No matter to what level you want to take your BMX biking, you can
design and equip your bike to fit your needs perfectly. Look in
your favorite BMX biking magazine for ideas to equal your imagination.
BMX extreme bicycle design
by John Gibb
Needless to say that at the very beginning of the BMX racing /
riding era there were no bikes constructed
quite like the BMX Bike . Usually, kids
would simply modify their Schwinn Sting Ray
bicycles by adding knobby tires and
motocross handlebars. Additionally, they
would modify the frames in order to gain
performance, stability and strength. Later
on, the first bicycles that where
specifically pumped out of the factory for
the purpose of BMX riding where first
introduced. Some of the very first BMX
bicycle builders such as R&R racing
products, Webco, RedLine and Mongoose
focused on creating bicycles that would be
specifically crafted for the sport. Out of
the first BMX models, the one produced by
Mongoose can be considered as the one that
is most similar to the BMX bikes of today;
it featured a straight tubed, gusseted frame
as well as stronger, reinforced handlebars.
Additionally, it had Motomag wheels and
longer crank arms than the conventional
bikes. Initially, BMX bike construction
was aimed at making a bike which would be as
resistant as possible. However, weight
became a serious issue when racing gained
popularity. Out of all BMX constructors, R&R
Racing created the first 3 pound frame which
not only was lighter but it also was very
resistant. Soon, BMX manufacturers would
start to use lighter materials such as
aluminum and chromium molybdenum for frames;
additionally, rims made out of steel and mag
wheels where replaced by rims made of
aluminum with freewheels and caliper brakes.
Later on, when Freestyle BMX became more
popular, BMX bikes went through various
additions/changes. Although they originated
from racing bikes, they where also equipped
with extra places to put the feet on while
performing stunts. Additionally, something
very important that needed to be considered
is that this new era of BMX bikes had to be
a lot more resistant than racing bikes. And
so, the new BMX bikes oriented at freestyle
where a lot more resistant and stronger than
those that had been made so far. Finally,
most BMX bikes where equipped with a feature
known as 'Gyro'. This device enabled the
steering bar to be rotated by 360 degrees
for an unlimited number of revolutions
without the brake cables getting tangled.
Nowadays, with the explosion of BMX riding
there are many more companies that focus on
constructing and improving them. Among
others, GT, Haro, MBK, Hoffman bikes,
Diamondback and Hutch have established a
pretty good reputation in the BMX world.
About the Author John Gibb is the owner of
BMX biking extreme For more information
on BMX bikes check out
http://www.bmx-guides2k.info |
