BMX Bikes

Posted on March 5, 2018 By Peter Brown Sport Equipment

About

Bicycle Moto Cross, or BMX for short, is an extreme sport in the form of cycling. It originated in the late 60s in Southern California, at the height of the motocross rage, which was a form of off-road, dirt motorcycling. The first BMX bicycles had their models based on conventional transport bikes, Schwinn Sting-Ray models in particular. However, they were not ideal for racing due to their weak structure and large size. As a result, many BMX manufacturers began creating bicycles that meet the specific needs of BMX racers, such as dirt riding and jumps on the race tracks.

Nowadays, most BMX bikes have a couple of standard distinguishing features. The first thing that separates them from conventional bikes is their size. BMX bikes are much smaller, with a varying wheel size to accommodate the height of the rider. For instance, wheel size 18 BMX bikes are ideal for pre-teen riders, while wheel size 20 BMX bikes are ideal for teens and adults. If in doubt, you can get measured and see whether you’re better off with a wheel size 20 or 18 BMX bike. Furthermore, they feature high handle bars which give racers an upright position when cycling. Lastly, they have one single gear, which makes them simple to race and perform trick with.

However, even though BMX bicycles were predominantly used for dirt racing, nowadays, there are different variations of BMX bikes being manufactured, such as freestyle and cruisers. And although the term BMX typically refers to the use of bicycles for performing tricks in skate parks and on flatland, dirt jump BMXing involves riding off-road on bumpy and dirt-filled surfaces. With that being said, BMX bikes adapted accordingly to fit each and every variation.

Products

As aforementioned, there are various different brands of BMX bikes that manufacture quality BMX bikes. Moreover, there are various different models that these brands manufacture, but you’ll generally find them divided in three popular categories, based on the type of riding they’re intended for.

BMX Freestyle Bikes

If you’re looking to use the bike to ride freestyle most of the time, you should look for one that’s equipped with spinning handlebars, a front hand brake, smooth and road-oriented tyres, 48 spoke wheels and a brake cable detangler.

BMX Dirt Jumping Bikes

Dirt jumping bikes are usually made of tough chromoly steel frames and heavy-duty bearing, off-road tyres, heavy-duty axles, and 48 spoke wheels. This makes them incredibly sturdy, but they’re usually slightly heavier.

BMX Racing Bikes

BMX racing bikes usually feature light-weight aluminium or chromoly steel frames, off-road tyres and 36 spoke wheels. Due to their light weight, they’re capable of reaching high speeds, and are easy to maneuver.