I`ve been hardcore BMX for 30 years now but have recently decided to sell my BMX bikes and have bought a Union Street WCH. I`m pretty stoked on this frame and am collecting parts right now. I picked it because of the fact it uses BMX parts and still has a little BMX soul to it. Thing is it seems like most of the people that ride these kind of bikes come from a mountain bike background. Nothign wrong with that. I even had a Santa Cruz Hecler for alittle while years ago. But I quickly discovered climbing hills and technical single track was not for me and sent that bike down the road and went back to BMX. I finally decided on going this way because a bigger bike is just more comfortable. I`m hoping it will be better riding for me than the cruiser I was on. I`m 42 now and my body is pretty trashed from the years past. Anyway, it seems like there are really no magazines geared towards the urban/dirt jumping (Or whatever you want to call it) scene. Not to mention any mailorder companies like Dans Comp. Even the few BMX companies that make bikes and parts for us rarely show their products on their websites. So basically I`m just wandering if I have missed something. Maybe I justr haven`t discovered what I seek yet. Are there any mail order companies or magazines like that?
BMX Convert
- Thread starter Bryan67
- Start date
Well since the WCH uses BMX parts...you can use mailorder or your LBS. Not really any street 24/26" mags tho, we do it for the love.
Yeah, I pretty much have all the parts planned out for it but I still love to look throught the latest Dans flyers or cruise the site. What I don`t like doing is looking through the mountian bike sites for parts or looking at mountain bike magazines for stuff. Just not into that scene. I was very close to opening a bike shop at one time and would love to open a small shop that caters to BMX and 24/26 bikes. (I still don`t know what to call them).
dude you live in fresno? you should come up to mariposa some time, hit the park, roost sum jumps, and if you open a shop im so down to do work. anyways, yeah the 24's is a pretty small niche in biking id say so its tough to find what your lookin for sometimes.
welcome. decline is one magazine that sort of covers big bike street but not really...it's mostly just the lame "street" contests. like the one guy said you do it for the love. europe has a much bigger big bike scene then the US though..
here's an awesome big bike street video for some modivation
http://www.vimeo.com/356938
here's an awesome big bike street video for some modivation
http://www.vimeo.com/356938
Welcome to the fuzzy grey area between mtb and bmx. I think you'll dig that bike. I come from a bmx background, too. I'd say it's a pretty good mix around here of riders who have bmx backgrounds and those who don't. I switched to doing bmx stuff on big wheels a few years ago. Although, I'm currently building up a new 20", so I'll be rockin' both. As I like to say, it's all just bikes. I try not distinguish between mountain bikes and bmx when it's the exact same type of riding.
I definitely try to get as much bmx stuff on my bike as possible. I like to use Empire. Ride This usually has a good selection of mtb street/park/dj stuff. http://www.ride-this.com/
As for mags, Decline is probably the best. Although, it also has a lot of DH racing coverage. There are websites like littermag, the eastern front, and match videozine that have some coverage of this stuff. I still like bmx mags and websites better, though (Ride, The Come Up, Defgrip, etc). And there's my website, too.
www.liquid-dirt.com
Let's see some pics of that bike when you get it built up!
I definitely try to get as much bmx stuff on my bike as possible. I like to use Empire. Ride This usually has a good selection of mtb street/park/dj stuff. http://www.ride-this.com/
As for mags, Decline is probably the best. Although, it also has a lot of DH racing coverage. There are websites like littermag, the eastern front, and match videozine that have some coverage of this stuff. I still like bmx mags and websites better, though (Ride, The Come Up, Defgrip, etc). And there's my website, too.
www.liquid-dirt.comLet's see some pics of that bike when you get it built up!
Yes the BMX/MTB mix is fun. I grew up on BMX from age 11-18, got into XC racing and did both for a couple of years. Then dropped the BMX and raced XC only. At about 28 I got into FR/DH and got rid of the MTB. At age 30 I picked up a 24" cruiser and hit the BMX track again.
Now at 34 I am getting into park/DJ and also searched as to what frame and parts to get. Current Riot has BMX cranks and chainring but MTB everything else. I wanted micro drive for the park and only way to do that is with BMX. Now I have a 26" park/DJ bike that is really a big BMX bike. Handles like a BMX and is so fun to ride..
My advantage is working at a bike shop so I have access to almost anything.
Now at 34 I am getting into park/DJ and also searched as to what frame and parts to get. Current Riot has BMX cranks and chainring but MTB everything else. I wanted micro drive for the park and only way to do that is with BMX. Now I have a 26" park/DJ bike that is really a big BMX bike. Handles like a BMX and is so fun to ride..
My advantage is working at a bike shop so I have access to almost anything.
in addition to DECLINE, check out:
DIRT UK Magazine ( www.dirtmag.co.uk ).
it seems to have more DJ/Park, although both are Downhill oriented.
i like the writing style as well. more substance, not just picture pages.
DIRT UK Magazine ( www.dirtmag.co.uk ).
it seems to have more DJ/Park, although both are Downhill oriented.
i like the writing style as well. more substance, not just picture pages.
welcome the the WCH family
thats basically all I had to say, but like other people said, for mags, check out decline, and modestbike (if that is still around). as for websites, check out tonic fab's site, matchvideozine, grindstate (in hibernation), and eastern front (also in hibernation)
and for inspiration take a look at my WCH, and bmx parts are the way to go
thats basically all I had to say, but like other people said, for mags, check out decline, and modestbike (if that is still around). as for websites, check out tonic fab's site, matchvideozine, grindstate (in hibernation), and eastern front (also in hibernation)
and for inspiration take a look at my WCH, and bmx parts are the way to go
Almost EVERYONE I know, is just the opposite. We all started with 20" bmx bikes. I switched to 24" in '83.
26" in '04 after a 15 year layoff.
Haha, yeah, like Cru said, welcome to the grey area... there are no dualities here, everything converges, no black or white.
And yeah, I'm all over the place too, from dark to lt. grey... I ride any size bike, I dig all two wheel creations, even motorized, haha. Grew up on bmx of course, but now my main rig is a 24" USB Molly. Although I do have a 20" in the works slowly over snow months, as well as a nice beach cruiser, among a DH bike and SS'er...
I'm sure you'll love the WCH, no doubt about it, it's got one of the most progressive geo.s out there for melding between bmx and steep, tight "mtb" if you want to call it that.... none of us here know what to call it either, except "biking". Names won't necessarily help the definition come to life any further than it is now. But you are right, there is a large lacking in any dedicated shop, mail-order, or mag for us floaters... Still like a "side" genre that gets a bit of minimal coverage here and there, but nothing fully dedicated yet... That's the main reason I come to these forums like this, to pick up on new stuff dropping and see what's out there. Right now most of us just use bmx parts and throw them onto a small scale production 24 or 26 frame, like from USB or Tonic, etc, etc...
But, as we speak right now, this genre is blowing up big time, and although the market will swarm with new parts, I'm just not sure if I like it getting out of hand. Whatever... post up some pics of that sweet rig you're building up.
And yeah, I'm all over the place too, from dark to lt. grey... I ride any size bike, I dig all two wheel creations, even motorized, haha. Grew up on bmx of course, but now my main rig is a 24" USB Molly. Although I do have a 20" in the works slowly over snow months, as well as a nice beach cruiser, among a DH bike and SS'er...
I'm sure you'll love the WCH, no doubt about it, it's got one of the most progressive geo.s out there for melding between bmx and steep, tight "mtb" if you want to call it that.... none of us here know what to call it either, except "biking". Names won't necessarily help the definition come to life any further than it is now. But you are right, there is a large lacking in any dedicated shop, mail-order, or mag for us floaters... Still like a "side" genre that gets a bit of minimal coverage here and there, but nothing fully dedicated yet... That's the main reason I come to these forums like this, to pick up on new stuff dropping and see what's out there. Right now most of us just use bmx parts and throw them onto a small scale production 24 or 26 frame, like from USB or Tonic, etc, etc...
But, as we speak right now, this genre is blowing up big time, and although the market will swarm with new parts, I'm just not sure if I like it getting out of hand. Whatever... post up some pics of that sweet rig you're building up.
Well, I would definately not call it mountain biking. Thats for sure. Whatever it is, I am looking forward to getting my bike done. And I`ll
for sure post some pics up when its more than just a frame a few parts. I still need some hubs, bars, tires and forks. I`m going rigid so that pushes it even farther away from being a mountain bike....
for sure post some pics up when its more than just a frame a few parts. I still need some hubs, bars, tires and forks. I`m going rigid so that pushes it even farther away from being a mountain bike....
Welcome Bryan!
You can always e-mail us at union-street if you have any questions... Looking at my personal bike the only "mtb" parts are the Stem and Bars, Front Fork, Rims and Tires. Furthermore, none of those parts would go near a traditional "Mtb"
You can always e-mail us at union-street if you have any questions... Looking at my personal bike the only "mtb" parts are the Stem and Bars, Front Fork, Rims and Tires. Furthermore, none of those parts would go near a traditional "Mtb"
i don't know man, you'd be surprised how rad some of the newer dirt jump suspension forks are, especially when tuned with stiff springs etc. it will feel nothing like your mushy xc fork.
i came off a recurring wrist injury on my 20", and now i have zero problems with it (until i get back on a rigid fork). it is awesome. basically given me back the ability to ride. xc trails, dirt jumps, skatepark, anything. you said your body was beat up.... suspension might be the way to go, IMO.