Lititz BMX Book Club Series - Day One: Remembering why you came here in the first place
Author: Mike Miller
Chapter 11: My bike has given me so much

Only one chapter left and a quick scan shows that it is very short. That’s ok, we still have chapter 11 to share - which in and of itself is a short chapter.

   But…

   The $#%er (Mike)…. I am even more curious now and wish there were additional chapters. He finally brought back a "character" that I have been anticipating a conversation around. But that conversation didn’t necessarily turn out like I imagined it would… My $#%er statement still stands.

Who cares, that’s more of a personal interest…

So… Where did the chapter come from and lead us towards? An old man reflecting… I say old as a matter of perspective because most young men don’t have the time under their belts to reflect across this timespan.

Those reflections do outline one fun story around a beloved BMX movie - Rad. Besides Mike making his feelings known about how the movie represented BMX, Mike shares a story with another Mike and an unreturned rental. Mike 1 - shares how him and Mike 2 rented the movie when it came out on video from a store in Fullerton near Mike 2’s apartment. The two watched it over and over. The difference between my experience and his is that he got to watch it with one of the movies’ stars who shared backstage stories. (side note: see below for an estimate of how much the late fees would be) & Mike 2 isn’t the character I was curious about the return - I think that was inevitable.

Another person who makes his entrance into the chapter is also someone who recently took the time to have a conversation with someone who recently became a good friend. He and I are working on building a pump track together. He showed me a picture that he drew, and I thought it was great! He posted it online recently and this other chapter entrant saw it, they talked for a while (it was fun hearing about it), and then he signed it - this person is none other than Tommy Brackens. Mike calls him his brother.

   If you are curious about my curiosity of the mentioned character, it is the same person who was instrumental in Mike’s 2019 comeback race. You can read more about that relationship in his book - I am not sure how much of that he wants to share because I don’t know how the story developed after that comeback, and I have future insight into something that person did that changed the course of their legacy forever in many people's eyes - enough to be a part of the relatively modern conversation at least.

It wouldn’t be a good review from me without at least a favorite quote or two from the chapter. “They represent the power of prayer which comes from the heart” - he is talking about photos but the story is shared about an old friend and childhood hero who needed a prayer.

Do you know anyone who could use the power of prayer right now?

Do you have a prayer leads to miracle story to share? 

—
Mike - To answer your question (Gemini):

In 1986, the video rental industry was still in its "wild west" phase. Blockbuster was only a year old, and most rentals happened at local "mom-and-pop" shops.

If you had rented a movie on February 16, 1986, and were returning it today (February 16, 2026), here is how the math breaks down:

1. The Numbers
Total Time Overdue: 40 years (approx. 14,610 days, including 10 leap days).
Average 1980s Late Fee: $1.00 to $2.00 per day was standard for "non-new releases," while new hits could be as high as $3.00.

2. The "Simple" Calculation
If a local shop simply stacked the daily fee without a cap (which was common before corporate policies standardized things):
Low End ($1.00/day): $14,610
High End ($3.00/day): $43,830

3. The "Blockbuster" Reality
If the company was Blockbuster, you actually wouldn't owe forty thousand dollars. They eventually implemented policies to prevent these "infinite fees" because they were bad for business and often unenforceable in court.

The "Purchase" Cap: Most stores eventually capped the late fee at the retail replacement cost of the tape plus a small processing fee.
1986 VHS Costs: In 1986, movies were extremely expensive to buy because they were priced for rental stores, not consumers. A new copy of Top Gun or Back to the Future could cost a store $80 to $100 (about $230–$280 in today's money).

The Total: You would likely be charged roughly $100.00, and the store would simply consider the movie "purchased" by you.
Summary

If you found a shop that never updated its terms and insisted on the daily rate, you'd be looking at the price of a new mid-sized SUV (~$43,000). In reality, you'd likely just be banned from the store and sent a bill for the $100 replacement cost of the tape.

#bmxhistory #bmxracing #bmxlife #bmx #bmxmuseum #newmuseum #bookrecommendations #booklovers #bikelife #bikelover

Lititz BMX Book Club Series - Day One: Remembering why you came here in the first place
Author: Mike Miller
Chapter 11: My bike has given me so much

Only one chapter left and a quick scan shows that it is very short. That’s ok, we still have chapter 11 to share - which in and of itself is a short chapter.

   But…

   The $#%er (Mike)…. I am even more curious now and wish there were additional chapters. He finally brought back a "character" that I have been anticipating a conversation around. But that conversation didn’t necessarily turn out like I imagined it would… My $#%er statement still stands.

Who cares, that’s more of a personal interest…

So… Where did the chapter come from and lead us towards? An old man reflecting… I say old as a matter of perspective because most young men don’t have the time under their belts to reflect across this timespan.

Those reflections do outline one fun story around a beloved BMX movie - Rad. Besides Mike making his feelings known about how the movie represented BMX, Mike shares a story with another Mike and an unreturned rental. Mike 1 - shares how him and Mike 2 rented the movie when it came out on video from a store in Fullerton near Mike 2’s apartment. The two watched it over and over. The difference between my experience and his is that he got to watch it with one of the movies’ stars who shared backstage stories. (side note: see below for an estimate of how much the late fees would be) & Mike 2 isn’t the character I was curious about the return - I think that was inevitable.

Another person who makes his entrance into the chapter is also someone who recently took the time to have a conversation with someone who recently became a good friend. He and I are working on building a pump track together. He showed me a picture that he drew, and I thought it was great! He posted it online recently and this other chapter entrant saw it, they talked for a while (it was fun hearing about it), and then he signed it - this person is none other than Tommy Brackens. Mike calls him his brother.

   If you are curious about my curiosity of the mentioned character, it is the same person who was instrumental in Mike’s 2019 comeback race. You can read more about that relationship in his book - I am not sure how much of that he wants to share because I don’t know how the story developed after that comeback, and I have future insight into something that person did that changed the course of their legacy forever in many people's eyes - enough to be a part of the relatively modern conversation at least.

It wouldn’t be a good review from me without at least a favorite quote or two from the chapter. “They represent the power of prayer which comes from the heart” - he is talking about photos but the story is shared about an old friend and childhood hero who needed a prayer.

Do you know anyone who could use the power of prayer right now?

Do you have a prayer leads to miracle story to share? 

—
Mike - To answer your question (Gemini):

In 1986, the video rental industry was still in its "wild west" phase. Blockbuster was only a year old, and most rentals happened at local "mom-and-pop" shops.

If you had rented a movie on February 16, 1986, and were returning it today (February 16, 2026), here is how the math breaks down:

1. The Numbers
Total Time Overdue: 40 years (approx. 14,610 days, including 10 leap days).
Average 1980s Late Fee: $1.00 to $2.00 per day was standard for "non-new releases," while new hits could be as high as $3.00.

2. The "Simple" Calculation
If a local shop simply stacked the daily fee without a cap (which was common before corporate policies standardized things):
Low End ($1.00/day): $14,610
High End ($3.00/day): $43,830

3. The "Blockbuster" Reality
If the company was Blockbuster, you actually wouldn't owe forty thousand dollars. They eventually implemented policies to prevent these "infinite fees" because they were bad for business and often unenforceable in court.

The "Purchase" Cap: Most stores eventually capped the late fee at the retail replacement cost of the tape plus a small processing fee.
1986 VHS Costs: In 1986, movies were extremely expensive to buy because they were priced for rental stores, not consumers. A new copy of Top Gun or Back to the Future could cost a store $80 to $100 (about $230–$280 in today's money).

The Total: You would likely be charged roughly $100.00, and the store would simply consider the movie "purchased" by you.
Summary

If you found a shop that never updated its terms and insisted on the daily rate, you'd be looking at the price of a new mid-sized SUV (~$43,000). In reality, you'd likely just be banned from the store and sent a bill for the $100 replacement cost of the tape.

#bmxhistory #bmxracing #bmxlife #bmx #bmxmuseum #newmuseum #bookrecommendations #booklovers #bikelife #bikelover