BMX is a sport that praises the do it yourself ethic, and one should always search out and find independent movies if they can. Many of the best BMX videos are underground, but they can usually only be found regionally. Therefore, while we would have liked to include them in this list, it’s somewhat difficult to do so. What we consider to be the Top Five BMX Movies of All Time, in no particular order, are:

1) Insight: Ever wonder how BMX videos are made? Insight, by TransWorld, provides a look into what it takes to put one together. Instead of flash, the film offers a pretty gritty look at Dakota Roche, Darryl Tocco, Davey Wastson and others as they create a film from start to finish. Insight also features some hard riding that isn’t often found outside of this sort of production. The hardcore BMX fans should certainly be satisfied.

2) 48 Hours: Featuring Just Inman, Jerry Bagley and Adam Baker, 48 Hours is an interesting example of the art inherent in the best BMX videos. As well as offering a bonus making of section on the DVD, the film offers rides through some of the best BMX trails in Oregon, Tennessee and Arizona.

3) Electronical: Mike Aitken, Mike Gonzales, Brandon Turner, Steve Kennedy and many other riders joined with Nine to Five Productions to film this movie all over the world. Tracks in America, New Zealand, Spain, Canada, South Africa, China and Germany were conquered by these riders in the pursuit of putting together one of the better offerings out there. This is certainly something to look at if one wants a sheer number of locations.

4) Joe Kid on a String-Ray: This film is completely different, and tries not to follow a specific set of riders so much as it tries to act as a documentary on the history of BMX. It certainly does that job well, and tries to capture the feeling of everything from suburban riding in the 1960s to today’s standing room only events.

5) Flipside: This video offers an interesting combination of the underground and the mainstream. Featuring several unknown riders, who meet up with names as big as Dave Mirra, Flipside seems just as much a clinic as it does a video. Some of the sponsorship came from GT Bicycles and MirraCo, but it doesn’t seem too overdone.

By: Erinna Smith