# BMX commuting (Crazy....fun)



## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

My mountain bike died, my old Haro BMX is my main mode of commute for now.

I was unemployed for a long while and recently got a job, but the catch is, it is in downtown Seattle, I have to drive to the bus stop, take the bus to the ferry, ferry to Seattle and BMX ~2.5 miles to work. The best part of my commute is the bike ride. I knew the BMX would be rough but after my first week I love it, I am the only BMX on the ferry

I am thinking of getting a better BMX, and now maybe even doing some racing. (Yes, I am saving for a new MTB too).

Does anyone have an opinion/advice on BMX commuting, it is fast/slow and nuts and my only mode of transport, and faster than a car through traffic.

Should I get a 24" or fix up my 20"? I mostly sprint, but want a bit more speed for my effort.


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## 50calray (Oct 25, 2010)

Cool Haro.

My main Transportation was an 80's Hutch back when I was younger and couldn't afford to fix my car/truck. 

Anyhow, I would look to build a 26/29 commuter and keep the old school BMX at home and safe.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Nice! For that distance it sounds fun and do-able, although your multi-modal commute must take awhile, so I can understand wanting to speed up the bike section. Maybe try a BMX race for fun and if you like it buy the new BMX for that. If not, use the $ for a speedier commuter or the MTB. I don't know how much difference the 24" BMX would make, some I would guess.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

I never thought about it before, but I bet a BMX is awesome in heavy traffic and the compactness + simplicity should be as close to perfection as you can ever get when it comes to multimoding. Sounds like you`re digging it for now, so I don`t see much reason to change. If you`re just curious how it compares to a different bike for commuting, I`d say keep the Haro and watch patiently for a good buy on something different (mtb, roadie, CX, hybrid...) to try for a while, then decide whether to keep the new ride or flip it and try something else.

20 or 24? I`m sure you`ll get way better advice about that on a BMX specific forum- there must be several of them.


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## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

Well the commute is a blast, my bars are a bit wider that my MTN bike and some times its hard to fit in between the bus and the curb... I am keeping an eye out for a new MTN bike and thinking of fixing my old Kona and turning it into commuter, but the BMX has defiantly whipped me into shape. I do get smoked by other commuters on long straight roads, down hills, ect. But on the bright side I found a few shortcuts and some sweet jumps I can hit on my way home. Even with an easy mode of transport coming in the near future, I think I will spin the BMX every once an a while still, I can't imagine how fast I will be on my MTN bike with these "Super sprint" quads I am developing.


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## p08757 (Mar 15, 2012)

Its only 2.5 miles. Enjoy your BMX commuting while you save some cash.

What happened to your Kona. There are lots of good people that may be able to help you get it up and running on the cheap. I would save for the parts to fix your old MTB so you have a backup bike to get you to work in the event your BMX dies.

Good luck with your adventures!


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## jmmUT (Sep 15, 2008)

I commuted through a mountain valley in Colorado 7 miles each direction on a real heavy 20" bmx for about 6 months back before I owed a car (I was 20 even). Man did I have some quads, like you mention. 

I'd get slicker tires, that would help a lot. If you wanted to stick with a bmx style bike, I'd recommend even a 26" bmx cruiser. You can still jump around and have the agility but you'll get around easier. I commuted later on with a 26" SE Racing OM Flyer for awhile. It was like being a kid again.


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## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

Well I broke the crank on my BMX on my way home friday, so hopefully I can find a new crank for it soon, I plan to ride it to work still.

However I got a Trek woman's bike with 28 700s on it, and the wheels fit my Kona, brake not so much, but I worked out a mess of parts between bmx-road-and a Malwart "freebie" and now have a pretty sweet ride, unfortunately I still have the shock issue, none of the other forks fit..... But I am hopefully getting a donor bmx and donor mtb tomorrow off Craigslist. The Kona looks sick, it is long an low it has a 15.5 frame or something. I will post up a pick when I get the brakes straitened out.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Country Cat said:


> Well I broke the crank on my BMX on my way home friday, so hopefully I can find a new crank for it soon, I plan to ride it to work still.


One legged pedalling drills?

So, your Kona is a front suspension mtb and you put the 700s from the Trek on it with no brakes? Not sure I got that right- if I did then I bet it does look sick! I think I`d just put the 26s back on until I came up with a crank for the BMX.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

i find pix


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

car bone said:


> View attachment 773170
> 
> 
> i find pix


I find, too!


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## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

Well I found brakes for the Kona, but am still hunting the local bike scene for a fork, I would put the 26 back on if I found a new shock cause mine is toast, but if I find a rigid then I will stick with the 700s, I can only ride to the end of our driveway and back before the shock leaks out...

I actually saw one of those freaky looking bmx bikes the other day on the ferry, It was not as fancy as those but was even more comical as there was a pretty hefty dude riding it about 2mph


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## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

I picked this up to commute on till my Kona is finished. 24 Haro BMX Cruiser, I am going to put the wife's Crankbros Candy clipless pedals on it, that she is scared of, this weekend. It rides a lot more like a mtn bike, but still fits through traffic and pedestrians nicely. 

Today was my first ride on it, didn't have to wear rain gear today, a rarity it was really fun!


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## Snowdee (Oct 29, 2016)

Country Cat said:


> I picked this up to commute on till my Kona is finished. 24 Haro BMX Cruiser, I am going to put the wife's Crankbros Candy clipless pedals on it, that she is scared of, this weekend. It rides a lot more like a mtn bike, but still fits through traffic and pedestrians nicely.
> 
> Today was my first ride on it, didn't have to wear rain gear today, a rarity it was really fun!


Any chance you would want to sell that? I had one just like it stolen a few years ago.


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## Country Cat (May 21, 2012)

I sold that bike a couple of years ago and went back to riding a 20" bmx to work and my Cannondale MTB.


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## Snowdee (Oct 29, 2016)

Country Cat said:


> I sold that bike a couple of years ago and went back to riding a 20" bmx to work and my Cannondale MTB.


That's cool, happy riding!


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## mooboyj (Apr 16, 2008)

I commute on my geared dirt jumper one or two days a week. Nothing like wheeling past a pack of less than impressed roadies


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## Snowdee (Oct 29, 2016)

I didn't realize that was a thing until one day riding my cruiser at an intersection (have had road bikes in the past myself). These two guys looked at me like I shouldn't have anything to do with the road.


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## CabezaShok (Oct 15, 2007)

Snowdee said:


> I didn't realize that was a thing until one day riding my cruiser at an intersection (have had road bikes in the past myself). These two guys looked at me like I shouldn't have anything to do with the road.


Yep roadies can be real snobs, but not all, the other day one passed me and gave me a nod while i was towing some scrap metal with my BOB Yak and old beat-up Rockhopper, ...we are all cyclists

I think 20" is perfect city commuter format, smaller bikes are much easier to fit onto crowded subway trains during rush hours, you'll bump into less people. They are easier to manuever aound crowds of walkers and you can still practice manuals, bunny hops etc...and maybe that will improve your mountain biking. A 24" cruiser is on my list....with 2.35" Schwalbe Big Apples/Fat Franks


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## Snowdee (Oct 29, 2016)

CabezaShok said:


> Yep roadies can be real snobs, but not all, the other day one passed me and gave me a nod while i was towing some scrap metal with my BOB Yak and old beat-up Rockhopper, ...we are all cyclists
> 
> I think 20" is perfect city commuter format, smaller bikes are much easier to fit onto crowded subway trains during rush hours, you'll bump into less people. They are easier to manuever aound crowds of walkers and you can still practice manuals, bunny hops etc...and maybe that will improve your mountain biking. A 24" cruiser is on my list....with 2.35" Schwalbe Big Apples/Fat Franks


Once you go 24" you won't want to go back. Unless you have a smaller body frame. I recently got a Haro MTB and slapped some smaller cruiser bars on it. I want to put on some street-friendly tires and see how it works for an extended commuter/trail bike. Not really digging the loss in power from having front shocks though.


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