| BMX bikes are a special kind of low bike, with | | | | most popular kinds of bikes around, even if they |
| smaller wheels than normal, that can be used for | | | | do not compete in competitions, and BMX |
| racing. They are designed to be very light weight | | | | magazines are some of the biggest-selling |
| but also very robust, as well as streamlined for | | | | hobbyist magazines. This was a surprise to many, |
| speed. They are also known for being easier to | | | | as the sport was considered pretty much dead in |
| perform tricks with than normal bikes. | | | | the '80s and early '90s, only to undergo a |
| BMX stands for bicycle motocross, which refers | | | | dramatic revival in the mid-'90s that is still going |
| to the origin of the sport: children saw motocross | | | | on now. |
| races on the TV in the '70s and wanted to | | | | BMX is now one of the range of extreme sports |
| emulate them. Since they had no motorbikes of | | | | like skateboarding and snowboarding, and similar |
| their own, they used their bicycles to race around | | | | tricks can be performed with the bikes to the |
| similar dirt tracks to the ones they had seen. | | | | ones the boarders do. The sport of Freestyle |
| Today the sport is notable for being one of the | | | | BMX was invented to allow BMXers to |
| few sports that is taken part in almost exclusively | | | | concentrate on doing tricks in skate-parks instead |
| by the under-10s. Although there are a few older | | | | of racing, and has since arguably outgrown the |
| professional BMXers, most good ones move on | | | | popularity of BMX racing altogether - this is the |
| to other cycling or motorcycling sports. | | | | style that the most famous BMX bikers, Mat |
| Among children today, BMXes remain one of the | | | | Hoffman and Dave Mirra, compete in. |