

Other features of the BMX bike are: knobby tires, small saddle, upright handlebars with crossbars, long cranks and rear hand brakes. The exceptions are the large-frame bikes popularly known as cruisers: they have 24-inch wheels. Typically, BMX bikes have 20-inch wheels. But that does not mean you have to use them for racing – anyone can appreciate the lightweight structure, the speed, and the ability to thrive riding in the dirt. The seventies and the eighties were the golden era of BMX, and the original BMX bike was a phenomenal success.Įven today, BMX bikes are designed for racing.

It was not long before they became the most popular type of bike for children and teenagers, even those who were not into racing. They were designed in imitation of motocross motorcycles and were built for racing over jumps and around berms in the dirt. They came out in the sixties and kicked off BMX as a popular sport. The so-called true BMX is the original BMX bike. Originally, racing was the only thing BMX riders did, and the classical BMX bike was the only type available.īut as new forms of BMX riding came up such as freestyle, new bike types were developed to cater for the specialized skills and terrains required in the new riding styles. And each type requires a specialized bike if you want to perform optimally.īMX riding developed in the sixties and seventies.
