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What is BMX...
BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general on- or off-road recreation. BMX began when young cyclists appropriated motocross tracks for fun, racing and stunts, eventually evolving specialized BMX bikes and competitions.
BMX is a sprint and is ridden on a specially constructed track of +/- 400 meters with landscaped hills and curves. Agility, explosiveness and strength are important to finish the difficult technical circuit without error. There are up to 8 riders per race. After three qualifying series the points are added up and the top four go through to the quarter finals. In the eighth finals, quarter and semi-finals immediate knock-out system applies. And the final four go on up to the finals.
BMX SPORT
BMX History
When BMX began in Southern California around 1970, it meant one thing: some renegade guys outfitting 20” street bikes to make them as much like motocross motorcycles as possible (hence the name Bicycle Motocross or BMX). Races generally constituted a line of brave (irresponsible?) souls at the top of some utterly terrifying hill fortified with jumps and embankments, who would battle it out to the bottom with parts literally bending, breaking, and flying off their bikes on the way down. It was great fun and everybody loved it—even the occasional free ride in an ambulance couldn’t tame the fever—quite the contrary in fact…by the mid 70s, BMX racetracks were popping up everywhere.
These tracks were short serpentine sprints with a steep starting hill, high berms, jumps, and rollers. There were usually 2 categories: under 13, and 13 and over—riders generally wore jeans, helmets were optional, feathered blonde hair was apparently mandatory, and stuff was still bending and breaking and flying off bikes.
Given the nature of the tracks, BMX race innovators were challenged to develop bikes light enough to go to top speed in a few seconds, that could maneuver like a horsefly on sketchy dirt, but could endure huge jumps and brutal landings without falling to bits. What materialized within the decade were lighter weight chromoly frame/forks and bars with chunky steel stems, steel cranks, knobby tires, plastic seats, and sometimes even super-heavy mag wheels.
It took about 20 years, but companies eventually refined Race BMX into modernity with skinnier alloy wheels, alloy bars, low-knob tires, light aluminum frames, and skinnier chromoly forks.
Modern BMX tracks are still serpentine sprints, but the obstacles are totally supersized—as in extreme. The best way to understand today’s BMX racing is to watch some.
By: Performance Bycicle
