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