Originating in the early 1970s, BMX was started it’s meteoric rise after it was discovered that kids were taking to dirt tracks to mimic motocross races on their bicycles, complete with a number fastened to the front of the bike. As expected, the racing road bikes for sale got more competitive, the demands on equipment became higher and more specialised, and subcultures naturally formed around street and freestyle BMX.
Fast forward to today and BMX has come entirely of its own, with BMX racing being UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body of cycling), sanctioned and featured in the Olympic Games. Freestyle BMX has professional riders and teams supported by massive sponsors competing at adrenalin-fueled events such as the X-games.
Feeling spoilt for choice with what BMX to buy? We are here to clear things up, spell out the differences and arm you with the knowledge to confidently purchase the right BMX bike to suit your needs.
BMX Riding disciplines
Freestyle BMX bikes are designed to withstand the stresses that come with performing stunts on street features, dirt jumps, and skate parks. This means that the frame materials, wheels, and components must be equally optimised for both strength and ease of maneuverability. Race BMX bikes are optimised for speed and acceleration, so are often made from lighter materials and feature different geometry to ensure they are stable, stiff and agile at speed.
Within freestyle BMX several sub-disciplines fall under the umbrella of the term ‘freestyle’. Except for flatland, there is a lot of crossover within these disciplines, so choosing an all-rounder bike that is categorised as freestyle will likely be the most versatile option.
Park: Park riding refers to riding in skate parks, which despite the name, are frequented by BMX riders almost as often as skaters. Park riding also extends to BMX specific indoor parks for riders only, which are commonly referred to as ‘ramps’.
Street: As the name would suggest, street riders get creative with urban infrastructure such as stairs and rails to perform highly skilled tricks and turns. Riders will always be on the lookout for right ‘spots’ to try new skills.
Flatland: Quite a niche style, flatland occurs with no external features and all the tricks are done with the bike by the rider. Often described as ‘breakdancing’ on the bike, riders pivot and balance the bike with on a hard flat surface.
Trails/Dirt Jumping: Occurs on purpose build dirt jumps and berms. These riders look at getting big air and linking up jumps in to perform tricks.
Race: BMX stands for ‘Bicycle Motocross’ so it should come as little surprise that BMX bikes themselves are best known for being piloted over jumps and ripping around berms, much like their petrol-powered cousins. BMX racing occurs on purpose built courses which are made from hard-packed, well-groomed dirt or bitumen and often feature a mixture of undulating terrain and long jumps. Because BMX race bikes are designed with a sole purpose in mind, they are often unsuitable for use in other BMX riding disciplines.
Frames and Fork
Materials
Freestyle and entry-level race BMX bikes are predominately made from a steel composition known as Chromoly 4130 (chromo for short). CroMo is alloyed steel which offers superior strength properties when compared to cheaper, ‘Hi-tensile’ steels typically found on lower-end and department store bikes. Chromo steel can be ‘butted’, meaning it can be made to be thinner and therefore lighter in the middle of the tubing, and reinforced around the ends and joins for strength.
Steel is the material of choice for these bikes as it is highly resistant to fatigue (important considering all the hits these bikes take!), is easy to repair and offers some additional compliance to the ride which adds a little more comfort and reduces pressure on the body of the rider.
For BMX racing, the preference is for stiffer, lightweight frames meaning aluminium is the material of choice. If you are serious about your racing and want to get the extra edge, carbon fibre frames are growing in popularity amongst elite BMX racers as it reduces weight even further and has vibration dampening properties not found in aluminium.
For more information on bike frame materials, check out our comprehensive guide.
Sizing
Freestyle BMX bikes are ridden by kids, teenagers and adults alike; therefore, although the wheel size stays consistent, the frame size can change subtly to suit the riding style and height of the rider. Most freestyle BMX bikes off the shop floor will come with a 21in top tube so that riders have enough room to swing the bike underneath them if performing airborne tricks, as well as a shorter seat stay which is easier to whip around.
Flatland frames are typically the only exception to this as they tend to be lighter and have shorter tubing all round for better balance and control. They also have a much steeper head angle and 3/8″ dropouts for smaller rear axles.
On race bikes, slacker head angle and longer wheelbase put the rider further back on the bike, which allows for improved stability and handling at speed. Race frame sizes come in a broader range to suit the rider age spread that BMX racing sees.
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