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ABA District OK02 Track #1751
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BMX Racing for the Newbie
Does your child like to do any or all of the following with their bike:
- Ride it everywhere
- Doesn't ride in a straight line
- Likes to jump off curbs
- Pretends to be riding a motorcycle
- Makes bicycle jumps out of dirt
- Loves to ride in unusual places like hills, ditches, trails, or "obstacle courses"
- Likes to go really fast
- Has started doing tricks
If you see any or all of these behaviors, your child (girl or boy) just might be interested in BMX (bicycle) racing. BMX stands for Bicycle Moto-cross (X). The bicycle part of the name is obvious; it stands for the bicycles that are raced. A "moto" is a group of eight or fewer riders that race against each other and "cross" means the race course on which they race. When somebody says "BMX" they could mean one of two things. First, there is BMX racing which is what this site is mostly about and then there is BMX trick riding which is a completely different type of riding. BMX trick riding is often done kind of like a gymnastic meet where the riders do different tricks or routines and judges score them on the quality of their performance. BMX racing is just that, a bicycle race over a closed course. Groups of eight or fewer riders start at the same time and the order in which they finish determines the winner. If your child has never been in a BMX race, the best thing to do is visit the nearest BMX racing track and watch some races.
There are a several ways to find the nearest BMX track.
- Ask your child; they might already know where the local track is located
- Ask people you know who might go BMX racing.
- Visit the web site of the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and click on the "Find a Track" tab near the top of the ABA home page. Then scroll through the "Browse By State / Province" drop down menu and select your state or province. A list of tracks will appear and you can select the one nearest you. There will also be links to information about the tracks, usually provided by a dedicated website, complete with driving directions.
BMX tracks usually don't operate every day so you need to look at the "Track Schedule," "Race Schedule," or something with a similar name to find out when the track is open for racing. You will find that tracks have both "race" days and "practice" days. I recommend that your first visit be on a "race" day, not a practice day. You'll learn a lot more about the sport on the "race" days. While you're looking at the track's website, you might also want to check out when the track holds its "Race for Life." This is a special race day when part of the track fees and special donations are given to the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society and racers do not need to be members of the ABA in order to race. Thus, the Race for Life is a cost-effective way to try out BMX racing.
When you visit the track, here are some things you can expect to learn:
- BMX tracks are friendly and family-oriented.
- All you need to say is: "We're new to BMX racing and we'd like to know..." and there will be plenty of people ready to help you.
- There are two kinds of bikes being ridden around the track in the races: "Class" bikes which have 20-inch wheels and "cruiser" bikes which have 24-inch wheels. Most riders will be on "class" bikes and this is where most children should start their BMX careers. The really serious younger riders will usually be found riding both class and cruiser bikes. Many adults ride only a cruiser bike since they are larger.
- Racers wear long-sleeve shirts or jerseys, long pants, full-face helmets, and most wear gloves.
- The chances are that your visit will be during a "single-point" race. If there are lots and lots of people, vendors selling bike parts and everything else related to BMX, and you have trouble finding parking, you may have arrived at a double- or triple-point race such as a State Qualifier, State Championship Final, National, Redline Cup Qualifier, Race-for-Life, or Earned Double.
- You will hear the word "moto" a lot. A "moto" is a group of eight or fewer racers and all the motos are numbered in consecutive order from one up to the total number of races for that day. Every racer (or their parents) needs to know the number of the moto(s) that they are in so they can get to the starting gate on time. Usually, motos are "staged," that is, lined up behind the starting hill, ten motos ahead. Thus, when Moto 12 is on the track, Motos 13 through 23 need to be in the staging area. At big events, the motos can go very fast so racers may "stage up" as many as twenty motos ahead.
- Each race is a sprint around the track that lasts about a minute, longer for younger children and as quick as 30-seconds for the older expert riders. The older experts will quite literally fly over some of the obstacles.
- The general order of racing is this: Opens, Girls, Girls Cruisers, Boys Cruisers, and Boys Classes. Opens are grouped only by age. Opens are extra races that are "open" to all classes. They give riders at the Expert level extra "track time" to prepare for the class and cruiser races. Girls are grouped only by age. Girls' and Boys' cruisers are grouped by age. Boys' classes are grouped by age and ability level. The ability levels are Novice, Intermediate, and Expert. Thus, you will hear the announcer say "ten Novices are on the track" which will be followed by the Intermediates, and then the Experts.
- It takes a minimum of three riders of the same age and ability level to make up a "class." When there aren't enough riders in a particular class, they are moved around to other ages and classes. Everybody who signs up gets to race. However, for some of the smaller single-point races, riders may be grouped together in motos that seem a bit unfair. For example, one expert rider may race against a group of intermediates. Take my word for it: The rules for forming the motos are actually very fair to all the riders. If you find that your Novice child isn't winning because they always race against an Intermediate, your Novice child gets more "district points" than they would if they were only racing Novices, and that Intermediate racer will eventually become an Expert so they aren't likely to race your child again for quite a while.
- When girls sign up to race, they have a choice of being "girls" or "novices." If they chose "Novice," they will race in the boys' classes until they win eight races, then they switch to the girls' classes. Boys move up to Intermediate after their eighth Novice win. then they move up to "Expert" after their twenty-fifth intermediate win.
- By the way, even thirty-year-old men and women are called "boys" and "girls" in amateur BMX racing.
- Here's how races are structured: The main idea in BMX racing is to "make the Main."
- If there are from four to eight riders in the class, the riders race against each other in either two or three qualifying rounds. During these rounds, the announcer will say who "qualified" out of each round. In the last or "heartbreak" round the last place finisher is the only rider who doesn't get to be in the main.
- If there are three racers in the moto, all three riders will be in the Main. This is called a "total points" race. In this case, each round counts toward determining the "overall" finish (i.e., who gets first, second, and third). In the qualifying rounds, the riders get points (NOT related to district points) for the order in which they finish. First gets one point; second gets two points; and third gets three points. Points for each rider are added up for two qualifying rounds and the main, and the rider with the lowest number of points gets the first. If points are tied, the finish in the main determines the final places or "overall finish" as you would hear the announcer say.
- When there are nine riders, they are split into two motos. In the last qualifying round, the five riders from both of these motos who did not make the main are combined into a single moto with five racers. The top four finishers "make the main" and the last place finisher does not. This leaves eight riders ("a full gate") to race in the main.
- When there are from ten to sixteen riders in a class, they are split into two motos and the top four from each moto will be in the main.
- When there are more than sixteen riders in a class (this can happen anytime but it's usually at Nationals or other big races), there will be eighth-mains, quarter-mains, and/or semi-mains. Each of these "pre-main" races is like a qualifying round except that it is run only once with the top four finishers going to the next level. The end result will be eight riders competing in the "Main Event."
- The "Main Event" is the most exciting part of the race day. In the big races, like "Nationals," a lot can be at stake so the races are the most exciting and competitive. The top three finishers receive awards, unless there are only three or four racers. For the very important races, the top four riders receive awards.
- How do racers find out how they will be racing? When you hear the announcer say "Motos are being posted," follow the crowd. They will be looking at the "moto sheets." The moto sheets list each rider's name and the number of the moto in which they will be racing. It also tells how many riders are in the class for that day. If there are nine or more riders in a class, they will be spread out across more than one moto. All the information needed to understand the race is printed on the moto sheet. However, the newbie can find it a bit confusing. Just ask. There are lots of people around who will be glad to explain what will be happening.
- Remember, the first goal of every rider is to "make the main" and now you know where I got the name Main Event Press. Making the main is important because the rider receives lots more points when they "make the main." Points are important because they are used to determine district, state, national, and other rankings.
- Once you've visited a BMX track, it will be obvious whether your child is interested. Some parents make their first visit, sign up, and race right away.
- If you want to sign up right away, get in line where it says "Registration" and have your checkbook ready. It costs $45 to join the ABA for a year and race fees (paid at every race) range from around $6 all the way up to $45. Most local races will have fees of $6 to $16 with $10 being pretty typical. Various double-point races, State Championship Series races, Nationals, and Redline Cup races typically range from $16 to $45.
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First Racing Bike The picture shows a typical BMX racing bike with key parts labeled. It is extremely easy to become overwhelmed with the complexity of a racing bike. Don't be intimidated or concerned with all the technical talk about bike construction and parts selection. If your child is having fun and seems to be improving steadily, you have the right bike for them. However, if they get "stuck" in the novice class and riders with less experience are beating them, it might be time to learn more about making the bike a better fit. The typical BMX racing bike has these characteristics
Fitting the Bike to the Rider Finding a bike that "fits" is the most challenging task for the newbie. When my son saw his first BMX race, he was ready to go. Like many parents we went straight to our local bike shop and bought a racing bike for him. It was brand new and expensive. Unfortunately, we later learned it was also way too big for him. How could that be? It seemed perfect in the store. He even rode it around so we could see that it was just right for him. Had we known what we learned later, we never would have bought that bike. Remember, BMX races are sprints and the rider needs to be standing up for the entire race, if they have the skill. What this means is that a bike that looks like a perfect fit when they are riding in a seated position will be a poor fit when they are standing up and racing. Once we learned more about BMX racing, I figured out that the bike Nate was riding was just the right size for a large adult rider. It was too big for a seven-year-old boy. The most important measure for fitting a BMX racing bike is the top tube length. The top tube is measured, in inches, from the center of the seat post to the center of the steering tube. The picture shows where the top tube is located. The top tube length is like the "size" of the bike. Since all "class" BMX racing bikes have 20-inch wheels, the length of the frame is the main way to fit riders of different sizes. Bigger riders need bigger bikes so the top tube is longer for them. The remainder of the bike's frame is built more or less in proportion to the top tube. How do you know what bike is the right size for your rider? The usual way to fit the bike is to match the top tube length with the height of the rider. Thus, when you go shopping for a racing bike, you need to know how tall the rider is and you should have a tape measure in your pocket for measuring the length of the top tube. Here is a table, compiled from various sources around the Internet, catalogs, factory specifications, and handouts, showing approximate top tube lengths for various rider heights and ages. This table is designed to give the newbie some guidelines. It's not a guarantee of a good fit. The various manufacturers of racing bike frames each have their own approach to frame design so two bikes with identical top tube lengths can actually feel very different to the rider. Also, you might ask what is different about the Expert XL and Pro frames. The Pro size frames will have stronger materials so they can support a heavier rider. Consequently, the bike itself is heavier. The "frame sizes" are not standard from manufacturer to manufacturer but they can also be used to pick out a bike based on the child's age and height. Don't forget that many younger children start their BMX careers on a bike with 18-, 16-, or even 14--inch, wheels. They need to pedal a lot to get around the track, but they can have as much fun as anyone.
Finding and Choosing a Race Bike There are many possible places from which to buy a BMX racing bike: a garage sale, e-Bay, a BMX track, a discount store, a bike shop, a BMX shop, or a catalog. A used bike often represents a great bargain. If you go shopping for a used bike, take your tape measure, and look the bike over carefully. Make sure both wheels and the cranks spin freely. Check the brakes. If you are at a BMX track looking at a used bike, it may be very expensive and only a seasoned expert will be able to tell you whether the parts that make up the complete package are worth the price. Be sure to look at only "class" bikes with 20-inch wheels. Don't buy a cruiser by mistake. The nice thing about a used bike is that it can be ridden around by your child and you can judge the fit for yourself. Make sure your child stands up and does a sprint or goes at least moderately fast because that's how it will be ridden on the track. Your child should look stable as they ride and be able to get the bike going pretty easily. Unless, you have help and advice from someone you trust, I would not recommend spending more than $250 for a used bike bought at the track. At the bigger races where lots of bikes might be available, you may see bikes priced over $500. I have found that cash speaks quite loudly when you are bargaining for a used bike so think about having some green money when you look around the BMX track. It is also possible to find new bikes at a BMX track since the bigger races (Nationals, State Championship Finals, and others) often have vendors selling lots of new parts and some whole bikes. It can be a lot of fun to shop the vendors at a major race. Some will offer completely assembled bikes, most will not. However, I've found that the vendors who travel the country and attend the major events are generally helpful and will really try to find the right bike for you. If they don't have whole bikes for sale, they can often custom build one for you. This is a very pricey route to take because the vendors are there to service the specialists who are really, really serious about their racing. Obviously, they can also help with new grips, brake cables and pads, chains, and other bike parts that tend to wear out and need replacement. You can also begin to assemble your own tool kit. If you are experienced at using e-Bay, you might be able to find a good deal, even a bargain. However, make sure you bid on bikes that are likely to be a good fit for your child. The usual precautions for bidding on e-bay apply. Be sure to e-mail the seller with your questions about the size and fit of the bike. The history of the bike may also help. If it was ridden by a child of similar age and height to your child, how did they do? Don't worry about scratches. A race-used BMX bike will have plenty of them. Don't forget to account for shipping costs. By the way, searches done on e-bay will result in a lot of electronic-game related merchandise unless you set up a complex search that includes a couple of "not ..." statements. As they say, "good luck and happy bidding." Discount stores are a good source for a first racing bike, but you may be completely on your own as far as getting a racing bike that fits your child. The discount stores are so crowded with merchandise that it's usually not possible to give it a test ride, either. If you're heading for a discount store, don't forget your tape measure. It's very possible that the clerks will know nothing about BMX racing and won't know the difference between a BMX trick bike (has pegs sticking out from the axles; a gyro that allows the handle bars to spin completely around) and a BMX racing bike. Most of the bikes will have steel frames which makes them relatively heavy. However, the prices can be very reasonable and you can get a nice bike that your child can ride around the neighborhood (but not at night since it lacks reflectors once its ready for racing) and have a good time racing around the BMX track. Don't forget the value of having fun: Cool colors and graphics can be more important to a child than winning races. Some bike shops are about the same as a discount store when it comes to BMX bikes. They have some in stock but nobody really knows the sport. On the other hand, some bike shops really know their BMX or they have one or two people who really know their BMX bikes. When you visit a bike shop I suggest you go cautiously. Bike shop bikes are usually of higher quality, being made with better parts such as aluminum or chromoly frames which are much lighter than steel. However, it's also easy to become overwhelmed with all the detail and forget to focus on the basic fit of the bike and having some fun on the track. If you have the money to spend, lighter is better in BMX races so go for the lighter, affordable, choice when making the final decision. Here's a test you can use: Ask the clerk to look at BMX bikes. The correct answer is to ask you (the customer) whether you are interested in trick riding or racing. Don't forget your tape measure. Also, the bike shop should have an area where you can ride the bike around a bit and maybe even do a short sprint. Okay, Riders, Set 'Em Up begins with the story of how Nate Walker's race bike needed some significant changes before Nate could be successful. Finding the correct bike can be a very rewarding or frustrating experience. I think the top tube measurement provides the best guide to the newbie for picking out a bike that will be fun to ride and lead to some success. Once your child gets their eight wins and moves up to the intermediate class, you may find yourself shopping for a bike or some new parts to help your rider graduate to Expert. Each time you go to the track, you can learn a bit more about the technical side of racing. back to top of page |
Gearing and Crank-arm Sizing After I learned, too late, about sizing a bike by matching the top tube to the rider's height, the next two things I learned about were gearing and crank-arm sizing. I'm going to make this pretty quick and I'm also going to tell you the most important thing I've learned about the mechanics of race-bike construction. I'll start with the most important lesson I learned. You will hear detailed discussions about gearing, crank-arm size, and other arcane aspects of bike construction and good-hearted people will tell you with absolute certainty that all your child's bike needs is a new crank-arm, gear, frame, bottom bracket, stem, seat-post, chain, spindle, clips, rim, tire, axle, spokes, wheel-set, or hub. What I have learned is that there really are not any universal rules for making a bike go faster. I've also noticed that the people who have the best suggestions are themselves expert bike mechanics and they have the ability to change key components, especially gearing, in a few minutes. Thus, the faster racers seem to have good mechanics behind them; mechanics who can change gears, crank-arms, and other essential parts to either match the conditions of the track or keep up with a growing rider. In other words, the fastest riders have mechanics (usually their dad) who can change things and learn by experimentation what works best. My advice to the newbie bike mechanic is that you learn how to pull a crank-arm and change a gear because these two changes seem to have the most impact on how the bike handles on the track and the top speed of the racer. Crank-arm Length Just about every BMX mechanic agrees that the crank-arm of a racing bike should be in proportion to the size of the rider as measured by their inseam. Most "stock" or factory assembled bikes have somewhat longer crank-arms than one would expect based on the top tube length and the height of the rider. Thus, many new riders are advised to get new crank-arms after a few races. A rider with crank-arms that are too long often seems to wiggle a lot when they pedal with their butt moving up and down as they spin cranks that are too long for their legs. Below is a common table of recommended crank-arm lengths (in milimeters) versus inseam length (in inches), measured from floor to crotch with shoes on. These are just guidelines so don't be overly concerned if you are a little off. However, it won't work to have a 7-year-old boy with 190 mm crank arms (I know this from direct experience.). If you want to change the crank arms, it will require a special tool called a crank-arm puller and you will need to pay attention to getting crank-arms that are compatible with the axle of the bike. To prevent problems, have the seller of the crank-arms verify for you that they will fit the bike. Don't try to change the crank-arms by yourself unless you have experience, but by all means watch someone do it so you can learn how. Some less expensive race bikes come with one-piece crank arms so it would also be neccessary to change a part called the "bottom bracket" in order to fit new cranks on the bike.
Gearing One topic that is sure to get a lively discussion going at any track is gearing. Some racing families set the gear at the beginning of the racing season and never change it. Others, will try two or three different gears on the same day looking for the perfect set-up. Some racing familes even disguise the markings on their gears so others can't tell what gears they are using. This will be a simplified lesson in gearing that will get you started. Let's start with the back gear or freewheel. Most racing bikes should begin with a 16-tooth freewheel and not change it, although it's possible to have a wider range of gearing available by having a "flip-flop" rear wheel that has two freewheels that can be changed by simply turning the back wheel around. I think the top riders shy away from the extra weight so you don't see these in use very much. Thus, keeping the back wheel at 16-teeth means that the gear changes are made by changing the front gear or chain wheel (sprocket). The picture above shows a close-up of a chain wheel. To change it, the five nuts need to be removed and the gear comes off. Then a different gear is put in its place. Here are a few simple guidelines to get you started in understanding gearing.
I believe there are times when a gear change can make all the difference in the world. Thus, I believe it is one of the skills that a newbie BMX mechanic should master. A gear change can be just what is needed for a big race on a strange track. Once your child has about ten Intermediate wins, it may be time to begin acquiring the skills to make some gear changes. Alternately, if your child never seems to get fast enough to win at the Intermediate level, gearing is a cost effective way to experiment with ways to help the bike and the racer go faster.
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Number Plates and BMX Competition Every BMX race involves "points." A lot of the fun of BMX racing involves the competition for the various kinds of points and the awards associated with them. Every rider is competing for "District Points" whether they are racing at a single-point local race or Grand Nationals (where four times the normal district points are awarded). At the end of the racing season, all the district points earned by a rider in their class (girls, girls cruiser, boys, boys cruiser) are totaled up and the rider with the highest number of points receives the "District #1." This is a prestigious award. Then the rider with the next highest point total receives the Distrit #2 and so on until all the riders in that class and district been assigned a number which tells their rank among all the riders in that class and district. Most riders will display this number during the following racing season. District numbers are published in the ABA magazine, BMXer which comes out in February of every year. By joining the ABA, the rider receives a subscription to BMXer. Here are the ways to add to your total of district points:
Number plates with white backgrounds and black numbers are that rider's district number. Numbers written on paper plates are usually temporary district numbers for new riders. However, an advanced rider will sometimes have their number on a paper plate, usually because they have damaged, lost, or need to replace their number plate. Newbies will generally find that all they really need to focus on is distict points. However, their are a few other number plates that are worth noticing. State Champion Number Plates State Champion Number plates are awarded to as many as ten top riders in each age and class in the state. Don't shy away from competition in the State Championship series because even Novices can earn a plate if they can win at least three of their state championship qualifying races. Riders who qualify for their State Championship Finals can also participate in the Race of Champions (ROC), which is a pre-race (every Friday after Thanksgiving Day) for Grand Nationals. Each winner at the ROC receives a ROC #1 plate. These are easily recognizable because they have ROC #1 emblazened on them. National Age Group or NAG Plates National Age Group plates can be identified by their black numbers with grey backgrounds. Each age group and class has ten NAG plates that are awarded nationally based upon performance and rider counts at National races. When you see, for example, a NAG 3 plate on a boy's class (20-inch) racing bike, that rider is the third-ranked rider among all riders in that age-group across the entire country for the previous racing season. A rider's age is the age they were at Grand Nationals. It is a very prestigious accomplishment to display any of the the ten available NAG numbers. National Numbers When you see a white number with a black background, you are looking at a "National" number. A "National" number is the same basic idea as a district number except that the competition is among all riders in that class in the entire country. Much of the excitement and most intense competition at Grand Nationals is the competition for National #1 plates. The winners must consistently win their races while having the luck to regularly face a lot of riders at the National events because rider count is an important component of the National numbers. Riders who display National number plates are usually very serious riders who attend almost every national event across the country. An interesting feature of National numbers is that they are unique, no one else has the same National number in that class. Thus, riders who have a National number never need to display a letter on their number plate which happens with district numbers because it is relatively easy for two riders to have the same district number in a local race. Redline Cup Series The Redline Cup Series is a regional series that awards Redline Cup #1 plates to the winners at the regional Redline Cup Finals. You can read about the exact rules for earning any of these numbers by visiting the rulebook at the ABA website or asking at your local track.
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Managing Your Racer's Career What kind of racing career is your child likely to have? Will they race primarily for fun at the district level? Will they be District #1? Will they go for a NAG plate? Does he or she have the motivation and talent to compete for a National number and perhaps turn pro? These questions are almost unanswerable for those who are reading this newbie guide. However, as you look around your local tracks, you are almost certain to identify families who have racers riding amazingly light bikes and with really low district numbers or even a NAG or National number plate. If your child wants to join this elite group, what can a parent do to help them? Here are a few suggestions.
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Volunteering The picture shows a track, Pineview Park BMX , located in St. Cloud, MN. Like many BMX parents, I volunteer time at the track. I'm actually not very good at many of the track maintenance tasks. I would never get in a Bobcat, let alone move clay (the material the track is made of) around with one. However, I'm on the Board of our track, have written some successful grants for the track, and I'm a starting-gate operator. Most BMX tracks are structured as nonprofit corporations and are run entirely by unpaid volunteers, although volunteers can earn free races. My point is that volunteering is a lot easier when there are lots of volunteers to share the workload. Thus, if you have the time, please consider volunteering at your local track. BMX racing is a fun, family-oriented activity that provides a recreational outlet for many children and adolescents and it takes many volunteers to keep a track running smoothly. |
Click here for the official ABA rule book online
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Website built and maintained by Travis Megee. Sooner State BMX, PCASA, and/or webmaster not responsible for any links on this website. Find offensive, broken links, incorrect information -- please email the webmaster.
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