The main differences between a mountain bike and a BMX lie in their design. BMX is designed for short sprints on smooth artificial tracks, while a mountain bike is needed for covering long distances over tough, rough terrain.

Frame

Due to the harsh conditions of BMX racing, these bikes have a lightweight, strong and rigid frame. Mountain bikes can have larger frames, are more flexible for a smooth ride, and usually have mounts for a bottle, pump, and even headlights.

Wheels

Standard BMX bikes have 20-inch wheels, while cruiser BMX bikes have 24-inch wheels.

They are very strong to withstand landings and stiff due to rapid changes in direction.

Mountain bike wheels are 26 inches in diameter for standard ones and 29 inches for large ones. Due to large wheels, it is easier for a bicycle to cope with stones, holes and other obstacles.

Brakes

BMX bikes usually only have a rear brake to control speed and control the bike while cornering, jumping, and doing tricks.

Mountain bike brakes can be caliper brakes, disc brakes, or combination brakes. They are very powerful to handle the mud, water and high temperatures encountered during long descents.

Transfers

BMX bikes have just one gear, while mountain bikes can have up to 24, making it easy to tackle all sorts of terrain, from steep climbs to long descents.

BMX pedals may have hooks or be attached to the foot. Mountain bikes may also have a strap to hold the shoes in place.

Suspension

BMX bikes do not have suspension, so cyclists must exert maximum effort to cope with obstacles during a sprint, with the body taking all the shock.

A modern mountain bike can have a front suspension fork, only front suspension, or general suspension (front and rear). Suspension allows the tires to handle bumps better and softens the rider's ride.

How to choose the right bike? What should you pay attention to when making a purchasing decision? What types of bicycles are there? In order to answer these questions and not get confused in the huge assortment of bicycle equipment, you need to understand the general structure of a bicycle and pay attention to the factors that make up its price. We offer you several consistent tips and hope that they will help you choose exactly the model you dream of.

1. Select the type of bike (mountain, road, BMX, children's, etc.)

   Depending on where, how, how often and how extreme you are going to ride, you need a certain type of bike. By following the link located just below, you can familiarize yourself with the different types of bicycles and find the best one for yourself among them:

   Usually, novice cyclists don’t think long about how to choose a bike and buy comfortable hardtails or amateur-level models. These are universal bicycles, riding which allows you to understand what exactly attracts you most: speed, off-road conquest, fast descents, jumps or a quiet ride without any bells and whistles. After which you can already worry about purchasing a more expensive and specialized model.

   When choosing a bicycle, it is very important to choose the right size, i.e. frame size optimal for the rider's height. Each bicycle model is available in several sizes, just as clothes are made in several sizes. Riding a bicycle whose size is small or large is not only inconvenient, but also dangerous. Knowing the height of the cyclist, it will not be difficult for you to choose the right size: just check the table in the article tips on our website or consult our sales staff.

2. Depending on the gender and age of the rider, we choose the optimal model

   Are you looking for a bike for a grown man? Looking for a female model? Or maybe you need a bike for a teenager or a child? Depending on gender and age, there are different recommendations on how to choose a bike. We bring to your attention thematic articles-tips:

   Each bicycle can be divided into two components: a frame and attachments (wheels, fork, pedals, chains, gear shifters, etc.). The level of quality and price of the frame depends on the materials from which it is made (steel, high-drawn steel, chrome-molybdenum, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, carbon), as well as strength, weight and other performance characteristics. The price of the attachment is usually two to three times higher than the price of the frame.

   Don't forget to buy everything you need

   BMX is often understood not as BMX bicycles, but as the sport itself - Bicycle Motocross, or Bicycle Motocross. The name is quite historical. Young guys who did not have enough money and opportunities to buy and maintain motocross motorcycles tried to make and ride difficult routes on bicycles available to them.

   Appearance and history

   The emergence of BMX dates back to the turn of the 60s and 70s, and for 10 years it was an unofficial entertainment, although specialized bikes for stunts were already appearing. In 1981, the International BMX Federation appeared, and in 2003, BMX became an Olympic sport. The first games where BMXers competed were the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

   Composition of the discipline

   Like many other extreme sports, BMX is divided into many disciplines and individual movements. Not everything is formalized:

   • Race – BMX racing, high-speed passage of a specially prepared track containing several straight and turning sections, as well as several “profile” obstacles: double and triple jumps, flat “table” and “step”, undulating sections.
   • Flatland - tricks on a flat surface, sometimes called "dancing". Far from being the easiest discipline.
   • Vert-BMX (Vertical) – sets of tricks performed on a U-shaped ramp, a very dangerous and spectacular type of BMX due to its high speeds.
   • Dirt-BMX – tricks on a dirt track with plenty of space for landing and acceleration.
   • Street-BMX is an urban environment, a super popular discipline among teenagers and fans of video broadcasts, this is where real stunt bikes are needed.

   BMX bike design

   Let's move on to the bikes themselves. Here are the main differences between a classic BMX and a conventionally classic bike:

   • Singlespeed - no switches, the most transparent and reliable drive system.
   • Low frame - for performing tricks.
   • Reinforced elements - the frame, wheels, pedals and steering wheel - must withstand very heavy loads.
   • Small (standard – 20”) wheels.
   • Pegs are pipes installed on the axle of a bicycle to support them when performing tricks.
   • Gyrorotor for transmitting the force of the brake cable.

   

   Frame

   The main element not only of BMX, but of any bicycle is the frame. Due to its small size, the BMX frame often becomes the weak link of the entire bike. On professional forums, half of the topics relate to the weight of the frame, and the second - to repair and prevention of cracks, because almost any trick is either a blow or a serious bending load for the frame.

   So, it is important to understand what to look for when choosing a frame:

   1. Weight. Anything that weighs more than 3 kg is no longer suitable for “real” tricks - it’s too heavy. However, for the entry level and low prices, more is possible.
   2. Material. Related to weight, but selected separately. Some are very light, but fragile, some are heavy, but reliable and repairable.
   3. Dimensions. A difficult question for any cyclist. Sizes are determined by the top tube; for teenagers with a height of 150 cm, a size of 20” is suitable, for tall athletes – a length of up to 21.5”. As you can see, the variation is small, and factors such as tricks and comfort for the individual athlete must always be taken into account.

   Steering wheel

   A rather complex element of a BMX bicycle, since the handlebars often bear the main load. BMX handlebars differ in their geometry:

   • Classic (two-element) - a standard steering wheel made of one curved pipe and a crossbar (crossbar).
   • Four-element - when an independent pipe welded to the central crossbar, plus a crossbar, goes in each direction.

   There are several other types of handlebars, for example, with a lowered crossbar for tricks with a small load, but high tuning requirements.

   
   1 – two-element steering wheel, 2 – four-element steering wheel, 3 – with a lowered crossbar

   A classic handlebar is recommended for everyone, but a four-piece handlebar is usually much less robust and is recommended when major changes to the “straight” geometry are needed. For example, sharp bends forward or backward (backsweep).

   Pedals

   BMX pedals differ little from standard pedals, except perhaps a little larger. Typically made from durable alloys:

   • Aluminum is a universal, not particularly strong and quite heavy material. Inexpensive, which is what captivates us.
   • Magnesium is lighter, but much more expensive than aluminum.
   • Plastic is the lightest material, but pedals made from it hold worse and are easily destroyed.

   Also, the bearings used play a significant role in the cost of the pedals. Inexpensive ones use conventional bulk bearings, while expensive models use more reliable and maintenance-free industrial bearings.

   Bushings and pegs

   BMX hubs are used exclusively, although the body is almost always aluminum. Sometimes reinforced bolt-on mounting is used. The most important thing in BMX hubs is the pegs and protection of the hub itself in case of serious loads.

   

   Pegs are small pipes, almost always standard (4 cm in diameter, 11 cm in length), fixed on axles. Athletes step on them to perform complex tricks, and they slide on various surfaces. To protect yourself when performing such tricks, some people install additional bushing protection in front of the pinto.

   The rear hub is mechanically complex. There are many options here. A regular ratchet can be used, with movement in one direction, and freecoasters for coasting in both directions.

   Brakes

   There is nothing unusual about the brakes themselves. V-brake or U-shaped reliable rim brakes, classic handles. In addition, some BMX bikes simply do not have brakes. This is a requirement of some disciplines, and simply a manifestation of courage.

   A special challenge is transferring load to the cable in conditions where it can twist (which is not uncommon in BMX). For this, a gyrorotor mechanism is used, which transmits the load through its system of bearings and splitters, regardless of the rotation and twisting of the fork.

   How to choose a BMX bike

   When choosing a finished bike, you should go through each element and understand whether it suits your riding style or not. What do we check when buying a BMX bike:

   1. Determine your riding style. For tricks on a flat surface - the most compact models that fit your height and hands; for racing - long, lightweight models; for complex tricks - the most durable options.
   2. Experience. For beginners, you should look towards cheaper and stronger models - there will be a lot of falls.
   3. Height. We determine the length of the bike and the comfort of the steering wheel by trying to ride it and doing a couple of tricks.
   4. Weight. We start from how the bike will be used (see point 1).
   5. Steering wheel. Reliable, with the exception of “dance” tricks - you can take complex four-element steering wheels for it.
   6. Bushings and system. As far as funds allow, we choose industrial bearings and modern alloys.
   7. Frame. The configuration depends on the riding style, but the welds should be checked before purchasing. This is a risk area for any BMX.

   

   You need to understand how much a BMX bike costs. The market can be divided into three segments:

   • Up to 15,000 rub. – the initial segment, you won’t find any special BMX components here, just the shape of the frame and basic stability in tricks. There may be problems with peg installation or brakes. The gyrorotor is usually replaced with ordinary cables.
   • 15,000 – 30,000 rub. – middle segment for beginners and experimenters. Basic bikes.
   • From 30,000 rub. and above - professional solutions. It should be noted that “above” can be a very serious amount. Many branded assemblies cost well over 100 thousand rubles.

   Manufacturers

   Perhaps, BMX bicycles are the least likely to be purchased assembled from manufacturers - the community spends most of its time discussing certain components of the bike. However, there are several well-known manufacturers:

   • BSD is a British brand, a very wide range of bicycles and spare parts;
   • Federal - This English manufacturer is better known for its promotion, but produces decent quality components;
   • Stereo bikes is a new German company that produces in terms of design;
   • Duo – very high quality components and bicycles from America;
   • Verde is another American manufacturer.

   At the same time, well-known MTB manufacturers also produce BMX configurations - from high-quality imported GTs to affordable Chinese Giants and Russian Stels. Beginners can choose them too.

   

   Conclusion

   BMX is a separate branch of cycling, little connected with road or cross-country. Stunts, unique bikes, vibrant music and high risks created a completely separate culture, and high technological requirements formed a completely new direction in bicycle design.

   BMX frame size is measured by the length of the bike's top tube.
   
   The correct choice of size affects:
   
   a) Ease of performing tricks and speed of learning. Don't be surprised that riding is difficult if you choose the wrong bike size;

   b) Health - if you choose the wrong BMX size, you can easily get scoliosis

   BMX bike frame size selection table based on height
   

   Length BMX frames in inches	Rider height in centimeters
   18.0-19.5"	130+
   20.0"	140+
   20.25"	150+
   20.5"	160+
   20.8"	170+
   21.0"	180+
   21.25"	190+

   
   Detailed video about sizes:
   

   Bearings

   Having decided on the size, we move on to the details. First up are the bearings. When riding BMX they are subjected to severe abuse, so it is important to choose good ones in advance. Bearings in BMX bikes are:

   • Industrial(prommies / sealed bearings / closed bearings) - a non-separable assembly of two rings, between which balls roll. Industrial bearings are pressed into their seat and replaced if necessary. Such bearings last longer because they become less dirty, but they also cost more. If possible, it is better to take BMX on them.
   
   
   • Bulk(loose balls) - open type bearings. They look like a set of balls rolling on a bearing cup. Their service life is shorter, because... they become clogged with dirt faster. And when disassembling parts on bulk bearings, the balls merrily scatter all over the floor.
   
   
   Ideally, BMX rotating components should be on industrial bearings. This will make the bike last longer and ride smoother. The exceptions are the pedals and the front hub - the gaps in these units are not critical.

   Materials

   In BMX there are basically two materials that are used separately or combined:

   • Cr-Mo(chromoly steel, chromol): lightweight, durable and, because of this, more expensive material;
   • Hi-ten(Regular Steel): inferior to Cr-Mo in strength and weight, but cheaper;

   Usually, in BMX, everyone is chasing exclusively cromol, citing low weight. In fact, as practice shows, in the end there is nothing left of a purchased complete set - everything is replaced with individual spare parts as they wear out. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with starting with a BMX with steel parts.

   By the way, here is a video about this:
   
   

   Components

   • Rims. There are double and single. Double rims are stronger and therefore better. Single ones are less durable, but cheaper. Sometimes BMX manufacturers put a single rim on the front wheel and a double rim on the rear. To begin with, you can choose single ones - they will be enough for learning basic tricks.
   • Pedals. Most often, plastic pedals are installed on BMX. Modern plastic pedals can withstand loads no worse than metal ones, but weigh much less;
   • Brakes. Brakes usually come with a BMX bike and are installed on it from the factory. It is better for a novice rider not to remove them - the ability to brake without a brake comes only with experience.
   • Connecting rods. Typically, BMX bicycles are equipped with 3-element tubular cranks, but there are also models with the so-called poker (single-element cranks, 1pc crank). Both types have a right to exist, but single-element connecting rods, due to their low strength and high weight, are acceptable only on children's BMX and on entry-level bicycles.

   Budget

   In BMX More expensive doesn't always mean better. Take a closer look, maybe the difference between a bike for 25 and 30 thousand is not so fundamental, and it’s better to buy a cheaper bike and spend the rest on good custom parts or protection.

   This is where the main features end, then the nuances begin, but more on them in other BMX articles. You can ask any questions in our group