BMX bikes are a popular type of bikes that people ride for casual or recreational use. A BMX bicycle is designed mainly for motocross cycling and off road competition. In fact, most people are unaware of this but the term BMX is actually a contraction of bicycle motocross.

Now a staple in the X games, BMX bicycles were once a niche that simply grew more and more popular. As more people began to enjoy the ride serious professional competitions were held to find out who was the best in the land.

The History of BMX

BMX can trace its roots all the way to California during the 1970\’s. Children of California during that time drew inspiration from professional motocross all stars and began to race their bicycles off road.

The popular bicycle of choice back then for motocross enthusiasts was the Schwinn Sting-Ray. With its great size and easily customizable parts for performance and handling improvements, the Schwinn Sting-Ray was a favorite among early BMX enthusiasts.

It was not until the mid-1970\’s that bicycle companies finally saw the potential in BMX bikes. The number of people who wanted a BMX reached critical mass and manufacturers began to design and manufacture bicycles specifically for the sport.

Sanctioning Bodies of BMX

Back then there was no organization that oversaw the rules for motocross in the East Coast.In 1974 a man by the name of George E. Esser founded an organization that would become the sanctioning body for bicycle motocross for the East Coast, the National Bicycle League. George had two sons who liked motocross but also liked riding BMX bikes.

Three years after the NBL, the American Bicycle Association was created as the definitive sanctioning body for BMX in the US. The International BMX Federation followed and organized and sanctioned worldwide events for the growing sport. The very first champion ships were held in 1982.

BMX Design

Originally BMX referred to racing bikes but now includes street, freestyle, flatland, park, dirt, and vert. Usually, BMX are constructed from different kinds of steel but aluminum and Chromoly are both becoming popular choices for professionals.

The cassette hub has also gained widespread popularity since its introduction. This led to a sort of new era where riders began to use smaller gears for their bikes. The smaller gears meant that the bikes were both lighted and had more clearance when grinding which a lot of BMX riders found very appealing.

A large majority of freestyle BMX riders often use wheels that have 36 spokes. However, the more aggressive BMX riders prefer 48 spoke wheels because of the extra strength and durability that they give. Despite having a high number of spokes, the smaller BMX bikes, such as those used by younger children, can be manufactured with wheels that possess 18 or 28 spokes.

The size of the wheels themselves tends to vary from 16 to 26 inches with 20 inches being the most popular. Those who feel cramped with a 20 inch often ride at 24 inches. BMX bikes and their design have continued to evolve throughout the years and will probably still develop as long as people keep the sport alive.

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Are you looking for more information regarding BMX bikes? Visit http://bmxbikeforsale.com today!

Author Bio: Are you looking for more information regarding BMX bikes? Visit http://bmxbikeforsale.com today!

Category: Automotive
Keywords: bmx bikes,bicycle motocross,bmx riders