“Robin arrived…clad in all black streetwear and a hip-hop hat to the skate park. With him, he also brought his shiny new BMX, a piece of art and pride for him. Others cheered him on as he sped down the ramp into a 360…the crowd roared with every trick he performed. Be it a cash roll, superman, or a back flip, the spectators glazed his every move. The speed of his new BMX was getting faster as.….trrrrrrrrnggggggg….Robin finally woke up with a thud. He realised that it was a dream. But not just any other dream..”
Excelling in this sport of BMX is a dream that many youngsters from the Northeast, especially Guwahati now want to make a part of their reality.
It's widely acknowledged that one of the strongest BMX scenes in India is found in the northeastern states, with it now finding its way to Guwahati as well. BMX arrived in India in 1985 and reached the Northeast by the mid-1990s. Within a few years, it gained immense popularity among young riders, now transforming Guwahati into a hub for the sport in India.
Initially, BMX athletes in the city were often seen as rebellious youths with nothing better to do than ride bikes all day. However, this perception was far from accurate. These riders were passionately pursuing their interests and expressing themselves through the sport.
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Now, you might ask what is BMX?
A BMX bike is a specialised bicycle designed for racing or stunt riding, with "BMX" standing for bicycle motocross. Originally, the term referred specifically to bikes for BMX racing, but it has since become a catch-all term for various types, including race bikes ('class' and 'cruiser') and those used for freestyle disciplines such as street, vert, park, flatland, and dirt jumping.
The frames of BMX bikes are made from different materials, including various types of steel, aluminum, or carbon fiber. Lower-end models are typically made of steel, while higher-end freestyle bikes often use chromoly, especially the lightweight 4130 chromoly or generation 3 chromoly. For BMX race bikes, aluminum and carbon fiber are commonly used due to their lightweight properties.
BMX bikes are generally smaller than other types of bicycles, featuring thick, fat tires designed to absorb shocks and enhance jumping capability. Typically, only rear brakes are found on racing BMX bikes, catering to the specific demands of the sport.
This style of trickery on BMX bikes is popularly known as freestyle BMX. It is an extreme sport descended from BMX racing that consists of five disciplines: street, park, vert, trails, and flatland.
Freestyle BMX riders participate in several well-established disciplines. As in the other forms of freestyle riding, there are no specific rules as far as style, aesthetics, skills, and creativity are concerned. Street riders make use of urban and public spaces to perform tricks.
These tricks can be performed on curbs, handrails, stairs, ledges, banks, and other obstacles. Styles among street riders vary, as riders often depend upon their urban surroundings. BMX street rose to prominence as an increasingly defined discipline in the late 1980s.
In modern BMX, the progression of more technical tricks on street obstacles has led to this discipline becoming more divided from other freestyle disciplines.
BMX bikes aimed at street riding typically have steeper angles and shorter wheelbases, making them easier to maneuver, but less stable at the higher speeds associated with ramp and dirt riding.
Within street BMX there are a handful of competitions, however, the majority of professional street riders tend to focus on making videos for DVDs and YouTube videos on behalf of their sponsors.
But, what is the current scene of BMX in Guwahati? Let's take a quick peek!
Teenagers and young kids have culturally and practically embraced the sport of BMX in the city. Be it from watching videos on the internet and TV or idolising their favourite stars of the sport, BMX has taken quite a favourable stance in Guwahati. Many such young enthusiasts can be found on the Guwahati streets honing their skills and showcasing some flair, mainly in the skate park in Maligaon and also in Khanapara, beside the veterinary field.
The youth at the skate park in Maligaon spend their time doing stunts and skills on their BMX bikes. Inspired by stars like Daniel Dhers, Brian Foster, and Van Homan, these teenagers are dedicated to perfecting their stunts on the ramp.
Speaking to GPlus, a local rider Jason Lymjieh said, “We start riding from around 4 PM in the evening, sometimes earlier. I try to work on my flips and tricks on my BMX along with the other guys. Sometimes we also hold small tournaments to judge our skills and have a showdown!”
When asked about his future plans in this sport, Jason said, “I haven’t thought about it too much because I am young, but maybe in the future. I have seen riders featuring for Red Bull on various videos, I do want to collaborate with them hopefully in the future. Or maybe a collab with GoPro or DJI also sounds good. I have shown my parents too some of these and they do like it!”
Many of these riders also take to the streets to showcase their skills early morning, but safety is a question at times. Many of them not using safety equipment, jump headfirst into the sport, at times throwing caution to the winds. This may cause them to get heavily injured at times, as the nature of this sport can be a bit risky.
When asked about the safety precautions taken by them, talking to GPlus, Hiren Das, another local enthusiast of the sport said, “No one generally wears much safety equipment like elbow guards or knee pads, but sometimes we do use a helmet. It depends. Also, these are quite expensive, so it is not feasible for us to buy them all.”
This is a valid point for the riders with the bikes themselves being quite expensive. BMX bikes are available in all types and ranges, suited to different riders and specifications.
A conversation regarding this was picked up with David Deka, the owner of a popular cycle shop on Stadium Road, Ulubari.
“See, the BMX bikes generally range from ₹30,000 and can go all the way upto ₹50,000 which are used here. But, some imported or foreign products can range even higher. Talking about Guwahati, the demand for BMX is good, and mostly popular among teenagers. But, the specifications for our bikes are a bit different than the foreign ones,” David said.
“The parts of the bicycles are the main expense for any brand. Generally, the cycle/bike manufacturers make only the frame. The rest of the parts are assembled from other manufacturers like Shimano, Ralsen etc. This also causes many to resort to duplicate or ‘1st copy’ BMX or cycles,” added David.
Even though a tightly knit community, the riders of the BMX community in Guwahati are enthusiastic even with the lack of infrastructure and support seldom hampering them. One can only hope for this sport to boom, with more youngsters taking to the streets & ramps to conquer them!