The In-Depth Guide To BMX Bikes?
What is a BMX Bicycle
“Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.” ~Hunter S Thompson
A BMX bike is just like a regular bicycle, only beefier and with sturdier tires. They are made to handle rougher terrain and have bigger tricks than a normal bike. You can expect the ride to be rougher than your average cruiser, but that's half the fun!
There are different types of BMX bikes depending on what kind of riding you want to do. If you're into big air and doing crazy tricks, you'll want a freestyle BMX. These bikes have shorter frames and forks to make them lighter and more maneuverable in the air. You'll want a racing BMX if you're looking to race around a track. These have longer frames and forks for stability and speed. And if you're going to cruise around town or hit some dirt trails, a BMX cruiser might be more your style. These have even longer frames and relaxed geometry for a comfortable ride.
No matter what type of BMX bike you get, there are some basic tricks that every rider should know how to do. The first is the bunny hop. This is where you jump up off the ground and land on your back wheel without pedaling. To do this, approach your jump with some speed and then pull up on the handlebars while pushing down on the pedals with your feet. This will lift the front wheel off the ground while keeping the back wheel tucked underneath you. As you come down, push down on the handlebars to level the bike, then pedal away! The next trick is called a bar spin. This is where you spin the handlebars around 360 degrees in one fluid motion. To do this, start pedaling up to some speed and then place your dominant hand over the bars near the stem. Next, quickly tuck your hand underneath the bars and pull up while throwing your body weight over to the opposite side of the bike. As you come around, grab hold of the bars again with your other hand and repeat the process in the other direction! These are just two examples of the kinds of tricks you can do on a BMX bike - there are endless possibilities limited only by your imagination (and maybe a little bit by physics). So get out there and start riding!