BMX bikes are a good type of bike! That is why many people love them! When I was a kid, my first bike was a BMX. I had an awesome experience with this bike! Me and my friends always race and the one who wins will buy chips for the winners. This is a lovely memory!
BMX bikes are good for racing since there are lots of BMX racing competitions out there. However, if BMX bikes are good for racing, are BMX bikes also good for cruising? Well, that is an interesting question! Let me tell you the answer if BMX bikes are good for cruising!
Are BMX bikes good for cruising? No! BMX bikes are not good for cruising. If you are cruising an hour or so, then BMX bikes are not a good bike to use for cruising. BMX bikes were designed and made for different purposes and cruising is not the purpose of a BMX bike. You must buy another bike if you want to cruise.
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Are BMX Bikes Good For Cruising?
When you say cruising, it means that you are just riding your bike around. No tricks or anything involved. You just ride from point A to point B, or just roaming around your village or city. It can be commuting to your work or school, or just a general exercise that you do every day. This is the meaning of cruising. Just cycling around with no tricks or anything involved.
We also assume that when you are cruising on your bike, you don’t like to be putting a huge amount of effort into it. You want to ride your bike comfortably while cruising. If you have that kind of mindset, I will tell you right now that BMX bikes are not good for cruising at all. Even if you ride for a mile or an hour, it is not good.
The main reason why BMX bikes are not good for cruising is that the seats of BMX bikes are generally low. As you all know, for you to be able to pedal your bike properly, you need to have a decent amount of leg extension. This is how you get power into the pedals. If you use a BMX bike, the only way you are getting full power into pedaling is by standing up.
You will not sit down on BMX bikes and pedal efficiently if you are standing up. If you are standing up while cycling, you will become tired after not too long. Also, you may have an injury to your knee. When you encounter an uphill, then the BMX bike is not going to be able to cope.
The gearing ratio of the BMX bike is going to be all wrong. The bike is too short and you have a low seat to worry about. You might go uphill but it is going to be an awful experience. Cruising on your BMX bike is not cruising. It is called torture.
What About The BMX Cruiser Bikes? Are They Good For Cruising?
We already know that BMX bikes are not good for cruising. However, what about the BMX bike that has a cruiser in its name? Of course, you might think that this is good for cruising, right? Well, sorry buddy but it is not.
BMX cruiser bikes have larger wheels. They are going to be 24 or 26. This means that even though you eliminate some of the disadvantages of BMX bikes for longer rides, you will still have an issue or disadvantages such as a lower seat and frame being short.
BMX cruiser bikes exist because these bikes are brilliant at jumping and rolling. However, BMX cruiser bikes are not good for cruising. They are not built to be agile and move around a track but more as a stunt bike.
Are There Times Where BMX Bikes Are Good For Cruising?
If you ride your BMX bike for a short distance, I don’t see any problem with a BMX bike used for cruising. It is not as decent as other types of bikes like road bikes, but BMX bikes will get you from your current location to your next location.
However, if you cruise for a long distance and there are lots of uphill terrains, then this is where BMX bikes are not good for cruising. The only time we will recommend that you cruise using your BMX bike is if you are dealing with trickier terrain or there are some jumps along the way. By doing this, you are not cruising anymore. You are having fun!
Can You Convert BMX Bikes for Cruising?
Yes! You can convert your BMX bike for cruising but the experience using it compared to a better type of bike is not the same. Let us take a look at the BMX cruiser bikes since this is a good bike because it has larger wheels.
This means that your pedaling is instantly going to be more efficient. So, if you want to cruise using a BMX bike, then this type of BMX bike is the one you should get. However, you still have the frame and seat problem. The frame problem cannot be fixed. However, the seat problem can be dealt with.
The seats of BMX bikes are not comfortable. The reason why is because they were not designed to be sat on for a long period. So if you really desire to use your BMX bike for cruising, you must get a padded seat. You can swap out the seat or just buy a high-quality seat cover online or from the bike shop near you.
The second issue is that the seats of BMX bikes are low. The best thing you can do here is to raise the seat of your BMX bike. It will not be as high as other bikes but this is already fine. You will be able to stretch your legs a little bit better while sitting.
Also, you need brakes. Almost all BMX bikes have no brakes because they were not designed for cruising or long-distance rides. However, there are brakes available in the market. You will need to install a U-break on the back wheel so that you will be safe while cruising using your BMX bike.
Once you execute all the things I have said above, it will be more comfortable to cruise using your BMX bike compared to the old look of your BMX bike. However, this still will not be as comfortable as riding a road bike or mountain bike.
Are BMX Bikes Good For Long Distance?
No! BMX bikes are not good for long distances. The reason why is because BMX bikes have smaller seats and frames, which will be hard for you if you encounter an uphill along the way. I have created an article about that which has a broader explanation of why BMX bikes are not good for long-distance here.
Final Verdict
To conclude, BMX bikes are not good for cruising, especially if you will cruise for long distances and will encounter an uphill. The reason why BMX bikes are not good for cruising is that BMX bikes usually have a lower seat and small frame, which makes it hard for you to pedal efficiently.
