Old School to Now: What happened?

From what I can tell, mags just sucked balls in general.

The 90's is not the old school. It's mid-school. BMX started in the late 70's, so the proper old school is 70-80's.

Progression happened


Most parts are lighter and stronger and mag wheels looked awsome but sucked


Amd the brakes thing is a preference thing, there are still people who run both brakes though most run either just back or none at all

Fondue wrote:

The 90's is not the old school. It's mid-school. BMX started in the late 70's, so the proper old school is 70-80's.

Fondue wrote:

The 90's is not the old school. It's mid-school. BMX started in the late 70's, so the proper old school is 70-80's.

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Sorry... I meant the 80's. Edited OP. I started driving in '94 so I was beyond bikes by then.

Check out the documentary Joe Kid on a Stingray. It shows the history of BMX from the 70s to the mid 2000s.

I still run both brakes. I guess the reason so many people don't when people did back then is because back then they were thought as necessary, when they're not anymore. Most peoples bikes these days only have what's needed, which is why double top tubes and mag wheels are pretty much obsolete because they're not needed. Personally I like features like double top tubes.

Parts improve, quality rises, weight come down, and trends change.

i just hate working on brakes.

Things change (fact)

I started riding in what would be called the mid school i guess back in 1994, then had to stop riding in 2001, now 13 years after i stopped I've been back at it 2 years in May this year and I've completely embraced new school riding.

Everything about the actual act of riding is so much better now, the bikes, the tricks, even the clothes. The only thing I can think of that was better back in the day was the brotherhood / community aspect, I'm not saying that that doesn't still exist these days because it does, its just seems like there is more bullshit involved now, but other than that its so much better than it used to be, in my opinion anyway.

I did used to love mag wheels tho, look so good.

Lots of great replies! Keep 'em coming.

I respect opinions but i dont quit understand the "nostalgia" for bmx. I would hate riding some 35-40 lb hi ten bike that breaks a ton and has such confusing bearings like standard headsets, american bottom brackets etc. its super nice to be able to put my bike together in 5 minutes and it be fairly strong and sub 25 lbs.

Four wrote:

I respect opinions but i dont quit understand the "nostalgia" for bmx. I would hate riding some 35-40 lb hi ten bike that ...more

Four wrote:

I respect opinions but i dont quit understand the "nostalgia" for bmx. I would hate riding some 35-40 lb hi ten bike that breaks a ton and has such confusing bearings like standard headsets, american bottom brackets etc. its super nice to be able to put my bike together in 5 minutes and it be fairly strong and sub 25 lbs.

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But 40 pound bikes don't break...

Four wrote:

I respect opinions but i dont quit understand the "nostalgia" for bmx. I would hate riding some 35-40 lb hi ten bike that ...more

Four wrote:

I respect opinions but i dont quit understand the "nostalgia" for bmx. I would hate riding some 35-40 lb hi ten bike that breaks a ton and has such confusing bearings like standard headsets, american bottom brackets etc. its super nice to be able to put my bike together in 5 minutes and it be fairly strong and sub 25 lbs.

...more

blaaaaaaaaa wrote:

But 40 pound bikes don't break...

blaaaaaaaaa wrote:

But 40 pound bikes don't break...

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blaaaaaaaaa wrote:

But 40 pound bikes don't break...

blaaaaaaaaa wrote:

But 40 pound bikes don't break...

...more

They do indeed. I remember reading in an interview ( I think it was Seth Kimbrough) said that he went from a heavy bike that broke every couple months and now its light and he rarely breaks them. I think it was about his signature frame. Light isn't always as bad as people think. The s3.5 was a solid frame and weighs like 4.3 lbs.

I had a really heavy hi ten frame with Motomags, and really heavy forks. I went from that to an 88 Mongoose Cali pro that weighed less than most completes today, and never had a problem with breakage. There WERE strong and light bikes, with sealed bearings back in the 80's, you just had to pay more, and stay away from the gimmicks. Freestyle bikes had loops and peg holes welded all over them. You could literally melt one down and make three of today's frames because of all the extra metal in them.

With parts and there looks the reason it changed is because everything is stronger and more technologically advanced.

As for the no brakes thing... just look at riding from the 80s (bob haro for example) and then look at riding from the 2010 on... (nigel sylvester for street and say logan martin for park and brandon dosch for dirt..) the styles are completely different!

DeviantBMX123 wrote:

With parts and there looks the reason it changed is because everything is stronger and more technologically advanced.

As for ...more

DeviantBMX123 wrote:

With parts and there looks the reason it changed is because everything is stronger and more technologically advanced.

As for the no brakes thing... just look at riding from the 80s (bob haro for example) and then look at riding from the 2010 on... (nigel sylvester for street and say logan martin for park and brandon dosch for dirt..) the styles are completely different!

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I agree with you, but Logan Martin and Brandon Dosch both have gyros don't they?

People realize whats needed and not needed and how things can be made stronger, lighter, simpler.

BMX_Forever wrote:

I agree with you, but Logan Martin and Brandon Dosch both have gyros don't they?

BMX_Forever wrote:

I agree with you, but Logan Martin and Brandon Dosch both have gyros don't they?

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logan is brakeless as of right now as far as i know.. As for brandon i panicked lol maybe daniel sandoval would be better for park and chase hawk for dirt...