Video: Ruben Alcantara is Experimenting with a Full-Suspension BMX Bike

Jan 27, 2020
by Daniel Sapp  



It's no secret, the BMX scene has a lot of skill. We've seen BMXers adapt to mountain bikes and putting their skills to use on trails and slopestyle course for some time now. However, Ruben Alcantara is likely one of the first to take bits of mountain bike technology and adapt it to 20" wheels to make a full-suspension BMX bike.

According to @fingerscrossedbmx, Alcantara said:

bigquotes13 years ago I had the opportunity to ride the bike park of Whistler with a mountain bike. I had so much fun but I was thinking all the time: I wish I could ride this on my BMX...—Ruben Alcantara

It seems that Alcantara has been working closely with Garrett Byrnes, Mike Bennett, and Ari Cruz, among others to bring this vision to life and we can't wait to see what comes of it. We've reached out to Ruben for more information so we'll update this post when we learn more.








Posted In:
Videos Reviews and Tech Ruben Alcantara BMX


Author Info:
danielsapp avatar

Member since Jan 18, 2007
476 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
[UPDATED] Elite Finals Results & Overall Standings from the Fort William DH World Cup 2024
164568 views
4 Tech Takeaways From the Fort William DH World Cup
56671 views
Extra Tech Randoms: Fort William DH World Cup 2024
55353 views
Frameworks DH Bikes Stolen in Milton Keynes, UK
44205 views
Day 1 Randoms: Bike Festival Riva 2024
39381 views
Norco Race Division Updates on Greg Minnaar & Lucas Cruz's Injuries
35585 views
Now THAT Was a Bike: 2016 Pole Evolink
35487 views
[UPDATED] Junior Results & Overall Standings from the Fort William DH World Cup 2024
35248 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

112 Comments
  • 158 1
 So, Taj. High expectations next Sunday.
  • 5 0
 hahhahahaha so goood!
  • 11 4
 Brooklyn Machine Works only did almost the same exact build 30 plus years ago, tested by pros children.
  • 6 1
 @jorgeposada: LOL exact same? That frame was hideous. That's like saying every suspension frame is the same so why bother.
  • 4 0
 @jorgeposada: BMW -I still have their first stem - a massive chunk of aluminum.
  • 3 1
 @arthom: The funny part is Doc was hucking that frame bigger that you can comprehend before you were born kid.
  • 2 0
 @jorgeposada: Your back yard trails running or what?
  • 1 0
 @arthom: Ya in between the tons of rain they dry out almost. The more technical dirt jumps I won't hit because I don't want to rebuild after 2 runs. Have bunch of weather proof trails to keep me busy until all this rain every other day stops.
  • 3 0
 @endlessblockades: Nice that one was very heavy, had one in 50mm. Still have a Shiftoid 35mm for about 20 years and looks brand new, even hardware after decades of abuse. The Shiftoid was heavier than new stems but not too bad. Pretty sure this stem will outlive me.
  • 64 0
 This is an abomination And I love it I absolutely want to try it.
  • 17 15
 install bmx handlebar on brandon semenuk ticket s.
  • 13 0
 @chyu: that's like complete opposite.sounds horrible
  • 1 4
 @chyu: matt jones did a video using bmx bars on his dirt jumper tho
  • 6 0
 I got a parking lot ride on Garrett's bike as my buddy (same guy that built Remy Morton's BMX frames) did the mods to it. After riding a Nomad around for 2 hours before the HT 20" BMX felt very odd but absolutely rad at the same time. Watching GB ride it on some local singletrack was a total treat. It reminded me of JD from upper Vermont riding his 1-speed Evil Imperial with 24x2.6 Nokia Gazzoloddis back in the early 2000's.
  • 4 7
 You build it, I'll make an edit on it.. You will have orders flodding.
  • 3 0
 @swan3609: you know i like to build wild contraptions like this so dont tempt me!
  • 1 1
 @ktm87: build this one.. After we build a fat bike rear end for my Levo.
  • 3 0
 @swan3609: What, why you need a new back end for your levo for?
Will already fit a 26 x 3.5 tyre?
  • 2 0
 @defconfour: “THE” JD from Stowe??? Pretty sure it is a small world...
  • 1 0
 @aljoburr: I don't think so.. Seems like 3.0 is all you could do.
  • 2 0
 @swan3609: Have l fitted 26 x 4 to my 2017 levo but not much mud clearance, but does fit!
  • 1 0
 @jgottya1: If Village Kitchen rings a bell Wink JD and all those Stowe / Irie guys (Jonathon and Hardy to name a couple more) were ahead of their time. I was lucky enough to cross paths and ride trail with them a number of times even being a flatlander from NJ. One of my favorite memories of JD was him riding past Stowe CC grabbing a few quick cranks and then gapping over the fence from the road like it was nothing.
  • 2 0
 @defconfour: Right on brrother it sure AF does ring a bell...those guys were savages and we spent many a keg night before at the Hobbits house... oh the stories that I can’t put here...absolutely no joke on a board either!! The Burton boys stories go another 5 chapters..lolol.
My bros are still up there, I was lucky enough to have “lived” up there int the late 80s early 90s for a spell..perhaps we shall spend some gravity time this season chatting and hydrating.
  • 1 0
 @jgottya1: hope we can cross paths one day and I would love to hear some of those stories! First round is on me!
  • 2 0
 @defconfour: right on! I will get rounds 2-17 !
  • 19 0
 I think Brooklyn got there first

m.pinkbike.com/news/article852.html
  • 2 0
 ha! good call!
  • 5 0
 Yamaha I believe in the 1970's
  • 1 0
 Their stuff was next level awesome!
  • 3 0
 I've got a rear suspension Huffy BMX from the 70's hanging in my rafters.
  • 3 0
 @furiousstyles: Hopefully your rafters have been reinforced, that's asking a lot of a wooden structure to hold the weight of a HuffySmile
  • 1 0
 Oh yeah they did !!! At least one that was built to be abused AF.
  • 7 0
 I don’t know much about BMX except that they enjoy spending the winter in my bike park. I was wondering if they were putting on the fat tires and the shocks because it made it easier for them to ride a lot of those big jumps like dark fast. Do you guys think it’s an adaptation to be able to ride that stuff? Like I’ve seen guys bring their BMX bikes to a downhill park and they get beat to death
  • 5 0
 It looks to me like they’re just playing around with the concept. Die hard bmxers! Mtb’s are so we’ll sorted that this doesn’t make too much sense. It does look incredibly fun!
As far as huge jumps though, Colin Winkleman jumped his BMX 116’ many years ago!
  • 14 5
 BMX is a different animal. It’s muuuuch easier to style with once you master the take offs and landings. I mean... how’s that even a question? And so what MTBs are dialed? It’s like saying BMX racers should ride rigid DH 29ers. Sorry it is MTB that is lame in majority of instances. BMX racers send stuff bigger than A-line, their tripples are bigger than Crabapple. In most cases MTBers are like lame owners of BMW M3s or Audi S4 coming to a gokart track and gettinf beaten senslessly by local boys. They think they are the shit until they meet people with actual skill. Because we live in some weird cloud of our lame group rides and beerduro. Pad up like power rangers and feel like Lancelot. So extreme. Not.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Ahaha I’m so happy to have a Waki reply! Check my photos to see how I feel about BMX! I just mean that this will not go mainstream, it’s only going to be guys like myself, except with play money, who would go for this.
  • 2 1
 @BMcP: Ah ok, Cheers! I don’t think this thing was made to catch on Smile
  • 13 4
 Anyone else see the coming of a new sport? I love this!!
  • 5 0
 Yamaha Moto Bike from the 1970's, Cook Bros. made one in the 1970's as well, Mid 1990's Mongoose 'Aftershock' BMX bike plus the Answer Pro Forks that were on them back then. What's old is new again!
  • 4 0
 I am from that generation ~ I've been on several 1st gen bikes that had been modded with rear suspension as well (my friends dad had been on the Suzuki MX team and was a fabricator). The "Yamabike" was to squishy and a tank to ride. These bikes in the video are what I'd of loved to have in 1975/76 as a 13 year old with zero fear Smile
  • 1 0
 Just like with suspension, BMX (Kastan Uni-blade) had the "Lefty" fork well before the MTB world too.

bmxmuseum.com/image/dscf0434_lg.jpg

God those Answer Pro Forks. 98% of the double AA pro field was paid to run them for about 2 years and then they just disappeared.
  • 8 0
 Garrett hammered that tree. Ouch
  • 2 0
 So brutal
  • 6 0
 This looks fuuuuuunnn! Reuben’s a boss
  • 3 0
 Funny how suspension forks were tried in the 90s, but pro BMX riders at the time used to replace the squishy bit with washers, Did not get why, but glad some one has though to see where it may lead?
  • 2 0
 This project popped up on my radar a couple days ago, and now it’s the only bike content i care about. Two legends.

Garrett Byrnes was my favorite riding growing up riding a bmx bike. I wore out props vhs tape with his props profile.

Can’t wait for more of this.
  • 6 0
 next dirtjump with 29er.
  • 2 0
 Pretty sure Cam McCaul has a video of just that out there somewhere
  • 2 0
 @dolface: is that the 29ner plus challenge?
  • 5 0
 Needs slacker Headtube angle!
  • 1 0
 At 32 I don't have the time to ride my BMX as much as I used to, so the rigid bike beats me up when I do (the smooth flow takes practice apparently!). I have been considering getting a DJ or slopestyle MTB as the suspension takes the edge off those cases, but a suspended BMX would be all the whippable fun of a little bike and less of the knee/back pain! Sign me up
  • 7 3
 So is this Slopestyle with fatbike tires then?
  • 2 0
 cuz that's awesome!
  • 3 0
 So cool ! A friend had a Yamaha with moto mags, he never got rid of anything, I wonder if he still has it :-/
  • 2 0
 That's a great concept and it should ride even better with bigger wheels. Why not try 26"? You're onto something big guys, revolution is happening!
  • 1 2
 With 26" it would be the same as a slopestyle bike.

To maintain the feeling of driving a bmx they could try with 22 wheels or 24..
  • 1 0
 the future of mountain biking takes a strange twist. gone are the 29ers in are the ... (actually have no idea what size the wheels are).
  • 2 0
 Does no one remember the Mongoose aftershock full suspension BMX from the 90's!?

Can't wait to see the full episode!
  • 3 0
 Best music in an edit in a while. Loved it
  • 2 0
 Love the vibe. Sponsored by no one... yet. I have my fingers crossed that this takes off too
  • 2 0
 What about a DH version with triple clamps, like a real Bicycle Motox Bike?
  • 3 0
 No bottle mount. Not rideable Wink
  • 1 0
 While this looks really awesome and I'd love to try one, it seems like a lot of work just to produce a smaller slopestyle bike.
  • 1 0
 70's bmx with modern geo love it! Just need 10 gauge spokes and chrome rims!
  • 3 0
 Moto Mags or it didn't happen. Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Full-sus BMX or 20'' MTB?
  • 2 0
 And here I was wanting a mountain bike you could ride at a BMX track.
  • 6 2
 You can ride your regular BMX at a MTB trail already. I used to when I rode BMX.
  • 3 1
 Comments about geometry, anti-squat etc in 3, 2, 1...
  • 2 0
 Looks like a Brooklyn Machine Works BMX
  • 2 0
 take your wheel size debate and shove it!
  • 2 0
 R.A.D
&
True story, I have Rubens autographed jeans hanging on my wall
  • 2 0
 Rad, stuff like this keeps me interested in bikes.
  • 1 0
 Wonder why it took so long into this crazy industry to finally get someone to try this...
  • 1 0
 Watch Out, Slopestyle Bros!

Old Spanish men are coming for your cake with 20" wheels!

(or are those 22"???)
  • 1 0
 Oh man! This should be fun thing to ride
  • 1 0
 Would rather ride a DJ anyone else? Bmx bars just don't feel right tbh
  • 1 1
 Pinkbike should test a mountain bike with only a rear shock and not a suspension fork
  • 1 0
 "driving" I obviously meant riding..google transalte failed
  • 2 0
 Down-BMX? BMduro? Hmmm
  • 2 0
 It's been tried! www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuOkEmd4Gp0
  • 1 0
 I'd like to see a comparison test with this bike and the old Mongoose.
  • 2 0
 Yes to more wheel sizes!
  • 2 0
 20" ain't dead.
  • 1 1
 Ridiculous. You know next thing they gonna do is slacken the head tube angle and steepen the seat tube...
  • 1 0
 Thought it was the year 20" 20" not 2024?
  • 1 0
 Full sus bmx sounds full rigid DH bike
  • 4 7
 No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no !!! God please noooooooo
  • 1 0
 this is a dream come true
  • 1 0
 great news of the century.....
  • 1 0
 Honestly, I don't really see the point.
  • 1 0
 Someone tell him they've been making these for years already.
  • 1 0
 Ruben shreds on ANYTHING....he's having funSmile
  • 3 4
 Made my day! Thanks Ruben! it's now time for some SCOOTER action!!! ahahaha
  • 2 1
 m.pinkbike.com/news/mountain-scooter-shredding-video-2014.html

It's been done already!
  • 1 1
 @slimboyjim: of course and still shreeding it on Whistler Bike park!!!
have a look at my photos for some freeride action!!!
  • 1 0
 SICK!?
  • 1 0
 Looks pretty awesome.
  • 1 1
 Let's see it on a run down A line.
  • 4 1
 What for? (Advanced) BMXers tend to send stuff bigger than A-line. Check out BMX SX tracks... or proper BMX dirt jumps and if you ride a DH bike the A-line is nothing more but a bunch of mounds
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: a lot more digging, a lot fewer braking bumps. Just sayin'
  • 4 6
 whats the point of having a full-suspension bike, when it`s going to be all firm and locked out?
  • 8 3
 What's the point having Canada as well as America, can't they just join and become America?
  • 1 2
 @irishkiwimadman: huh..its kinda true..
  • 14 0
 @irishkiwimadman: easy there Small Australia
  • 1 0
 IF you are getting older or sick of having a sore back, you may think why not?
  • 1 0
 @aljoburr: that’s what a dj bike or any lumbar friendly bike is for.
  • 2 5
 They're working awful hard to go MTB DJ-ing without an MTB
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 1.269049
Mobile Version of Website