| Signifying the International Olympic Committee's | | | | mechanisms that allow the handlebars to be spun |
| growing efforts to appeal to a younger generation | | | | completely around. At the X Games, BMX is an all |
| by showcasing competitions and athletes they are | | | | encompassing discipline that includes BMX racing |
| familiar with, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing | | | | and freestyle BMX competitions. |
| will feature BMX racing. It's true, BMX is now an | | | | Included in the freestyle disciples of BMX are half |
| official Olympic sport; joining the ranks of | | | | pipe (vert) competitions in which competitors ride |
| snowboarding half pipe competitions and | | | | the half pipe performing complex tricks, spins and |
| snowboarding races now as official Olympic | | | | flips at each side and street competitions in which |
| sports. The IOC is appealing to the youth in an | | | | a series of ramps, boxes, rails and other |
| attempt to reverse the trend of seeing the | | | | obstacles are incorporated into a park course and |
| Olympics as boring or for older people only. | | | | competitors can choose where and how they |
| BMX, short for bicycle motorcross, has been | | | | want to perform their tricks. The goal in the |
| around since the 1960s and the International BMX | | | | street competition is usually to perform as wide a |
| Federation was formed in 1981. In the last decade | | | | variety of tricks off of as wide a variety of |
| the sport has exponentially grown in popularity | | | | obstacles as possible. In the half pipe competitions, |
| due in large part to televised competitions such as | | | | factors such as getting the biggest air (how high |
| the X Games. BMX bikes are designed differently | | | | you soar above the half pipe on your jumps) and |
| from other types of bicycles, typically with very | | | | trick variety are important. |
| small wheels and in freestyle competitions, | | | | |