BMX facts for kids
BMX stands for bicycle motocross or bike motocross. It's an exciting cycle sport where riders use special BMX bikes. You can enjoy BMX in competitive BMX racing, creative freestyle BMX, or just for fun on streets and off-road trails.
Contents
The Exciting History of BMX
BMX started in the early 1970s in the United States. Kids in Southern California loved watching motocross races. They wanted to try something similar with their bicycles on dirt tracks.
The Schwinn Sting-Ray was a popular bike then. It was easy to change and make better for dirt racing. Soon, BMX racing became very popular by the mid-1970s. Kids were racing their bikes on special tracks built just for them.
A motorcycle movie called On Any Sunday (from 1971) showed kids riding their Sting-Rays off-road. This movie helped make BMX popular across the USA. Soon, bike makers started creating bicycles designed especially for BMX.
How BMX Grew in America
In 1974, George E. Esser created the National Bicycle League (NBL). This group helped organize BMX races. George and his wife, Mary, had two sons who loved BMX. Their sons' interest helped start the NBL in Florida.
By 1977, another big group, the American Bicycle Association (ABA), was formed. It helped organize the sport across the country.
Today, freestyle BMX is a major event at the annual Summer X Games. It's also featured in events like the Etnies Backyard Jam. Freestyle BMX is popular because it's easy to find places to ride and learn cool tricks.
The BMX Craze in the United Kingdom
BMX became a huge trend in the UK during the early 1980s, especially in 1982 and 1983. Every child and teenager wanted a BMX bike. The 1983 movie BMX Bandits also helped make the sport famous worldwide.
BMX quickly grew from a small hobby into a dominant sport for young riders. Teenagers and even adults became well-known through magazines like BMX Bi-Weekly. Famous riders included Tim March and Andy Ruffell.
Around 1985, freestyle riding became more popular than racing. Bikes changed from shiny chrome to bright, single-color designs. Even the special wheels and tires matched!
However, the popularity of BMX in the UK slowed down by 1986–1987. A new type of bike, the mountain bike, became popular. Mountain bikes, which also started in California in the 1970s, soon became the favorite for adults.
The very first BMX track in the UK opened in 1980. It was in Landseer Park, Ipswich, thanks to the Ipswich BMX Club. This club still offers coaching and races today.
BMX on the World Stage
BMX quickly became a global sport. In April 1981, the International BMX Federation was created. The first world championships were held just one year later, in 1982.
Since January 1993, BMX has been part of the Union Cycliste Internationale. This is the world governing body for sports cycling.
A big moment for BMX happened in 2003. The International Olympic Committee announced that BMX would be an Olympic medal sport. It debuted at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Māris Štrombergs from Latvia and Anne-Caroline Chausson from France made history as the first Olympic champions.
Many talented BMX riders have gone on to other cycling sports. For example, Australian Olympian Jared Graves and Eric Carter started in BMX before moving to downhill. Even multiple world and Olympic champion track sprinter Chris Hoy began his career as a BMX rider!
See also
In Spanish: Ciclismo BMX para niños
- BMX bike
- BMX racing
- Dirt jumping
- Freestyle BMX
- Glossary of cycling
- List of BMX bicycle manufacturers
- Pump track
