[MojoJojo]

I'm looking for some tip on first time BMX racing. Some serious tips, no spoofing just to throw me off the back. No need to suggest clipping in, I tried that at the track today and damn near killed myself. I got a decent road racing backround, but I'm not a strong sprinter. It seem that this is what this type of racing is all about. Out of the gate first and pedal like h3ll. My problem as I observe it is, going into each obstacle with that much speed projects me upward and kills me forward momentum. How do I keep the bike down and not lose speed due to poor jumping technique? How about the turns; up high or down low? What is a good time to complete the track. Ours here is approx. 300-350yds, three turns, three obs. in each straight, rhythm at the end.

 

[Mudpuppy]

Well I don't race but here's my advice.

When you are riding over the jumps and bumps, if you aren't actually jumping them, try pushing down on the bars when your front wheel is right past the peak. This will have a pumping effect and actually help you go faster, and keep the bike from flying into the air. Or if you're better I know many bmx racers manual through the rhythm sections but I personally can't manual that well.

As far as a good time to complete the track, I don't know. I'd suggest going to a race to watch the other racers and time the races in your class. Time will vary a lot from class to class and track to track.

You should work on your "gate." Find when practice sessions are at the track when they actually use the starting gate and practice starting. Much of bmx is the start and sprint down the first straight.

 

[MojoJojo]

Originally posted by Mudpuppy
Well I don't race but here's my advice.

When you are riding over the jumps and bumps.... down the first straight.

Thanks for your input I don't manual with any grace either, generally loop out. One of the locals here has a hydraulic gate he built, said I could come over and join on there gate practice time. I guess am gonna figure it out the hard way the season...gettin' in there and doin' it. Later

 

[Mudpuppy]

Sorry I can't give you more advice. I don't find the idea of racing that fun and I just ride for fun. You might check out www.vintagebmx.com. That is a bmx forum that I go to that has a pretty good atmosphere.

 

[shootr]

Well hopefully I can help out.
We should start at the beggining. The start, this is where alot of races are won.
You should be comfortable standing on the bike in the start gate, you should be able to do so indefinetly with very little or no corrections for balance, the front wheel against the gate should hold you up.
Your bike should be pointed toward the inside third of the first turn, meaning if you are on the inside line, you are basically straight and if you are on the outside line you are angled in. Your pedals should be level.
Some people will tell you that you should have your strong leg pedal (sugar foot) up slightly, this is wrong, as you will see, this is poor and weak technique.
You should spend each day watching the gates fall and get a feel of what the delay is corresponding to the lights (they still use lights right?) It will differ on each day, but not on each run.
This will allow you to predict it's opening. This is almost critical, as fighting the falling gate will slow you down immensely.
So now you are standing in the gate, pedals level, and just before you know the gate is going to drop you pullback hard with your hips and back, this will make you roll backwards, (why the pedals are supposed to be level as the sugar foot will now rise to the correct above center position), this motion will be similar to a bunnyhop, but much harder and faster, and instead of snaping upwards, you are going to snap forwards. The real fast guys will have the bars almost connect their hips they will be thrusting forward so hard, this leverage, against your back and quads (two strongest muscle groups) will give you the hardest and fastest snap out of the gate, if you time it correctly your front wheel should rise up and over the falling gate, and your back tire should touch the falling gate just as it hits the ground. You will now have at the very least a bike length over the person who waited for the gate to start. But be careful as some tracks have rules regarding forward motion before the gate falls.. backwards motion as described earlier falls in the rules.
Now for pedaling.
Pedaling a bmx bike is hardly a leg thing. It is a whole body thing, that is why you see the bike whip back and forth during hard pedaling, you want to always try and stretch the bike between your legs and back, this allows you the most power. Practice pedaling like this all the time, everywhere, you should be able to make at least ten pedal strokes on pavement without the front wheel coming back into contact with the ground, there is easily that much power in anyone. The top pros of my racing days could easily power "wheelie" every straight on the track, no matter the length, and most corners as well.
The bars are your friend. Get big ass ones, the wider the better as they increase the lever length, giving you more advantage. Small bars are for skateparks and dirtjumping.

As you come down the front straight to the first jump be super aggressive, I cannot stress this enough. Bump, hit elbow, basically run over anyone and anything that gets in your way. Winners are not meek.
BMX is almost gladitorial in this aspect.
I guess since we are nearing the first jump I should talk about speed jumping.
This is a racing technique. it is NOT a jumping style. This is the way to keep the bike on the ground, and it is fairly simple, because the longer the bike is in the air, the longer the pedaling action is not driving you forward.
In simple terms speed jumping is just bunnyhopping the whole jump altogether.
But it is a little more subtle than that, as you really are just bunnyhoping over the lip so that you are not launched. As your front tire starts to hit the beggining of the transition up, lift up hard on the bars and throw the bike up and forward, with a big pedal stroke, kind of like a trials pedal kick but at full speed, don't stop pedaling, ever.
if the bike seems to be going high, simply drive the bike down towards the earth.
Ideally this should happen after the top of the table, on the down tranny, it will feel kind of like dropping into a bowl in the skate park.

In most courses there is at least one double.
gap it.
there are a couple of reasons for this.
some guys swear that it is faster to speed jump and pedal through them and they may be right, but gapping it, especially if it is fairly large will give you a brief pause, and it will assert to the other riders that you are more confident then they are. you will almost inverably see an opening emerge below you on your landing as riders scramble to get out of the way.. their directional corrections cost them more time than they ever made up going under you. I have seen this first hand in almost every category except pro.
The pros are another breed.
And if it looks like you are going to land on someone, start screaming at them to get the fvck out of the way, or make some huge scary ass warrior cry.. usually that works.. if not, be prepared to start pedaling, because if you pedal when you land on top of them chances are you will pedal right over the carnage in your wake.
Sounds aggressive right.. aggression is rule number one in racing.
The last hurdle to winning is corners.
Remeber this and never forget it.
the foot off the pedal, skidding into the corner, laying it flat.. that is only for photo shoots! it has no business in a race.
that is the loser who got chumped down to the bottom of the corner and is gonna try to slide his way around.. he is slow.
you will be well past this chump.
Pedal pedal pedal. there is no business being off the pedal.
these are banked corners, find a middle line, that has a smooth groove (stay well away from the death cookies) and pedal your way around, be ahead.. there will always be some tool who will try a stupid macho straighline into the corner on the inside to gain position, he will take like three other guys out. if you are in the lead, he will miss you and take out the next three fast guys.
if you are not.. be prepared for him, and whatever happens DON'T get boxed to the outside, he will come in too fast, and just slide up to the high side, be prepared to go low, and let him slide just past your front wheel, and if it looks like you are gonna hit him, lift up on the front and pedal hard, right over his sorry ass, because if you are pedaling chances are you will pedal right over the carnage again.

So now you are out front, don't relax, don't let up, dominate.
Don't turn and look where the other guys are.
if it is dead quiet, then make a quick glance while rounding the last corner.. then on the last jump you can style it if you have a sizeable lead.. but don't get silly and try something you can't do with your eyes closed.

Good luck and kick a$$

 

[marlopez]

get the holeshot!
in novice you dont need to jump or manual yet, just get the whole shot.
but for pumps, ya push down on the backside of the take off and pump. pump a lot in rhythm sections.
when you manual and loop out, youre pulling up too much. when youre goign that fast just hold it the front up to get it over the backside its really easy. i cant manual worth crap on flat, but on jumps i can manual pretty well for some reason.

and on berms dont get boxed out. enter int he middle if youre in the front, but never enter low our youll get boxed wout. if you enter you u can dive down at the apex which is good. only enter at the bottom to box out other dudes.
i raced bmx with clips for a little and ended up going back to flats, flats instilled more confidence.

oh and when i raced i rarely jumped and still did fine, staying on the ground is fastest. this one pro back when i raced: christophe leveque he never jumped and was #1 numerous times

 

[rdhring2000]

If you slingshot [ roll back and go] you take the chance of hitting the gate and going over the bars. You should work on blanceing,getting your pedals in the right spot. What seems to work for most is level with starting hill and ajust from thier for your needs. Take one thing at a time and the rest will come. And have fun.

 

[Disco_fever]

Hey scott, I told you I would help you with your skills...On race day watch what I do ( I mean your already going to be behind me )...LOL
seriously I'll help you, it's not that hard and as I told you, you have the legs dude....Give me a call with your CRAZY work sched.
and we'll train...I'm going to start with my son this weekend....looks to be a good season this year...Dale

 

[shootr]

Hey he said he was looking for "some serious tips".
I laid it out clean.
Anyone who has raced BMX at any level above 15novice, knows that I am giving the straight goods.

Trophies don't lie.
Holeshots win races.
Being out front is all that matters.

 

[Collins]

Bmxbasics.com has some good info about starting out BMX racing. The guy used to write for the NBL mag.

 

[MojoJojo]

When out to the track with some experienced racers today
Got a little more comfortable with the manuals. These guys said with the power I put to the pedals, I shouldn't have any problems.

Hey Dale, I'm off tomorrow(or today, the 8th), let's go play

 

[HippieKai]

pedal faster

at least that seems to be what all the moms yell at my local track

pedal faster jimmy!

 

[RandomV]

*ahem*

"Go that way really fast. If something gets in your way, turn."

Nah. Just sprint your guts out going in to the first turn and then it's elbows out agressive time.

 

[atbmx]

Everything you need to know about bmx racing. Learn How to setup your bike, Gate Starts, Passing, Jumping, Mental Preparation and more. Download videos that teach you everything.

Learn how to race bmx in the downloadable video, Step by Step BMX Racing here: www.bmx-tips.com