Fixing beat up BMX "Rat Bikes" and putting them back in service!

BMX bikes are remarkably simple, and near indestructible. That's why I'm taking these old BMX bikes that haven't been ridden in years, and putting them out at my pumptrack to stay. We're going to fix these bikes, get them running again, leave them under a tree for shelter, and put them to use!
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[@Mrlxpumaxl]

I think I speak for all of us when I say, we need old school Seth BMX videos!

[@bigboywithbigcalfs3376]

he needs to see this lol

[@evanprinzhorn]

yes

[@casperbachjunckerkennild2592]

I was attending a small, experimental school. We built our own full size BMX track at the school, which were an old farm just outside the city - just next to the local golf course. We fixed a bunch of old bikes, we had for free and learned using tools - learning by doing. Now the area is a part of the local trail arena with more than 100 miles of trails and tracks for MTB. Back in the 90's in was a ruff patch of land. The local garrison had its training facilities there. We road our bikes there and in the winter season we went skiing there as well... Hikers and dog walkers used parts of the military training ground, and one day we pitched the idea of building a BMX track, and the military send an excavator and helped us with moving dirt. We used two or three days on building jumps and berms, while some of the students went to prepare the bikes. We started on a Monday morning - and Friday we had an opening of the track... We had the support from the local authorities. A fun and, on the same time, hard periode of my life. We attended the school for a reason. Some of us might have been in jail, if we didn't went to that school...

[@Rockmaster867]

Very cool. More schools should make stuff like this possible

[@casperbachjunckerkennild2592]

@@Rockmaster867 It was a school for students with issues... I've ADHD and got bullied a lot in the ordinary school, but the students at the school was a mix of the worst bullies and the victims of bullying. We had to learn practical stuff, help with the gardening and so on. When the school needed to rebuild for example an old barn, it was us students, who did the work with one of the teachers. He was a carpenter, had worked as a teacher at the education centre for different crafts, and ended up with trying to teach us how to lay bricks, change windows and doors etc on the old barn. We had to cut the grass and grow vegetables in the garden. It was an experiment, and it might have worked for some, but for others it didn't... There wasn't always time for normal subjects as math, English, and other more "bookrelated" stuff... I'm the first student from that school to graduate from University.

[@PurpleCh4lk]

Sounds absolutely amazing.

[@FoxRob93]

@@casperbachjunckerkennild2592 Sounds like it worked for you.

[@casperbachjunckerkennild2592]

@@FoxRob93 Maybe to some extent... After I had my masters degree, I've had problems finding a job, leading to stress and anxiety - at with the ADHD diagnosis it all went pretty sour. My blood pressure went sky high and I've had some strokes, so last year I was retitered after a long battle with the authorities here in Denmark... Furthermore I have a bad back, so I can't find a small job, so I can't earn just a little more than the benefits from the government... So living is actually quite tough at times. It still have my bikes, but can't ride them as often as before...

[@TravisDey97]

As a bmxer who follows this channel mainly for trail builds and riding videos. I gotta say I feel like this is a special thank you for sticking around all this time. Love ya seth, you're the best!

[@alexford5214]

Oscar in time out. Thrown bike parking. Beating star nuts with wood and air hammers. Bikes names after famous rats. Epic crash at end. This has all the makings of a top video! Nice work Seth. This was both a learning experience and entertaining.

[@RadJordy]

I love how Seth doesn't age. Seriously, he looks exactly the same as he did in those old videos.

[@Oscr71]

The fireman pole is the best addition to the workshop by far!

[@jacobmonger7803]

Ah yes, I loved the caveman era of tools including the air hammer (fast whacky stick)

[@cjmpaja]

There was that one time my cousin and I had to use a flat shovel and a rubber mallet to press a headset bearing cup into a bike frame...

[@murican1889]

I can’t wait to have all the cool tools like that lol. Being able to throw all the expensive tools at every annoying task that has me putting my head in my hands and crying. No more struggling I choose air hammer

[@saltybastard9037]

I came from the "midschool" era, and just within the past few years, have been building BMX bikes. Oddly, your videos (which don't have a lot to do with BMX) inspired me to start wrenching on them for kids in the community and to treat it as a leisure, and not as a frustrating affair with hammers and the worst tools possible like I did in my youth. Sooo... Thanks? I'm slowly convincing myself to join the MTB cult because of your videos.

[@mikeaaronnewman1305]

Have you been following his channel for a while? It was quite a few years back, but Seth actually did a series on BMX bike skills using the bike now christened Rizzo. It's over on the main channel and a fun series to go back to now and again.

[@saltybastard9037]

@@mikeaaronnewman1305 I hadn't seen that series until about a year ago, which was pretty cool. But I just started watching his videos about the time he changed the name of his channel to Berm Peak.

[@Andy_Pengwin]

Rode nothing but garage sale bmx all through my childhood (80’s-early 90s). Lots of fond memories wrenching with my dad, hanging out with my neighbors, and riding the janky trails all over Derby, KS (Crane Park). Man, we lived on those things. I only wish my daughter was into bikes like I was.

[@PuffinPass]

I rode BMX through the 80s and my favorite tools were a hammer and crescent wrench. It wasn't until years later that I even realized there were specific tools made for working on a bike.

[@zarinagerling512]

you forgot a tool, "vise-grips"

[@jacobwilliams1165]

Seth, I would love to see more BMX content.

[@s1096cm2]

I rode hard back in the late 80’s early 90’s and we never fixed anything! I honestly don’t know how we survived. We all had sloppy headsets, bent wheels, and shoved our feet into tires for braking. But it is still some of the best memories I have from my childhood. I just recently got a pedal bike again for the first time in over 30 years. I would never try what I did back then but it really is nice to be on a bike again!

[@vulpixgrant]

My dad found an old Mongoose BMX at the thrift shop for I think $20 way back in the early 90's. I must have had that for a decade, spray painting the frame and wheels and what not. It's really the only bike I can really remember from when I was a kid. Now I'm about to turn 40 and looking at a Mongoose Grudge 26 to add to my fleet of Bikes, an BMX with 26" wheels and styling like that when I was a kid. It even has the foam top tube cushion, I saw somebody riding one on a trail and just a flood of memories came back to me!

[@ewenwilby6495]

Great Video Seth, I have several BMXs and I'm 61, In love riding trails on them and oftem get looks of wonder and amazement from people seeing an "Old Guy" 6'4" riding a BMX. Ride like your still young and you'll stay young. More videos like this please. Maybe more pump track videos too

[@73vwkubel]

Ohhh yeah this definitely brings me back to the early 2000s building skate ramps in the garage, reading RideBMX, and figuring out shade tree wrenching. I sold my BMX bike last year and have been contemplating another since.

[@frenchyroastify]

There's something quite satisfying to giving an old bike a new lease on life. I think it is because bikes bring joy, and by repairing a bike you will bring joy to someone.

[@Blitz_4K]

Its soo satisfying to watch him do almost anything 😅

[@Tobias.PK420]

your BMX hack videos are what got me into the channel and helped me learn bike maintaince and learn to 360 with your tutorial. back when it was seth's bike hacks . i no longer ride but those skill transfer in parkour / free running . learning how to bail also transferred over and 360s.

[@hadden1234]

Started riding bmx over 20 years ago. Been on mountain bikes for a long time now but I bought a nice bmx again this summer. Love riding it around town and hitting the local pump track. Thanks for the videos!

[@73010061]

definitely appreciate you keeping the craft alive!

[@dereklucero5785]

I really appreciate what you do…. I took a 25 or so year old specialized hard tail 3x8 and updated it to a great 1x9 with more street slick tires and it saved me who knows how much just by investing about $200. I also got some great tools and a bike stand (ok….that was another $300) but I learned a lot. My next project was scratch build 1/9 For my daughter. Channels like yours taught me the basics ! 😁👍

[@raphaelwolff8205]

Seth that was so good to watch,brought back a lot of childhood memories for me.We certainly didnt have many tools back then but we made it work.Great stuff mate.

[@zacharycrockett9884]

Always watched this channel because it was entertaining and a fun little look at MTB coming from the MX world. The Powersports store I work at decided to carry E-MTB and my first thought was to come here and watch your videos a little more seriously thank you for making great and informative content

[@KDubber]

Entertaining video. Reminds me of when I was a teen, I brought my BMX bike up to my bedroom with some basic tools, hammer, screw driver, and some wrenches to replace the bottom bracket and crankset. Had zero clue what I was doing, took it all apart, had the new parts, and hoped for the best that I assembled it back together correctly and without damaging the new parts. That race bike may feel a wee bit small because while it's a 20", it appears to be a "Junior" sized frame, being race bike designed for a child. A "Pro" or "Pro XL" frame may be better your size. :)

[@RoastHardy]

Spot on! I also used to dent my frame with a hammer, destroy most of the paintjob with some bricks or stones, tear my seat with some scissors or a knife, and always made sure to snap off an amount of spokes to be able to slightly bend the rims so no one in their right mind would nick my old, worn out BMX. To this day I still treat my vintage mountainbike and grandma bike just like that, and it really works, no joke! I love how you landed that one-eighty unintentionally, you full of surprises, l so love this channel please never stop

[@RoastHardy]

and it cost... Zero dollars!

[@straightdooshbags1786]

Midschool bmxer here. Started riding again about 4 years ago. More bmx content please!!!

[@robinyoutube7862]

My favourite bike ever (still is) was a blue bmx my father got out of a skip for me. We put new peddles and tyres on it and then I shredded (atleast in my head) on it hard for years.

[@EthanLyde]

Those old school BMX videos are a glimpse into a time I wish I was around. So cool

[@ronniek.7331]

Really love this throw back to BMX video, nice finishing clip too. Back to the roots that lead me to MTB…❤❤❤

[@njcardoctor7231]

This video brought back soooo many memories!!!! Thanks Seth!

[@BenBike]

Seth would love to see an update on your backyard trail system! Been a while since we've seen it

[@logic63]

Back in the early/mid 90's I had a Frankenstein BMX with a Diamondback frame, Elf fork, DK XL stem, Redline forklifter handlebars, Odyssey triple trap pedals, Odyssey pitbull brake and lever, an Araya rim in the back and mystery rim in front and generic 3 piece cranks. 😄 I loved that bike.

[@BlueTrane2028]

One piece at a time.

[@ryang5441]

Seth, you’re such a down to earth guy. I really appreciate it. So much pretentiousness in the bike world, we need more people like you.

[@michaelsutherland4656]

Hi back in the 80's 🇬🇧 i used to ride a Firebird freestyler got it from a 'shed 'of a bike shop that was like an Aladdin's cave (best BMX shop for miles!!!) built it from scratch and cherished it for years a bunch of us would cruise the town bashing and crashing into everything HAPPY DAYS . THANKS FOR THAT VIDEO BROUGHT BACK FOND MEMORIES 😊✌️🚲

[@gac5664]

I love Bmx! Still ride it and just getting into mountain bikes. Thanks for the videos.

[@tomahawkjo8574]

Still have my bmx bike. Redline RL440. Love it!

[@maxportillo4262]

I'm just now fixing my bmx that's been sitting for Years. this is perfect content!

[@tannermartone]

Love the bmx content please keep it up, I’ve definitely had a few rat bikes when I first started to ride myself but we all have to start somewhere, using proper tools definitely is a pleasure though haha. would love to even see some old bmx clips also!

[@jeromemarie4770]

Still have my S&M holmes from those days! took it out of my parents garage and build it back for pump tracks 2 year ago. It felt like my wrist were about to split in two the first time I got back on it. I just love suspention

[@A-Kiwi]

Haha, love the ending ya Punk!😂 For some reason my mum got mad at me when I changed the tyre using the silverware. But it was perfect, no sharp edges!

[@jdjones7469]

Every BMX’ers tool kit; Vise grips, adjustable wrench, and hammer. All the tools ever needed!

[@mandemisbatman]

love berm peak uploads

[@chancemackey7100]

Yes, I've been waiting for a BMX video haha that gap at the end was no joke. looks at least 5 bike lengths. On a heavy ol' klunker too. Like some of the other comments, I'd definitely like to see more old BMX footage.

[@GTChucker86]

man seeing that SE everyday bike takes me back to all those years ago when you were but a wee small youtube channel Glad to see it again after all those years ☺️

[@lazlomiskolczi5217]

Would love to see more oldskool bmx clips from you 💪

[@KestrelYI]

Digging the Woodward sticker. That game me some good nostalgia about a few great summers up there.

[@juancarlossanchez759]

Thank you for this video. It brought me back with a chuckle and a smile. Those 90's bikes would have been top notch in the 80's when I would have killed to own one. You made my day!😂

[@junka1975]

I am 48 years old and although I am no where near Seth's level of riding, trying to do manuals on my BMX is always fun and just from that, eating right, not only do I enjoy riding more, I lost a load of excess weight too. I highly recommend having a BMX in your life. With that big bolt sticking out the stem, Splinter looks like it will take you out with some ninja move.

[@dogbog99]

Love the old footage

[@NorgeSquad]

I've been riding BMX scince 2015 and I still use all strategys as you did

[@sethallen4130]

coming from another seth - long time follower and even longer time bmx rider, this video was enjoyable. gotta keep it bmx when working on the bmx😂

[@robstaudigel9639]

Love seeing the old LI clips

[@RuralFisherman]

I was always the mountain goat in my friend group, they all had BMX bikes for screwing around the downtown area, and mountain bikes to tool around the ATV trails in Maine before mountain biking really caught on up there, but I could only afford one bike so I went with a mountain bike. That too was very BMX though, it was cobbled together from bits and bobs that I either had laying around, or from donor bikes that I found at my grandfathers salvage yard. I didn't have the right tools to remove the bottom bracket so I learned how to weld and threw a big ol nut on the bracket to give me something to back it out with. Working on bikes and being creative with the way I fix them is what made me want to go into engineering, which it turns out I didn't have the patience for, but that same fire is what led me to be a product designer, designing kayaks for a living.

[@JerryHazard]

Started riding in the 70's, wheelies on banana seat bikes, through the 80's, half of the 90's... then MTB's took over. Until 3 years ago. But I remember the kid mechanic mentality, fix it by any means necessary. I was disappointed you didn't employ vice-grips, lol. Love the fleet you restored. I just built up a trashed Skyway T/A frame, and used the wood block method for the bottom bracket cups 😉 Keep up the cool content 🤘

[@TheSwissViking]

Would love to see a bmx comeback on this channel, just picked mine back up after 4 years.

[@razzahling8951]

it's so cool seeing bike restored with a more commentary pov

[@rolyat]

2:45 Shoving a bar end into the steerer tube was a common thing on park bikes when I rode BMX. The tires were often a bit slimmer and lower profile, so the bar end filled that gap to make footjams easier! It's a bit...odd on a race bike though lol

[@cosmicbackwoods]

sick footy dude, brought back memories of shredding in the 90s

[@mikedawyd4054]

I grew up in a small town with a local landfill you could “explore for treasure”. Whenever my Dad would do a Saturday dumprun, I’d find random bikes to take home for parts. I built a few ratbikes in the 90s. My favourite bike was a full sanding and spray can paint job + a GT Bicycles sticker set, everyone thought it was real and pricey. It Cost me time and $20 in paint and clearcoat plus another $20 for the sticker pack. Eventually In high school I had enough spare bmx junkers for visitors to borrow. One weekend my classmates from another town spent the night and we had a blast bmxing the town at night. The worst bike had a rear tire that looked like it came off a 70s bananaseat bike…buddy gave it 70lbs at the gas station by accident. It sounded like a gunshot when he plopped all 200+lbs onto that tired overinflated tire, good times.

[@TheTyisawesome]

I use to have an old 20in GT in highschool. Got a 21in Fit BMX in college. 21inch is my preferred BMX size. I still ride BMX today but don't do any tricks it's just my style of bike now. Mostly cause it fits in the car easy haha

[@luketschimpke9417]

One time I thought my top cap was unimportant because someone at the skate park told me that. So when I destroyed my top cap (some how) I just said F it and went without. My headset promptly blew up mid bunny hop. There’s a video somewhere lol. I loved this video seth.

[@sandy_knight]

In the late 90s I was using 'firm hold' hairspray to get my grips on/off. Once it goes off (takes 12hrs) it sticks like glue but unlike glue it comes loose again with a bit more hairspray.. Slide an old spoke or a thin screwdriver under the grip to get the hairspray in there.

[@zacknagel827]

That random subrosa sticker is a classic out In the Orlando area! The warehouse and showroom is down the street from my house. My bike shop owner has a whole fleet of beach cruisers that we all sticker bombed with subrosa stickers and ride at critical mass!

[@johnsampson2544]

As someone who raced novice BMX some 40+ years ago, and had to pay for the bike, equipment and repairs myself, heaving Ratatouille into the brush was not acceptable. It was even a bit painful to watch. 10 demerits for you, Seth. 😜 This video definitely took me back, though. I had an 8- or 10-piece tool kit from my dad to do all the work on my bike. It did get the job done. Today, with my carbon gravel bike I pay someone who knows what they're doing. The tech is a lot more complicated than it was back in 1980.

[@mattspen]

Pure childhood nostalgia here! I had to DK’s and a Haro just like two of these flip bikes. Goods times learning to work on bikes. They are so scary to ride now

[@Eric.Estrada]

Letsss gooo. Love to see BMX content!

[@Fixingeverthingwithaengine567]

We use to grind old dock platforms, benches, and walls. Wax does alot.

[@z383tpi]

Former 90's bmx'er here. Street and small time ABA member. BMX is why I still ride a Hardtail MTB. 😅 However, I sold my 20" FIT BMX bike once I threw a leg over a Dirt Jumper. At 5'11 & 36yr old, the 26" DJ bike just feel right. 😎 Another entertaining the vid Seth. 👍🏻

[@TALLPaul67X]

BMXing in the 70's and 80's on my JMC black and gold 20" and chrome and black 24"! I'd help Jim clean up his shop in Azusa back in the day. My dad's shop was in the same industrial complex. Great memories!

[@crispyfilms3983]

The most of a “speciality” tool I’ve used is my dads welder. My dad welded the little sprocket nub back on my crank arm after it cracked. To this day, 11 years later, it’s still holding, and I ride the bike every so often to bring back some memories

[@silvianogonzalezjr8017]

Roadmaster Pro Edge 20" was my first bike and after that I bought my friends GT Mach1 20" my freshman year. Great times on both of those bikes.

[@ericmonty]

Yeah a hammer and a block of wood was our headset press and a piece of rope over the garage rafters and looped over the saddle was our workstand. Love this.

[@jcabrams2137]

Cool- i actually just fixed up my old Bylly from the 90`s , lost of fun, and back in the day i used all kinds of metodes fixing my bikes😃, torches, hammers you name it

[@misterhaan]

my brother and i in the mid 90s would pick up free bikes from garage sales, which were usually free because something wasn't working. we'd swap parts between 2 or 3 to get something running, saving our money for grips and brakes which were about $10 a set. some specifics i remember are disabling coaster brakes (in favor of the hand brakes), and a mullet bike we made from throwing a 24" fork on a 20" bike. the threaded steer tube was a little short so we just left off the top nut and checked that it was tight before each ride. also made our own winter tires by buying a pack of machine bolts and nuts, bolting through the tires with the heads on the inside nuts on the outside, and running duct tape around the inside of the tire so it wouldn't pop the tube.

[@Mpowm7359]

I love how he casually chucked those bikes out the door 🤣

[@cornerdust798]

That's one thing you gotta love about bmx. Indestructible!

[@jessegrimes1896]

Sick edit , bro!

[@felixdevleeschauwer8305]

You've got me all motivated to retry some bmx tricks, so i went to look up your old videos on the topic. What happened to seths bikes hacks? I feel like i've been robbed of my childhood, and that wouldn't even be that exaggerated. So much good content, where has it all gone? Please tell me that i can re-watch your earlier videos, just for old times' sake. Your's truly, Felix.

[@nathanabbe383]

You should build a small shelter for the rat bikes. A place to park them and keep them mostly out of the elements.

[@andyteran4370]

Sooo.....a rat nest?

[@nathanabbe383]

@@andyteran4370 love it! haha

[@liamcochrane81]

Seth we need more bmx content. I'm a bmxer from the 2000s myself, you forgot the oversized wrench that you used to have to take to the rough spots to fight off the bums 😂😂

[@ridingwithreggie]

The last time I was on a BMX bike it was the early 1990s. I like how you just chunked the bike in the bushes. LOL!!! Those bikes can take a beating for sure. Great job of getting those bikes back on the map!

[@james94582]

This is awesome... And how I started out on a bike.. Many years ago... Have thought of getting another BMX bike... Always messing around on my daughters 20".. But hers is a 20" in tire size only.. Frame is like a 16"..lol

[@hotchihuahua1546]

I wish I still had my 20” bike from the late 50’s just for the memories ! In the 60’s I transformed her when the banana bikes first came out . For kids it was our first independence to cover distance away from home !

[@Vincent-_-123]

Congrats on the 1 million.

[@KevinBein]

I am definitely having flashbacks from my teenage years in the 90s. I wasn't able to afford a nice bike, but I was handy with a wrench. So I would help other kids upgrade their bikes in exchange for their old parts. Which I would then use to upgrade my bike. Everything is gone now except for a set of white GT mags that I just kept all these years because they were cool.

[@Jesticles85]

oh man, the memories....flipping through the danscomp catalogue, picking out dream parts for dream bikes and then end up just end up doing what u did in this video. 😂

[@TheVTRainMan]

My tool cache in the 90s consisted of the following. A screwdriver (doubled as a chisel), a hammer, needle nose pliers with wire cutter, and a pair of vice-grips (also used as a hammer)... Oh and one pedal wrench (I never used as a hammer).

[@redwoods1974]

Late 80's BMXer. We used to used a broom stick between the chain stay and wheel to tension the chain. Worked like a charm!

[@gmcman283]

Did the broomstick trick broke Mom's broom had to buy a new 1. Found a piece of pipe hammered the end shut and made a wheel pry bar. Never broke Mom's broom again.

[@brianwalker9793]

Leftover M8 from building a playset in the backyard as a headset bolt - chef's kiss!

[@RobertHatfull-df4ch]

Been doing this since the early 80s All my daily riders are rat rides bought at bootsales for cheaps great content buddy 👍

[@safreestyle]

Thanks, I was happy forgetting the pain of installing star nuts with nothing but a hammer.

[@stefanterzic1269]

Congrats on 1m🎉

[@eformance]

I was off BMX by the 90's, though I have a fond place in my heart for them. First dual sport in '97 and the rest is history...

[@reubenbryant]

Absolutely love my BMX for the pump track.

[@chrispavelko7469]

Just brought my old 98 Hoffman Condor back to life too!

[@danagadoiii9032]

It’s always entertaining Seth!

[@bpisan]

Total nostalgia on the BMX mechanicing. I would never wench on my MTBs like i did my old Haro Backtrail. lol

[@medic132]

Good to see the se bmx back

[@benharrup5797]

I just got myself a mongoose black diamond double downhill bike after watching Seth I have started a business flipping bikes in Australia got that mongoose and it has hardly been ridden I got it do $90 usd I’m loving this hobby/job

[@colinkeyes2054]

Nice shin! I’ve still got my 2000’s Mirraco Black Pearl.