Often wrongly dubbed as "children's gear," BMX bikes have been around since men first walked on the moon. Despite their smallish size, these compact two-wheelers are durable and highly maneuverable sports bikes--used and loved by grown-ups as much as by kids. BMX bicycles come with a variety of specifications catering to the numerous different BMX events from dirt track racing to the more artistic freestyle competitions.
Origins of BMX
Inspired by the then up-and-coming new sports of motocross, BMX--short for "bicycle motocross"--was invented in the late 1960s in California. Just like their fuel-powered inspiration, the muscle-powered bike races became an immediate success within the United States, providing lots of action at a relatively low cost. By 1974 George E. Esser founded the National Bicycle League (NBL); only three years later, the American Bicycle Association (ABA) became the first governing body of BMX racing across the United States. One year after the inauguration of the International BMX Federation, the first world championships were held in 1982. Over time BMX has established itself as a highly regarded extreme sport and is breaking ground in more traditional fields: BMX debuted as an Olympic event in the Summer Games in Beijing in 2008.
Construction of a BMX Bike
A BMX bicycle is a small, heavy-duty kind of bike, typically coming with 20-inch wheels and robust large-cleat tires, 50 mm in diameter. BMX bikes featuring 24-inch wheels are called "cruisers." The head tube is steep, the handlebars are upright and relatively low, and the slim seat is positioned lower as well as farther towards the rear wheel than on a conventional bike. The overall compact design of the frame creates a low center of gravity and allows the bike to endure stunts like 40-foot jumps. Furthermore, BMX bikes are usually fixed in one gear.
Variations
Since the invention of BMX, several freestyle disciplines have evolved from the still popular dirt track racing: "street" and "park," which involve tricks that may include stairs, rails and other man-made obstacles; "vert," an artistic discipline that requires the riders to show tricks in a half-pipe or quarter-pipe ramp; "flatland," which often has the rider standing on the frames while spinning their bikes; and "dirt," where the riders perform aerial stunts while racing a track containing several high mounds of soil, the so-called dirt jumps. A number of variations in the bicycles accommodate the individual requirements of each different discipline. Bikes used for "dirt" are typically constructed with a longer top tube and have larger wheels--22 to 26 inches--than BMX race bikes, and they only use a rear brake, while "street" riders prefer not to equip their bikes with brakes at all. Other variations include the number, position and size of pegs used, the number of sprokes, or the choice of tires.
Sizes
There's a wide array of BMX bike sizes available to suit riders of any age and discipline preference. The overall size of the bike is mostly defined by the frame which ranges from less than 18 inches to 21 1/2 inches and up. As a rule of thumb, the frame sizes dubbed "mini" is recommended for kids up to the age of 7; children aged 7 to 9 are usually most comfortable with junior-sized frames; the size labeled "expert" suits preteens best; and riders aged 13 and older choose full-sized "pro" frames.
Considerations
Parents appreciate BMX bikes' sturdiness when picking out a bicycle for their younger children, however, most kids will outgrow BMX frames as regular rides when they are in their teens. While BMX bikes are ideal rides for stunts, races and freestyle action, their small frame, low seat, lack of gear options and erect handle bar don't make them decent tour bikes for teenagers or adults. If you are mainly interested in a bicycle for daily commutes to work or extended long-distance rides, you will fare better with a different type of bike.
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