Will a BMX work on mountain bike trails? Sorta.
Will a BMX work on mountain bike trails? Sorta.
Today we’re at Virginia Key park to answer a question—one we kind of already know the answer to; Can you ride a BMX bike on mountain bike trails?
I mean, you probably could. They’re great for jumping over stuff and nearly indestructible. But then again, you could probably go hiking in tap dancing shoes.
BMX bikes come in many shapes and sizes, but at your local skatepark you’d find something like this. The tires are high pressure, the seat is super low, and the brakes are…well there are none. We’re also missing the pegs but I don’t think that’s a factor here.
For our test course I chose a loop at Virginia Key Park called Purple Haze. All of the trails here are named after rock songs, and just like the song, Purple Haze takes only about 3 minutes. You’ll see why that’s important. I also like this loop because it has a little bit of everything, from loose sand, to roots, to chunky rocks and wooden obstacles. There are also some well packed berms which I’m sure the BMX will work great on. There are no prolonged climbs or descents, nor would I want there to be. BMX gearing is made for short sprints, to set up for gaps and jumps.
As you can see, my mountain bike makes quick work of all these features. Pedaling through the sand and dirt is effortless on big cushy tires. On bigger bumps and drops, the suspension helps keep the bike grounded. Even if I get going too fast, hydraulic disc brakes are at my fingertips. The experience on a mountain bike is fun, comfortable, and fast.
But we didn’t come here to use the right tool for the job, this is Seth’s Bike Hacks you’re watching. Time to take the 20 inch for a spin, balls out no brakes.
Right off the bat, I could feel the bike bouncing and shifting around on the pebbles and sand, but on the berms and wooden features it was a blast. The BMX was so snappy and nimble that it outperformed the mountain bike that was following me. That ended really fast when I hit this little section of mushy dirty. Sand, gravel, and rough terrain is crippling on a BMX. On inclines, I was able to pedal hard and use my momentum, but there’s no way I could have done any real climbing on this bike.
I was very surprised at how well the BMX handled the rock garden, but then again it was down a small hill. If it were level or uphill I wouldn’t have had the gearing or clearance for pedaling. For the roughest of features, momentum is the only way to get through on a BMX.
As I worked my way through the trail, I became totally exhausted. In places where a mountain bike would just coast through, I was pedaling with all my might. On a BMX you’re always out of the saddle mashing as hard as you can.
Bombing this little twisty section was scary. I just barely made it around this turn without tumbling into the bushes. After one more chattery section I was nearing the end of the loop. The BMX had made it through the course. But believe me when I say you can’t do this for very long.
After catching my breath, I thought it would be a good idea to take another lap. Filled with confidence, I was going faster than I did the first time around. That could have been much worse.
I made it through this twisty section the first time, but on round two my luck changed. Even if the bike had brakes, I’m not sure how well the tires would have gripped the surface while stopping. No matter how you slice it, washing out or losing control is a really big possibility on a BMX. I’ll be feeling that one for about a week.
The whole reason I did this test is that people actually do ask about this. If all you have is a BMX and you’re curious about mountain biking, you might want to wait until you can do it on a mountain bike. Either that, or find some dirt trails that are made with BMX in mind. Mountain biking on a BMX has a really bad fun to danger ratio, so I just can’t recommend it. Thanks for riding with me today and I’ll see you next time.
Where is the proper tires it will that’s what we used to ride in the trail hello before mountain bikes
I RIDE A BMX
Could I ride a bmx on a mountain bike trial
Probably not
Me and my friend went on a very muddy and had a lot of roots on bmx bikes we got from Walmart and we had a lot of fun
*gets out of car*
"we will be back to this in a minute"
When I was a teenager I took a BMX bike on the Greenbelt off-road Trail in Austin Texas it was extremely fun and not that hard we’re talking about a professional off-road Trail
Should have used a dirt track bike , like a bmx race bike . You would have been all set , obviously a freestyle wasnt the right choice bmx. With no tread on a freestyle of course you lost time in the soft stuff , bmx race bikes have knobby treads
The thing is I ride a bmx bike down mountain bike trails because I don’t have enough money to buy a mountain bike, and I still keep up with my friends lol
Great vids Seth
Try putting a suspension fork on a bmx
My BMX has brakes
Maybe it would have been easier if you had swapped the tyres for some maxxis maxx daddy’s or something that’s made for dirt not one that are made for ramp/street.
Ps.
Do you have a merchandise store?
Your on a cheap complete bmx what you expect
That technical uphill tho
There can be a back brake on a BMX
couldn’t use a bmx with brakes?
A 24” or larger with just a rear brake is basically a primitive mtb
I rode an mtb trail weekly on a trek 24” bmx in Charlotte when I lived there
Is this the same dude that showed me how to install my car amplifier
Is it possible to put suspension and change gear on a bmx bike like in a sport bike and mtb?
Try getting used to it
Bruh i use my Walmart Ambush BMX for trails
“on a BMX” yikes.
I use to ride mountain bike but bmx is cheaper for me so now I ride street and bmx
ITS NOT ABOUT THE BIKE ITS ABOUT THE RIDER
i live in England and there is a downhill park near my house and my friend did it on a bmx
You could do it with a bmx bike but what make it difficult for yourself I understand a challenge but it’s like trying to pull off bmx bike type stuff with a mountain bike you can do it but it’s not worth it
Your just fat dumbass
Bmx with no brakes are for homos or dumb millennials hopping on a trendy fad
I ride Bmx on MTB tracks all the time just with a low pressure with back brake
And theres the funny feeling on your hands.
I just figured this out today at Pinehurst in Palm Beach County FL. I’ve been there at least 50 times with my hardtail-soon-to-be-rigid with no problems. With the BMX and the heat… boy!!! That place is a hell of roots and sand!
Maybe put the rear brake back on. The frame has the guides and posts, I saw them.
What about a “22 or “24 with brakes?
YES IT CAN i tried it with a fee modifications
He is acting like a trail is like a tornado
Only takes 3 mins to die
Where did you get the BMX because i,m looking for one
Race BMX are better for
Could it be possible to even set up a BMX bike to ride trails like my changing the tires adding brakes all things that could help
my friend said he was gonna buy a bmx bike and put suspension forks on the front and i sait "just buy a small mtb" and he said "bmx is a jumper" no joke those were his words
This is something big boy would do from scotty Cranmer channel
You ride a bmx like a retarted
i’m just saying when your broke you gotta do what you gotta do
Try it on a smooth trail like A-line or something with lower tyre pressure and a brake
My bmx bike has brakes but only with zip ties so if I want to take it to the skate park I could just cut the zip ties and undo 3 screws to take them off
If you can ride dirt why not mtb btw if you use a freestyle bmx you have no breaks but for dirt you have breaks
Purple haze is a weed strain
For me BMX gearing is for long sprints and hauling ass
When we were young the guys I used to ride with all we had were 20inch bikes modified to what eventually became bmx we rode trails and everywhere, then we started building what we call mountain bikes today bigger tires and gears were great but in the end the mud snakes and trail knobs (natural rock gardens) still drug us down to their level and occasionally left a mark on bikes and bodies.
I think the most fun we had was on the 20 inch.😁
My friend has a bmx and I have a mtb and we went on a mtb trail and busted a tire