What Happens When A Road Cyclist Tries BMX? | Big Jumps, Massive Watts & No Skills

BMX is a cycling discipline that often isn't taken very seriously by those on the outside, but it's a sport that requires incredible skill, fitness, and bravery. In fact some of best track riders in the world came from BMX background! Join Hank as he gives BMX a go!
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Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound:
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Leave us a comment below!

[@gcn]

What did you think of Hank's attempt at BMX? Let us know in the comments 👇

[@daharkkjw]

Simply Epic! Loved this vid

[@ramskrall]

Great vid loved it, it would be awesome to get the whole gcn there for a game of bike 👍👍

[@elijahlimbaga661]

So you guys let hank do the BMX thing cause he is the shortest?

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

He’s got the right temperament for it.

[@MrJudegwapo]

He’s gnarly.

[@timbrooks9607]

Should get Connor doing this, the size difference between him and the bike would be hilarious

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

Since you stand most of the time, he'd just look like he's on a scooter.

[@Mrich775]

I'm 190cm and had to get a custom frame just to ride a class bike instead of a cruiser, bmx is def not tall people friendly haha

[@woozertoo]

Why do I hear the circus theme song in me head, all of a sudden

[@prestachuck2867]

You’d be surprised. They actually do make bmx race frames and handlebars for riders Conor’s size. “Pro XXXL”. Seriously.

[@Mrich775]

@@prestachuck2867 they def do but it's a custom order and a few weeks wait, thays the size I'm on.

[@joshbaxeleven]

Love this BMX guy on the channel. More of him!

[@arthurbown-mazzoni]

7 years and a lot of videos after Dan promised us BMX content in the first GCN show, we finally have it! Yes!

[@justinossa7349]

I was thinking the same thing!!!

[@shinobi111782]

why not have a GCN presenter challenge on this track

[@Calum_S]

Did Hank get lessons from Matt Stephens about how to clip in?

[@gcn]

Someone had to take over the mantle 😂

[@DarkpowderUK]

Matt of course was a pro bmx rider for a brief time (not a lot of people know that, but at least he had the courage to try cyclocross :D ) come on hank! Here's Matt on the CX bike.... kzbin.info/aero/PLFNtuxbT54U3KN26RkKGODP-sCKRFXNzi

[@tomrachellesfirstdance7843]

Part 3 of GCN trying to kill hank

[@gcn]

So far unsuccessful...

[@mbal4052]

@@abritandhisbikeinpoland6802 hanks a star, piss off

[@robertstrobel7338]

On this episode of Hank tries, we're here at Darkfest 2021

[@ghazypangerang6118]

@@gcn Get Hank to ride Rampage.

[@jelleverdijck781]

Finally a Cycling Channel that sees BMX as a cycling sport! Loved it! Thanks guys?!

[@Ruben-cn9lq]

good video taste ngl, hyped to see more of this.

[@CliffeDuffield]

Thanks Tre for good humour of letting that fall stay in.

[@zerocooljpn]

man, I love these segments of not just road cycling, but seeing other disciplines and types of bikes. I also had a BMX when I was a kid, and I had completely forgotten how much fun it was, being my first bike and all. Definitely something fun to do with your kids, or let them do.

[@willian.direction6740]

Hank does Trials next.

[@satori4183]

"I never seen anyone just keep going round and round and round" 😂 well that's Hank the Tank for ya

[@boudoir00]

Hank, you have been promoted to being my favourite GCN presenter over the past few weeks. Keep it up, you are brilliant!

[@markbooth6745]

Bmx is great, I went from bmx in the 80s to the road bike. And still like bmx now.🔥😃👍

[@peru4130]

I LOVE this video. From a former BMX rider now doing MTB, then road and now gravel, THANKS SO MUCH for showing this perspective. AWESOME!! Regards from Lima, Peru.

[@stefanobollani4503]

Finally the 7 years long wait for the much anticipated bmx content has ended

[@shaldon08]

great shout. I grew up on BMX bikes and racing around the tracks of east anglia in the mid eighties. The best memories. “Back in my day” the bikes were more everyday bikes - I used to ride a lot of miles as lived a fair way from my mates - with higher seat tubes, but that bike in this video looks built for purpose and fast.

[@kevinv.m.94]

It feels good after watching humble people sharing their joy on their passion. It's so contagious.

[@ChownieNaturalMrUniverse]

Yes, some BMX at last 😎. Please sir, can we have some more? Hank working up to his first BMX race would make a good series. We have some superb racers in this country who deserve more coverage.

[@thomashanville7270]

That’s a sick idea

[@williamnelson5488]

One thing should be pointed out how much a family sport it is. Iam 54 years old been racing for 40 years, but the best thing was when I raced with my kids. One of my competitors races with his kids and grand kids, I absolutely love that about my sport.

[@woozertoo]

It’s been decades since I’ve set foot upon a BMX bike as a kid-had no idea the pros clipped in!

[@FreeMTrider]

all ages and genders have been clipping in since the '90s. Brian Lopes (MTB pro) and I believe Eric Rupe were the first to show up at a national clipped in. Either '93 or '94.

[@keirfarnum6811]

@@FreeMTrider Naw. It was a couple years earlier. Probably 90. In 93 I had already been using clipless pedals for at least 3 years racing MTB in Alaska. Unless you’re talking specifically about BMX? 🤷‍♂️ Before clipless, I was using traditional road cleats with double leather straps, but with MTB shoes (Mike Kloser’s old Alpinestars shoes). Which really forced me to become a good bike handler since I couldn’t get out of my pedals without reaching down to slap the straps. Interestingly, I’m still riding with those original Shimano SPD 747s; they somehow still work!

[@FreeMTrider]

@@keirfarnum6811 referring to just BMX. I didn’t start riding MTB until ‘95 and everyone was clipped in of course. Interesting enough, way back in ‘79, my buddy was using just the road toe clip cage racing BMX. My dad raced road bikes so we had a few to modify and trimmed the top part of the clip off. I was only 11 years old and my friend was 13. It worked pretty good.

[@joshwilliams6849]

Hank is an absolute unit I always say it. Although Tre Whyte seems like a top bloke too. Good vid.

[@hugh6025]

@Vicki Peterson hank

[@SteveSUX2BU]

@Vicki Peterson A place of residence.

[@roonietunes7]

Trey seems like a very cool guy!

[@jimvee4528]

Years ago I took the kids to the closest BMX track. The guy running the pace said to pace myself because it was a 750' long track. I was like "I can ride 100 miles, no problem. 750' is a joke!" But, at 500', I didn't think I'd make it. Mad fun. Great video. More Tre!

[@Mortartown]

Another GCN video that makes me want to go get another bike! Thanks to Hank for his fearless experimenting! Love seeing people learn new things. And every time Hank takes a tumble with the clipless pedals makes me feel ok about the number of times I end up on my side with a bike still connected.

[@racerx8410712]

Last year, at the age of 43 I did a BMX clinic. It was incredible and fun but no joke as it was the hardest 40ish seconds of riding in my life! It's one of only a couple of cycling disciplines that really works the upper body and core. I was riding everyday that year (2019) and I made it about an hour and a half before my legs were like, "yeah right!" I think the next thing you should try is trials!

[@KOMHuntTV]

Gutted that Hank didn’t get his dad on a BMX for this one 😜

[@kyrunsparks5897]

Same scott mate 😂 wish he did

[@KOMHuntTV]

@@kyrunsparks5897 😂😂😂😂👌 maybe we need to find a couple of BMXs for your next appearance 👍

[@harrimi]

Haha credit to Hank. He is up for anything.

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

True this.

[@KOMHuntTV]

@@harrimi but will he take on Bullet Bale in a Walking KOM?

[@clintnieves]

Finally GCN features BMX

[@amfinc2]

American freestyle bmxer here. Respect Hank, respect. 👍

[@yvan2218]

Next up: hank climbs the angliru on a bmx

[@gcn]

We'll pitch it to him...

[@yvan2218]

@@gcn excited to see the 2000 watts sustained over the whole climb

[@paulsymons562]

Francis Cade has done an Everest on a BMX. Just sayin'.... Trenching for Hank?

[@8paolo96]

he can't beat Alan from GCN italia going up the zoncolan on a graziella

[@leeghathaway]

Tre makes a really good observation about Hank just keeping going. I raced BMX for years but would always struggle to hold it together down the last straight. After building endurance through road riding, maintaining speed at the end of the race eventually became one of my strengths. Baggies and Lycra go hand in hand!

[@jaygee434]

I think it's important that us roadies try different diserplines in cycling (and I don't mean just CX). Some of the skills I learnt from downhill mtb have without a shadow of aa doubt have helped with road biking Kudos to Hank for giving BMX a go

[@thomaspeacock636]

I raced as a kid and again as in my 20s. its helped my handling skills obviously. The organizer of the track I raced at said once, "I am glad BMX is here because some kids do not play ball". I miss it sometimes. Good o to hank for doing it in SPDs his first time!

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Tre and Hank, for this spin around the track and the BMX history lesson. And I will always be thankful that I was one of those kids in California on a Sting-Ray way back in the day, got mine for my birthday in San Francisco in '67. And that bike for me--and the BMX bikes which followed--provided years of thrills and chills and spills and now decades of fond memories, like fearlessly dropping down those steep streets--we lived on Twin Peaks--and slamming on the brakes at the bottom and then riding back up, either by myself or with friends, happily zig-zagging all the way and the only way when you're eight years old, lol.

[@francisling3196]

Great vid, Tray seems like a top bloke and real ambassador for BMX! Hank did good, let's be honest man on man race would have won with Tray's start 😅

[@drb2323]

Love to see y'all take Tre out on the road. He's a great personality.

[@7passu]

I loved this one. I'd like to see the whole GCN crew on BMX race bikes and run a race. Best of 3 motos wins

[@aleksa525]

11:33, I would expect that from Hank, not from him😅

[@gcn]

😂

[@sknkwrksowner]

Exactly what I was thinking! Can't use the lack of the gate as an excuse for it. Oddly, I never knew they clipped in for it. Always thought it was basic platforms. Learned something!

[@callummclachlan4771]

@@sknkwrksowner So did I. Wouldn't feel confident jumping while being clipped in.

[@calvin2914]

I race BMX, and I can confidently say his back tire lost grip. A combination of trying to sort of do his gate start on flat (damp?) ground and the lack of a gate. BMXers can put down alot of torque and when it doesn't grip properly or a drivetrain component breaks. it can result in an otb like 11:33. The reason why is that in order to start our intial momentum we through our bodyweight forward. If you go too far fowards, the grip on your rear tire can be reduced to a point where it slips.

[@wayneeskins3801]

Great to see BMX on GCN. BMX is what got me into cycling back in the 80's, great video

[@OrdinaryBlokeOnABike]

All of you GCN youngsters won’t have had the pleasure of watching a particular Blue Peter presenter of my youth but Hank truly is GCN’s answer to John Noakes 🤣

[@rzeckner]

Car manufacturers have crash-test dummies, GCN has Hank!

[@rensvermeulen8914]

I have done BMX since age 4,5 and I have to say Hank did very well for his first time. Good work making these video's and keep it up.

[@evanking920]

Hank is an outstanding athlete, and it is great to watch him do new cycling challanges.

[@nmartin802]

Loved this! Proud that Tre represented BMX so well 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@markharding7741]

I was there when you filmed this got me in the back ground while talking on the last section lol

[@markreams3192]

Hey Hank. You look pretty good for the first time out! Maybe it’s time for your first BMX bike. The family like atmosphere at the track is unlike any discipline in cycling. You can race in full kit or jeans and a hoodie. Nobody really cares. What they care about is if you’re having fun. It’s one of the only sports where your 4 yr old can get in the gate with an Olympic gold medalist! Ages range from 3 yrs old to the 70’s come to the USA to a USA BMX national and do a video. It will be quite an experience!

[@earthstick]

I just noticed yesterday I have a video of a crit race (the British Nationals) in Bath that Hank competed in. There is a moment where Hank is right up in the lead. He came forth I think, and the commentator keeps dropping his name over the PR. It was a really cold wet day and I got soaked watching.

[@dominicsorby7933]

Really enjoyed this! Something a little different. Kudos GCN

[@DC4416]

Big up Tre with the knowledge and the bants, great episode and good chemistry between these two!

[@Moishe555]

The last few videos have been very enjoyable, lot's of fun!

[@user-kb7ij6ye8u]

love seeing the GCN dudes out of their element!! you should take the GMBN guys up a cat 1 climb sometime hahaha

[@prestachuck2867]

I raced BMX during the 1970’s and early 1980’s...the sport’s golden era. I only ride road and gravel these days, but I still LOVE to watch BMX racing. I can still feel the hairs on my neck standing whenever the starting cadence begins...”Riders ready....Watch the lights!” Let’s do a Global BMX Racing Network! Please!

[@heymanmotorsports49]

Great job Hank. I’m decent at both and good at neither but my 2 loves are BMX and Roads! Great crossover vid guys. Keep it up. ❤️from Texas

[@lavefa]

Great to see GCN giving space to all cycling disciplines out there! 🙏💪👍🙌

[@ramskrall]

All my spare time I was at this track in Patchway Bristol, loved it loads and it’s great that it still is going strong, race nights were awesome and would strongly recommend for anyone interested in the art of Bmxing, great vid👍👍👍👍

[@Windband1]

Hank! Fair play mate! Well done. Super fun video and I appreciate you being a great sport and trying different things! Cheers mate.

[@TatamiDisco]

Thanks for this! BMX racing is what got me in to bikes when I was a child.

[@simonroebuck7145]

Would like to see Tre as the Forth man in the team persuit, of Si Richardson on the time trial bike.

[@natdlareg]

Challenges with Hank are always inspiring!

[@crbondur]

We have a BMX track in a park close to my house. This video was so inspiring, my wife now wants to get out and give it a try. Surprise, surprise!

[@leorule4878]

It would be a treat if we see u guys doing freestyle bmx

[@thomashanville7270]

That would be sick, teach him how to drop in n stuff

[@paulwright2624]

Great video, have done a few laps of our local BMX track with the kids and it's great fun and hard work. Would love to see Hank race CX next - do it while it's muddy!

[@jonathanmurphy1110]

Join us next week for Hank does the mega avalanche

[@ayatbaik]

gcn make it happen

[@rensvermeulen8914]

That would be mental bro😎🤟🏽

[@fergusdenoon1255]

Send more paramedics...

[@keithchristner4522]

And GMBN sends either Blake or Neil to Red Hook! Lol

[@roonietunes7]

Blake will get him sorted out!

[@ApertureBMX]

Hank did pretty well for his first attempt at a BMX track, and Tre is a heck of a choice for a mentor. Good stuff all round!

[@ltrtg13]

Hank could try single speed mountain bike race or off road unicycle.

[@8paolo96]

I don't think anyone could get him on a unicycle saddle anymore

[@DavidMackenzie]

Great to see Trey in action again. I remember photographing him at Burgess Park riding with Peckham BMX in 2013/14 when the whole site was being developed. It was great to watch the riders racing around that track. Although like Hank it scared the loving daylights out of me!

[@add28]

That was awesome! Mate, you can take any challenge at all - Hank the tank! In terms of the future challenges, you should definitely try Down Hill. Bigger frame and wheels, supper fun, dangerous and scary. Think about it, I know you would love it. Great episode, take care 👍

[@davidofoakland2363]

Good job! it looks real enjoyable and I'm sorely tempted to give it a whirl. Nice, tight, well edited video.

[@SergioCristancho]

and hopefully this is GNC first step to keep promises and bring BMX ... who knows maybe a GBMX channel in the future... kudos on the video GCN

[@mrsmith4662]

Great video & a great challenge - they are so hard & tiring getting round those couple of hundred yards!

[@richcrompton6891]

What a great little vid. Hank mate, you crushed it for a first attempt. Awesome! Get Trey to compete in the rad race!! That would be a good return event

[@andrexmillan]

Cool video guys! Always love to show how hard BMXr is. The only part I cannot see well explained is the elbow to elbow fights, which being a RUGBY player also, made me call BYCICLE RUGBY to BMXr

[@alexhutchinson2409]

More of this! Great Video

[@bettsdn]

FINALLY the quality BMX content Dan has been promising us since literally the first GCN video lol.

[@JamesMartin-gl8gg]

Well done Hank, hats off to you.

[@garyclewlow1]

Gloves gloves gloves!

[@rebellis13]

Next is Hank doing artistic cycling.

[@katiel7166]

Hell yes. Get Viola Brand in as instructor.

[@thomlarson681]

I agree! Viola Brand would be great. I’d love to see Hank doing a handstand on a bike!

[@KeepSmilingAdventures]

i just spent 7 days riding a dirt jump bike and i went to the bmx track as part of the learning experience and let me tell you they make it look way easier than it is and it is nackering

[@mrpotatoheadie]

It's the acceleration and leg speed is insane

[@Meelis1]

Yes, and some of the tracks are straight scary.

[@KeepSmilingAdventures]

Meelis558 the one in Bournemouth was certainly bigger than i had expected 😦😂

[@chefbomike3428]

I’ve been riding bmx my whole life and been getting in to road bikes recently and I love it and your guys channel has helped a lot keep it up guys!

[@gcn]

Great to hear, thanks for the support! We'd love to do more BMX in the future :)

[@chefbomike3428]

@@gcn let me know would love to do a collaboration with y’all

[@Scott_M-H]

No way! I saw Hanks at exeter bmx track! such a sick vid guys :)

[@petinka721]

Hank as always made it great! Ollie next?

[@mxkstfmk]

Next stop "Hell Track"... Nice one Cru Jones!

[@keithmccallum1054]

When I saw the title of the video ,I knew Hank was going to be the one. "GCN give it to Hank he will do anything" LOL!

[@diegoleiva7242]

Wasn't expecting this at all! Amazing video. I've never even set foot on a BMX bike. The BMX guy is great, hope this isn't a one off!

[@SuperScotty1974]

Great video Hank!!!

[@brianwilliam8971]

Stoked to see BMX represented on the channel. That’s where I started in the sport.

[@jonglass]

Next, the GBMX channel! ;-) When I was a kid in the 70s, BMX was my way into serious biking. I had a '68 Schwinn Stingray (5 speed) that I stripped everything off of, and switched to a bmx saddle, bars and wheels. Back then, though, we raced in dirt more like motocross. I don't know what Hank was riding on, but it looked a lot harder than the dirt we rode on. Wondering where the knee and elbow pads were. ouch.

[@RyanAggabao]

Hank did pretty awesome! Would love to see more Tre Whyte showing more BMX fundamentals and maybe tackle a gravel or mountain trail!

[@qibble455]

Great vid:D I love to see James take on the UK downhill top speed record.

[@jw3638]

Next, get Connor to do a Brompton race.

[@erikcarrigan8863]

"Aerodynamics!" "Yeah, you don't need that on a bike."

[@chrisgilligan4968]

It's only 10 seconds....but it's almost 30% slower!! lol It was all in the start....getting enough speed going down the ramp - Trey hardly pedaled through the circuit - just here and there. He was able to generate way more speed coming down the ramp, and has much better technique to not scrub that speed over the bumps. Great fun video....reminds me of my BMX racing days when I was a kid. My home track had a much longer start ramp, but also was a much longer track.

[@owenwood6298]

Really enjoyed watching Hank try and hurt himself. Tre was great, you need to get him doing some more on GCN

[@sureshchinnappa2290]

Love it Hank. Well done!

[@aaronhill7599]

GCN needs to create a playlist called “Hank flirts with death and danger.” Throw the tandem world record attempt in there, the 10 caffeine trip, this one.

[@billinhouston3291]

Tre: "Nice and controlled" translation: Slow. Nice work, Hank. You aren't dead yet! Thanks for the help, Tre!

[@ianstewart8301]

This was great! Great to see a POC on GCN. The only downside was the amount of ads in this one, seriously over 5. But otherwise loved this.

[@Meelis1]

That was awesome. Maybe Hank could participate in a BMX race next or check out BMX trails (UK should have pretty nice trails scene in the woods).

[@TheCyclisttc]

Really cool. Nice video

[@DevinWiles]

More and more skateboarders coming over to road cycling as their bodies age. Plus you've got those wild Palace / Rapha kits. I'd love to see a skater vs. roadie challenge.

[@averageroadie6487]

I grew up racing BMX. But that was in the 80s. Back before they had these groomed smooth tracks. Ours were basically piles of dirt and paths cut into someone's field. I'd love to try one of these tracks one day.

[@tomarcher8577]

I swear the first time I went to my Adelaide version of this track I full-on biffed it and came straight off my bike and i didn't even have cleats on 😂. Hank went really well!