Skate Park Newbie

[Mikku]

After forty plus years looking at them with a mixture of awe, curiosity and intimidation, I have finally started riding at a skate park. It’s quite a big, concrete park about a 15-minute drive from home. I discovered it almost by accident just over a year ago and finally gave it a go last week. I liked it so much that I’ve been back three times and have now started looking for a decent, secondhand park bike!! At the moment I’m just riding my Quamen which is not ideal but is the best choice out of my race bikes, with a chromoly frame and forks and a shorter back end. It’s also a bike I know well, which is a bonus.

Riding-wise, I’m basically just flowing around, trying different lines, pumping features, carving the ramps and wedges, dropping in the smaller quarter pipes and hitting a small hip jump. Just getting more confident and taking it all in tbh. I’m not really interested in doing grinds, so will not be needing any pegs but would, ultimately, like to air out of quarterpipes. Easier said than done, I know but that’s definitely a goal. In the meantime, I’m going to keep enjoying this new-to-me branch of BMX.

[hotdog]

Got a link to photos/location of the park? 

[Mikku]

Here's a link to a page with some photos:-

https://cusbmx.com/%E3%81%B5%E3%81%8F%E3%81%84%E5%81%A5%E5%BA%B7%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B1%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF/

The BMX part (where BMXers are supposed to stay) is quite restricted but the BMXers I've seen there were riding wherever, so I've followed suit, though have tried to keep out of people's way. I've been the only BMXer the four times I've been riding there.

[Chilli Rinse]

I was thinking of doing the same at ROM last summer, I shit out every time I planned to go. Maybe this summer 

[Midschoolfool]

I started riding Southsea in 2018. Busted my ass and called it a day within a couple of months 

[Mikku]

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid that!!

I was thinking of doing the same at ROM last summer, I shit out every time I planned to go. Maybe this summer 

Definitely give it a go mate! Pick a time when it's not so busy, then you can go at your own pace, etc.

I've just found out about another park in the same prefecture (county) as me, but 90 minutes' drive down the coast, so may have to give that a go at some point soon! Here's a link to some pics of that one:-

https://sk8parks.net/parkspot/narumiryokuchipark

I'm also ramping up (pun intended) the search for a park bike that I can chuck about and drop without worrying about damaging it!

[Mikku]

Checked out that other skate park today and it was great! Further away and not quite as big as my local one but the quarter pipe is the perfect height to learn on and super wide too. Will therefore definitely be heading back there!!

As an added bonus there was a guy there on a hardtail mtb who I'd met for the first time last week at a pump track. It was he who'd told me about this skate park. Anyway, we got talking about bikes and when I said that I was looking for a park bike he said he had an old Sunday bike that I could have. It has a 20.5" tt rather than the 21" I'd ideally want but it looks like a fun not to mention cheap project! We'll see!

[ED209]

Riding is the best part of BMX 

[Mikku]

Agreed, though building 'em is a close second.

I've been hitting my local park at least once a week since the last post and have recently been focussing on fakies, which I knew as rollbacks bitd. Back then I also did mine sitting down, so am now having to re-learn how to do them standing up!

I'm also just about to start my Sunday park bike project, picking up the frame, fork and wheels for it this weekend. I also snagged a used Kink stem for it online. Looking forward to the build and remaining parts-gathering!

[Mikku]

I'm now in possession of a 2007 Sunday Wave frame, the Vinnie Sammon edition in metallic black. It's definitely been well-used, with plenty of battle scars but that's fine by me, as I want a bike to play around on without worrying about dropping or scratching it.

The frame came with a Sunday fork, FSA headset, Diatech Hombre U-brake and a set of mis-matched Odyssey wheels - a chrome Hazard Lite up front and a black Quadrant out back. I don't yet have all the other parts I need, but plan to start building it up this weekend. Can't wait!!

[hotdog]

Rip-it-Up!   

[Mikku]

Cheers mate! 

I still love my racing (and various race bikes ) but must admit to being super excited by the thought of building and riding something completely different.