BMX for Dummies: Useful Information for You to Know

Bicycle motocross (BMX) is one of those disciplines that represent the group of cycling sports. To participate in this kind of sport, athletes should use a special cognominal type of a bicycle that is known as a BMX. Thus, the given article is going to present the most exhaustive information on BMX peculiarities, competition kinds, and history.

BMX Variations

Even though this kind of sport seems to be straightforward and elementary, it is not always true because it is divided into many separate variations that will be described further.

BMX Racing

These competitions take place on ground tracks where athletes try to determine who will manage to overcome the track for the shortest period of time. Eight athletes are allowed to participate in a single race. They start from a starting hill that is 1.5-9 meters high (international competitions imply 8-meter-high hills). As for the track, it should consist of the following elements:

• four straight distances;
• three curves;
• many obstacles, including tables, double and triple springboards, steps-up, waves, and others.

BMX Flatland

This variation is also called dances with bicycles. The fact is that athletes should use their vehicles to perform various tricks on a flat surface. That is why this variation is the sport having the lowest injury rate compared to the other variants.

BMX-Vert

This variation makes an athlete use their vehicles to ride on a U-shaped construction that is known as a ramp. It is one of the most spectacular and dangerous BMX kinds. A standard situation is when an athlete moves down one end of the ramp and flies out the other one to perform various tricks while in the air. Once a regular trick is over, the athlete should change the position of his body and vehicle to land on the ramp in order to make everything from the beginning.

BMX-Dirt

This variation also implies performing appropriate skills, but this time, athlete perform on a dirt track having a lot of hills. Thanks to a great speed, athletes can fly out very high and perform quite complex acrobatic elements using their vehicles.

BMX-Street

The term is used to denote those tricks that are performed by athletes in an urban setting. Among other characteristic features, it means that they should use regular obstacles, including stairs, railings, balustrades, and others.

History

BMX as a separate kind of sport appeared in the 1960s when motocross was gaining popularity in the United States. Its primitive principles were invented by children and teenagers who were not allowed to participate in motocross events. In this case, they used their bicycles to compete on the hand-made tracks that were quite similar to those used for motocross events. In addition to that, they used motocross equipment to avoid severe injuries.

Nobody expected it, but this backyard kind of sport became extremely popular among numerous people. In the early 1970s, BMX fans united in the USA. There is a widely accepted opinion that this unification shaped BMX as a full-fledged kind of sport. In a while, it started moving to other countries and even continents.

In 1981, the International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF) was created. The official body organized the first BMX World Championships in 1982. One should note that it was almost 10 years earlier compared to the first international mountain bike competition. BMX was gaining popularity thanks to its unique characteristic features. As a result, it took a few years for the given kind of sport to get rid of many motocross features changing them by appropriate bicycle ones. It happened in 1993 when BMX was included in the International Cycling Union.

In 2003, a regular International Cycling Union summit announced that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had made the decision to include BMX competition in the program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Then, the given kind of sport was represented by one male and one female disciplines.