I suggested to my wife I might look at BMX track racing for my next fix. As we have had a new pump track built in the next village. She was ok with that, but said I would have to give up the TT bike.
Still negotiating…
BMX bikes are relatively cheap compared with a TT - <£1Kwill get you much more bike than you need. £500 sh is plenty. Parts and maintenance are simpler and wear less. Spend wisely on the gloves, trousers, body armour and the helmet though, as you will be using them. Do some upper-body gym work - it will help the riding and make you a bit more crash-resistant. Get a cheaper bike for tooling around on and save the expensive bike for actual racing. Join a club. Learn to manual (wheelie) if you can’t already. You will probably end up wanting a mini rocker bike too, as everyone messes around on those on race days, but they are <£150.
Take the TT bike to the pump track
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I had a Raleigh Stryker!
As the younger brother, I always got my brother’s had-me-down bikes (and clothes
) and I didn’t get my first new bike until I was 11, when I was getting nearly as big as my 14 year old brother.
The cool kids were all getting BMXs (1983), but my parents thought they were a silly fad, so I got a 5-speed Raleigh Ace racer
“A tt bike is faster on any course”
I had one with pedal back brakes, which was epic for skids…until I went through the rear tyre
Plus the ‘woomph woomph’ of the disc wheel can psych out the opposition. ![]()
I had a Raleigh Chipper. The a 5 speed race bike.
One of my mates had a Budgie he let me borrow. Man I loved that bike. I think he had a Chopper.
I thought it was amazing.
I was chatting to mates yesterday about this and they pointed out even at masters events they are treated like sprints and that I’m not built to survive BMX.
There is a rumour you like to get your chopper out, failing that your budgie ![]()


