BMX stands for "Bicycle Motocross". Inspired by freestyle motorcyclists, at the end of the 1960s, young savages in the USA bolted motocross handlebars to their children's bikes and shot themselves over self-built ramps. Today, the scene is extremely differentiated but nowhere near as professionalised as the glossy sport of mountain biking. That's why it's always refreshing to watch the best in their discipline. So sit back, get the popcorn ready and treat yourself to these seven videos with a wow effect! Maybe you'll even feel like going for a spin in the skate park yourself or using the stair set at the supermarket round the corner to boost your own skills. Have fun and always wear a helmet!
My love of mountain biking first started through BMX riding. When my parents pulled the plug on the PC during the summer holidays, my brother and I grabbed a cheap BMX from Toys-R-Us and jumped up and down the kerbs of our play street. We've never stopped cycling since that day. It was the lack of suitable spots that finally made me switch to studded tyres. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
1. flow in abundance: Mike Aitken in Anthem II
This clip is ancient. To be precise, it dates back to 2010, a time when you still had to drive halfway across Germany to buy a BMX DVD in a shop. The masterpiece called Anthem II can now be seen in its entirety on YouTube. Anyone with an hour to spare is recommended to watch the whole video. Everyone else can enjoy the clip by Mike Aitken: unrivalled dirt flow, accompanied by one of the best rock anthems of all time.
2nd Banger-Time: Dennis Enarson in Raven
Street is the untouched supreme discipline of the BMX scene. Dennis Enarson is someone who always realises the sickest lines on rails, concrete and steps. Even mountain bikers get the urge to grind! However, jumping off the roof of a house in a tailwhip is not recommended for everyone. In the final banger, Enarson jumps so high and far that he has to be brought up to speed by a motorbike for the stunt.
3. the technician: Simone Barraco in Kisses
What Simone Barraco pulls off on the BMX is beyond imagination. The Italian seems to have some kind of slow-motion button on his handlebars, he packs so many moves into just a few metres. 99.9 per cent of bikers can only dream of this level of riding technique. This demonstration of outstanding skills is tied together in an entertaining video.
4th Unreal: Chad Kerley in Lockdown
What Chad Kerley pulls off on his little bike looks like something out of a video game: nosebonk to barspin to manual to icepick grind to manual to wallride to tailwhip. Don't understand a thing? No problem, just watch the clip and you'll understand what makes street BMX riding so appealing. The matching rap song plays in the background for full street credibility.
5. unbreakable: Nathan Williams in Why Not?
Nathan Williams takes harder punches than any professional boxer. And at 37, the American is no longer the youngest. Here, bikers can learn how smoothly you can ride a bike - on 20-inch wheels and without brakes. Drops from the height of two storeys can be done without a fat suspension fork and safety net. At the same time, the clip is an impressive example of how much not only VMX riders but also BMX bikes can take.
6. artistically: Dan Foley in Toch The Bottom
If this video doesn't make you want to ride a BMX bike, there must be something wrong with you. Dan Foley conjures up particularly aesthetic lines on the street and in the skate park: filmed to a high standard and with a riding style so smooth that the word "art" is absolutely appropriate. The slow-motion scenes make almost every mountain biker look like a rough rider.
7. masterful: Logan Martin at the 2024 Olympics
Admittedly: There is a whole load of punk in most BMX edits. But there is also a more polished, glossy side to the sport. Freestyle BMX is now an Olympic sport and is organised by the UCI. The official world champion and winner of the 2014 Olympics in Paris is Logan Martin. Like a surgeon, he performs huge tricks and massive amounts of airtime with such precision that every spectator's jaw drops.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
