What is a BMX Bicycle?

BMX, or bicycle moto cross, is one of the most popular sports and activities around today. Now an official Olympic sport, BMX has become a worldwide phenomena. There are many elements that separate the sport of BMX from other bicycle sports, including the bicycle itself. BMX bicycles have seen many innovations over the years, and this article examines the evolution and importance of the bicycle to BMX.

  1. History

    • BMX is a sport with roots that tie to southern California in the early 1960s and 70s. It began when kids were trying to emulate their favorite motocross riders using bicycles instead of dirt bikes. Kids in southern California began to build dirt tracks with whoops and jumps, similar to the track designs in moto cross, and began riding these tracks with their bicycles. Bike manufacturers took notice of the California trend, including Schwinn, whose mass production of the "Sting Ray" allowed for the sport to grow by leaps and bounds because of the "Sting Ray's" popularity and affordability.

    The Sting Ray

    • The launch of Schwinn's Sting Ray in 1963 is one of the main reasons for the popularity of BMX today. The Sting Ray was the first readily available bicycle made for kids, and it directly coincides with the expansion of BMX in California. It was a smaller bicycle than most available at the time, which allowed it to ride fast over the dirt terrain used in BMX. To get some idea of the incredible popularity of the Sting Ray, by 1968, 70 percent of all bicycles sold were either Sting Rays or copies of the popular bike. It was the first prototypical BMX bike to ever be mass produced, and it was not until 1974 that BMX bicycles began to be "race specified."

    Significance

    • The middle to late 1970s were filled with many innovations for the sport of BMX and the BMX bicycle itself. By 1974, BMX bicycles began to be race modified. The bicycles were stronger and faster than any of the previous models. People like Linn Kastan, a Speedway motorcycle frame builder, built the first pair of tubular BMX forks in the workshop of his company, Redline. Companies like Redline helped further the development of the BMX bicycle with its Red Line V bars and other racing modifications. As the popularity of BMX increased, more and more bicycle companies entered the competitive arena around this time, including Mongoose, Cook bros and Ashtabula. Another important BMX innovation happened around this time, in 1977, as "Freestyle" BMX began to catch on, which led to numerous innovations of the BMX bicycle.

    Freestyle

    • The rise of freestyle BMX proved to usher in another wave of innovation for the BMX bicycle. In 1984, Steve Potts invents the "Potts Mod," a hallowed bolt brake system that allowed riders to turn their bars completely around without getting their front brake caught on the handle bars. For the first time, bicycle manufacturers like Schwinn, Hutch, Haro, Skyway and GT began to make bikes specifically for freestyle BMX. GT made the first bikes exclusively built for freestyle, the "GT Pro Performer;" these bikes were similar to past BMX bikes, with the most significant difference being how light the frames were. In 1986, another important BMX bicycle invention debuted: the 48 spoke wheel, from Peregrine. Prior to this, the standard BMX wheel was 36 spokes; the 12 spoke increase greatly added to the strength and durability of the wheel and bicycle.

    BMX Today

    • BMX is as popular today as it ever was, thanks in large part to advanced bicycle technology. BMX bicycles today are as light, strong and reliable as ever. New discoveries in alloys have lead to lighter frames and increased speeds. Both freestyle and traditional BMX have reaped the benefits from today's advanced technologies, pushing the envelope by combining science and sport. From its humble beginnings to today, riders and manufacturers have continued to push the envelope with the BMX bicycle.