BMX History

BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross. It is thought that this sport started in the USA in the 1960s and 1970s as a version of standard motorised Motocross riding which was particularly popular with kids during this period.

BMX basically started with a few kids who used their regular bikes to race in a Motocross style across tracks that they put together themselves. Soon the kids here started dressing up like their favourite Motocross heroes and customising their bikes to look like the real thing.

BMX soon took off as a sport in its own right and bike manufacturers started to produce bikes that could better handle this kind of riding. By the 1970s the USA was organising official races and it was picked up in other countries all around the world. By the early 1980s the International BMX Federation was established followed by the first World Championship competition.

Nowadays BMX riding can incorporate both racing and freestyle riding in various forms. Some kids simply ride their BMX bikes for fun whilst others will perfect their racing or trick skills and take part in specific competitions. The Beijing Olympics of 2008 will see BMX accepted as an event for the first time.