BMX bikes

When it comes to dangerous extreme sports of today, it is hard not to think about BMX games. Compared to snowboarding, or performing motorbike stunts, its high up in the list of extreme sports. As far as the BMX bikes used in this sport, they are equipped with the latest design technology, in order to make them lightweight and easy to maneuver.

Some of the features on a BMX bike include a lightweight, well balanced frame. Their wheels are 5 to 8 inches smaller in diameter than the regular 20 inches of a regular bike, and have pegs on the side for performing stunts. This system allows for experienced riders to do complete turns while standing still, also called a 360 maneuver.

Another activity derived from the use of BMX bikes, are racetrack competitions. The courses in these tracks are mostly outdoors, on natural soil. They contain acute turns and violent ups and downs, which require much skill and practice to compete in. They have an average of 40 meters long, and allow for up to 10 racers to compete side by side.

Engaging in a BMX bike race means you will fly in mid air, performing flips and turns while racing at great speeds. Thus, racers are not allowed to participate if any of the required safety equipment is missing. These items include knee and elbow pads, chest protector and helmet.

The excitement experienced during BMX bike races is appealing to more and more bike enthusiasts all over the world. Such is their appeal that BMX bike races will now be allowed at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Many countries like the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are starting to feature BMX races on television. Not to mention the appearance of bike centers where BMX enthusiasts can meet and practice their bike stunt skills with each other.

Participating in the BMX rush can turn out to be a fun and exciting experience, as long as it is carried out safely and responsibly. Always wear your safety equipment, and never get carried away trying to show off to your friends.

By: Damian Cross

Mountain bike, road bike, or BMX, no matter what your favorite ride is, I think we can all agree that bicycles are awesome. And just like everything else that fits the description of awesome, the bicycle has its fun facts list that we should all read about.

1. The velocipede is the oldest traceable ancestor of the modern bicycle. Invented in 1817 by Baron von Drais, the wooden two-wheel vehicle was powered by pushing the feet against the ground.

2. Bicycle-like sketches were found in Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks dating back to the end of the 15th century. Though the bicycle was invented centuries after, it could be that Leonardo already had thoughts of the possibility of such human-powered vehicle.

3. Though off-road bikes were already in use in the early 1900′s, the actual mountain bike prototypes first came about in the seventies, which leads us to fun fact number 4;

4. October 22, 1976, in what is now known as Repack Road in Fairfax, California, the first downhill mountain biking time trial took place. Riders sported prototypes of the mountain bike known as “klunkers” or cruisers with modified balloon-tires.

5. The longest rideable bicycle according to Guinness World Records is 28.1 m (92 ft 2 in) in length. The bicycle was made by mechanical engineering students from Delft University, The Netherlands

6. More on records, the largest parade of bicycles happened in Taipei City, Taiwan on July 21, 2007. The number of bicycles that attended reached to 1,901.

7. In 1988, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame was established to chronicle the historic events and the people who have contributed to the development of the sport. The museum can be found in Crested Butte, Colorado.

8. Amsterdam is often referred to as the bike capital of the world, with bicycles making up 40 percent of its traffic movements. In 2006, the city had 465,000 bicycle units for its 750,000 residents.

9. It is long believed that professional cyclists shave their legs for better aerodynamics. The truth is that shaving has nothing to do with aerodynamics. The most common reasons are to look good and in order to treat leg injuries easier.

10. The fastest recorded bicycle speed on a flat surface is 83 miles per hour (133 kmh) by Canadian cyclist Sam Whittingham.

11. Cycling is proven to be a good form of exercise, helping to reduce weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.

By: Alan Craner

While downhill and mountain dirt jump bikes get a lot of press these days, there is no denying that BMX bikes were extreme before people even knew to call it that. BMX stands for “bicycle motocross”. In the late 70s these little bikes were raced and jumped around tracks all over North America.

What started as dirt racing has morphed into a full on extreme sport that fills stadiums. The X-games and YouTube have opened the wild world of BMX to a whole new generation. Superstars like Matt Hoffman and Dave Mirra have taken this underground sport and given it a world wide audience.

Some of my first hardcore riding was done on a BMX bike. We would build ramps and use our bikes to jump the creek by my house. Back in the day we didn’t wear helmets so I spent some time in the hospital with concussions, so don’t forget to put on your brain bucket when out jumping.

Over the years BMX has branched in different styles of riding. For anyone wanting to jump, flip or spin on a bike, getting into BMX is the best value. With the whole bike costing less than most mountain bike forks, it’s within the reach of most people, even if your paycheck comes from a paper route.

BMX riding is broken down into a few main styles.

BMX Racing Dirt Jumping/ Trail Urban/Park/Vert Flatland While you can use a bike for more than one style, as you progress in a given style you will benefit from a more specialized bike. A dirt or trail bike is the jack of all trades. With a tire swap you can ride street, ramps and dirt. And while a little heavier than a pure race bike you can take it out to the local track and try out BMX racing.

By: Winston Endall

This month I want to touch on the importance of warming up. There seems to be a lack of understanding that warming up is burning energy, or “burning matches” as they say in cycling. The truth of the matter is that a warm up routine is to not only to get the body in a mode to be ready for optimum performance, but to also get your mind ready for the task at hand. The best results in training and racing result from several components and a good warm up is easily the number one limiting factor from great training and racing performances.

I was fortunate to spend some time observing and talking to track and field Olympic caliber athletes while they were warming up for their training at the Chula Vista training center. Although the actual workout was only going to be 6-8 sprints, they warmed up for 30 minutes and this was for less than 2 minutes of total of explosive work. The truth is, you want to be able to do the actual workout at full physiological and psychological capacity. When I have my athletes do sprints, the purpose is to program the physiological component with the psychological component so that several important things take place:

o Neurologically, the mind is telling the motor units of a muscle cluster to fire, the mind needs to tell the motor units clearly what they need to do without hesitation. Imagine two phone lines connected and opened up so they can communicate. The mind needs to be ready and without distraction to convey the message. A proper intense warm up with a mental focus and vision of what you want to do will help facilitate this.

o In order for the body to respond to the mental request of movement, this neural pathway needs to be activated to perform the correct movements and at full capacity. It’s crucial the motor units and muscles need to be turned on prior to the expected intense effort. Another words, if the muscles are cold, there will not only be a delay, there is also a possibility that the muscles won’t respond at full contraction.

o For BMX racing, a proper warm up will also facilitate Lactate Acid faster and recycle it with superb efficiency. If there is no warm up, the body will also not tolerate Lactate kindly. Be sure to do a long sprint to get the burn out of the way and to open up this component of the system as well. (Do this before practice, not before the first moto!)

When I was a young pro warming up for 20 minutes in the woods of say the South Park NBL National an hour before my practice, my team mates used to look at me like I was a freak. I remember them and the majority of the pros using practice as their warm up, yet never seemed to be ready for the first moto and thus, would never get going for the rest of the day. A good warm up sets the tone for your racing day!

A proper warm up will prevent an athlete from being neurologically confused when riding a new track as they might not adapt to the new dynamics of a track properly, making them second guess if they feel good about themselves riding this track. This could possibly mess with an athletes confidence, spending more time being uncertain before the first moto, when they need to be using this energy to be ready for everything when that gate drops.

Warm up routines vary for different demands, for both on and off the bike racing or training. It’s best to develop a well-rounded routine for a sprint workout and then apply that routine before practice at an event and or even before practice on a local night. There are 2 different types of energy systems that need to warm up: Aerobic and Anaerobic. Almost always an anaerobic “dynamic warm up” is more specific to BMX, Sprints and or Strength work. In BMX, every movement is a “dynamic demand”; therefore a dynamic warm up is in order. Typically this means sprints of all varieties, lengths and intensities. The duration could be from a minimum of 10 minutes to 20 minutes filled with sprints and maybe even some bunnyhops and coaster manuals. Of course this would be done with plenty of rest between efforts and not to sprint for 20 minutes consistently. Once this is done, then the workout and or track practice shall come. Again, you want to get on the track ready for the demands so you can program yourself to know the track as best as you can!

Off the bike training such as GYM work or plyometric training can usually benefit from a dynamic warm up consisting of a combination of both exercises or bike sprints. Exercises can consist of getting the body to not only achieving neural adaptation, but to also get full range of motion so there will be no surprises when you squat down or do a plyo jump. Same principle applies in terms of neural activation: Get the mind and body to respond cohesively together so you can get the most out of the exercise and training. A typically dynamic warm up will consist of exercises such as skipping rope, lunges, body squats, and light non-static stretching. A quick note on stretching: Forcing a muscle by stretching beyond what it’s capable at the time and or holding it longer than 20 seconds can also cause damage it in the form of micro tears. The end result will be a slight paralysis of the muscles from contracting at full capacity because those lightly torn muscle fibers simply won’t respond; there damaged. So stretch lightly if you need to stretch before activity.

Well there you have it, warming up and doing a dynamic one specifically for BMX racing and training will enable you to be ready and to get the most out of your session!

By: Greg Romero

The Diamondback Jr Viper BMX bike is incorporated with all the perks of a traditional BMX bicycle and is a great gift for your little one, without breaking the bank. The Diamondback Jr Viper BMX bike resembles the same design as the full size version, except the small frame, which is perfect for beginners and kids that would like to get a firm grip over the joys of riding. This product is appointed with a ton of perks that easily distinguish this bike over its competitors, making it one of the best in the market.

The frame and handlebars of the Diamondback Jr Viper BMX bike is constructed of high-intensity steel and features 36 spoke aluminum spoke wheels. This bicycle is recommended for kids between 8-12 years and is appointed with a coaster braking system. This mechanism allows riders to bring the bike to a complete halt by pedaling backwards, which is a great safety feature when you’re not around.

BMX has been delivering exceptional products since the year 1984 and is world renowned in terms user compatibility and cost efficiency. The configurations of the bicycle are 70 degree seat tube with extra padding, 14.5 inch chain and a 74 degree head tube. With a 5 years warranty on the fork, I years on components and frame, you can be rest assured that your investment will last all through your child’s toddler days. Listed below are the exact specifications of the Diamondback Jr Viper BMX bike that will make your decision all the simpler.

The bike comes with easy to assemble parts and can be put together approximately within 15 minutes. The only tools you would need are a wrench and a pair of scissors in order to open the box and secure the nuts in place. Although a bicycle is one of the most viable investments you can make for your child, there are some aspects that should not be overlooked under any circumstances, when shopping for one. The seat is where your little guy will spend most of his time and you need to ensure that the seat is adjustable and well padded to avoid any type of discomforts that may arise.

The chain guard is the nest issue that needs to be addressed and will not only avoid any unforeseeable leaks, but help keep clothes from getting caught up when riding. The last but one of the most crucial aspects is the braking mechanism and if your child is a beginner to riding, then coaster brakes will be your best bet, which simply bring the bicycle to a complete halt by pedaling in the backwards motion.

The Diamondback Jr Viper BMX bike is loaded with a ton of safety features and is complimented with superior BMX performance.

By: Peter Walcott

BMX, also known as “Bicycle Motocross” is one of the most popular extreme sports, and is growing in popularity year on year thanks to events such as the “extreme games” and other huge bmxing extravaganzas. There are two main types of BMXing the most popular is “freestyle” where people do stunts on makeshift obstacles, examples being grinding along poles or jumping down stair sets. The other form is the less dangerous, yet still risky racing which is often done across hills against other competitors.

The racing form of BMX became a full medal Olympic sport in 2003 and features in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. A Latvian man named Maris Strombergs won the men’s event and Anne-Caroline Chausson picked up the gold medal in the first femal BMX event.

“Freestyle” Bmx consists of 5 different disciplines; “Street”, “Park”, “Vert”, “Trails” and “Flatland”. All of these require exceptional skill and dedication if you are to have any chance of competing in events.

Street BMX

This discipline involves using your bmx on man made obstacles to perform stunts. Obstacles include; handrails, stairs and sometimes curved walls. But in reality there is no limit to the obstacles you could use.

Park BMX

Although many of the obstacles in parks were originally designed for skaters or skateboarders use, they are now the playground for BMX riders. Skate parks usually consist of lots of different small pieces such as coping (for grinding) and ramps.

Vert BMX

Considered the most extreme of all BMX disciplines Vert is made up of half pipes, quarter pipes and large ramps. Vert BMXing tends to be the most popular BMX format.

Trails

These are lines of dirt which make jumps. They tend to have differing levels of steepness which make getting “air” easy and also make gaining speed paramount.

By: Jayden Purvis

With dust forming at the heels of participants surrounded by flashes of red, blue, and metal, BMX riding is a form of cycling that involves twists, turns, and smart maneuvering. A different kind of bike is used to perform the tricks and moves associated with the sport, such as 20-inch wheels. BMX stands for Bicycle Moto-cross (X) and utilizes tracks fashioned from earth and dirt. While some enjoy the aspect of performing BMX tricks, others simply favor the racing aspect of the sport.

During the late 1960s, BMX riding found a home within California, where the teenage population emulated motocross icons with their bikes. It is believed that the actual sport of BMX was the brainchild of Scot Breithaupt, who actively participated from 1970 to 1977. It is also believed that a motorcycle racing film called On Any Sunday, captured the public’s imagination. Soon after, the middle of the decade saw a skyrocketed interest of the sport.

Before long, BMX catapulted into the mainstream, as more and more notable characters made a name for themselves. Television appearances also followed, as did ESPN coverage and a host of video games focusing on the sport. The popularity of BMX is so glaring that riders can now earn medals at the upcoming Summer Olympics held in 2008 at Beijing.

How to Improve Your BMX Skills

As with most sports – practice does make perfect. The off-road adventure that BMX has become allows riders to showcase freestyle skills or sprint about single lap racetracks. When it comes to racing, a starting gate greets up to eight eager riders who are ready to rip and roar banked and flat obstacles, perform jumps, and cross the finish line. In order to get to the point where maneuvering a bike is second nature, riders must train to prepare their body, mind, and skill.

Getting used to the bike used for BMX riding is a challenge for some because they tend to display durable and quick-handling characteristics. The bikes are also lightweight. When it comes to BMX, many riders enter races to test their skills and improve through experience. Riders from the age of 8 to late adulthood may enter training plans aimed at strengthening the body and skill level about 12 weeks before a competition. Development is one of the most important aspects for excelling in the world of BMX.

The age level of a rider usually determines the intensity and basic requirements needed to improve in BMX riding. Youth riders should approach sprint training to enhance their track speed endurance, power, strength, and maximum leg speed. Youngsters are going through phases of growth; meaning care is essetial in practice to ensure all round muscle development at a controlled rate. Athletes should set aside 30 to 60 minutes per day for training for the majority of the week.

Teenage riders should concentrate on improving overall riding strength though weight training. Some individuals have made great strides when following a circuit training method. Track racing and extra work goes a long way, where proper warm up and cool down exercises help with daily training. More experienced riders will benefit from 30 to 120 minutes of training throughout the week.

As you enter BMX riding, there are a few basic details to learn, which will make your experience and training much easier. A working knowledge of bicycle parts, maintenance, fundamental riding techniques, and what to expect for the first time are just some of the things that place you on the path towards improvement. A wide variety of skills makes up the complete locker of a BMX rider. To better your craft on a BMX bike, you should familiarize yourself with the nuts and bolts:

Body Positioning: A rider must learn how to adjust their body position when bending around corners, performing a basic attack, jumping, and exploding out of the starting gate. Knowing when to sit and stand is also important. If you do not master body positioning, you could fall of a bike, collide with another, or become injured.

Jumping: Many individuals get into BMX because they are intrigued about the aspect of jumping. Learning how to correct mid-air mistakes and improve your jumping skills is necessary to enhance both freestyle and racing skills. Pushing yourself to reach higher and farther goals in jumping also improves an individual’s overall BMX skill.

Cornering: A rider needs to learn when, where, and how to properly corner since a wide-range of factors affect BMX. This includes knowing when to stick the leg out, brake, accelerate, or lean into the bike.

Braking: Riders also need to learn how to utilize the braking mechanism of a bike, which allow individuals to master cornering, jumping, and whoops.

Additional training exercises to consider include passing, peddle control, advanced jumping techniques, and stunts, such as backflips. Overall, BMX is a challenging sport that permits one to test the strength and agility of the mind and muscles.

By: Robert Ryles

Established in 1974, Mongoose Bicycles used to be known as BMX Products Inc. They are commonly known for producing the first prototype of the modern BMX bicycle. It is now known as the standard for current track and street riders. It features a steel series frame and jumping fork. The design of the bike’s frame offers front and rear U-brakes, which offer all of the braking power a person will need for their off road ventures. Other notable components of the Mongoose Bike include front and rear axle pegs, alloy 48 hole hubs, an A head machined stem, and a three piece tubular crank set.

Mongoose Bicycles are so confident in the quality of the product that they produce that they offer a lifetime warranty on the frame and fork of each bike they produce. The current starting price for their bikes begin at $143.25; however, the price does increase with the higher grade of series that a person purchases. There is even a freestyle series of bikes for those who are interested in performing tricks and stunts. Other accessories that the company offers for their bikes include locks, rubberized hardshell bicycle helmets, and gel elbow and knee pads. The bikes are popular with all different age groups, from children to those of middle age.

In professional and consumer written reviews, Mongoose Bikes have generally received positive reviews. Parents who have purchased these bicycles have praised them for the ease of assembly and their durability in enduring the abuse that comes with being ridden by children. Its aesthetics are pleasing to both children and adults. Most consumers have noted that their children were exceptionally pleased with the bikes. Consumers were also pleased with the fact that the company frequently runs specials on their prices, which frequently include free ground shipping on all purchases.

In the negative reviews, the freestyle series of bikes have been criticized for their lack of durability after the first two years of ownership. The cost to repair the damages to the bike, in a few instances, exceeded the original cost of the bike. There were also a handful of consumers who experienced problems with the compression bolts that stabilize the handle bars of the bicycle. However, these problems occurred with only a small percentage of consumers. On the whole, most consumers agreed that the bikes were a worthy investment.

By: Blair Cooper

As some of may or may not know, the BMX bike riding trend is now almost forty years old. A lot has happened since kids first started riding their bikes off-road in the early nineteen seventies. Perfection in design, new stunts, improved race tracks and terrains have all made BMX bike riding the Olympic Sport it is today. During the nineteen eighties kids where riding their bikes everywhere, not all had off-road track at their disposal to burn their fever for BMX bikes. Thus, BMX bike fans where often found riding their bikes in city settings like stairs, parks, sidewalks and so forth. By 1979 Freestyle BMX had its first organized team called the BMX Action Trick Team. But this was mostly an underground movement until the American Freestyle Association was organized by Bob Morales in 1982.

BMX freestyle takes several disciplines in consideration, which make up the movement as a sport. These disciplines include street, park, vert, trails and flatland. The street discipline involves riding your BMX bike through the cityscape, across obstacles and terrain which was not initially intended for BMX bikes. Sidewalks, stairs and hand rails are among some of the most popular obstacles. In order to ride in this type of terrain, BMX bikes are especially equipped with pegs on each side, and few have any breaks on them. These customization are specially designed for street riders who will need to display some skill in order to perform the acrobatics required to successfully ride a bike in the streets.

Vert is perhaps the most extreme form of Freestyle BMX known today. Bike riding takes place in a half pipe shape, about 10 to 15 feet tall. Each side will consist of a slanted slope facing each other. The largest ramp in the Freestyle world became known in the X Games, which is 27 feet tall. This ramp is designed so that riders may gather speed as they ride down one side of the ramp, and perform some kind of stunt as they ride off the ramp on the other side. This type of even certainly requires a high amount of skill, and protective gear is a must.

Trails and Flatland disciplines are mostly off track roads made of compacted mud. Flatland, as the name describes won’t include all the difficulties within the regular freestyle trail as they are designed for speed. However, regular freestyle trails will be bumpy and include some steep curves and slanted terrain. Thus, sometimes the trails discipline is also referred to as Bike Jumping.

All the disciplines included in the Freestyle BMX sport require a lot of practice. It is also very dangerous, and requires the rider to wear protective gear at all times. Even professional riders are not allowed to compete if all their protective gear is not in place. For this reason, BMX bike fans are advised to go online and play some freestyle BMX games and use these online applications as a simulator before engaging a ramp. BMX games online are completely free to play, and won’t require any initial skill or protective gear. They will allow potential riders to catch a glimpse of the mechanics before they actually perform a stunt. You will get a chance to see how the characters in these online BMX games will fall on the ramp, the same way you will when you try it.

By: Damian Cross

BMX Bikes are a common feature in bicycle races. They have specially designed features that allow for excellent performance. These kind of bicycles come in various types and sizes.

BMX Bikes are built using aluminum or aluminum alloys. This makes them strong and lightweight. They have a sealed bearing with flip flop alloy hubs which are comfortable to all users. They are also provided with rear brakes for safe and sudden stopping. Some of this type of bicycles come with accessories such as Funn Isis crank, Cassette sealed bearing hubs, Maximums tires and sun rims among many others.

BMX bikes are of two major types. There is the type that is used in dirt and ramps and the freestyle type. The type used in dirt and ramps are usually light and less stronger. However they have a sturdy frame that can accommodate the heavy landings resulting from tricks and jumps that they may be used to perform. The freestyle type is much heavier and stronger. Both the the types are available in various frame sizes. You can make your choice according to the size and weight that suits you.

These kind of bicycles offer the best quality. They can easily be assembled making them quite portable. They come in various sizes and prices. This ensures that you are able to find a type that will suit your pocket and preference. They are easily available in the market today. All you have to do is to decide which type you may want and look for it in the market.

By: Peter Gitundu