Getting Started In BMX Dirt Racing

Getting Started In BMX Dirt Racing

by Jeff Barton

Publication Date: 8/2000

So you're interested in racing your BMX bicycle? Then read on...

Racing BMX is easy to get started and Derby City BMX and the NBL (National Bicycle League) have made it inexpensive to begin.

Any 20-inch bicycle can be used for competition. BMX bikes can range in cost from $100 to $1,000. BMX bikes can be bought anywhere, from neighborhood bicycle shops to super-stores such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart.

Although we can't help you much with getting a bicycle, we can tell you where Derby City BMX and other tracks are located all around the country. When contacting Derby City BMX or the NBL, you'll probably want to ask five things:

1. How do I get to your track?

2. What times are your sign-ups and practices?

3. What time do you begin racing?

4. How much will it cost to begin racing?

5. How big are your first place trophies?

Once you have your 20-inch BMX bike and know where to go racing, there is a simple checklist to cover to make sure your bike is NBL safe and race ready:

1. Make sure all bolts are tight - especially your axle bolts, stem bolts and handlebars.

2. All reflectors must be removed for safety purposes.

3. If your bike has a kickstand, it must be removed.

4. Your bike needs the three required pads: 1) covering the crossbar of your handlebars, 2) covering the handlebar stem (or gooseneck), and 3) on the top tube of your frame.

5. You'll also need a number-plate. Derby City BMX will furnish you with an official NBL numberplate when you sign-up. If not, a simple paper plate will do just fine.

Next, there's the checklist of what you will need to wear to ride the track and race. When you first start racing BMX, think cheap. You don't need a fancy uniform - jeans and a long sleeve shirt will do.

1. Long sleeve shirt.

2. Long pants.

3. Helmet - Derby City BMX has "loaner helmets" for beginners to use. Many times, a good, inexpensive helmet can be found at garage sales or in the pit area.

4. Any tennis shoe is sufficient.

Now you and your bike are race ready...let's go to the track!

Derby City BMX is located at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in east Louisville, Kentucky just off the Gene Snyder freeway and Westport Road. Since it is located in a State Park, it is open to the public during the park's operating hours, from 8:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. It is only closed to the public during sanctioned NBL races, track maintenance, and while the track is muddy.

It is a very rare opportunity to be able to ride a track of this caliber that is open to the general public. Most tracks throughout the nation are closed to only sanctioned NBL members. Derby City BMX is, and will remain, one of the best tracks in the nation...for that matter, the World, thanks to the Kentucky State Parks, and the faithful and few volunteers, racers, moms, and dads. The volunteers put in countless hours of work, from grooming the racecourse and signing up new race members, to calculating point standings throughout the racing season.

When you arrive at Derby City BMX track, naturally you'll want to check out the course. There will be a dirt track (average length 1,000+ feet) with banked turns and jumps of all shapes and sizes. If you're wanting to race, the first thing you need to do is find the sign-up/registration trailer. It is there that you'll need to fill out an NBL application and sign-up to race. First-time racers are able to purchase a temporary membership for $15, which is good for 30 days as a trial membership. A trial membership provides you with NBL's secondary insurance and enables you to go out on the track and race other members of your age group. One-year memberships are available at $35 and include a monthly magazine that includes racing info, racing equipment, and your current point standings. Entry fees for Sunday races are $6.

Before you get to the starting gate, it is suggested that first you closely watch the riders go around the track. Pay attention to their body motion over jumps (using arms and legs as shock absorbers) and note where riders are pedaling and when they are coasting. Take it slow on your first few laps. Remember that you are brand new to this sport and those fast, expert racers started off just like you. Take time to learn the track - know which obstacles are coming up and how to take it smoothly. Often, the difference in the beginner class is who is smoothest around the course rather than quickest.

Since BMX is a "short sprint" sport (with most races lasting 35 to 45 seconds), the start of a race is usually the most important. When you first begin racing, you'll most likely do what is called a one-footed start - having one foot on your pedal and the other foot acting as a "kickstand" resting on the ground to keep you balanced. The majority of riders start with their right foot "forward" (on the pedal). Much like skateboarders or surfers. Racers that line up in the gate with a left foot forward are called "goofy footed." Find out which feels most comfortable - there is no right or wrong way.

Soon you will want to learn how to do the normal "two-footed start." Some riders can pick this up on their first day at the races and some beginners take weeks to learn. You can practice the two-footed start anywhere - find a wall and ride up to it, with your front wheel touching. Apply a little bit of pressure on your forward pedal, just enough to keep your front wheel solid against the surface of the imaginary starting gate. Stand in an upright position, relax, and use both of your arms to balance the bike.

Once you have the feel of balancing your bike on the gate, then you'll need to learn how to "snap" out of the gate. This is the motion of thrusting your hips into your handlebars and cranking down on your forward pedal as the gate is falling. The best way to learn this is watching the local pros and experts at your track...and constantly practice.

Obviously, the more you race and ride your bike, the better you will get. That old saying "practice makes perfect" stands true in the world of BMX racing. Very often, BMX racers will have a local jumping zone in the nearby dirt field that they use for practice. Derby City BMX holds NBL sanctioned special "practice nights," with most of them held on Wednesday evenings.

Throughout the year, Derby City BMX brings in many top pros and experts in the sport of BMX who travel around the country putting on beginner clinics. Attending a clinic is one of the best ways to learn how to get better in BMX.

Visit your local bike shop, Derby City BMX's web page at http://members.aol.com/derbybmx or the N.B.L.'s at http://www.nbl.org for their online Track Directory.