History

Bicycle Motorcross, or simply put BMX, is racing on motorcross dirt tracks with bicycles. It was started in the 1970's when kids with bicycles started emulating motorcross stars around dirt tracks in south California. The 1972 motorcycle racing documentary On Any Sunday is often credited for bringing this sport to the national masses when it's opening sequence featured kids on bicycles off-roading around a track. Availability of bicycles and their high-customization capabilities made this sport a phenomenon by the mid-1970's. By then, BMX acquired a dedicated fanbase and manufacturers started producing bicycles especially for the sport.

How It Works

A race track similar to a motorcross dirt track with obstacles, pits, dunes, etc. is strategically laid out and competitors ride around it. The track is 450m long and the races are quick and swift. The cyclists have to stick to race specification of single gear, single break rule. The bicycles are lightweight yet have a strong body to withstand the strain it has to endure during the race. 

Current Scenario

The sport has received international acclamation and has a global fan following. BMXing was eventually inculcated as an Olympic sport in 2008's Beijing Olympics which saw Māris Štrombergs of Latvia bag the men's gold and Anne-Caroline Chausson of of France winning the women's gold. This year the BMX event was also a part of the London Olympics.

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