BMX -
Bicycle Moto-cross(X)
BMX (Bicycle Moto-cross(X)) is a form of
cycling on specially designed bicycles which usually have 20-inch wheels (sometimes referred to as iron horses or steel ponies). The sport includes races on earthern tracks—BMX racing—as well as the performances of tricks —BMX freestyle. Recently, BMX racing's international governing body—Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)—began sponsoring the
UCI BMX World Championships.
BMX originated in the state of
California,
United States in the late 1960s, when teenagers imitated their motocross heroes (most notably
Steve McQueen) on their bicycles. Scot Breithaupt is credited as the founder of BMX. The 1971 motorcycle racing documentary
On Any Sunday is generally credited with inspiring the movement nationally. In the opening scene, kids are shown riding their
Schwinns off-road. It wasn't until the middle of that decade that the sport achieved critical mass, and manufacturers began creating bicycles designed specially for the sport. In the case of Freestyle BMX, it wouldn't be what it is today without the
Z-Boys contribution. Freestyle has in fact come to be more popular than BMX racing.
BMX racing is a type of off-road
bicycle racing. The format of
BMX was derived from motocross racing. BMX
bicycle
races are sprint races on purpose built off-road single lap racetracks. The track usually consists of a starting gate for up to eight racers, a groomed serpentine dirt racecourse made up of various jumps, banked and flat corners, and a finish line.
The sport of BMX racing is facilitated by a number of regional and international sanctioning bodies. These sanctioning bodies provide a set of rules for governing the conduct of the races, specify age-group and skill level classifications among the racers, and maintain some kind of points accumulation system over the racing season. The sport is largely participant-driven with the average racer age of approximately 9–10 years. Professional ranks exist for both men and women, where the average age is 18–21.
A BMX "Class" bike is a strong, quick-handling, lightweight derivative of the standard 20" wheel single-speed youth bicycle. Variations include a larger 24" wheel "Cruiser" class.
While BMX racing is an individual sport, racing teams are often formed from racers in different classifications for camaraderie and often for business exposure of a sponsoring organization or company. BMX racing rewards strength, quickness, and bike handling skills. Many successful BMX racers have gone on to leverage their skills in other forms of bicycle and motorcycle competitions.
BMX racing will become a medal sport at the
2008 Summer Olympics in
Beijing under the
UCI sanctioning body. Other Sanctioning bodies in the United States are the
American Bicycle Association
(ABA) and the
National Bicycle League (NBL). The NBL is certified under the UCI (International Cycling Union), which is recognized by the Olympic Committee.
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BMX
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