Recommend me a BMX for my sons xmas present

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by rowdy

Oh carp, just been looking up on some old school stuff, and it appears that the old Raleigh Andy Ruffle team burners are becoming quite collectable, even to the extent of one person mentioning that he saw one for a grand!.

I'd replace the word "quite" with "Very" in your post... I always wanted one in the Team colours, lovely bikes... have a look here, but prepare to dribble

http://www.burnerworld.co.uk/

[rowdy]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I'd replace the word "quite" with "Very" in your post... I always wanted one in the Team colours, lovely bikes... have a look here, but prepare to dribble

http://www.burnerworld.co.uk/

Thanks Fizzwheel make me feel even sicker why don't you!
Think it was about £130 brand new back in about 85, thing is you don't realise things are going to be collectable when they're newish. Sold it when I was about 18, and it was sort of a running joke with the git that bought it that he hadn't paid up for it. Think I'll add some interest on the sale price next time/ if I ever see him again .
There is one on ebay at the minute, its a bit rough and I'm not convinced its an andy ruffle as stated (should have signiture on the forks) but its at nearly seventy quid already with five days left to run.

[Nobbylad]

Originally Posted by rowdy

Looked at those, the lad wanted one but having read some of the reviews, decided to go for something else, besides the missus said she'd bung £50 towards it so I can go down the pub after all
Looking at a mongoose subject with 14mm back axle, smallish chainwheel and gyro stem for little more than the basic mongoose, sound any good Nobbylad?

Originally Posted by rowdy

Have now found a couple of Haro bikes for £170 as well.
So then people in the know, which is bestest, Haro, or Mongoose?

My lad got a Subject as his first BMX and this was the one he was modding all the time. The frame is the biggest issue (even if you get the version with the smaller chainwheel) as it's just so blinking heavy.

As to the difference between Mongoose and Haro, I guess a lot depends on the actual spec of the kit that's on them, however I would probably go for Haro if I was going to get one.

At the end of the day, unless your lad is seriously into his riding, then it probably doesn't really matter which one you go for as long as it fits your budget. So in that respect, get him whichever he likes best

[rowdy]

Originally Posted by Nobbylad

My lad got a Subject as his first BMX and this was the one he was modding all the time. The frame is the biggest issue (even if you get the version with the smaller chainwheel) as it's just so blinking heavy.

As to the difference between Mongoose and Haro, I guess a lot depends on the actual spec of the kit that's on them, however I would probably go for Haro if I was going to get one.

At the end of the day, unless your lad is seriously into his riding, then it probably doesn't really matter which one you go for as long as it fits your budget. So in that respect, get him whichever he likes best

Went for a Mongoose Program in the end, read a few reviews and the Haro's seem to be breaking quite a lot and their build quality has slipped a bit.
Oh and the andy ruffle team burner went for just under 230 squid in the end!

Doh! Just seen this thread!

I recently was working a bmx shop.

The Mongoose/GT/Haro can't really go wrong with any of them sub £200.

haro and will he realy use the gyro ? (360stem) as they add a tone of weight also may want to get some diff sprockets to play with so he can find a gear that suits him

once again pegs are usles unless u can use them, apart from smashing ure shins on them when it all goes wrong

wethepeople are verry good bikes but more around the £200+ mark

dident see u have already got one but seriously consider diff size sprockets as they can come with stupidly high gearing

Originally Posted by barwel1992

haro and will he realy use the gyro ? (360stem) as they add a tone of weight also may want to get some diff sprockets to play with so he can find a gear that suits him

once again pegs are usles unless u can use them, apart from smashing ure shins on them when it all goes wrong

wethepeople are verry good bikes but more around the £200+ mark

dident see u have already got one but seriously consider diff side sprockets as they can come with stupidly high gearing

You have to be careful changing sprockets, if the rear brake is seat stay mounted then you can only drop a couple of teeth because the chain might rub on the brake. Also the ratio's are all relative, of its got a 44T sprocket up front then its going to have a 16T rear, it will pedal all the same as a bmx with 25-9 gearing, just that the 25T gives greater clearance when dropping in a ramp. Also if the bottom bracket is unsealed then finding a correct fitting sprocket for the axle is a real hassle, most are 19mm or 22mm but unsealed bottom brackets are 25mm and no-one hardly makes sprockets to fit these.

WeThePeople BMX's are only really decent £350 at least upwards.

[rowdy]

Yeh got one, as said recent reviews of Haro regarding build quality haven't been great so went for Mongoose.
Decided not to get one with a gyro as he is not gonna use it and I can't be asked to sit in a+e for hours if he tries to lol. Have been told they let in water and knacker the brake cables any way.
Doesn't seem too heavy, and the sprocket isn't that big (hell of a lot smaller than in my day). I'm sure my lad will be happy with it.

[Juju]

I must admit, another of my modest interest is old scool bmx bikes. I've got 4 in my flat - all early 1980's Diamond Backs! - A Silverstreak, a Senior Pro (the pre Harry Leary race frame), and a couple of others of similar vintage! The Silverstreak is probably worth about £300 now, frame and forks alone are changing hands on ebay for up to £175 now! I jsut paid $85 for a 30 year oild set of cranks to be flown over from Hong Kong, and just purchased the last set of new off the shelf pedals that were readilly available for just shy of €50 to complete a build!

Seriously, if you want to buy a bmx these days, the absolute guys to speak to are over at radbmx.co.uk - look for a chap called "stodgy" who runs the shop. (They do have a proper shop in Milton Keynes, and host annual meets at the track there!) V knowlegable, knows whats presently "in" and "out".

The real collectible Raleighs are the Mk 1 Pro's (non loop tail, r gusset Japanese Koizumi fabricated), they go for iro £1k if you can find one.

Originally Posted by rowdy

Yeh got one, as said recent reviews of Haro regarding build quality haven't been great so went for Mongoose.
Decided not to get one with a gyro as he is not gonna use it and I can't be asked to sit in a+e for hours if he tries to lol. Have been told they let in water and knacker the brake cables any way.
Doesn't seem too heavy, and the sprocket isn't that big (hell of a lot smaller than in my day). I'm sure my lad will be happy with it.

yup gyro's are pants to put it lightly, we frestylers (MTB) just run lonnggg cables if we want to do bar spins and wips, and yup they let in water and also cause (some) corosion to the head tube where the head set is mounted as happend to my haro revo 9

girth good points there havent workd with a bmx in a while just high end MTB's and DH bikes.

if the brakes are the usual brake type (V) and not old style you may want to look at some magura HS32's (i think) they are a hydrolic rim brake just a thorght as BMX brakes are usualy less than desirable on sub £300 bikes well i have found that any way but i do run hydro disks so could just be that im used to power....