Bicycle Network: Skill Up

BMX riding

Learn about the basic categories of BMX and get connected with BMX organisations and resources.

There are two basic categories of BMX: racing and freestyle.

BMX racing

There are currently over 10,000 riders in 130 clubs throughout Australia. These races include ranking rounds ratified by world cycling body Union Cycliste Internationale and BMX Australia, leading to international ranking for Elite and Junior teams competing at the World Championships.
The BMX World Championships will return to Australia in 2009. Major Events SA and BMX Australia will host the Worlds at a purpose built track at Adelaide's Wayville Showgrounds.
Racing will improve its profile with its Olympics debut in Beijing in 2008.

Peaked in 1997–9 with the Australian X-Games.
Newly formed national organisation Freestyle BMX is reviving freestyle events. July this year saw the ‘1800 Reverse King of Dirt’ comp in Perth coinciding with the racing World Champs, and the 2004 National Champs in Adelaide should include a freestyle comp.
Four disciplines of freestyle BMX: 1. Dirt jumping: launching off (usually home-made) dirt ramps. 2. Vert: similar to dirt jumping but with bigger ramps usually only available in comps. 3. Flatland: comp discipline that simulates the smaller structures of an urban environment and the tricks that skilled riders perform on them. 4. Skatepark: now the most common form of BMX riding in Australia, with over 700 skateparks across the country.

See the BMX Victoria website.