BMX

BMX (Bicycle Motocross) is a form of cycling on specially designed bicycles which usually have 20 inch wheels. The sport includes racing on earthen tracks, known as BMX racing, as well as the performance of tricks on the bikes, called Freestyle BMX.

Freestyle BMX has grown to include five distinct disciplines. These are "Street", "Park", "Vert", "Dirt", and "Flatland". These usually involve technical movements of the bike in different ways over varied terrain.

A BMX intended for racing can be easily distinguished from a freestyle BMX:

* Freestyle: shorter seat- and chain- stays, and typically a single brake for the rear wheel. Any front brake will have a detangler mechanism to enable bar spins;
* Race: Brakes front and rear, and longer stays to increase stability when going faster.

The shorter wheelbase of a Freestyle bicycle affords greater agility at the expense of high-speed handling.

Recent racing setups include a rear disc brake instead of the conventional rim brake. Stopping power, especially in wet weather, is increased at the expense of slightly more weight.

Recently, BMX racing's international governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), began sponsoring the UCI BMX World Championships.

In 2008, BMX racing entered the Olympics for the first time in Beijing. [cite web | last = | first = | title =BMX will be added to the 2008 Olympics (UCI press release) | url=http://www.uci.ch/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails.asp?id=NDk2OA| accessdate = 2008-10-08|date=2003-07-01] (For the schedule, see )

History

BMX originated in United States in the early 1970's, by kids imitating their motocross heroes on their bicycles. cite web | last = | first = | title =History of BMX | url=http://www.ababmx.com/index.php?page=home_history | accessdate = 2007-10-14] Children were racing standard road bikes off-road, around purpose-built tracks in California.cite web | last = | first = | title =University of BMX : BMX in Holland | url=http://www.fatbmx.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2372 | accessdate = 2007-10-14] The 1971 motorcycle racing documentary "On Any Sunday" is generally credited with inspiring the movement nationally in the US; its opening scene shows kids riding their Schwinn Stingrays off-road. By the middle of that decade the sport achieved critical mass, and manufacturers began creating bicycles designed especially for the sport.

The BMX bike has grown very popular with youth and is practical as it is rather small and easy to move. There are also BMX style helmets made especially for the sport.

A popular trend in BMX is running without brakes. Riding brake-less improves efficiency on the bike, reduces weight and cuts down on maintenance, but can be a safety hazard.

By 1977, the American Bicycle Association (ABA) was organized as a national sanctioning body for the growing sport.

In April 1981, the International BMX Federation was founded, and the first world championships were held in 1982. Since January 1993 BMX has been integrated into the Union Cycliste Internationale. [cite web | last = | first = | title =A Short History of BMX | url=http://www.uci.ch/english/bmx/index.htm | accessdate = 2007-10-14]

Over the last decade, the popularity of BMX has grown immensely. Rhonie and Jesward succeeded to create a revolutionary sport which now consists of Street bmx, Flatland bmx, Vert bmx. It is now one of the staple events at the annual Summer X Games Extreme Sports competition held largely on both coasts of the United States. Recently, there has been an explosion in the popularity of the sport due to its relative ease and availability of places to ride and do tricks. It also became an official Olympic event at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China

ee also

* "Rad"

References

*cite journal
first = Amar
last = Bakshi
authorlink =
coauthors =
month =
title = How the World Sees America: BMX in UK v. U.S.
journal = Washington Post/Newsweek
volume =
issue =
pages =
id =
url = http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/america/2007/06/bmx_rails_always_smoother.html