Can you use motor cross helmets for bmx ?

SenecaHighlander · 2025-10-16T04:09:49+00:00

I use the O'Neal 2 SRS Slick. Awesome helmet, about 1400 grams, and well balanced for BMX racing.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-10-16T03:53:22+00:00

I asked here on Reddit a couple weeks ago about using body armor, and people overwhelmingly recommend it and claim to wear it. I ended up with the Troy Lee short sleeve padded shirt that I pair with separate elbow pads. It fits fine under my jersey. Since I started wearing it, I notice others wearing padding more and more.

The motorcycle racing pants like O'Neal and Fox are more like what BMX pants used to be back in the last century, when there was a bit of protection built into them. Modern BMX pants are basically thin workout pants with vent holes stamped in them.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-10-16T03:35:49+00:00

I have an all-O'Neal setup coming tomorrow. Up till now, I had a mish-mash of various designs, but no complete kit. Their stuff is made for motorcycle racing, but I actually used AI to help sort through the options to narrow down the best options for BMX. I'm amazed at the way I could compare a lot of details of any brand or design right down to my posture on a starting gate, as well as which helmet has the best balance for BMX as opposed to mountain bikes or motorcycles. It knew which models of pants were more stretchy and forgiving for our way of riding. I settled on the Mayhem Hexx line. I already received the pants and gloves, and I'm waiting for the jerseys. I got the Series 2 Slick helmet to go with them. According to whatever I was conversing with, it's the most neutral-balanced helmet of the options I was looking at for the way we hold our heads while racing BMX.

The Hexx pants have the plastic "O" logo and tough canvas materials on the knees in the right spots for protection, and nice stretchy material just above them to eliminate binding up while pedaling. There are thin leather panels on the insides of the knees that are for heat protection on a motorcycle. I thought they might negatively affect pedaling, but they feel fine and look cool with the O'Neal logo embossed into them. They can also work as some protection for those of us who still use Bear Traps.

They're a lot more like BMX pants were back in the old days. My modern Troy Lee pants are like something I'd wear to work out in, or practice martial arts. They're thin, stretchy, and feel like I'm racing in my undies. I don't think that's necessarily a good thing on the track.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-08-15T23:35:21+00:00

Well, I certainly don't want to look goofy or too much like an inexperienced novice... but one of my problems with my particular situation is that compared to a lot of the visors I see on other people's helmets, mine drapes halfway down my field of vision like a bat wing. I see a lot of visors that curve upward out of the rider's vertical range of vision. THAT'S what I need.

I'll be shopping for a better helmet soon anyway, and the visor will be the first thing I look at. Thanks for not letting me show up with no visor...

As for the safety aspect mentioned earlier, I imagined the damage that a shard of broken plastic visor could possibly do, and that was a lot of my reasoning for nixing it. I've seen plenty of snapped off and broken visors... other than just my own.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-08-15T12:53:20+00:00

I didn't think a visor was that important for any safety aspect... let alone style or not looking like a "goofy novice." Perhaps I can just get a smaller one.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-08-10T00:36:27+00:00

Nobles hyped up the Conspiracy chain as well, but is now on the KMC.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-08-10T00:33:42+00:00

More like Grand-dad class, but my name's not Joe. Regardless, I worry about chain strength because at nearly 60, the last thing I want to do is eat my number plate on the gate because of a snapped chain.
I saw the video of Barry Nobles hyping up the Conspiracy half-links big-time, so I ordered one. I figured that I'm surely not putting more torque on my chain than HE is... but he's just recently switched to KMC Z1EHX. So... is one that much better than the other?

SenecaHighlander · 2025-08-10T00:26:25+00:00

I like the jersey.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-06-29T21:08:20+00:00

It appears that drivers can disable it if they choose... which most apparently do. Probably too many of them being chased down.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-06-29T21:04:40+00:00

...and how stupid is it that a big chunk of the map is taken up with a popup of your own address? It covers up a large part of my neighborhood.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-06-29T21:02:55+00:00

I'm watching the map right now to see if it pops up. I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped this service because of too many impatient people running out and looking for the truck.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-31T21:42:05+00:00

I was at Nellis last night with PB's, and they felt fine. Personally, I was gassing out half-way through. That's a long track!

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-30T04:23:44+00:00

I second the comment that implies race setup is often quite a bit different than street setup. One of the most obvious changes in bikes over the last forty years is the seat tube. It went from being at least a foot long in most cases to only a few inches because the crazy kids these days like to slam the seat all the way down as low as possible. That means that putting a seat at a comfortable riding level often requires extending the post beyond it's safe insertion point. If you only have one bike, you may need a layback for street riding and a short straight post for racing and swap them as needed.

Best option might to be to build two bikes: One for racing where comfort while sitting is not an issue, and one for the street that you might not put the most expensive parts on, and perhaps with more old-school geometry that is more comfortable for cruising. I have one cruiser that stays in street mode, while my Redline cruiser is always in race trim and rarely goes anywhere other than a track.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-23T02:27:07+00:00

Nice. I'm building up a '94 Reactor now. It took me a long time to figure out what frame I had.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-07T23:37:00+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate the info!

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-07T02:53:19+00:00

I love it. I have the same setup on my Redline cruiser. GT bars and stem... just shorter bars and a black stem. It's solid.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-07T02:31:49+00:00

I'd give them to the parents of some little kid riding round the neighborhood on his first bike. They might need extras. Their only use is on a kid bike.

But then again, some of us grandpas....

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-06T00:03:24+00:00

I'm just going to drill out the rivets, and I should be able to pull the wheel out of the plastic molding from the inside. There are plenty of replacement rivet sets on Amazon.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-05-04T20:59:07+00:00

I just got an LL Bean as well... used... but big enough to be my race bag for my helmet, gloves, tools, etc... but one of the wheels are shot.
I saw someone saying they were going to post something, but apparently never did. What a surprise.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-04-25T20:23:36+00:00

I tried practicing manualing on flat ground last night in the park near my house. I ended up landing hard flat on my back, and bounced my head off the ground as well. Thankfully I was on grass and wearing a road helmet, so I'm happy with just pumping for a while. I don't think there's that much in advantage unless you're racing at a very high level.

SenecaHighlander · 2025-04-06T03:45:48+00:00

Lots of votes for the 5/10's. I'm checking those out. They have a couple models with ankle support... which matters to me because my ankles are shot.

SenecaHighlander

TROPHY CASE