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The alt.bmx FAQ
Compiled + Maintained: Jonathan 'bomba' Harris
See [14] for contributor list
Adapted from Will Law's 1997 BMX FAQ Copyright(c) 2002 Jonathan 'bomba' Harris
Currently, this FAQ is about 50% old FAQ, 50% new stuff. I've left large chunks of older, but relevant text in there, and made comments. Other bits have just been added to, or replaced - bomba
The purpose of the BMX Frequently Asked Questions file is to provide a resource for everyone who wants their questions about the sport of bmx, answered cohesively and reliably. Nothing here is guaranteed correct.
It generally follows the FAQ format. Please note: At present this FAQ is for freestyle, it isn't really for bmx.
This FAQ has been written with the intention of getting rid of as many simple questions from the bmx list and newsgroup as possible. There are many questions that are repeatedly asked and often have very simple answers. It also acts as a central source of mostly technical information. If you think a section needs to be added/revised/redone etc, send me an e-mail and I'll do whatever...
Contents
[1] About the bmx newsgroup
[1-1] Introduction to alt.bmx
[1-2] What is it for?
[1-3] What is it not for?
[2] About bmx.
[2-1] What are the different riding types?
[2-2] What are the differences between different bikes?
[2-3] What do you need to get started in BMX?
[3] Buying tips.
[3-1] What bar/stem/frame/fork should I buy?
[3-1-1] What do I need to mount a front AD990?
[3-2] Which shop should I buy from?
[3-3] Is there a list of bike shops anywhere?
[3-4] What are the advantages of.....?
[3-4-1] Threadless forks?
[3-4-2] 3-piece cranks?
[3-5] What's the best all round frame?
[3-6] What are the best pegs?
[4] What part of a bike is the...?
[4-2] What is an a-headset?
[5] Where can I find bmx information on the internet?
[5-1-1] On the WWW?
[5-1-2] Other BMX FAQs-
[5-2] By e-mail?
[5-3] On IRC?
[6] Riding
[6-1] How do you learn tricks?
[6-2] Where is there to ride in [replace with city of residence]?
[6-3] Are there any other riders in [replace with city of residence] ?
[7] Travelling with your bike.
[7-1] How much will it cost to take my bike on a plane?
[7-2] How do I have to package it?
[7-3] How do I bend the rules?
[8] Tech words.
[8-1] What does [xxxxx] stand for?
[8-1-1] TIG.
[8-1-2] S&M
[9] Bike maintenance tips.
[9-1] A-Headsets
[9-2] Axles
[9-3] Bar-ends
[9-4] Bars
[9-5] Brakes
[9-5-1] How do you stop brakes squeaking?
[9-5-2] Brake cables
[9-5-2-1] Cable routing
[9-5-3] Brake Levers
[9-5-4] Brakes
[9-6] Chainrings
[9-7] Chains
[9-8] Companies
[9-9] Cranks
[9-10] Forks
[9-10-1] How do you put a 1 1/8" fork in a 1" frame?
[9-11] Frames
[9-11-1] How do you clean chrome?
[9-11-2] Frame Building
[9-12] Freecoasters
[9-13] Freewheels
[9-14] Grind disks
[9-15] Grips
[9-16] Gyros
[9-16-2] The cable balls keep popping out of my gyro. What should I do?
[9-17] Headsets
[9-18] Innertubes
[9-19] Pedals
[9-20] Ppegs
[9-21] Seats
[9-22] Seat posts
[9-23] Shin pads
[9-24] Stems
[9-25] Tyres
[9-26] Wheels
[9-26-1] Lacing
[9-26-1-1] Twist lacing
[9-26-1-2] Radial Lacing
[9-26-2] Rims
[9-26-3] Hubs
[9-26-4] Spokes
[9-26-5] Wheel Truing
[9-9] Wheels
[9-9-1] Why does my bike have a bigger front tyre than back tyre?
[9-9-2] Can you straighten up Skyway wheels by putting them in the freezer?
[9-9-3] What about alternative methods of lacing?
[10] Building riding terrain
[10-1] Ramps
[10-1-1] How much does it cost to make a ramp?
[10-1-2] Where can I find ramp plans on the www?
[10-2] Trails
[11] How can I contact bmx companies?
[12] BMX literature.
[13] Making BMX videos
[14] Contributors.
[1]About the bmx newsgroup
[1-1] Introduction to alt.bmx
Welcome to the alt.bmx newsgroup. We ask that you please read the FAQ before asking any questions you may have. Otherwise, look, listen, learn, contribute, but above all, enjoy yourself and the interests you share with the other netizens of the newsgroup.
[1-2] What is alt.bmx for?
The list is for general discussion on bmx related topics past and present. We would rather see less on the product front and more on the lifestyle, stories, scenes, experiences and news side of things.
[1-3] What is it not for?
Here is a list of the things that you should not do on alt.bmx:
1. First, don't write your posts in all capitals. This means you are yelling, and it will only annoy people. If you take note of this rule it will save people sending messages to tell you to turn off the caps lock.
2.Quote relevant parts of the post you are responding to so we know what you are talking about. If you are only responding to something mentioned in the last paragraph don't quote the other 6 paragraphs in the post.
3. Take time to see how the thread progresses. Don't respond to everything your first time on. Pay attention to the etiquete used.
4. Don't respond unless you have something constructive to add. "Those shoes rule" is not a valid response. You are trying to provide information to other people. The key is WHY do they rule. Strong soles, lasts forever. Explain yourself. If you agree with something someone submits don't post something like "Yo! Word to Kevin". This says nothing. If you agree say WHY you agree, relate a similar experience, "I agree because...." etc.
5. Just because you are on the internet doesn't give you an excuse to use poor english. The internet is about the free (or $19.95 a month) exchange of ideas and information. Spelling doesn't count but try your best to make sense. The idea is to get people to undersand what you are talking about. If they don't it makes YOU look like a dick. Paragraphs and sentences are always nice. It makes things way easier to read. 'Txt msg typ' speak is definitely NOT encouraged.
6. Try to read at your Re: posts and think : "If someone hadn't seen the original post would they know what was talking about?" After a couple days "Re:Stickers you suckers" can turn into a conversation about who won at the Play contest. No one wants to go back through all the posts to find out what the comment/post "Yo dude, what's the addie" means.
7. Do not post binaries. A lot of people will not appreciate having to spend extra time downloading their e-mail for the sake of a picture you think is cool.
8. Flames are accepted, just be careful how and who you flame, otherwise you could come in for some special treatment :)
9. Messages which are cross-posted to or from any advocacy group are not welcome. Spamming, ECP and EMP of any sort is absolutely not tolerated.
[1-4] Who is responsible for the FAQ?
Jonathan Harris is the creator and maintainer of this FAQ, but it's a large effort, and informed contributions are welcome, particularly suggestions for topics or questions that you feel have been overlooked. This is a living document and one that is intended to reflect the issues discussed on alt.bmx. All participants of alt.bmx are urged to contribute in whatever form possible.
[1-5] Feedback Feedback may be sent to uknowuluvituslag@hotmail.com
[2] About bmx.
[2-1] What are the different riding types? Flatland - This is arguably the most technically advanced riding type. It is basically doing any tricks you can think up just on flat ground, including spinning, rolling, scuffing and [a few] balancing tricks. Ramps - This is just what the name suggests. Doing tricks on mini ramps, spines, sub-boxes, banks, quarter pipes, jump boxes, etc. Vert - Vert involves doing airs and lip tricks on a half pipe / vert ramp. Trails - Riding trails is basically riding through a section of several dirt jumps in a row. Street - This is using any object in the street to do tricks on. Banks, walls, ledges, rails, steps, etc, are all things to ride. Racing - This is when you race against other riders to be the first to complete the dirt track.
[2-2] What are the differences between different bikes?
Flatland bikes are the shortest bikes with around 18-19" top tube. They often have freecoaster hubs [these allow you to go backwards without the pedals spinning round], 4 large diameter aluminium pegs, a gyro, short stems, 4 or 6-piece bars, and front and rear brakes [although, there is now a movement towards running only one [usually the front] brake or no brakes at all.
Next come street bikes. They have top tubes that vary in length, with top tubes generally ranging from 19.5-20.5" top tubes. Street is arguably the toughest on bikes, so the frames are usually strong, sometimes to the point of being overbuilt, with thick dropouts and gussets. That's about as far as any distinguishing features go because people have varying numbers of pegs, might have a gyro, a front brake or a grind disc.
Ramp bikes have top tube lengths between 20-21". They, likewise have strong frames, gyros, front and rear brakes, 2-4 long pegs, peg-mounts, thick dropouts and oversize axles.
Dirt bikes which generally have top tubes of between 20.5"-21" have no front brake and no pegs, so large/thick dropouts aren't required, neither are oversize axles, most bikes have 48 spoke wheels and cro-moly frames, but lighter/smoother sometimes go for the aluminium frame and 36 spoke wheel option.
Finally are race bikes which have top tubes of 21"+. These can be made of cro-moly, aluminium, and composite materials, they are lighter than all other types of bikes but aren't as strong. They have one brake [rear], no gyro, no pegs, regular size axles and 36 spoke wheels.
[2-3] What do you need to get started in BMX?
A bike - obviously.
Gloves - If you start riding lots and don't wear gloves your hands will get blisters and you won't be able to ride. After a while your hands will get tougher and you might prefer not to wear gloves. However, bear in mind that if you fall, gloves will protect you from ripping all the skin off your palms.
Shin pads - It can suck not wearing them even if you just slip your pedals - most bmxers have 'pedal bites' in their shins. Definitely recommended for beginners.
Knee pads - Landing on your knees hurts. Lots. Do yourself a favour and invest in some good ones.
Helmets - I can't stress the importance of a helmet enough. Sure, you may look like a dick, but it beats lying in a coma in hospital.
Somewhere to ride - depends on what sort of riding you want to do. If you want to ride flatland, find yourself a fairly large, smooth, flat surface. Car parks, especially multi-storeys [covered] are good. Ramps, you'll need to find your nearest ramp park. Indoor commercial parks are the best [although they do vary in quality]. Street, well, you can use anything you find. Sessions can be had with so many different objects, you just need a bit of imagination. Trails, you may be lucky and have some trails ready-built near you. But, if you ride them regularly, expect to have to chip in and help maintain them with the locals. If none exist, you'll have to build them yourself. Racing, your best bet is to find the closest club to you and go to the practice sessions at the local track.
Riding buddies - Not essential, but enhances the riding experience. You'll have more of a laugh and you'll progress faster. Unfortunately, if you're the only person in your country who rides, you're resigned to riding on your own. Like me.
[3] Buying tips.
[3-1] What bar/stem/frame/fork should I buy?
Highly subjective and dependent upon a number of factors such as what style you ride, your size, preferences, etc. Ask on the ng and you'll get some good answers. There are also some good tips in section [9] - Bike Maintenance Tips.
[3-1-1] What do I need to mount a front AD990? You need just the same as for a rear one. A pair of AD mounts or a brake plate. You don't need any other hardware at all, just thread you cable in from the side.
[3-2] Which shop should I buy from? Anywhere except Dan's. Support your local shop if you can. If they only stock a few items like innertubes etc, pester them to get more stuff in. If your local shop fails, go mail order. In Europe, I always find Cyclone Cycles, based in Essex, England to be fantastic. They're helpful, good value, and their products arrive in a couple of days, even though I live on the continent.
[3-3] Is there a list of bike shops anywhere? www.bmx-style.com has a good list of suppliers
[3-4] What are the advantages of.....?
[3-4-1] 3-piece cranks? 3 piece cranks are better engineered, stiffer, stronger and just generally better than 1 or 2 piece cranks. If you have the money they're well worth the investment.
[3-5] What's the best all round frame? There is no 'best' frame, it's dependent upon a number of factors: your height, weight, skill level, 'smoothness', what type of riding you will be doing and the amount of money you're willing to spend. Ask on the newsgroup, mentioning these factors, and people will be able to guide you.
[3-6] What are the best pegs? Flatland - you want 2 inch diameter x 4 1/2 inch long aluminium Street - you want 1 1/4 x 4 inch long steel Allround - Try 2 inch x 4 inch steel Buy them from any body and see how they do. Cheaper doesn't always mean worse (as far as pegs go)
[4] What part of a bike is the...?
[4-1] Gyro A gyro / oryg / detangler is a set of bearings in a rotor system that fits around the upper section of the headset. It allows you to spin the bars without tangling up the rear brake. Although pretty pathetic originally, current versions are really quite good.
[5] Where can I find bmx information on the internet?
[5-1-1] On the WWW? BMX companies Magazines Mail-order companies A list of useful links
[5-1-2] Other BMX FAQs- ESPN X-Games FAQ. Flavour Zine FAQ.
[5-2] By e-mail?
[5-3] On IRC? Check out the bmx group.
[6] Riding
[6-1] How do you learn tricks? Check out www.bmxtrix.com for lots of videos and tips. I think in the majority of cases, flatland is the only form of freestyle that tips really make a difference. But for most other things it is usually a case of practicing until you get the trick down. I've included tips for tricks I think require them below. And before you ask, bunnyhopping is just a case of practicing and practicing. There's no other way.
[6-1-1] Manuals: I find that it's best to have you ass low and far back and your front wheel low, than having you ass high and your front wheel high. In other words get you ass near to your tyre. Try and keep your movements as minimal and smooth as possible - big, jerky movements will kill the momentum and the balance. Keep one finger on your brake - if you start to go off the back, dab the brake. If you have problems with leaning to one side, focus your vision on a particular point and you should head towards it.
[6-2] Where is there to ride in [replace with city of residence]?
[6-3] Are there any other riders in [replace with city of residence]?
[7] Travelling with your bike.
[7-1] How much will it cost to take my bike on a plane? If you do it the correct way, it will probably cost you more than $50. But if you follow my easy guide [see part 7-3] you could save yourself some money.
[7-2] How do I have to package it? If you can't afford/hire/borrow a bike bag, go to a bike shop and get a bike box. They are bound to have lots and will probably be pleased if you take it off their hands. Depending on the size restrictions set by the airline, you will have to remove various parts of the bike. Take the wheels off, deflate the tyres and then attach them to the frame. Loosen the stem bolts and fold the bars over so they're flat to the frame and turn the bars / fork 90 degrees, so that they're in line with the frame. Secure them, so that it can't turn whilst in transit. Lower the seat-post, remove any pegs and the pedals and then secure them to the rest of the frame. Place packing material [polystyrene / bubble wrap / cardboard] between any pieces that may knock together. Try and cut a piece of wood to fit between the fork and rear dropouts to stop them from bending. Alternatively, ask at the bike shop if they have anything like this, as some bikes come packed with plastic protectors.
[7-3] How do I bend the rules? What you basically need to do is make the airline company think it's something other than a bike. First, find out the maximum package size the airline will allow. If they don't give dimensions, just a length, it is basically the sum of the length, width and height. Say for example, your 'suitcase' is 7' deep, 15' tall and 38 inches long, that would be 60'. Secondly, dismantle your bike. If the maximum size is quite big you may get away with not dismantling your bike that much, if however, it is small you may have to do a bit of work. If you can only fit the frame and a few other things in the case, just split the rest of the parts up and put them in your suitcase etc. Third, packing your steed. Here are a few tried and tested packages: 1. Hockey bag [Graeme Burke], a big army bag [Bobby Carter], bike box [Ron L, Pencilneck, bomba] Fourth, labelling your package. Here are your choices- 1 'Box camera equipment' or 'drafting project' [Bryan Huffman], 2 'Bike parts' [Pencilneck], 3. 'A display' [Bobby Carter], 'Engineering project' or 'Marketing display' [Ron L]
[8] Tech words.
[8-1] What does [xxxxx] stand for?
[8-1-1] BMX Simple, but we still receive this question. BMX is short for Bicycle Moto Cross, coming from the origins of the sport when bicycles were ridden round moto cross tracks.
[8-1-2] TIG. This is a type of welding. Tungsten Inert Gas. A nonconsumable electrode is used to strike and arc, a shielding gas [argon] is used to shield the electrode and weld pool. It is a really clean process.
[8-1-2] S&M It has come to light in an interview with Moeller in Freedom Magazine that S&M stands for 'Swingrover and Moeller' - the founders.
[8-1-3] DK All you hardcore kids riding DKs will be pleased to find out that DK actually stands for 'Dads and Kids'.
[8-1-4] GT (now defunct due to bankruptcy) The initials of the founder Gary Turner, who is now working at Alliance bikes.
[9] Bike maintenance tips.
[9-1] A-Headsets- How to run a potts mod front brake cable with A-Headset- DO NOT take the "star flanged nut" out of the forks--you need that for preloading the headset--if you knock your forks loose, you're screwed--it's a bitch to get back in--it's like banging bearing cups in--no fun. On top of that, don't even take the screw out, because then every time your headset gets loose you have to take Get the Diatech aheadset. It uses no star-flanged nut. Just a clamp that tightens your headset with a 5mm allen bolt. How to stop your a-headset coming loose- The aheadset system does get loose once in a while. The best thing to do is get really coarse sandpaper and sand the steerer tube and the inside of the stem till it's nice and rough. I have to really slam to knock my head set loose.
[9-2] Axles- If you run normal axles then face facts, the axles will bend at some point. The rear is more susceptible than the front as it takes more abuse, and obviously, 14mm axles are stronger than 10mm ones. If you choose to run 14mm axles, make sure that your frame has large enough dropouts, otherwise you may have to take a grinder / hack saw to them - not recommended. G-Sport Homer hubs - these hubs rule. There is nothing in the world that comes close. If you can afford them [they're not cheap] invest in a pair. I chose the word 'invest' carefully, because once you have them, you'll never need another set. Even if you do break one [George had only had one broken hub returned, last I talked to him], they have a lifetime warranty and will be replaced. They are now available in various flavours: right and left-mounted freewheel, 16 and 14 tooth mount, and the even beefier 'Vandal'. In the last few months, George has set up his website and is now accepting payments, so you can now get them outside the UK. Why are they so great? The 17mm (22mm in the centre!!) axle goes right up to the inside of the drop-out the skinny little 3/8" bolt is better supported than a normal axle (which is stressed all the way from the edge of the hub and out). The hubs come with machined push in cones which are 1 1/4". When you look at the set-up you just can't imagine the bolt ever bending; it is supported over nearly it's whole length. If you do need to change a bolt you'll be able to get one cheap in any hardware shop and you don't even have to take the wheel off your bike to change it. The bolts will hold up longer than a good quality axle (King/Standard) and they only cost 1 pound from G-Sport in England. Once you've found a good supply (where they'll be cheaper) you can just keep a couple spare in your pocket. So it's gonna be cheaper than replacing an axle and easier to carry spares (if you think that's necessary). The bearings are sealed and top grade.
[9-3] Bar-ends- Cheap, plastic bar ends break pretty quickly, so invest in some decent aluminium jobs.
[9-4] Bars- A friend of mine snapped his Strip bars yesterday, isn't that amazing? He only rides flatland and he had those bars for about 6 months I think. Aren't they supposed to be really strong?!?! Well, according to Standard someone in Europe was flogging duff bars, and if you buy 'em direct from Standard you'll get the genuine bars. Or maybe the bars just suck. Make your own mind up.
[9-5] Brakes-
[9-5-1] How do you stop brakes squeaking? You need to *toe in/out* your brake pads. That is changing the angle of the brake pads in relation to your rim. The leading edge needs to touch the rim first. If you look at the back of koolstop brake pad packages they usually have directions to set up your toe.
[9-5-2] Brake cables- To keep your brakes running smoothly, make sure your cables are always well lubed with a light grease. Replace outers/inners when they get bent and split/frayed and kinked. If you have a problem with snapping cables you may want to try some braided cables. In the UK you can get them from Reaction. Also, if you run a gyro, using replacement 2-into-1 cable splitters [such as Primo or Static] not only makes cables last longer but makes them easier and cheaper to replace.
[9-5-2-1] Cable routing- I have the cable housing stop at the a-headset cap where I have an adjuster barrel threaded in. From there I have the inner cable run through a hole drilled through the fork race (the most unbreakable part of the fork) directly to a set of cantis. Outerless cables is definitely the way to go. It means there's so much less friction. It's a bit easier on a morales because you need guides on the seat-tube to use this method on a chain-stay mounted brake. I was thinking about a way round the kink in the front brake cable in a potts mod. If you have a cable 'stop' (outer-cable stops, inner continues) brazed on to replace the cable 'guide' that most forks have at the top of the leg. Then a roller near the bottom of the fork leg, so the inner cable goes round smoothly. Then another cable 'stop' up the other side and a short length of outer cable up to the caliper (the brake wouldn't work without this bit of outer). This would definitely improve braking power, the lever would be much easier to pull on because of the reduced friction. You could also use a similar method on the lower gyro cables. Get a couple of those gadgets that MTBers use at the rear mech. They're a 90 degree roller mechanism. The great thing about them is that the roller doesn't have to attached to the frame, it has it's own little thing that slots into a cable stop. Anyway, you slot one of these into each of the lower gyro stops and continue the outer cable from there. This system eliminates a lot of friction, but you need to make sure there is a lot of tension in the cables [i.e. you must setup your brakes well] otherwise the cable might slip off the roller. Also, this system works well if your brake is on the seat stays but you may want to add a bit of outer cable between the gyro and the roller so it is alligned to go down the down tube if you brake is mounted on the chain stays. DO NOT take the "star flanged nut" out of the forks--you need that for preloading the headset--if you knock your forks loose, you're screwed--it's a bitch to get back in--it's like banging bearing cups in--no fun. On top of that, don't even take the screw out, because then every time your headset gets loose you have to take out your whole brake cable. That's how I had it at first, but it began to drive me nuts. Just buy own of the hollow replacements. I have the cable housing stop at the aheadset cap where I have an adjuster barrel threaded in. From there I have the inner cable run through a hole drilled through the fork race (the most unbreakable part of the fork)directly to the crosspull cable. I also line the bare cable with that Gore Tex liner, so that it's SUPER smooth. As far as being skeptical about drilling holes in your forks, mine have held up for almost 2 years and although I'm not half the jumper I used to be, I still land as hard as shit. A fork NEVER breaks at the race, so drilling a little hole, if done correctly, won't weaken the fork.
[9-5-2] Brake Levers- At the moment there seems to be a bit of a fashion for narrow bars amongst certain groups of people, if you are one of them then you'll have to bend your levers. MX99s aren't particularly good because both the lever and the 'mount' are liable to snapping. Tech 77s work better. To bend them, get a pair of mole grips and clamp them onto the end of the lever over an old rag and apply force. Don't clamp the mole grips further down the lever because they're more likely to snap.
[9-5-3] Brakes- How to improve the power of your brakes-
1] What type of brakes do you have? AD-990's and Canti's are good. If your frame will take them, V-brakes are the best out there. Bear in mind though, that they will NOT fit on U-brake [ie, AD-990] mounts.
2] For all brakes you need good cables. Either take them apart and lubricate the cables or, if in need, replace and lubricate.
3] For calipers, take the springs and pull them farther out. Then put a dab of grease on the arm where the spring pops in. This allows the spring to slide inside the arms.
4] You can replace the brake pads with a HIGH quality pad or use sandpaper to remove the buildup glaze on the pads.
5] Who care's about brakes squealing? Set your brake pads up so the maximum amount of pad is touching the rim. i.e. put the block in the right place, pull your brake lever so the brake block squeezes against the rim, then tighten it up.
6] If you really need a lock up brake, use roofing tar. Two spins with DRY tar on the rim will do.
7] If you don't want to get canti/ad mounts welded on you could buy one of many add on brake plates for about $20 or 20ukp. This is particularly useful for forks that don't have any mounts.
8] Adjust the tension in your springs so both pads touch the rim at *exactly* the same time.
9] Remember, the tighter you have the springs, the less power you have.
10] Forget the coke. It is probably just soaking into the small pits and grooves in the rims and the (when heated) becomes gummy after the brakes are applied a few times. Use something like Berryman's Chem-Tool and clean rags.
11] If you are lucky enough to find them, look for some old style finned Mathauser brake pads. These are the all time best pads. I still have several old sets, but I don't think they are making them anymore.
12] If you are not already riding chrome-plated rims, they definitely make the biggest difference.
13] You can get some really good, cable yokes [straddle cable bits] that have two extra allen bolts that clamp onto the straddle cable to stop it moving/flexing.
14] When you are putting on new cables, use teflon lined [oddessy slick\gyro cables.]
15] I put a little philwood grease on the cable, and put a little tri-flow in the housing.
16] Make the cables as short as possible to stop flexing
17] Have well adjusted (no freeplay)and lubed brakes.
18] Have clean rims and brake pads. Clean rims with metho etc, rub pads flat on concrete.
19] Use zip ties [cable ties] to fix your cables to your frame as much as possible to stop flexing.
20] The pads may need to be replaced if they are very old because they go hard.
21] Please DO NOT use that disk brake anti-squeak! I used that for a while when I had a Mongoose Californian about 352 years ago on my pro class rims. If you like having to use your hands to pull the pads off the rim every time you brake.
22] Get some AJAX [you know that cleaning shit], and mix it with water- mix it so that it becomes like a chalky just-bearly liquid- then using your finger (don't be a panzy about it it's only bleach you can wash your hands afterwards) spread the mixture on your rims and your break pads- let it dry over-nite - your breaks should now work a-lot better
The "Which is the best brake?" debate-
AD-990 / U-brakes- Made by Dia-Compe, and, it seems, have been around since the dawn of time, they are still the staple for most bmxers. Based on a U-brake design, they've remained virtually unchanged. And despite being oft-imitated, they have never really been bettered. The latest challenger is Odyssey's Evolver. Time will tell how much of a challenge they will be. AD-990s are good brakes, but are fiddly to set up and suffer from a lack of decent stopping power by today's standards. Still, if you can master the black art of setting them up well, they will serve you well. If you can find a set of Shimano U-brakes, that were on mtbs in the early 90's, then they're well worth it. They're bulkier than AD-990s, but offer superior braking. The only problem, is trying to find a set...
Cantis- Cantis have become a bit dated now, as V-brakes have taken over even the cheap-end bikes that have canti mounts. However, they still have a place on the front end of bmxes, due to their tidyness and stopping power. I've had canti bosses mounted on my Standard forks, and used to run cantis on them. They're currently redundant until I can find a set of cantis, but they offered a nice combination of stopping power and modulation.
V-brakes- If it's power that you're after, then nothing comes close to V-brakes [excepting disks, but we're not going to talk about them here]. V's offer awesome stopping power, but there's not a huge amount of modulation, so probably not ideal for flatland. There are a couple of problems associated with V's though. Firstly, due to their design, the pads have to sit very close to the rim. This means a ding to the rim can cause the brakes to rub. Secondly, bmx, in its freestyle form, has not been keen to embrace this new standard, and so most freestyle frames still come with U-brake mounts. Why don't more manufacturers offer bikes with V / canti mounts? The general concensus seems to be that it's a style thing - V-brakes just aren't seen as 'hardcore'. It's a shame that style seems to have taken the place of function.
[9-6] Chainrings Thick or thin? Thick chainrings are all the rage at the moment, but do you really need them? If you grind on the right-hand side and you're bashing and bending your ring all the time, then maybe look at one or a bash guard. Similarly, if you're in to the current trend of sprocket grinds, rocks, disasters, then a thick ring is for you. If none of this stuff applies to you [myself included], then a thick ring is just a fashion thing - it's not worth it, and adds a load of weight to your bike.
[9-7] Chains
As above. If you break your chain through grinding, then look at a thick chain, otherwise, a normal chain should serve you fine.
[9-8] Cranks 3-piece cranks are top notch. Preferably, look for those with a splined spindle and cro-mo tubular cranks. Profiles, both in their original form, and the beefy SS versions rule. The Snafu cranks also look good. Avoid one and two-piece cranks unless you really can't afford anything better.
[9-10] Forks- There's a bit of controversy in this section because it used to begin with the following paragraph written by Gregg Hansen of Homeless Bikes:- The best forks, by far, are Homeless forks. Let me tell you why...We use 1-piece machined steerer tubes, machined in real 4130 heat treated chromoly. Then we use the same mil-spec tubing to make the legs in an .065 thickness. But the goocher is, we get our fork legs bent on a huge hydrolic with a mandrell, so that the stress to the bend in minimal. You can get our forks with regular 4130 drops, with peg bosses, with peg supports, with 990's, with an aheadset/stem combo, or with a threaded/stem combo (or any combination of those). But the best part of all, you'll have a little money left over when you're done. Unlike Standard, WAL/2-Hip, or Indy - we make our own forks. thanks gregg But since then I've spoken to Ron Wilkerson. And here's what he said about it:- Gregg said that they make everything there and talked about how they bend their forks, well in actuality, back when they were in business, they would send their forks to SE in San Diego to get bent. hmmph. and then he listed 2-Hip in the companies that don't make their own stuff.....well, we at 2-Hip used to get our frames made at homeless and they were the shittiest frames we ever had made. I have always considered myself a friend of greggs, but all gregg did was bitch about how hard our frames were to make and why it was taking him so long. and then after all his bitching and moaning, when we got them, they were COMPLETE SHIT, horrible workmanship, out of alignment AND the chain would hit the seat stay. So we abruptly switched. We went to another manufacturer, fabweld. They made a couple good batches for us, and then when we made a couple minor changes, we got screwed again with a shitty batch of frames where the sprocket hit the chain-stay. We got fucked by them. So we switched to another manufacturer that we had used before and ALWAYS had made top-quality products for us. They were always too slow, but now have changed their operations and are producing the 1998 2-Hip frames as we speak. The standard forks aren't all that good. I went through two forks in the last year. The strongest forks I've ever ridden are the Indy forks. I mean standard forks and frames are strong (I've got a lengthy but, I have broken that one too.) However, standard's are still the best frame co.
Converse to the above statement, I've been riding the same Standard forks since 1996 [that's 6 years now], and have had no problems. I'm not a light guy, stuff has broken all around it, but the forks have been great - bomba
[9-10-1] How do you put a 1 1/8" fork in a 1" frame? 1. Take your 1" cones to a machine shop and have them make the hole in the middle of it 1 1/8". 2. Put the rest of the a-headset on as usual.
[9-12]Frames
[9-12-1]How do you clean chrome? Here's a list of possible solutions- Try a wad of aluminium foil and a bowl of water. An SOS pad. I wouldn't recommend this unless you want to risk dulling your chrome. Use a chrome cleaner to take care of it. Any autoparts store would have stuff for that, look in the area where car washing/waxing stuff is sold. I know Turtle Wax and Simonize make such a product. Naval Jelly. Just put it on then let it sit for a while and wipe it off.
[9-11-2] Frame building- - OK, here's the manual from one of my suppliers: - 4130 Normal = 90KSI Tensile, 70KSI Yield - 4130 Stress Releived = 110/95 - 4130 Heat treated = 125-180/100-165 (It varies w type of heat treatment) - 4135N =95/80, SR= 115/110, HT = N/A - 4140 Annealed = 90/65, SR= 120/100, HT = 140/115 - 4150 N = N/A, SR = N/A, HT = 160/130 - 4340 N = N/A, A = 110/75, HT = 140/115 - 8620 SUCKS! Conclusion for why 4130 is Godlike. It is the most common and almost the only available type in most OD and walls. If heat treated properly, it can be stronger than 4340 anyway. Did anyone read a number higher than 180? So keep calling yerself 4130, yer OK by me. But considering Standard axles are 4140 and they have a stronger tensile strength than 4130 , why wouldn't anyone use 4150? (For the axles, it seems to have superior properties over 4130 and 4140). Because the fifth time you did a handrail, your axle would shatter into little pieces. Stronger material is also a lot more brittle, and that means that it fatigues a lot worse. Elastic material can cope with fatigue much better. BMX bike parts pretty damn hard to design correctly... you want: light weight, high strength, resistance to impact forces(which are pretty much impossible to calculate), and fatigue strength (so frames dont break every 6 months like clockwork) Along that subject anyone thinking of buying an ALUMINUM frame better get ready to watch it CRACK within a year of hard riding. Aluminum is one of the worst materials as far as fatigue strength is concerned. (the more times you cycle the loading, the less strong the material becomes) I've broken every bike I've ever had and NOTHING ever broke,as quickly as my Holmes (both of them). I've snapped every aluminium frame I've ever owned - bomba Cromo comes in .028, .035,.049,.058,.065,.083,.090 wall thickness, in diameter increments of 1/16ths of an inch. I think the reason they don't use extremely high wall thickness is because they don't have to. There is a point at which simply adding more material doesn't make it much stronger. Armored vehicles can be increased in strength by making their walls thicker, but they are designed around projectiles hitting perpendicularly or nearly perpendicularly to their surface. Bicycles, one day the kid could snap it round the head-tube, the down-tube, the top-tube, the stays might bend. Who knows how they're going to treat it or how they're going to land. The standard way to make a frame is to use like 1 3/8 or 1 1/2 .065 tube (for a tank) and weld the puppy up. But if you use 2" .035, it will be lighter, and stronger. Well, that's kinda like the haro notion of things. That's also the mountain bike notion of things. If you ask Cannondale, "Why do you use such fat tubes?", then you're going to get, "Because the strength to weight ratio of aluminum allows us to increase the stiffness of your bicycle by increasing the diameter of tubing at no penalty in weight.". It's no wonder cannondale isn't making BMX or Freestyle bikes (That trials frame is a joke). Aluminum is a whole different story! Even look at the new specialized frame. The thing looks like someone put a 6" diameter top tube on the thing. It can get really ridiculous. Now, ask Bontrager or Scott Nichols why they always use small diameter steel tubing, and you'll get, "Because it's lighter, more forgiving, and just as strong.". Doesn't sound bad to me. Of course, all this is if you subscribe to the mountain bike philosophy of things.
What paint to use- 5 out of 6 experts recomend tempera and/or acrylic. The sixth one works for S&M What about powder coating? That's what I like to use. It seems light years more durable than paint. I've had everything from bicycle handlebars to motorcycle frames done and there is no question it lasts.
[9-12] freecoasters
Bendix is the whip when it comes to coaster guts. They'll definitely fit in other shells; I used to bust Suntours every couple of weeks, then dumped some Bendix guts into the Suntour shell, and rode it for a year! The only reason the thing stopped working good was cuz the walls of the shell wore down; the guts are still in good shape. I managed to salvage a neat little treasure from a neighbor's trash - A hardly used Bendix coaster-brake hub! I took it completely apart, cleaned it up, greased it, put it back together, and it works like a charm. I must have missed some of the more important earlier messages about the freecoaster debate, but here's my $.02... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the original freecoaster was the ACS Freecoaster which came out around '86-'87. I had one at that time, and it was far different from what we seem to be describing as the freecoaster of today. That f.c. was actually a coaster brake AND a freewheel, with the added benefit of anti-backpedaling. That freecoaster had two screws that you could adjust, to switch between the coaster brake and the freewheel. It weighed at least a ton (maybe two), but it was the first "real" antibackpedaling device out there (besides the home-conversion we all know and love/hate). Shortly after that, ACS came out with the RL hub (wasn't that what it was called?), which was the first anti-backpedal freewheel hub. I've heard lots of bad stories about that hub and its many flaws, but it was a start. Since then, we've had the un-brake, etc. I'm not all that familiar with all the new hubs out today, so I don't know exactly how they work. I've been using the unbrake setup on my flatland bike for about 5 years now, so I haven't kept up with the latest and greatest. Anyone have the technical details on these latest hubs then? Are they just improved unbrake style hubs, or are there any real technological advancements? here's the timeline as I know it: coaster brakes ACS ACS **PULSE** nankai, khe Freecoaster RL hub unbrake hubs |---------------------------------|----|----------|--------------|--------.. . stone age 1986/7 1988 1990/1 1994/5? (a.k.a. 1970's) Pulse came before standard and there were also those plasitc things before that. where did those come from? pizza boxes? Nope, there were metal unbrakes around back in 1983 if I remember right. One of my friends had one in his Schwinn Scrambler's Tuff Wheels. Where can I get some 48 hole flanges for an old style Shimano coaster brake? Do I have to make them? I have the equiptment to make them, I just don't know where I would get the material. Umm...I didn't know you could take the flanges off of old style Shimano coaster brakes. Unless you have some major manufacturing ability at your fingertips, you're better off just buying a NEW $50.00 freecoaster, straight from Nankai. Anyways, if you made a coaster brake hub, you would have to throw a $15 unbrake in there to make it a freecoaster.
[9-13] Freewheels What size tooth to use? The latest fashion on street / ramp, is to run a small freewheel with a proportionately small chainring. The advantages are twofold. Firstly, it's lighter. Secondly, it keeps everything out the way. Probably makes sprocket grinds easier - but I wouldn't know about that. The old standard size of freewheel is 16 tooth, usually run with a 43 / 44 tooth chainring. Now, you can get hubs [usually flip-flops] that have been adapted to accept a 14 tooth freewheel, and these are run with a 39 tooth chainring. If you wish to run a 13 tooth, then you have to run a cassette hub. These are used in conjunction with a 36 tooth chainring.
[9-14] Grind disks
[9-15] Grips How do I stop my grips from slipping? Here are a few suggestions that have been thrown up. The most common suggestion is hairspray. Very good at keeping the grips sticky, but be careful you don't get anything too feminine - you don't want to be smelling like a tart's handbag. Other suggestions: clear coat, electrical wire, nail varnish and if all else fails, super glue. Although, you will have to cut your grips off when they wear out.
[9-16] Gyros How to get rid of "Gyro Flop". I suppose you know how to adjust the gyro so the floating plate is level (see Gyro instructions). However, the question may be, how do I get my gyro to stay that way? I've found that, on new bikes, cable and cable housing stretch tends to cause a lot of problems with keeping the gyro level. However, once this break-in period is over, the next most common problem is that the barrel adjusters loosen (no matter really how tightly you screw the retaining nuts on) due to the vibrations involved when you land from a trick, drop your bike, etc. If your gyro flops repeatedly even after you tighten your adjusters, then try a few drops of nail polish, or a low-color thread-locking compound. Both of these fixes might become permanent, however, if you do a little too much, so don't go around with your two-part epoxy and cement every shut :) Well, that's my advice... there might be better ways around it? How to shorten your gyro cables. If you were thinking about buying those knarps that standard sells, well, you can buy those 4/package at hobby shops for like 1.25 (us) instead of the 5+ you have to pay at albes or where ever. they are called dura-collars and i think airplane buffs use them, the model kind that is.and if you don't want to spend that much just crimp some nipples on your cables. i would recommend soldering them though saves some pain due to lack of brakes. Just make sure you use brass nipples (the kind that come on 99% of the 20" wheels). I have a prototype cable stop that attaches to the crossbar. It uses a cantilever crossover and I welded a bolt on each side of the gyro. The cable runs from one side of the gyro (No top plate needed) to the crossover and back down to the other side. Absolutely no gyro flop. I just need to beef it up for no flex. I thought about welding cable stops on my new bars, What do you guys think? Would everyone like to use this type of setup? How to install a Perverter. Just take your time and make sure you keep the twin cable parts the same length (inner and outer). Also, when it is done, there should be a 5/8" gap between the tip of the adj barrel and the cable stop. That is the same gap as with a gyro cable. 0 cable stop | | 5/8" cable showing | |/| |/| |/| adjustment barrel ||| ||| The really big secret is to take your time.
[9-16-2] The cable balls keep popping out of my gyro. What should I do? You need to give more tension to the upper gyro cable... Unscrew the top adjusters and the one on the lever until the moving part of the detangler doesn't touch the bottom ones. Also make sure the tension is even on both sides. E.g. if when you pull on the brake lever, the right side of the gyro is higher than the left, you need to unscrew the bottom right cable stop, and screw in the top right.
Avoid KHE's internal, headset rotor system. It sucks, big time.
[9-17] Headsets- How to stop breaking headsets- Get a Chris King headset. They're well-known as the best headset in the industry - they're also the most expensive (around $100). They come with a five-year warranty, but I doubt you'll use it. Before you go dropping mega-$$$ on a headset, figure out exactly why you're breaking them. Is your headtube ovalized, or your fork steerer tube bent? Are you keeping them tight enough, but not too tight? Are you going through cheap $5 headsets, or decent Dia-compe, Shimano, etc. ones? The replacement cups made by Primo and Rekka etc are really good. If you don't have a toughened headset cup, then you can help stop them breaking by screwing a jubilee clip round them. Also, if / when they do shatter, bits won't fly off in to your face.
[9-18] Innertubes- The easiest way to prevent pinch flats is to pump up your tyres to a high-enough pressure, so that the tube can not be squashed against the rim. Hoffman, Snafu and Primo all produce tyres now that can accept high pressures. I currently run my tyres at about 100 psi. If you're still having problems, get an old tube, cut the valve out and slice it round the outside with a stanley knife. Put this between your rim and normal innertube and you wont get anymore pinch flats.
[9-19] Pedals- What are the best pedals?- I have big problems with the DX-style pedals. Every single pair that I've had, the cages have shattered after hitting coping. They're probably ok for trails riding, as they're light, and you're unlikely to smash the cages. But for street and ramps, you need something stronger. At present, the Primo Super Tenderizers are the best out there - they're strong with a big platform. However, I have broken the spindle on one pedal. The new Odyssey Southgates look good, albeit expensive and others have had good experiences with the Snafu pedals.
[9-20] Pegs-
What are the best pegs? Here is a list [taken from the April 1997 edition of BMX Plus!] of the top ten pegs-[thanks to David Bannister for submitting it]. 10. Basic Silencers 9. Diamond Back Fat Daddy 8. Mongoose DMC 7. Haro Fusion Mega Tubes with grooves 6. GT Grinders 5. Odyssey Big Foot 4. Hoffman Loc'ed day Smith 3. Love Goat jumbo Love 2. Odyssey Liberty 1. Haro Fusion Rail Master
I personally think it's bollocks. If you ride street or ramps, get something steel maybe with small grooves and no knurling, maybe 1.5" diameter. If you ride flat, get aluminium, knurled with a big diameter. Pretty much all of the gimmicks you see on pegs today are a waste of time, apart from anti spin pins. Generally, pegs are pegs are pegs. Apart from the obvious differences between flatland and freestyle pegs, they're all pretty much of a muchness. Pick some that are cheap and you like the like look of.
[9-21] Seats-
BMX seats are a waste of time. You spend no time sitting on them, and the only time they're used is for pinching the saddle when doing no-handers and bar spins. For this, all you need is a fat seat. Just go down to your LBS, and ask for the cheapest, fattest saddle they have. Many will have stock bike seats that have been replaced, sitting out the back. Ask if you can have a sort through, and if you find one, you should be able to get it for a couple of quid.
[9-22] Seat posts- Same as above. Seat posts serve little purpose on a bmx, so just get a cheap one.
[9-23] Shin pads Shin pads are good for two sets of people. Those that are just beginning bmx, and those that are learning kick-flips.
[9-24] Stems- There are so many stems out there these days. They all do pretty much the same thing, so just look for the one that you like.
[9-25] Tyres-
[9-25-1] Why does my bike have a bigger front tyre than back tyre? The front tyre is bigger for extra traction [grip] and the rear is smaller for lower rolling resistance [speed]. I have very good experiences with the Primo Wall tyres. Currently top dog. Others have good experiences of the Snafu tyres.
[9-26] Wheels- First of all lets get this whole mags or spokes issue sorted- Mags- Once they are warped, you can't true them up. Also if you watch someone jump with mags, you can see the mags actually flexing when they land and take-off. So not only are spoked wheels lighter, but they are stiffer, able to be straightened, and your brake response will be better with the chrome plated sidewalls. Spokes are the way to go. That's it. If you do have mags and were wondering if the mythe about freezing them to straghten them was true, then read this- "I think that Skyway started that myth about freezing mags. My friend used to have a Skyway freestyle bike, and the wheels on it were mags. I think that it said in the owner's manual that if the wheels ever got a small crack or got warped that you could just stick them in the freezer, and they would heal themselves. We were about 12 then, and I think we tried it. Boy were we surprised to find that the Skyway wheel we cracked just for that purpose was still cracked! Pretty stupid to crack a wheel just to see if it would mend it self when frozen, huh? I guess things just weren't meant to be that easy." -M.J. When I was younger, about 9, I had a set of white mags which were terribly warped. Following the advice of my fellow friends and riders, I emptied part of my mother's freezer and stuck the front wheel in for 24 hours. To my horror and surprise, it didn't make the blindest bit of difference - bomba Lacing- Here's my advice....NO TWIST LACING! For 3 cross on the front and 4 cross in the back. Cross over three lacing is good. Cross over three means that one spoke goes over three spokes. Over the first two spokes and under the third spoke. I would like to know which lace style (either 3 or 4 cross) is best. I always figured that the greater the number of crosses, ie 4. Would make the stronger wheel. A few days ago I read an article stating that a 4-cross pattern is used mainly for a shock absorbing wheel, as the spoke angle is greater when compared to a 3-cross pattern. And that the 3-cross wheel is a stiff wheel designed to transmit more power to the ground, and absorb fewer road shocks, thus resulting in a bumpier ride.
[9-26-1] Twist lacing- Twist lacing is a waste of time, don't even think about using it. Because each spoke relies on the tension in the spoke it is twisted around, when you break one spoke, you loose the tension in two spokes. This means if you carry on riding your rim is going to bend straight away. It also looks crap.
[9-26-2] Radial Lacing- If you want to use radial lacing, use it on the front wheel and rear drive side only. Radial lacing wont cope with the energy of the pedaling going from the freewheel, through the spokes, to the rim.
[9-26-2] Rims The best rims out at the moment are probably the Alex fat rims. Which are really deep and triple wall. UKAI/Peregrine make similar rims but they are much more expensive.
[9-26-3] Hubs Don't get Gack hubs. The G-Sport Homer hubs have a much better system.
[9-26-4] Spokes If you are really heavy on your wheels look around for 13 gauge spokes. Otherwise go for straight 14 gauge spokes. There are some new 12 guage spokes out by Primo now which are super thick.
[9-26-5] Wheel building If you want to try your hand at building wheels, there are a couple of websites that you should look at. George French has a great page, with photographs, of how to build a rear wheel; www.gsport.co.uk/techtips/wheelbuild.html. For more general advice on wheel building, read Sheldon Brown's great site at www.sheldonbrown.com/wheels.html
[9-26-6] Wheel Truing
How to true your wheels:
1. Find where the bend is in your wheel (duh) and pick out the spokes on the opposite side of the direction of the bend. If the wheel is bent to the right you're going to want the spokes coming off the left flange of your hub.
2. Tighten these spokes by turning them counterclockwise. Start with quarter turns at first and keep tightening them until they're straight. As the outer ends of the bend are pulled in line concentrate on the spokes in the center of the bend, so by the time you finish you're only tightening one or two spokes. Take your time.
3. If you overtighten your spokes and pull them out of line to the other side you can try to loosen them back up a little and see if they'll go back straight, if not you have to tighten the spokes opposite them to pull them straight. Take your time and good luck.
[10]Building riding terrain
[10-1]Ramps
[10-1-1] How much does it cost to make a ramp?
Here is an example fun box that Flap made- Price depends on how much "fun" you want to have. Depending on how big and strong you want to make it it could get expensive. Wood doesn't grow on trees. Actually it does.... but anyway we built a 4.5' high box with 8.5' transition takeoff, 8'x8' box, and a 12' landing ramp. All the main supports and frames were 2x6 and the skeleton was made with 2x4's space 8" apart supported in the middle with 2x6's. I can't remember the exact # of materials but it was something like: 15 sheets 3/8" ply 2 sheets 1/2" ply 60 8' 2x4's 12 8' 2X6's 9 10' 2x6's 3 12' 2x6's wood screws and nails Total = $675.00 Canadian We used all utility/standard quality wood. No econo stuff cause there will be a lot of people using the ramp so it has to last. So if you want something that big and strong call your local lumber yard, give them the list and get some prices. [10-1-2] Where can I find ramp plans on the www?
[10-2] Trails
First: where are you going to build them? The best place is a woodland area especially where the soil contains a good mix. Too sandy, and they'll fall apart, too much clay and they'll never dry properly. Grassy areas will make crappy trails
Second: how tall or how far do you plan to make them? - 3 feet high is good for 8-10 feet long. - 4-5 feet high is good for 12-18 feet long with steep lips.
Third: rhythm is the best key...plan for sections, and make the jumps get bigger and bigger as you go through the section.
Fourth: put debris in your jumps...like logs, refridgerators, dogs, dead eskimos, etc.
Fifth: dig before and after the jumps...it lowers the ground, allowing the jump to be twice as high..the ground is low and the jump is higher.
Sixth: usually there's a rotting layer of soil at the surface, put this on next, leave the best soil for the surface layer.
Seventh: make lips that are pretty steep, yet not having a kink...similar to a mini ramp transition.
Eighth: pack the jumps down really hard. Hit them with your spade [make sure it's not covered in dirt] or your foot, or put a piece of hardboard/thin plywood on the transition and stamp on it.
Ninth: add a little water to make the soil stick together and the surface smooth.
Tenth: this is a main point...don't jump it for a day so the lip has a chance to dry.
Eleventh: make little kids who are going to hang out dig… or throw mud balls / twigs / glass bottles / fridges / dead eskimos at them.
Twelfth: make drainage ditches: more dirt and less flooding.
[11] How can I contact bmx companies? Check out my list of manufacturers www.bmx-style.com/
[12] BMX literature.
[12-1] Printed Zines. Freedom Magazine -
http://members.aol.com/freedombmx/
Life Cycles - http://www.bath.ac.uk/~hs6pja/lifer.htm
Snap BMX - http://www.snapbmxmag.com
Spoiler - http://www.byke.com/spoiler/
Ride BMX - http://www.ridebmxmag.com
Tension - http://members.xoom.com/underdog/tension/
Props - http://www.propsvisual.com
Ride UK - www.4130.com [12-2]
On-line zines.
Fatbmx - http://www.fatbmx.com
DaGroove - http://www.uncg.edu/~jrholt/
Dirt - http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/njones/
E-Wire - http://ici.net/customers/wire/home.html
Flavor http://ccfw.cc.utexas.edu/~flavor/
Underdog BMX - http://members.xoom.com/underdog/
[13] Making BMX videos.
Here's what Bobby Carter has to say: There are different types of video tape. VHS, video8, Hi8, and dv. Those are the main ones most people have to deal with. You want to get a camera so that uses one of these types. VHS= "vcr type" tape that is 1/2' in width. video8= small tape that is 8mm in width. This is a bit better in quality than vhs. Most video cameras that people have take this kind of tape. Hi8= Small tape that is just like "video8" except that it has a lot more lines of resolution (clearer image) than video 8. You need a Hi8 Camera to use it. dv=dv this type of tape stores the video information as 1's and 0's instead of as a plain analog signal. It's the best format. You need a digital video camera to use this. With the best sony cameras you'll get the best image out of the Hi8 and the DV tapes. To do some basic "assemble" editing, you just hook up your camera to the vcr inputs and put a vhs tape in the vcr. Push play on the camera and record on the vcr. Wah La! You are now transfering from the type of tape that the video camera uses to a VHS tape. VCR formats go like this. If you live in the US then your copy of props or whatever is in NTSC format. It will play on vcrs made in the USA. If you're in England, you're bummed because you bought a copy while on vacation in the USA. You bought your VCR in Europe and it only plays tapes in PAL format, so you have to send the tape back to props and have them send you a copy in PAL format.
[14] Contributors.
Thankyou to all the people who helped to make this FAQ:- 2002 version: Jack Baruth / Jim Boswell, Chuck 'Smiles'.
1997 version: Written by Will Law Contributors: Yemi Adesanya, Graeme Burke, Bobby Kimani Carter, Dennis Dowling, Flapjack, Bryan Huffman, Stephen Izen, Mike Kay, Ron Lesniewski, Pencilneck, Colin Smith, Antao Vas De Almada, Justiano, Ely M.