by Graham Averill

Mark Coates talks about BMX like it’s the love of his life.

“I rode BMX in the ‘80s, during the big craze,” Coates says. “Then I grew up, got a career, got married and had kids. But I got lucky and found it again. When you get bit by the BMX bug, it’s hard to kick.”

It’s strange to hear a person talk about BMX with such passion because, well, who the hell rides BMX anymore? For those of you who slept through the ‘80s, traditional Bicycle Moto-Cross is a fast-paced race on a dirt track littered with man-made jumps and obstacles. It’s almost identical to the even faster-paced motorcycle cross, which served as a model for early BMXers in the late ‘70s. The competitive sport, characterized by short bikes with 20” wheels, blossomed into a national frenzy in the ‘80s. Everyone rode BMX. The sport had such an appeal that Hollywood cashed in, releasing a number of BMX movies, peaking in 1986 with the release of Rad (plotline: a small town rider goes against the best BMXers in the country…and wins) which has earned cult status among BMXers today. That there are still people riding BMX is the real surprise. Amidst the rise of mountain biking and the more recent resurgence in cycling, BMX faded into oblivion, becoming a footnote in biking’s history. But apparently, BMX didn’t die. It just went in to hibernation. And some say the sport is poised for a comeback.

Coates manages the Hornet’s Nest, a popular dirt track in Charlotte, N.C. that draws an average of 80 rabid BMX riders every weekend.

“If we can race through winter, we will,” Coates says, adding that if the weather is decent, there's a BMX race at his track every single weekend of the year. Over a dozen BMX tracks are scattered throughout the Southeast, and each one has a similarly aggressive racing schedule that draws a sizeable crowd. There’s even a rumor that some U.S. troops built a BMX track in the backyard of one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. Mountain biking never saw that sort of fervent devotion, not even at the peak of its popularity. So you have to wonder, what on earth makes a BMXer so devotedly stoked?

Right out of the gate, you crank it down the short, steep hill for momentum before hitting the first tabletop. You stick the landing and go into your first bermed turn where you go horizontal if you carry enough speed, which you’ll need to clear the double and triple jumps. Then there’s the rhythm section made up of short, quick whoop-de-doos and then you’ve got the power pedal straight away to the finish line. You do it all in about 50 seconds and you’ve got seven other riders on your tail, hoping to steal your line on the track. It’s biking's equivalent to crack: short-lived, intense, and highly addictive.

While most of us moved from BMX to mountain biking, some graduated to Vert: the half-pipe show that still attracts a good bit of attention thanks to sports festivals like the X-Games. Many loyal track racers blame the demise of their sport on the rise and continued popularity of Vert.

“People want to see huge stuff,” says Greg Hill, a former pro BMX racer who runs racing clinics all over the country. “They want to see riders get 10 feet of air out of bowls, or get crushed, or win big prize money. BMX track doesn’t offer any of those things so it doesn't draw crowds.”

Without the spectators, you can’t get the TV coverage. No TV attention means no sponsorships and prize money, no prize money means no solid pro circuit, and if there’s no pro circuit, why would a kid bother riding BMX once he discovers girls and cars?

Hill believes that in order to get BMX back into the mainstream, an infrastructure must be built. “We need more tracks, big pro races, decent prize money, and media exposure. Kids have to be able to take BMX somewhere."

Doug Martin’s job is to build that BMX infrastructure. He is the director of the new BMX program for USA Cycling, which was created after BMX track racing was added to the Olympic roster. BMX will debut as a medal sport in Beijing in 2008 in an obvious attempt to attract a younger crowd.

“A lot of people are hoping BMX will be the snowboarding of the Summer Games,” Martin says. “My goal is to create a solid talent pool to make that happen.”

Meanwhile, BMX enthusiasts are hoping the Olympic exposure will push their sport into the limelight once again. “If people didn’t know about BMX before the Summer Olympics, they’re going to after the Olympics,” Coates says.

While Martin agrees that the ripple effect of popularity is inevitable, he says the most important changes to the sport will be in its structure. “The real difference for BMX will be on the grassroots level. Kids used to start out racing BMX, then graduate to other disciplines. Now, athletes will have the option to stay with BMX into the Olympic level.”