[brungeman]

So I found out that a local BMX track is now allowing 26" DJ bikes to compete racing in the cruiser class. As long as it is SS, it can be front suspended etc.

I have not had a chance to race BMX in years due to time and lack of BMX bike (I think allowing 26" bikes is a new development) , but I have a DJ rig and may hit it for fun some Tuesday night.

The question is when have 26" bikes been allowed, or is this a track by track thing???

I may be a purest, but do you think it is right running a 26" FS bike on a BMX track?

 

[olddogbmxer]

You have been able to run 26 inch bikes in NBL cruiser classes for as long as I can remember. A few years ago Walter Dunn Jr. won the NBL Grands and national # 1 on a Sinister DNA. I have a Chumba DSL I run every once in a while just for fun and Lars Tribus is always running his 26 inch at our local BMX track. While the 26" is usually a pig out of the gate depending on the bike setup, track and your skill level they can be competitive. I've won a couple of nationals over the years on the Chumba.It is also good practice for 4x racing and DS.

 

[brungeman]

really? I was out doing an XC ride near the premier BMX track in our area a few years back and was asking the guy running the gate practice about if running a 26" bike is legal... now maybe he misunderstood me, and thought I meant riding the 26" XC bike I was on, but he said "NO there isn't a class for it, you would be better off getting a cheap BMX bike" I thought to myself I have enough bikes, if I get one more, I might have to find a new home for myself and said bikes. I also have some friends who have been racing and all of them have purchased 24" cruiser bikes to race with, that just perpetuated the thinking of needing a 20 or 24 to race!

so I never really thought too much about it after that. Now that I have a daughter who is 5 I am looking to get into something we can do together! I would much rather use my multi purpose DJ rig, and buy a nice BMX mini for her than spend the money on a BMX for myself.

man... it kind of sucks thinking I COULD have been racing the past few years. As was said it would make a big difference for dual, 4x, and DH'ing for sure!

 

[Iridemtb]

Riding at a track on a hardtail really does help keep your jumping and pumping skills sharp...

 

[jasride]

It sounds like you really don't want to get another bike so....... Yeah, you could definitely ride the 26 no problem.

 

[aaronrocker]

my track wont allow them, mostly because they dont have a crusier class for old guys

 

[cmc]

The 2009 ABA rulebook says this about cruisers....

D. Cruiser
1. Bicycles for competition must have no less than a 24” wheel diameter. Bicycles with a 26” wheel diameter or larger are therefore allowable.
2. All cruiser riders must have an ABA cruiser membership to compete.
3. Boys cruiser classes will be formed according to this format.
• 3 riders in the same age group form a legal class at all non-national events
• At all national events, 4 riders of a single age and/or skill level are required to form a legal class. Multi-age
classes will require only 3 riders to form a class.
• Start at 9 & under and build up, however the move up process stops at the 26-30 class. (Classes 31 and above
are considered to be “protected” from younger riders moving up—with exception.)
• At this point, start with the 51 & over Cruiser group and begin moving riders DOWN until legal classes are formed.
Continue combining groups working down to 21-25 Cruiser. If there are still younger riders without a legal class,
they can be moved up to the last legal group that formed. (This is the only “exception” that will allow younger
riders move up into the older, protected classes.)
4. Always label the legally formed class by the title of the group in which it was formed.
5. Cruiser riders will receive points corresponding to the Cruiser points table.
6. Cruiser points will be separate from all other points.
7. All Cruiser riders must compete in their correct age class. Riding out of class will result in forfeiture of points and
possible suspension.
8. Pro Cruisers will never be moved into an amateur class.

http://www.ababmx.com/pdf/2009_aba_rulebook.pdf


other threads re: bmx track racing on a mtbmx:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212381

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=491358

 

[brungeman]

CMC,
ABA=no
from the NBL rule book...

Standard BMX-style bicycles having 20” or smaller
nominal diameter wheels may be used in any class that is not specifically
designated for “Cruisers”, the name given to BMX bicycles with 24”
or greater nominal diameter wheels.

NBL=yes?
so it depends on the affiliation of the track?

 

[brungeman]

my track wont allow them, mostly because they dont have a crusier class for old guys

I was told last week there were 3 guys racing. How many people does it take to make up a class? I know that if the word got out that they were allowing 26" bikes on the track we could put together a bigger field.

 

[jasride]

ahhh, your track just has to let it go. its happening all over the country. heres a thread on a pretty popular bmx site that has pages and pages of dudes and their 26 inch cruisers.

http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php?showtopic=27027897&hl=26+inch

Really, you should just show up to race and or ride and not even mention your bike set up. just go out and do it without even questioning anything. I was at an NBL track here in PA yesterday and there were a few 26 inch cruisers. Just go out and ride and dont even ask questions.

 

[jasride]

I was told last week there were 3 guys racing. How many people does it take to make up a class? I know that if the word got out that they were allowing 26" bikes on the track we could put together a bigger field.

pretty sure you need 3 to make a class. if there isnt enough in your age group to make 3, you are put in another age group.

 

[brungeman]

ahhh, your track just has to let it go. its happening all over the country. heres a thread on a pretty popular bmx site that has pages and pages of dudes and their 26 inch cruisers.

http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php?showtopic=27027897&hl=26+inch

Really, you should just show up to race and or ride and not even mention your bike set up. just go out and do it without even questioning anything. I was at an NBL track here in PA yesterday and there were a few 26 inch cruisers. Just go out and ride and dont even ask questions.

right on, where in PA?

pretty sure you need 3 to make a class. if there isnt enough in your age group to make 3, you are put in another age group.

that is cool... I'd be the old guy against the rippers!

 

[jasride]

right on, where in PA? Trilogy. Out in Downingtown, PA. good track, good people.



that is cool... I'd be the old guy against the rippers!

yeah its crazy how many "kids" are super, super fast now a days. But just going out and riding and racing the "track" keeps it just as fun when your getting smoked by the young guys.

 

[brungeman]

Jasride,
are you Eastern PA or Western PA?

I am going to keep an eye out for a mini for my daughter. she loves riding her pink 20" trek, and is always having me build up "2x4 jumps" in the driveway

 

[cmc]

CMC,
ABA=no
. . .

i don't understand your response. ABA = yes, you can have 26" wheels in the cruiser class. did i not just quote the 2009 rule book ?

 

[brungeman]

i don't understand your response. ABA = yes, you can have 26" wheels in the cruiser class. did i not just quote the 2009 rule book ?

Sorry mang!, I misread it as no more than a 24!

 

[jasride]

Jasride,
are you Eastern PA or Western PA?

I am going to keep an eye out for a mini for my daughter. she loves riding her pink 20" trek, and is always having me build up "2x4 jumps" in the driveway

Im more on the Eastern Pa side.


Yeah, there are lots of mini's at the track. it seems to be the standard for the little guys and girls. I'm not in the market for a mini just yet but I hear there are great deals on ebay and such for'um.

It all starts with the 2x4 and flimsy ply......haha

 

[cornfed]

In the cruiser class, you can run 24" wheels or bigger.

The original cruisers BITD were 26". That's why the class is called "cruiser". It started from people racing converted beach cruisers.

 

[Cru Jones]

The original cruisers BITD were 26". That's why the class is called "cruiser". It started from people racing converted beach cruisers.

That's what I was going to say. As far as I know, you've always been able to run 24" or bigger in the cruiser class.

Also, I thought that you used to be able to run up to three gears in bmx racing. Can you still do that?

 

[manimal]

cornfed knows his stuff...talk about stupid fast! holy crap that dude can fly!

i've raced both NBL and ABA tracks on my geared p cromo in the cruiser class. if a track says you can't race then it's specific to that track because the rules allow big bikes.

big bikes are 4:3 in this cruiser class main

..and competitive as well