Any one with a teenage boy into BMX?

[haggisaggis]

Does his bike have brakes? If not, is he allowed to cycle on roads / pavements?
ds wants a bmx for Christmas - all his friends have one and seem to cycle all over - as well as at local skate park. I have said that unless it has brakes he will only be allowed to use it at the skate park - and will be taken there and back by car. He is a bit put out at this (he's 14) as wants to be able to bike to / from his friends (about 4 - 5 miles, mostly bike path but some road) and to school (same distance / route).
Having brakes makes tricks difficult / impossible apparently.

Must have one brake to be road legal. Front is better than back. There's a plate system for front brakes so they can still do tricks, available on almost any stunt BMX bike.

Sorry, I was wrong, do need two brakes or one brake + fixed wheel, see this.

crikey
all my 3 boys have been into bmxs
we,ve never removed the brakes
and helmets are worn or bike is off limits

Most BMXs will come with a back brake, but most teenagers take them off. They stop by footjamming their (expensive) skate shoes on the tyres.

Yep he's planning to jam his foot on the back tyre for braking. Apparently this is so common that although the bike will be supplied with one brake, it wont even be fixed on as the norm is to have no brakes. Interested in what other parents to - let them get on with it or insist it can only be used at skate park.

I let mine get on with it - 15 year old is allowed no brakes, 8 year old is most certainly not. We do live in a small village though so no busy roads.

My toddler once ran out in front of a teenage boy going very fast on a BMX. The bike screeched to a stop and I said something along the lines of "Thank goodness for good brakes"

The reply? "Er, I haven't got any brakes..."

So the footjam method is very effective

The 13 yr old that I'm fostering is crazy about BMX and I've learnt a ton about it since he's been with us. It's considered very 'uncool' to have breaks which I'm ok with but I insist on a helmet.

He rides 90% in skate parks near us or on the very quiet slip road outside our house or occasionally in the local park.

The foot jam method is very effective.