| BMX (Bicycle Moto-cross(X)) is a form of | | | | on the rotor of a helicopter, which |
| cycling on specially designed bicycles | | | | requires blade adjustments while |
| which usually have 20-inch wheels | | | | maintaining a steady speed of rotation. |
| (smaller than the 26-inch wheels found | | | | The explosion of BMX created many |
| on mountain bikes and the 700C or | | | | startup companies, and lured many known |
| 27-inch wheels found on more | | | | manufacturers into the market. In |
| conventional road racing bicycles). The | | | | addition to the above mentioned, other |
| sport includes races on sandy and hilly | | | | notable companies include GT, Haro, FMF, |
| tracks—BMX racing—as well as the | | | | Fit Bike Co, S&M, Schwinn, Eastern |
| performances of tricks on flat ground, | | | | Bikes, Diamondback, Hoffman Bikes, |
| wooden ramps, trails (jumps made of | | | | Volume bike co, Poverty, Cook Brothers, |
| dirt) or obstacles found on the | | | | CW, Free Agent, FBM, The Take, Fly |
| streets—BMX freestyle. Recently, the | | | | Bikes, Bandito, Twenty, Superstar, |
| sport's international governing | | | | Sputnic, Dragonfly, Primo, Odyssey, |
| body—Union Cycliste Internationale | | | | Skyway, Mosh Bikes, WTP, Kuwahara, DK, |
| (UCI)—began sponsoring the UCI BMX | | | | Huffy, Murray, Federal, Hutch, SE |
| World Championships. | | | | Racing, JMC Bicycles, Specialized, |
| BMX originated in the state of | | | | Rockmachine and many more. |
| California, United States in the late | | | | Many manufacturers also produce 24" |
| 1960s, when teenagers imitated their | | | | wheel versions of their BMX bikes called |
| motocross heroes (most notably Steve | | | | Cruisers, that run in their own classes. |
| McQueen) on their bicycles. Scot | | | | In the late 1990's, largely due to |
| Breithaupt is credited as the founder of | | | | popular video parts by riders like Ron |
| BMX. The 1971 motorcycle racing | | | | Wilkerson, Eddie Roman and Mat Hoffman, |
| documentary On Any Sunday is generally | | | | BMX 'street' riding has become hugely |
| credited with inspiring the movement | | | | popular and caused quite a change in the |
| nationally. In the opening scene, kids | | | | way BMX bikes are designed and built. |
| are shown riding their Schwinns | | | | The stresses from impacts and hard |
| off-road. It wasn't until the middle of | | | | landings on cement, often times from |
| that decade that the sport achieved | | | | height, has brought about the |
| critical mass, and manufacturers began | | | | introduction of high quality CroMoly |
| creating bicycles designed specially for | | | | steel tubesets into BMX frame |
| the sport. In the case of Freestyle BMX, | | | | manufacturing. It has become common to |
| it wouldn't be what it is today without | | | | find frames constructed of Reynolds 853 |
| Bob Haro's contribution. He brilliantly | | | | steel tubing, Japanese Sanko Steel |
| merged skateboarding tricks with | | | | Tubing, and unbranded but high quality |
| freestyle BMX which led to the | | | | aircraft grade 4130 CroMoly steel. |
| current-day style of this extreme sport. | | | | Advances in tubing have allowed the |
| In the beginning of the BMX movement | | | | creation of BMX frames that are both |
| kids would strip down their Schwinn | | | | stronger and lighter than what has been |
| Sting Ray bicycles and add knobby tires | | | | manufactured previously in the sports |
| and perhaps motorcycle handlebars, and | | | | history. The weight of newest frames |
| in time modify the frames for | | | | averages around 5 to 6 pounds, and these |
| performance, strength or personal | | | | frames can withstand copious amounts of |
| preference. Early BMX bicycle | | | | abuse. |
| manufacturers, such as R&R Racing | | | | Street riding has also introduced the |
| Products, Mongoose, Webco and RedLine, | | | | concept of 'micro-gearing' into BMX. |
| eventually created bicycles expressly | | | | Riders found that if they were not |
| for the sport. Mongoose can be credited | | | | racing, or using their BMX bike for |
| with building the quintessential early | | | | travel purposes, that they were carrying |
| BMX bike, featuring a straight-tubed, | | | | around 'too much' gearing, and |
| gusseted frame; reinforced handlebars; | | | | chainrings have shrunk from 44 teeth, |
| Motomag wheels and long crankarms. The | | | | all the way down to 23 teeth in some |
| initial construction emphasis was on | | | | cases. These smaller gear setups further |
| durability, but weight became a | | | | reduce the weight of the bike by using |
| consideration as racing gained | | | | lighter chainrings, smaller rear drivers |
| popularity. R&R Racing Products, noted | | | | on cassette hubs, and shorter chain |
| for introducing the first 3 pound frame, | | | | legths. Many companies, such as Odyssey |
| forged the path for light weight, yet | | | | and Profile Racing, have taken race |
| strong BMX bikes designed specifically | | | | equipment, such as cassette hubs, and |
| for racing. Other manufacturers soon | | | | strengthened them to withstand the abuse |
| followed using lighter materials like | | | | of street riding. Cassette hubs allow |
| aluminum and chromium molybdenum (CrMo, | | | | the use of smaller rear drivers, down to |
| chromoly) for frames; steel rims, mag | | | | 8 teeth, which allow the gear ratio to |
| wheels and coaster brakes were replaced | | | | remain constant with smaller chainrings. |
| by aluminum rims with freewheels and | | | | The second wave of street riding |
| caliper brakes. Once BMX racing became a | | | | innovation, pioneered by New York City |
| professional activity, racing bikes | | | | BMX'ers, has seen the advent of a riding |
| became as specialized as in all other | | | | style that emphasises grinding and peg |
| forms of cycling competition. | | | | tricks on rails, ledges, and found urban |
| The next wave of innovation came with | | | | objects. This riding style has |
| the advent of freestyle BMX. Freestyle | | | | influenced bike setups immensely, and |
| bikes look much like BMX racing bikes, | | | | New York street riding has become |
| but they have extra places to position | | | | synonymous with a bike that has no |
| the feet while performing tricks and are | | | | mechanical brake and 4 pegs. Brakeless |
| much stronger. Many freestyle bike also | | | | riders maintain that without brakes, a |
| feature a detangler, a device located by | | | | rider develop superior bike control and |
| the headtube that allows the handlebars | | | | balance, as well as keeping the bike |
| to be spun 360 or more degrees without | | | | light, durable and simple. By using 4 |
| tangling the brake cables. A detangler | | | | pegs, riders are able to attack urban |
| is often known by specific brand names, | | | | objects from both sides creating the |
| such as the ACS 'Rotor' or the Odyssey | | | | opportunity for a greater variety of |
| 'Gyro'. The design of the Gyro was based | | | | tricks on a wider array of terrain. |