When it comes to riding a bike, brakes are your best friend during your trip on a bike.
You never know what might pop-up as you ride that’ll force you to use your brakes.
Brakes are an integral part of riding a bike, and if you’ve been riding one for a long time, then you know how important they are.
In fact, most of us began riding bikes since we were little kids.
As we’re all aware of, there have been countless times where brakes practically saved us from a severe injury.
Of the bikes in the world, BMX bikes have become one of the most popular options for people to select from in the bicycle world.
Since we’re on the subject of BMX bikes and brakes, you’re probably wondering, are BMX bikes supposed to have brakes?
To answer this question…yes, BMX bikes are supposed to have brakes. It might seem odd to have brakes on a BMX bike since you ride one standing up, but brakes are required on almost all bikes variations. Generally speaking, most BMX bikes only have rear brakes, whereas most bikes come with front and rear brakes. However, a lot of BMX riders choose to remove the brakes, so the bike is lighter and more flexible when it comes to doing tricks. Although this has its benefits, it’s never a good idea to remove brakes from your bike.
With the subject of brakes and BMX bikes in mind, there are a ton of questions related to this subject.
You might be wondering how BMX brakes work?
How can you keep your brakes in good condition?
What to do if your brakes break, and much more.
When it comes to BMX bikes, there is an endless amount of information related to the subject.
Don’t worry, in this article, we’re going to go over everything brought up.
Let’s get started!
How Do BMX Bike Brakes Work?
Standard bicycles usually have a front and rear brake.
The brakes work by going through a friction-creating method, which implies a brake pad going against the revolving wheel for it to stop.
This, combined with a tire’s grip, allows a bike to slow down, somewhat similar to a vehicle. BMX Bikes, on the other hand, have a completely different set-up than standard bicycles.
BMX Bikes have what is called a detangler, which allows the tires of the bike to turn at 360-degrees without it hitting the brake cables.
BMX bikes usually have a coaster brake, which gets activated by the back-pedal getting pushed down and the bars standing still.
Sometimes, they have a direct hand brake, which can be turned on with your hand directly on the handlebar.
Lastly, if your BMX bike doesn’t have any brakes, you can stop it the old fashioned way of putting your foot in the back tire.
Whatever way your bike brakes, just make sure you go about it the proper way.
Otherwise, you may risk injuring yourself or destroying your bike.
Especially keep this in mind if you don’t have any breaks at all.
How Do I Keep My BMX Bike Brakes In Good Condition?
It doesn’t vary any differently from standard bike brakes when it comes to keeping your brakes in good condition.
There are a few points to consider if you’re not familiar with bike maintenance.
First and foremost, keep your bike clean.
Spend at least one day a week going over your bike using the necessary cleaning supplies on it.
Having a clean and fresh bike will lower the chance of your bike rusting or anything like that.
Next, check your bike for issues.
It’s always a good idea to get in the habit of checking your bicycle thoroughly, just in case a problem comes up.
Whenever problems come up, it’s always is a huge annoyance and can cause further issues down the line.
For your brakes specifically, see how your brakes look and be mindful of any changing sounds amidst your brakes.
Usually, noisy brakes are a sign of aging brakes.
Thus, it’s always a good idea to run maintenance when necessary.
What Do I Do If My BMX Bike Brakes Break?
When it comes to your BMX brakes breaking, it’s not the end of the world.
In fact, most BMX riders prefer their bike to not have any brakes.
Although brakes are essential, realize it’s elementary to buy a new pair and put them on.
You have three different options when it comes to getting new brakes for your BMX bike.
First, you can ignore they’re broken and see how your bike operates.
If the brakes didn’t hinder the bike in any way (besides braking), you can technically still ride the bike fine.
Your braking option would have to resort to the foot in back tire method, but this is up to you if you feel comfortable doing that.
Second, you can order a new pair of brakes online and install them yourself.
If you find yourself to be relatively literate when it comes to maintenance on bikes, you should be fine installing new ones.
Just make sure to utilize all of the countless tutorials and articles online to help you.
Never try to do it entirely yourself right away, unless you have experience doing so in the past.
Last, you can bring your bike into your local bike shop and get it fixed that way.
Not only will they most likely have brakes for you to check out in person, but they’ll probably offer a repair option directly to you.
Plus, it’s always an added bonus to go out and support small businesses.
How Do I Tell If My BMX Bike Brakes Are Old?
When it comes to your brakes, there are a few ways you can tell if they’re old.
Even if you don’t own a BMX bike, these options apply for you as well, since brakes play a relatively same mechanic across all bikes.
Of course, there are different kinds of brakes for different bikes, but still, keep this in mind.
First and foremost, be alert for sounds.
Generally speaking, brakes will make odd sounds when something is wrong, and don’t worry, you’ll notice it.
They’re usually squeaky and obnoxious sounding, so make sure you’re always on alert when it comes to brakes.
Outside of sounds, double-check your brake pads from time to time to make sure they’re not dirty or look odd.
Getting in the habit of doing this will potentially prevent a future injury sustained from a bike ride.
Plus, you’re going to have to change out your brake pads sooner than you might realize anyway.
What Else Should I Know About BMX Brakes?
When it comes to your BMX brakes, it all depends on what you plan on using your bike for.
If you plan on using it solely for tricks and cross-urban trips, you’ll most likely rarely use your brakes.
Most professional BMX riders utilize the back-tire foot method as their primary way of braking, so don’t worry about it.
Just make sure you take the proper safety precautions and steps necessary to ensure your brakes are okay.
Otherwise, you’ll run into issues that may hurt the rest of your bike’s performance.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so you might as well.
With the subject of BMX bikes and brakes, realize it’s not the main component of a BMX bike people tend to think about.
It’s more about the functionality of the bike itself and how it compares to a standard bicycle.
They’re meant for fun quick trips and tricks, but it won’t hurt to understand how the brakes in a BMX bike actually operate.
Whether you prefer brakes, make sure you’re adequately trained on a BMX bike before you go ahead with a purchase.
It takes a bit of getting used to, and not having standard brakes is something to acknowledge.
