BMX
What really is BMX? We decode the sport
We uncover the mystery behind how BMX came in to existence. And it’s future in India.
BMX gives you wings
© Graeme Murray
A BMX column? A regular feature. I didn't just jump at this opportunity, I bunnyhopped on to it and did a smith grind to a 180 rollback to a slider to hang 5 to a nose manual to whiplash. Oh, in English: I was over the moon!
I've waited 23 years, left boyhood for fatherhood with Robin Hood somewhere in the middle, for a chance to bring BMX to every household and to have every dad pull out his hair (if any) on knowing his son or daughter is more interested in knowing how an integrated headset works than how to score in his CAT! Finally, it’s here.
It’s a passion, it is a sport. A new one comparatively. But a sport nonetheless. It began in the 70s in California, and grew during the 80s. BMX began in the 70’s when Scot Briethaupt began racing his Schwinn Stingray on a MotoX track. His passion caught on with kids who began emulating their moto-x heroes on their bicycles. Soon there were reports of more riders on the east coast as well, who had built a track especially for bicycles. BMX was born. It reached its peak in 1987 when Nancy Reagan gave away a 4x4 Toyota pick up truck to Dennis McCoy along with a fat cheque.
Not far away in time another young rider let his imagination passion go wild. Taking advantage of the drought in CA, which meant. "But that’s California. It’s a sport for the Americans,“ you’d say.
You must be thinking, “What about India? It’s not going to catch on.“
Well, think again.
In fact, it HAS caught on. No one can really say when BMX sprouted in India but I think I can safely say it was in the mid 80s when BMX existed in pockets all over the country. I started BMX-ing in 1986. Well 23 years on, and I own a bike shop, that also specializes in BMX.
I got my first BMX bike when I returned from a family holiday from the United States. Its actually quite by accident though, as I was a Road biker – a roadie…yeah! The story goes like this: Knowing well that the good parts were hard to come by in India, I was set to buy all the parts I needed to ‚soup up‘ my good o‘l Indian “SLR”. I listed all the parts that would make my ride go faster, stop even faster and look sexier. When the shop owner presented the bill, my dad simply looked at me and said, "We are not buying this. It‘s too much money”. I exclaimed, “Why don’t we just buy a whole bike?!” The next thing I know is – and I don’t know why – I walked out of that shop, and into a BMX shop, and got my first ride. When I walked out of that showroom with the bike, I had very little idea about what to do with it besides a wheelie; you see, there was no Google and youtube was still in the fallopian era.
But I had two magazines on BMX , which served as my encyclopedia for the whole of next year. I deciphered as much as I could from the magazine and tried to get my hands on a movie called “RAD”, which the shop owner in the USA had mentioned, and eventually found a copy of it at a small VHS library. Yeah, VHS! I am older than you think. The movie opened new doors to BMX FREESTYLE – the trick riding genre of BMX, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, it’s bigger and better than ever in India. Riders are learning newer tricks, progressing to higher jumps, and there are competitions that give these riders a platform to showcase their talent. Also, unlike in the 80s, BMX bikes and spares are now readily available. So there‘s not much to worry about except for “What will I get for dinner?“
The backflip
© Ryan Fudger
Decoding BMX
“BMX is a brand.“ False. “BMX is a company.“ False. “BMX is for kids.“ False. “BMX is for the show offs.“ Not true at all. “To BMX or not to BMX?“ That question plagued my thoughts in 1990. “Why am I on a BMX? Why am I pursuing something that invokes feelings of the KKK?“ Because it’s exhilarating. The feeling of accomplishing a trick perfectly is rivaled by very little. It‘s freedom from rules, terrains, styles. BMX is self-expression. Of creativity, ability, control and balance. We don't do it to put up a show, we do it cause we love it. Though it does make for a great spectator sport.
Much like the Italian staple coffee "espresso" has been ruined by a frothy milky concoction of instant coffee, BMX has also been transformed into the name of a company that makes "kids‘ bikes."
So what really is B-M-X?
BMX comes from MX, which is motocross. B comes from bicycle. So it is BICYCLE MOTO CROSS – or simply put, riding a bicycle on a Motocross [dirt] track.
Bike companies make BMX bikes. So that‘s a classification in that respect.
So it’s a sport, it‘s also a lifestyle and a way of life but not just a company.
But why are they so small?
Valid question.
It’s the frame height that's lower than a regular bike. Also the wheel size is 20 inch vs. 26 inch for a regular bike. But here's the part the most miss out on: The handlebars go up 8 inches. As opposed to a 1 inch rise on the MTBs. The frame size is crucial in order to give you a comfortable feel and reach. Medium-sized MTB frames come with a 21-22 inch tube length. BMX frames range between 19.5“ to 21.5“. So not much difference there as well. Kids‘ BMX bikes have a shorter height of 19“ and smaller bars 6.5“. This makes a difference to the feel and the size.
As far as the seat goes, most riders run their seat at 4-6 inch out of the frame. You see, a BMX is not meant to be ridden sitting down. You have to stand and push. The seat is to support you when you’re just cruising. Also, a low seat makes it easy for the ride to tuck the bike into the body while jumping, thus resulting in a higher jump.
Why use the frame so low?
To make it more maneuverable.
So now that we have decoded BMX, let's talk straight. Why would you do this?
It’s an extreme sport, hence part of the X Games. It’s an adrenaline rush! It’s for the thrill seekers; it‘s a sport that you can "play" anywhere. No court, no pitch, no umpires and no set of rules to hold you back.
Types of BMXing
Racing : BMX Racing
Trick Riding: BMX Freestyle BMX Freestyle consists of:
1. Flatland Trick Riding 2. Ramp/Skatepark Riding 3. Street Riding
BMX Freestyle: Ramp Riding
© Bartek Wolinski
BMX Freestyle: Flatland Trick Riding
© Jason Halayko
BMX Freestyle: Street Riding
© Ismael Ibañez Ruiz
BMX Racing
© Yuta Yoshida
BMX has come of age, the world over. Today, more are brands are coming up every year, specifically for BMX. The sport has caught on with the youth in Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh, Manipur as well as in Bangalore; and I'm hoping somebody will yell out after reading this article "Hey you forgot my city. I'm from Bhatinda."
The ball, or more precisely, the wheel has been set rolling in this new thrilling sport.
During my stay in LA I visited many skate parks, and was not surprised to find 40 year olds riding the park on skateboards and bikes giving the nimble teenagers a run for their fathers‘ money.
About the author: Rahul Mulani is a BMX-veteran who now helps the next generation of bikers find their calling as well as their bike gear.