Two-time Olympian Payton Ridenour was just five years old when her dad Keith, an amateur BMX racer, brought her to their local track in Pottstown, PA to introduce her to the sport. Payton, now 22 and a top competitor in the USA BMX Women Pro class, was instantly hooked.
“I loved the idea of an individual sport and that the only person I had to rely on was myself,” says the racer nicknamed ‘P-Nut.’ “There’s always something new to learn and the pursuit of improvement is endless.”
MTB superstar Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) also discovered cycling through BMX. Like Ridenour, the future World Champion and multi-time National Champion started BMX at age 5 before expanding his skills to mountain biking, cyclocross, and road.
It’s not surprising that each got their start at a local BMX track. With 300 sanctioned tracks across the US and Canada (275 in the US alone), race categories range from two-year-olds on balance bikes to ages 66-and-over, and young BMXers learn a huge variety of skills.
“There are clinic nights and open houses at tracks, along with practice nights, which are your best nights to give BMX a try,” explains Justin Wahl, media manager at USA BMX. Many tracks have coaches available to offer guidance.
The USA BMX website has a new rider manual and video packed with information on the sport. A list of local tracks and local events is also available.
Besides being super fun for kids (and adults!), BMX provides a great foundation for other cycling disciplines and even other sports, like perseverance, confidence, and grit, says Wahl. Riders also learn about bike positioning, race strategy, and riding comfortably in groups.
German Medina, BMX Racing National Team Coach, previously coached the Colombian BMX team to six Olympic medals and now works with Team USA. “BMX gives the rider agility, helps develop speed and strength, and helps riders learn not to be afraid of challenges,” he says.
“Kids really relate to it,” he adds. “When kids ride bikes they want to jump off curbs or build ramps, and that’s a BMX thing. When they find out that there’s an organization that puts together races and has tracks for kids, they can become part of the sport.”
BMX is also family-oriented. When young athletes participate they usually travel with mom and/or dad to tracks, and other parents and riders, says Wahl, are happy to welcome new riders. “New rider leagues are also a great way to get an introduction to the sport before you even do a practice night or race,” he says.
Top tips for getting started in BMX:
Visit the USA BMX website for new rider information. You’ll learn about everything from what gear to wear to basic riding and race tips.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help at your local track.
Get on the track and practice. The confidence will come.
Join USA BMX. Your membership lets you race and practice at tracks, gives access to coaching practice nights, USA BMX’s PULL BMX magazine, and other benefits.
