by Gerrit Does UNIVERSITY of BMX

OPINION: New discipline in BMX!? BMX SPRINT-CROSS.

Dear friends in BMX,
Just recently I received through one of my French connections, the actual minutes of the Annual meeting by the F.F.C. – Fédération Francaise de Cyclisme helt on September 5th. 2013. Going through the minutes of this meeting, I ran into a very interesting agenda item of the FFC BMX Committee at 2.4. It said:
“Projet de nouvelle formula de pistes et de compétition – Sprint-cross”, meaning in English: “Project on a new formula concerning BMX tracks and its competition, called Sprint-cross!!! What the heck will we have now.

With the help of a slide-show, Mr. Sylvain Duployer of the FFC BMX committee presented a proposal for a new formula in BMX competition, inspired by a type of moto-cross called “Sprint-cross”. (I never heard of that). Mr. Duployer made a comparison with 100 mtr. running in athletics. Duployer pointed out the visual aspects of this new formula, which are very interesting for TV recording and spectators. The BMX committee asked permission to continue working on this new concept. Through s slide show mr. Duployer motivated the new concept of a Sprint-Cross.

Well, this is something new …. I did not see the slide show presentation but I imagine that Mr. Duployer means that 2 or maybe 8 or maybe even more riders at one time make a start and race as fast as they can over a distance of 100 meter, in a straight line, towards the finish line. We talk BMX, so probably in this 100 meter straight line racing there will be jumps and / or other obstacles. The fastest rider wins of course, probably in around 12 or 15 seconds?? (if we talk Elite class riders that is). What is so special about this new concept ? To me it looks like a waste of time and it will make BMX in general, specialy to the outside people, even more complex. What does BMX really mean. More and more we are going away from BICYCLE MOTO-CROSS is it was ment to be. Innovations and improvement are welcome, of course, like the transponder timing and registration stuff, the new concept of World Cup / SuperCross tracks with 8 mtr high starting hills, but BMX Sprint-Cross ????? This makes no sence.

Original BMX / Bicycle Moto-Cross is still developing, lets concentrate on that. There is still so much to do in this field. Why make things more complex by “inventing” new disciplines. We need all attention, energy and money/budgets to develop, as I called now, traditional BMX (meaning traditional BMX all classes and World Cup/Supercross especially for Elite Men and Women as well as Junior Men and Women).

Just to give you an idea, here some history on the development of Bicycle Cross, Bicycle Moto-Cross and the bicycle disciplines that already were derivative from traditional BMX.

• Bicycle cross in an organized way started in Holland ending 1950’s, riding normal 26 inch bicycles from Mom and Dad (Films available from that period of time to prove statement). It was all about immitating motorcycle moto-cross riders.
• BMX – traditional Bicycle Moto-Cross on special 20inch bikes (the Stingray’s) started in the USA ending 60’s early ’70 s. It became an official organized sport in the early 70’sin the USA. Again, it was all about immitating motorcycle moto-cross riders.
• BMX spread all over the world during the late 70’s. We talk American BMX, so special 20 inch bikes. Also 24 inch bikes and for some time 26 inch BMX bikes were built. BMX developed through the years in what it is today: traditional BMX for all classes know ánd so called World Cup/SuperCross events for Junior and Elite men and Women.
• BMX Freestyle developed from BMX racing. BMX’ers started to ride their bikes in skateboard parks. BMX Freestyle has several disciplines.
• Bicycle Trial followed next. In the beginning riders on 20 inch bikes imitated motorcycle trialists. This discipline has developed very well too.
• Formula 1 one down hill racing has been a discipline diverted from BMX as well and was for some time popular in the USA. (20 inch bikes).

Diverted from motorcycle speedway is Cycle Speedway done on special prepaired bikes with 26 inch wheels. This sport is know to be around the late 1940’s. Youngsters again, imitating motorcycle speedway on standard road cycles turned into a specialed sport and is popular mainly in England and Australia/New Zealand. Also in some European countries like among others Holland, there is Cycle Speedway and even in the USA there are a couple of organization running the sport.
You can read more on Cycle Speedway on www.universityofbmx.com

As a matter of fact, being in the San Diego -Ca., USA last September 2013, watching TV at one night, I saw a report on Cycle Speedway of an event in England recently helt there.

As you can see, many bicycle discipline on 20 inch bikes. Do we want to have one more …. I am not that sure. Better give all our energy, time and money to develop the existing, still developing disciplines, that’s my advice to the BMX Committee of the FFC in France.