, are you planning to purchase a new bmx bike for your son’s birthday? Well, it is an excellent gift idea. However, one needs to know about a few things when it comes to boys bmx bikes so that you gift your kid a bike that he can cherish for years to come and will remember forever. Here are a few factors that need to be understood before the purchase of right BMX for your kid.
The most important aspect to choose a BMX
Wheel size: BMX bikes come in 12” to 18”, and 20” wheel size. The size plays a critical role since 12” to 18” is suitable for most kids.
Build type of the Crankset: The length of the crankset along with the tubes that connect pedals and sprocket comes in various lengths. The crankset is also made of different materials and builds.
The sprocket: Also known as the chain ring, is responsible for holding the chain between the crankset and pedals. It has either 23 or 36 teeth based on the setup of the gear system. It is a crucial to keep in mind while choosing boys bmx bikes for your kid.
Brakes: Some boys bmx bikes come with detangler or gyro-fitted brakes that allow the rider to spin the handlebars several times without tangling up the cable. Moreover, most BMX bikes come with only a rear brake. So, it is very suitable for boys who are freestyle rider and many prefer to remove the front brakes.
Rims: What kind of terrain do you think your kid will ride on a regular basis? The type of rim is based on the type of terrain your kid will ride upon. The rims of boys bmx bikes are made of aluminum. Their construction differs based on thickness. Usually, double-walled rims are very durable and light. They are especially essential for the rear wheel which takes most of the load.
Tires: Just like the rims, the choice of tires has to be determined by the type of places the bike will be ridden. If your kid wants to ride on dirt tracks, tires with low rolling resistance are the right choice. In such a case, the tires need to offer optimum speed grip, and traction as these characteristics will provide cornering and accelerating. On the flip side, the freestyle bike tires are perfect for pavements and indoor spaces. These tires are a bit thicker than the ones used for BMX racing.
Seats: BMX bikes usually come in 4 types of seat options: railed, pivotal, comb, and tripod. The railed or combo seats are meant for entry-level boys bmx bikes. The pivotal and tripod seats are for the intermediate and pro BMXs and are very easy to install and adjust.
Gear and gear ratio: Since BMXs are single-speed bikes, they are not designed with multiple gear options. So, if you are wondering how to choose the bike based on gear ratio, consider the sprocket and chain ring as these determine the gear ratio for the bike.
Gear ratio is the ratio between the numbers of teeth on the chainring divided by the number of teeth on the sprocket. So, if you are looking for a bike for a child, then choose one with a lower gear ratio as these are easier to pedal. The standard gear ratio for most boys bmx bikes is 25/9.
Conclusion
Hope that this article has helped you get an idea about boys bmx bikes, you can ask questions and clear your doubts while speaking to the bmx bikes dealer. Meet a couple of dealers to get the best deal before you finalize on a bike for your boy.
