering bicycle ramps |
BMX. Bikes for cyclo-motocross appeared the earliest - in the late 60s. They were the "little brothers" of motocross motorcycles and were intended for cross-country racing. Pretty soon every teenager had them, racer or not.
The purpose of cyclomotocross bikes remains the same - racing, although it is not necessary to reach high speeds to enjoy the light weight, speed and dirt resistance. Typically have 20-inch wheels, deep tread on the tires, straight handlebars, small saddles, long crank arms and a manual rear brake. The frames are light and strong; the higher the price, the lighter they are.
Cyclomotocross bikes are usually made of chrome steel or aluminum. Steel frames are heavier, but cheaper. Aluminum frames are lighter in weight and are often made from oversized or custom tubes. Aluminum not only has less weight, but also does not rust. This means that if you scratch the frame, you won't have to rush to repair the damage.
Cyclomotocross bikes also come in a variety of frame sizes. The table below gives approximate bike sizes for riders of different ages. Professional level bikes in XL (extra long) sizes are sometimes available for sale.
Freestyle. This type was released shortly after BMX. Freestyle bikes are ideal for performing tricks on flat areas, aggressive street riding and skatepark riding, but not for racing.
Also a great type of bike for commuting to school or shopping.
Maximum structural strength is more important than low weight. The wheels on such bicycles can be either “magnesium”, made of durable nylon), or heavy-duty wheels with 48 spokes.
The tires on these wheels have dimensions of 20 x 2.125; The tread on them is shallow. Pegs are often included (riders stand on them when performing tricks), although some manufacturers do not install them so that you can choose the pegs for yourself. Freestyle bikes are equipped with front and rear brakes. The front cable is routed through the rotor, allowing the steering wheel to be rotated 360 degrees without the risk of the brake cable getting tangled. 
Dirt jumping. From the name it follows that the purpose of this type of bicycle is to hover above the ground. They occupy a niche between bikes for cyclo-motocross and freestyle (stronger than the former, but lighter than the latter).
As a rule, they are not equipped with a front brake, and strong wheels usually have 36 massive spokes with a thickness of 2.3 mm, versus 48 on freestyle bikes.
These bikes are sometimes available with 24-inch wheels, which is an excellent choice for larger riders.
The tread on the tires is the deepest of any type of BMX bike.
Selection of components
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Wheels. It is extremely important that the wheels fully meet the requirements. Because acceleration is so important in bike motocross, bikes designed for this discipline have wheels that are much lighter than those on freestyle or dirt jump bikes.
However, lightweight aluminum 32-spoke cyclomotocross wheels are not suitable for dirt jumping or ramping. Freestyle bikes almost always have 48-spoke wheels.
They are very durable, which allows for maximum protection of the rim. Dirt jumping wheels are more varied. Some dirt jump bikes come with just 36 heavy-duty 2.3mm spokes, while others have 48 freestyle spokes, depending on what the bike is designed for.
It is also important to note that the thinner cyclomotocross tires and their corresponding rims (20 x 1 1/8-3/8 and 24 x 1 1/8-3/8) are not compatible with each other or with the tires and rim sizes 20 x 1.5 or 1.75. 
Tires. Cyclo-motocross tires occupy an intermediate position between road and cross-country tires. Although they are primarily used off-street, the tracks often run on compacted ground where low rolling friction is very important.
The tread pattern provides optimal speed and handling, as well as grip during acceleration and cornering. Freestyle tires are designed for road and indoor riding. Premium tires are often designed to run at high pressures, which reduces rolling friction, improves rim protection, and reduces tire deformation when the sidewalls are under high load, such as during landings.
Dirt jump tires provide maximum grip.
Steering wheel. Besides the differences in weight and strength, there is also a slight difference in the shape of cyclomotocross handlebars and other types of handlebars. Freestyle and dirt jump handlebars have handlebars that are angled upward from the mounting point, giving the rider greater freedom of movement when performing maneuvers on the ground and in the air. In addition, the handlebars on 24-inch bikes have slightly less rise than on 20-inch bikes.
How to choose bmx? Which bmx to choose? Here we will help beginners in choosing a bmx and answer questions. Do you lack extreme sports and want to learn something new, and you chose bmx? Then this article will help you, here we will answer the question of how to choose a bmx and how to choose the appropriate bmx.
Well, let's start with the most important thing - your budget, or in other words, how much money you have. There are three main types of bicycles - those that cost 10k rubles, they are most often less durable and made of worse materials. 10k-25k are those bmx that are suitable for an ordinary beginner who does not yet know whether he needs a bmx for simple skating or for performing tricks - more often than not, bmx in the region of 10k-25k is of fairly good quality. There is also the very last section - bmx worth over 20k. These bmx are of the highest quality and durability. If you are a beginner who wants to choose your first bmx, then you better go to the second section 10k-25k, the bmx in this section is not so expensive, but is of good quality and this will help you decide on the further choice of your bmx.
The next step when choosing your bmx is frame alignment. This is a very important point when choosing your bmx, because choosing the wrong frame can significantly ruin your health by getting scoliosis. Here are a few numbers you should focus on based on your height.
20.25 - 150-160cm
20.5 - 160-170cm
20.8 - 170-180cm
21 - 180-190cm
21.5 - 190+cm
Wheel rims are also a very important element of your bmx. If you are a beginner who is choosing a bmx, then look for double rims. Since you are a beginner, your bike will encounter curbs, steps, etc. very often and will most likely damage your rims. Therefore, you need to take double rims, they are stronger and will last longer. You are unlikely to notice the difference yourself, so most likely you will have to ask the seller.
The next more important step in choosing your bmx is the types of bearings in the bmx bottom bracket, head tube and bushings. There are two main types of bearings - industrial (sealed) bearings - sealed bearings - and ball bearings - loose balls. Our advice is to absolutely always choose industrial bearings. They are much stronger than regular ball ones and they will last much longer and you won’t have to fiddle with your bike at night.
The bmx material is also important. At the moment there are two types of materials: Hi-ten steel and chrome alloys (Cr-mo steel). Chrome steel is better than hi-ten because it is lighter, stronger and more durable, but also correspondingly more expensive. Still, we advise you to take a chrome bmx, because they will provide you with long-term riding and your bmx is unlikely to get dented.
The length of the bmx chainstays is also a very important aspect. The main rule is that the shorter the bmx stays, the faster and easier the tricks will be, such as 180, 360 and so on.
The last important thing we'll talk about is the brakes. If you are a beginner and you choose bmx for yourself, then of course take the brakes, they will provide you with a safer ride. If you fundamentally don’t want it or don’t have the money, then you don’t have to take it, but you will have to learn several braking techniques, such as braking with your foot on the wheel.
BMX, which has gained recognition since the late 80s of the 20th century, remains one of the most popular extreme sports. BMX, or bicycle motocross, originally consisted of racing held on dirt tracks. BMX has moved on from its original concept and now includes various genres, including freestyle and dirt jumping. BMX bike manufacturers produce bikes that meet the requirements of each discipline.
We The People
Company We The People offers bike models for beginners, advanced and professional BMX riders. Beginner bike series from We The People offers riders the simplest BMX bikes, but at the same time pays attention to quality and design. Bicycles from this series do not require much maintenance and are equipped with hand brakes especially for beginners.
Fit Bike
Company Fit Bike offers BMX bikes in a variety of sizes (both width and height) to suit the requirements of each discipline. In assortment Fit Bike both lightweight lowriders - low-slung bikes - for street riding, and high-slung bikes for dirt jumping.
Stolen Bike
In the company's lineup Stolen Bike- BMX bicycles designed for street riding and cross-country riding. Company Stolen Bike makes bicycles from chrome, which has a light but durable structure. Bikes from this manufacturer have removable brakes for riders who prefer not to brake at all.
Eastern Bikes
Eastern Bikes is North Carolina's leading BMX bike company. Eastern Bikes offers equipment for beginners, amateurs, masters and BMX professionals.
Eastern Bikes offers bicycle frames in vibrant colors that make them stand out among many other BMX bike manufacturers.
Haro Bikes
Haro Bikes' product range remains one of the widest, as the company also produces mountain and beach bikes. Bicycles for BMX from Haro have a lightweight frame made of aluminum alloy.
Hoffman Bikes
Company Hoffman Bikes was founded by world famous professional BMX rider Mike Hoffman. Hoffman Bikes offers a large range of BMX bikes, including streetride, freestyle and halfpipe bikes.
DK Bicycles
Thanks to simple but high-impact bikes DK Bicycles ranks among the top ten BMX bicycle manufacturing companies. DK offers bikes for racing, trail riding, freestyle and park riding. DK bicycle frames are made of a special alloy with subsequent heat treatment.
Subrosa
Bicycles company Subrosa Mainly used for street riding and freestyle. Unlike the thin steel frames of other BMX bike manufacturers, Subrosa produces frames with thickened walls made of steel alloy. Color schemes of black, white and red underpin the simple design of the bikes Subrosa.
Very often, beginners who want to take their first steps on the path of stunt riding are faced with the question of choosing the right bike. There are several basic criteria for choosing the right BMX that any novice athlete needs to know. These are the ones that will be discussed in this article.
Manufacturer. Currently, the best brands include Norco, K2 and GT. Their quality is recognized all over the world, but a beginner does not have to look for the most modernized model. Among the simpler options, there are those that are affordable and quite suitable in quality.
Weight. Modern bicycles in this category do not weigh that much - within 10-12 kg. However, light weight, according to professionals, is not too much of an advantage of such bicycles, since it leads to some instability during tricks. Therefore, many people choose bicycles weighing at least 11 kg.
Material. This point is very important because it is responsible for the reliability of the design. The following options are currently available on the market:
- Cr-Mo. This means that an alloy of chromium and molybdenum has been added to the steel, which should improve its strength properties. This leads to some lightweight design compared to hi-ten while maintaining its reliability. True, and to a certain rise in price. Such frames have excellent shock absorption.
- Hi-Ten. Material: improved quality steel. This option is cheaper than the previous one. However, such structures are heavier and not as strong as Cr-Mo.
- Combined (Cr-Mo/Hi-ten). This option makes the design cheaper. At the same time, those elements that carry a large load are made of more durable material.
Bearings. Bearings in the carriage and other elements must be industrial. Only in this case, if a problem arises with them, you will need to replace the bearings, and not the entire spare part. In addition, they are more durable.
Rim. There are two options - single rim or double. For a beginner, the first option may be sufficient. But it should be remembered that as your skills improve and loads increase, the rim will have to be changed.
The helmsman. There are integrated and non-integrated steering wheels. The first ones are easier to install and lighter. The latter are becoming less and less common today, as they are considered obsolete.
Frame size. This parameter is selected according to height and determined by the length of the top tube of the frame. Measured in inches. For riders 170 cm and taller, it is recommended to choose a frame 20.75-21 inches long; with a height of 140-170 cm, the frame should be between 20.75-20.5 inches; for short riders, a frame with a length of 20-20.25 inches will be the ideal choice.
If the frame is selected correctly, riding will be more comfortable, and the bike will be more pliable and obedient when performing tricks.
At the very beginning of your BMX journey, you can buy the simplest one, and then improve it by adding improved elements. Well, subsequent successes in this direction depend on how responsibly the choice is made.
