[Kornphlake]

I bought a closeout model BMX bike that I am too ashamed to post pictures of but the price was so low I couldn't resist. So I built a little dirt jump in my yard and jumped it a few dozen times. Keep in mind I've been riding strictly MTB's for the last 12 years or so. I was feeling like I was getting pretty good on my little teeny double 1 foot high and 3 feet long on the new BMX. I decided just for kicks to get out the big bike and take a whack at it, I immediately noticed horrendous pedal bob, a handlebar so high it nearly gave me a nose bleed, and steering so slow I could barely make my way down the run in on course. What to my suprise despite all the deficiencies of a FS MTB I was able to clear the jump with more finesse and style on it than on the BMX. Is that normal for any of you? I'm just feeling like I should have more control over the little bike in the air and I just don't, will practice make the feeling go away?

 

[Toshi]

unless you're used to them, it's normal for bmx bikes (and especially mod trials bikes!) to feel odd, tiny, and twitchy. mountain bikes are more relaxing

 

[Kornphlake]

so can/will I get used to it?

 

[Ice Bullit]

I guess if you ride it enough you could theroetically get used to anything. I guess its different comming from a BMX past rather than jumping into BMX from MTB I tried that and it felt wack but I got a little used to it but could never understand why anyone would like the little things other than they are cheap. I would rather get a 26" ridgid before getting a BMX bike (I rode my bros for a while).

 

[Drew360]

i ride a bullit for mountain biking and a mosh dirt jumper for the doubles. i feel much more comfortable on my 20 inch hitting jumps than my F/S mountain bike. i know you will get used to the 20 inch. since you have been riding big bikes for 12 years it will feel a little odd at first.

it works both ways for me, if i ride my bullit for a while then hop on the ol' 20 incher it feels weird for a couple hours or so. also when i ride my 20 inch a while then try to hop on the bullit it feels waaay sluggish and clumsy especially if i hit any jumps on it. 20 inch is ALOT better for the dirt jumps ( no suspension compression, no top heavy feeling, alot more manuverable)

i love both my bikes but there is definately something special about the toughness, reliability and SIMPLICITY of a 20 inch. i will own and ride one till im old and bed ridden. by the way im 26 now.

 

[dromond]

Yeah I love my 20" for street ridign and whatnot, and when I get back on the mtb is feels big and sluggish. However I still dirtjump much better on the mtb and don't think I will keep the bmx to street/park.

 

[dhjill]

I race both BMX and DH...when I get on my cruiser or my 20", they both feel little and twitchy (especially the 20" ). I can't say the "feeling" ever quite goes away, but you will start getting a better feel for how the 20" will react the more time you spend on it. Plus, riding BMX will give you mad skills on a DH bike. Once I starting riding BMX, it took my DH game to a whole new level.

Have fun...

 

[HTFR]

ya we've all been there! ride a bmx for a while then hop back on to you bigger nike and it feels strang and soft and slow and sluggish and alliterated . then pop back on to the bmx and then it feels crappy! but i find that after rideing a 20 icher with 80pst stiff as steel(??) frame with no suspention my dh bike felt soooo smoth and i rode faster and mor confidently on the dh runs. do not swap mid session or else!

glad to see yougot your self a 20incher. right now i'm waiting for (back ordered:angry: ) parts for my big bike so i have bee just riding park on my 20 incher, what fun.

 

[Kornphlake]

Okay, well it's good to hear that I'm experiencing a normal learning curve. I just bought the BMX so I'm not ready to give up on it completely, I'm actually riding it alot better already than I was riding MTB's just a few ago, I guess most of the skills are easily switched from one to the other. It took me like 6 months to huck 3 stairs when I first started doing that kind of stuff on an MTB, on the BMX I just looked at the stairs and went for it. Big suprise 1 footers are cake on either a BMX or a MTB. I was just a little suprised that after riding the BMX for a while and feeling comfortable on it I was able to jump my wierd feeling MTB and feel better going off jumps.

 

[HippieKai]

my DH bike feels funny in the air
my BMX feels funny in the air
but my SS HT mtn bike feels so good in the air that thats all i ever ride anymore!

 

[dhjill]

Originally posted by HippieKai

but my SS HT mtn bike feels so good in the air that thats all i ever ride anymore!

Singlespeeds rule! I love my SS...

 

[Mutha Thuga]

you'll get used to it, I did, took about a month tho

 

[nicklin]

Originally posted by HippieKai
my DH bike feels funny in the air
my BMX feels funny in the air
but my SS HT mtn bike feels so good in the air that thats all i ever ride anymore!

yep, my ss bruiser with a shiver sc is sooooo sweet right now. good times.....

 

[TN]

Originally posted by HippieKai
but my SS HT mtn bike feels so good in the air that thats all i ever ride anymore!

That is because its an Evil.
I never could get the hang of jumping my XC bike but on my Evil, my skills have improved greatly & keep getting better.

I have never tried to jump a 20"er, though.

 

[Ifelloffabike]

i feel just as comfortable in the air on my bmx bike as i do on my mtn bike. Though i dont really hit dirtjumps on my bmx bike as much just because ive got my bars cut way down and its brakeless.

 

[mcA896]

yes.

 

[Kornphlake]

Originally posted by mcA896
yes.

That's it, if you're really supposed to be a member of the respect club or whatever it is that comment officially got you booted... Where's the respect?

 

[flatulant_man]

i tried my friends BMX one time, over a lil two or three footer, and i felt way scetchy. MTB is more natural for me too, because pedaling up to a jump on such a short wheelbase is way more unstable

 

[dromond]

i tried my friends BMX one time, over a lil two or three footer, and i felt way scetchy. MTB is more natural for me too, because pedaling up to a jump on such a short wheelbase is way more unstable

You have to ride it more than a couple times Takes a few weeks to a month to really get used to it.

 

[pnj]

I've spent about 20 years on a bmx bike. doing stunts and stuff, not racing...

if I ride my mtn. bike for a week, my bmx feels weird when I get back on and the mtn. bike feels weird when I go back.

but no matter how much time I spend on my mtn. bike, it still feels weird. (way too high....)

 

[joshg]

the stuff that good people can do on a bmx is awesome!
but damn i see some big kids riding all over town not doing any tricks on them and they look way goofy, kinda like the big guy in a little coat...knees up to thier chin...toes hittin the rubber and they are sportin the plummers crack...i dont see how i could be fun pedeling one all over town...