BMX
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
BMX (Bicycle Motocross) is a form of cycling on specially designed bicycles which usually have 20 inch wheels. The sport includes racing on earthen tracks, known as BMX racing, as well as the performance of tricks on the bikes, called Freestyle BMX.
Freestyle BMX has grown to include five distinct disciplines. These are Street, Park, Vert, Dirt, and Flatland. These usually involve technical movements of the bike in different ways over varied terrain.
A BMX bike intended for racing can be easily distinguished from a freestyle BMX bike:
Freestyle: shorter seat- and chain- stays, and typically a single brake for the rear wheel. Brakes commonly have a detangler mechanism to enable bar spins, but some riders opt for a single cable setup for ease of repair;
Race: Brakes front and rear, and longer stays to increase stability when going faster.
The shorter wheelbase of a Freestyle bicycle affords greater agility at the expense of high-speed handling.
Recent racing setups include a rear disc brake instead of the conventional rim brake. Stopping power, especially in wet weather, is increased at the expense of slightly more weight.
Recently, BMX racing's international governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), began sponsoring the UCI BMX World Championships.
In 2008, BMX racing entered the Olympics for the first time in Beijing.[1] (For the schedule, see Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics: BMX)