When you first join a BMX club you will need to get a licence. There are different licences which are based on the age of the rider. The different licences relate to different classes of rider which are Strider, Sprocket, Challenge and Championship (see further down the page for more info on the different classes).
Your licence enables you to race at different clubs across the country – these are called Race Meets and they are scheduled at different clubs during the BMX season (Oct – April). If you don’t want to race at other clubs you can just purchase a Regional BMX Licence which means you will only be able to race within your club at club nights.
A racing licence lasts you one calendar year from Jan 01 through to Dec 31 and you will need to register before the end of the year for the following year.
Classes
Riders who are not yet using pedals – the real little ones aged up to 7!!
All riders aged 7 or under as at 31st Dec of the licencing year.
The races in Sprockets are not scored (so no one keeps points and there’s no clear winner at the end of the day). The Sprocket classes are designed to encourage kids to have fun and enjoy their racing.
For riders aged 8 or over as at 31st Dec of the licencing year.
This class covers a majority of all riders who join the sport.
This is for Junior Elite/Elite riders. This is the UCI class for the top-level riders 17-18 (Junior) and 19+ (Elite).
BMX Bikes and their sizes
Racing BMX bikes come in two different sizes based on the size of their wheels – 20 inch or 24 inch (also known as Cruisers). Most riders ride on 20 inch wheels as this is the most common.
BMX bikes also come in different frame sizes which relate to the height of the rider. The chart below explains the sizes in detail.
| Rider Height | Frame Size | Toptube Length | Stem Length | Bar Rise | Bar Width | Crank Length | Gearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4’4″ & under | Micro | 15″ – 16.5″ | Mini: 25mm – 35mm | 2″ – 2.5″ | 20″ – 22.5″ | 145 – 155mm | 41-43 / 16 |
| 4’2″ – 4’10” | Mini | 16″ – 17.5″ | Mini-Mini XL: 30mm – 40mm | 2″ – 3.5″ | 21″ – 23.5″ | 155 – 165mm | 41-43 / 16 |
| 4’6″ – 5’1″ | Junior | 17″ – 18.5″ | Mini XL-Expert: 40mm – 45mm | 3″ – 5″ | 22″ – 25″ | 160 – 175mm | 42-43 / 16 |
| 5’0″ – 5’4″ | Expert | 18.5″ – 19.5″ | Expert-Pro: 43mm – 48mm | 5″ – 7″ | 25.5″ – 27″ | 170 – 175mm | 42-43 / 16 |
| 5’2″ – 5’6″ | Expert XL | 19.5″ – 20″ | Expert-Pro: 43mm – 48mm | 6″ – 7″ | 25.5″ – 27″ | 170 – 175mm | 42-43 / 16 |
| 5’3″ – 5’8″ | Pro | 20″ – 20.5″ | Pro: 50mm – 55mm | 7″ – 8″ | 27″ – 28″ | 175 – 180mm | 43-44 / 16 |
| 5’7″ – 6″ | Pro XL | 20.5″ – 21.25″ | Pro XL: 50mm – 55mm | 8″ + | 28″ | 180 – 190mm | 44 / 16 & over |
| 6″ & over | Pro XXL | 21.25″ – 22″ | Pro XXL: 52mm – 60mm | 8″ + | 28″ | 180 – 190mm | 44 / 16 & over |
Where to buy a BMX bike?
Not all BMX bikes are created equal and they can range quite dramatically in price. They can also be difficult to buy off the shelf as BMX is quite a specialised sport so best to approach your local BMX club for info. There are a few specialised BMX stores, or specific BMX Facebook groups where you can purchase bikes or if you have the technical ability you can purchase individual parts and assemble it yourself although thats not recommended unless you really know what you are doing!
BMX Safety equipment
It’s mandatory to have a full face helmet, gloves, covered shoes, long pants and a long sleeved shirt to ride. The only exception on the helmet is for the Striders who are allowed to wear a normal (non full face) helmet. Most of this equipment can be purchased from leading sports stores or second hand through Facebook Groups or Trademe however it is not recommended to buy a second hand helmet for safety reasons as you just never know if it has already been damaged.
Flat pedals or Clips?
Flat pedals are your traditional pedal you see on most bikes – Clips (or also know as Clip-less) pedals are used with a specific shoe that “clips” into the pedal for maximum pedal efficiency. BMX regulations state that you can only use Clips once you reach and age of UCI 13 (UCI age is the age you will be on 31 December of the year of the event)