BMX Bike Differences If you have been riding bicycles for years and are starting to get a bid bored, you may want to think about BMX biking. This type of riding focuses mainly on racing, tricks and jumps and can be a lot of fun if it is done correctly and safely. The first way to ensure that you are being safe is to buy a good bike. The biggest factor to consider before you begin looking at bikes is how much you can spend. Determining your budget before hand will point you in the right direction whether that be new or used. If you do opt for a used bike for financial reasons, make sure you know where you are getting it from. Find out as much about the history of the bike as you possibly can and if the previous owner had any accidents or problems with the bike. While it is great to save money, you do not want a bike that has had problems in the past. Once you have decided how much you can spend, you must ask yourself a few questions. What will your primary activity be on the bike, will you be racing it or just doing tricks? Where will you be using your bike most of the time, will you be on streets, on dirt roads or at a skate park? After you answer these questions, you are ready to go shopping. “BMX” has become a generic term for all bikes associated with the sport. There are actually three types of bikes, a BMX bike, a freestyle bike and a dirt jumper. BMX bikes are ideal for dirt track racing. Freestyle bikes are used for performing tricks in skate parks and dirt jumpers are a hybrid BMX and freestyle bike. These are used for jumping ramps and staying on local trails. These three types of bikes have different makeups which make them better for their respective uses. For example, BMX bikes have lighter wheels than freestyle of jump bikes so that you can accelerate faster when racing. Tires are also different on BMX bikes so they can grip the road better when traveling on dirt trails at high speeds. A difference can also be found in the brakes. BMX and jumper bikes generally have just rear brakes while freestyle brakes have both front and rear. No matter where you will be riding and what you will be doing with your bike, speak to a sales professional at your local bike shop. They can help you determine what bike is best for your needs.