BMX bikes arrived onto the scene in the early 1970s when kids, inspired by their motocross heroes, started taking their bicycles off-road and racing on another.
Soon it turned into a phenomenon, and every kid on the block wanted to own a BMX bike.
Those days, anyone that wanted to get into BMX racing had to modify and reinforce their bikes themselves.
As the sport started evolving, companies began to redesign and adapt the racing BMX bikes for BMX freestyle which included the following disciplines:
- Dirt
- Vert
- Par
- Street
- Flatland
Today, you can go to any BMX dealer and walk away with the right BMX bike tailor-made for your specific discipline.
If you are planning on investing in a brand new BMX, there is though quite a couple of things that you have to take in consideration before purchasing one.
Today we are going to review some of the best BMX bikes on the market and help you out to make the right choice.
You need to make sure that you buy the right bike for the right activity.
BMX Freestyle Bikes
If you are mainly into tricks, you should be looking for a freestyle BMX that will allow you to hit the street, park (vert), flatland, and trails.
These bikes are usually reinforced and might not be as lightweight as the racing bike due to its super-sturdy construction, but it is built to withstand a lot of punishment.
BMX Racing Bikes
The racing BMX bike has a different geometry and is lightweight. The most important aspect of a BMX racing bike is the gears. The larger the chainring, the more power you will transfer to the bike.
Then you have your Pro BMX bikes that are bikes that come preassembled and with high-end materials. The price tags on these bikes usually are heftier.
Best BMX bikes in general
Best Pro BMX: Redline BMX
Redline BMX bikes have some of the best Pro bikes on the market. For freestyle, the Redline Asset 24 is an exceptional bike for all disciplines, especially dirt jumps and skate parks.
It comes with 7.5-inch handlebars that make front end lift-off easier and the wide base, Redline Monster pedals, provides you with additional power for pedaling.
The Redline BMX Monocog is the best pro BMX bike for racing and speed.
It is light and responsive and performs excellent on a single track, with lots of tight twists and obstacles.
The Monocog easily hop over obstacles and allow you to throw it around and shift weight easily. The bike is phenomenal on an XC single track.
Best Cheap BMX Bike: Elite BMX
If you are looking for an impressive low-cost BMX bike, take a look at the Elite BMX Stealth.
This bike will make you wonder why people spent so much money on high-end BMX bikes in the first place.
The quality components contribute to a comprehensive BMX that, for its moderate price tag, is astonishingly sturdy and smooth.
The elite BMX stealth is strong enough to withstand some hard riding and makes for a great entry level Bike that works well on the street, dirt, and park.
The BMX Stealth comes in three different colors to choose from:
Black Gum, White, Black Blue, Red, Black, Gunmetal Grey, and Blue.
Highlights include:
- Hi-tensile steel frame with 1″ standard head-tube
- Chromoly 1-pc cranks with unsealed American BB
- 25-9 gearing
- Low profile 06061 rims wrapped in street 2.5″ tires
Elite BMX bikes offer some of the most comprehensive, high-performance bikes at the lowest prices.
One of their top-level bikes, the Elite BMX Destro, is an outstanding mid-level bike that rides like a high-end BMX.
It is excellent value for money and works well on the street, dirt, and park.
The crank angle keeps your body centered while pedaling, and being lightweight, it jumps curbs with ease, stops quickly, and turns smoothly.
Highlights include:
- 3-Piece Cr-Mo Crank x 170mm
- Hi-tensile steel (20″ Toptube)
- Tektro Alloy brake lever and U-brake
- Fork with tapered legs
Best Mini BMX: Fatboy mini BMX bikes
The Mini BMX first hit the market in 2012, and these small bikes make for hours of fun.
Our choice for the best mini bikes is the Fatboy mini BMX series.
These little bikes are Fatboy’s specialty, and they have a wide variety of stunt Mini BMX and Pro mini BMX bikes.
The Hi-Ten Steel frame is fully Tig-Welded and is designed to take a large amount of adult-sized abuse.
The Fatboy Pro series has an upgraded build that allows for more aggressive riding:
- A longer frame
- BMX heat-treated bars
- Significantly stronger wheel
Whether you are planning to get the Pro or stunt version, both of them are a lot of fun, roll smoothly and allows for any bomb-hard-trick.
Pro BMX bike brands
Pro BMX bikes can set you back anything from $500 to $1000.
These are bikes that are usually made from the best quality and high-end materials for durability and performance and are trusted by pro-team riders in Pro events across the world.
Below are listed some of the best Pro BMX bikes.
Haro BMX
Whether you are racing or freestyling, Haro BMX has some of the best Pro BMX bikes on the market.
Haro has been building BMX bikes since 1978 and was the first to introduce freestyle specific frames and forks to the sport.
The CK AM and SD AM BMX is two of Haro’s top Freestyle bikes, trusted by both pro-riders Dennis Enarson and Chad Kerley.
If you are into BMX racing and are looking for top Pro racing models, the Pro 24 and, Expert XL and Pro XL are great choices.
The best Pro Racing bike Haro has to offer is the Blackout.
If you don’t mind the hefty price tag and are looking for the best, this bike hits it out of the ballpark.
It is super lightweight that allows for astonishing speed and control.
GT BMX bikes
GT bikes date back as far as 1972 when Gary Turner used skills acquired from welding drag racing cars to build the first GT frame.
The company brags over a fleet of more than 37 BMX race and freestyle bikes. Enough to satisfy even the pickiest person.
If it is the speed you are after, the BMX Speed Series of GT Bikes will blow you away.
These astonishing BMX bikes have a race-ready geometry and quick-change dropout that will take your game to the next level.
The Conway-Team-Signature and BK Team Signature GT BMX bikes is a big step up from your regular freestyle bikes and are surely worth spending the extra dollars.
Kink BMX
Kink BMX started his humble beginnings with a 16-year-old boy called Zack Phillips, that started his journey by fabricating and selling durable components to freestyle riders.
In 1994 he started his company, and today Kink distributes their products to over 30 different countries worldwide.
The company pride themselves on quality materials and specializes in Freestyle BMX bikes.
The “Legend” is Kinks Flagship, top-level bike and brag over a host of top-level components.
The “Gap” is Kink’s most popular BMX bike. It has a modern BMX geometry that allows for easy jay-hopping and boosting.
Being a company that had its beginnings in quality components, Kink BMX bikes tend to all be high quality, well-designed freestyle bikes.
Redline BMX bikes
Redline roots can be traced back as far as 1970.
Four years later, they launched their first BMX product called the 75 Squareback.
Only in 1977, Redline BMX bikes launched their first Pro BMX racing bike, and since then they have been gracing us with top level, high-performance bikes that are lightweight, fast, and smooth.
They are best known for their racing bikes.
Some of their Pro BMX bikes include the Redline Proline Pro series. It has a 100 percent Chromoly steel butted and tapered race fork that keeps the weight of the bike low to allow to go super fast.
Mafiabikes BMX
Mafiabikes is a BMX shop that provides customers with ultimate quality BMX bikes at the most competitive prices.
They are a UK based company, and some of their most popular BMX lines are Supermain and Madmain, inspired by Pro rider, Harry Main.
Their Pro line is called the Supermain and for the price and quality that it brings, its a steal.
Good Cheap BMX bikes
These days you can find some great BMX bikes at remarkably low prices. When buying a low-cost BMX, you have to take into consideration the smaller parts of the bike.
They have to be durable and preferably high quality to make for a smooth ride.
Elite BMX bikes
Even though Elite BMX bikes are relatively new to the market in comparison with its rivals, it provides the customer with a high-quality ride at remarkably low prices.
They have two product lines, the Destro and Stealth Elite BMX bikes, that come in various colors. The Elite BMX Stealth is an entry-level BMX and the Elite BMX Destro, a mid-level BMX bike (upgrade from the Stealth).
These freestyle bikes are excellent for learning how to stay connected to your bike and how to gain bike control.
Both Elite bikes feature Innova 20×2.40 tires for increased speed and grip and make it easier to land complicated tricks.
They have Hi-tensile steel frames and can take a large amount of slamming and throwing around.
Both are surprisingly easy to ride and maneuver.
Big thumbs up!
Mongoose BMX
Mongoose offers some great Freestyle BMX bikes with a lot of high-quality components at very affordable prices.
The Mongoose BMX bikes are equipped to handle aggressive street and park grinding.
Mongoose BMX bikes provide their customer with a variety of bikes for all levels, entry to pro, and all budgets.
Most mid-range Mongoose BMX bikes come standard with rear alloy u-brakes that allows for fast-breaking and excellent control.
The mid-range Mongoose BMX bikes pick up speed quick and effortless due to the superior gearing and drive system.
Good Mini BMX bikes
These little Mini BMX bikes enter the BMX market in 2012 after venom saw them being handmade in Indonesia.
The craze soon hit the world by storm, and other brands started pushing the limits of what this fun little bike can do.
Fatboy mini BMX bikes
Fatboy is one of those companies that pushed the envelope for the mini bikes.
They created the Fatboy Pro series and Fatboy Stunt series. All Fatboy mini BMX bikes feature Fatboys Mini BMX tires that are designed for stunting and bombing hard.
These tires hold their shape better than the standard tires fitted to most Mini BMX bikes, and all their bikes are built keeping heavy, adult riders in mind.
The Fatboy Pro series is an impressive stunt bike and can execute most stunts that a regular 20″ BMX bike can do, with ease.
Rocker BMX
In 2018 Rocker BMX launched their version of the Mini BMX and called it the Mini Rig.
A miniature, high-tensile steel full-suspension downhill bike.
There is a little of skepticism around the bike mainly because it is a downhill mountain bike with only one rear disk brake and somewhat small tires.
Harry Main himself commented that even though it is fun to play around with, it feels heavier in comparison with the standard Mini BMX.
One part that Main liked a lot was the front and back suspension.
Other BMX brands worth mentioning
Below we have some BMX brands that offers a wide range of BMX’s.
From the most affordable to the most expensive.
Odyssey BMX
Odyssey BMX is a bicycle parts company that retails almost all parts necessary to build a BMX bike, except for BMX frames. This kit enables you to custom build your bike to your liking.
If you feel a little bit lost and can not find the right parts to assemble your bike, why not try one of Odyssey BMX kits.
Most of these pre-packaged kit comes with the following components:
Race forks
Dirt forks
Civilian bars
Pedals
Team grips
Wombolt cranks
Odyssey also owns the “Full Factory Store” that have over 19 already assembled BMX bikes for sale.
They are though a factory outlet.
So if you want to get your hands on one for these bikes, you are going to have to hit your local retail store.
Sunday BMX
Sunday Bikes also forms part of Odyssey and has since 2005, consistently been raising the bar in product design.
They boast over a large selection of fully assembled BMX bikes with high-quality Odyssey parts.
Besides the high-quality components, Sunday BMX also has a lot of very talented BMX riders in their team to test and back up their products.
Riders such as Aaron Ross and Ian Schwartz.
Kent BMX
In 1947 a Bicycle shop called, Philkam Cycle allocated in New Jersey, started selling bikes and parts to stores all over the Eastern part of the United States.
Eleven years later, in 1958, the shop changed his name to Kent International Inc. Kent supplies all types of bikes and does not specializes in BMX only.
If you don’t want to spent too much money on your kids first new BMX but is still looking for a neat looking BMX, Kent BMX bikes are for you.
The BMX bikes are entry level bikes that cost a little bit more than $100.
All of their BMX bikes focus on young, entry-level riders.
So if you are looking for a starter BMX bike for your kid that won’t set you back an arm or a leg, you just found your perfect match.
Fit BMX Bikes
Fitbikeco is a BMX only dealer whose focus is on high-quality bikes.
They also supply all type of components that you might need for your BMX. Fitbikeco has an impressive Pro team that rids and tests their BMX’s.
Legends such as Foster, Aitken, and Homan.
What sets Fitbikeco apart from the rest of the competition is that you can contact them to tailor-made your frame of your BMX and allows you to tweak the geometry, frame features, and finishes to your liking.
Stranger BMX
Stranger is a BMX company that provides high-end BMX bikes to their customer.
Their BMX’s range from $400-$1200 and use higher quality frame materials and some aftermarket parts.
The lover price range bike is ideal for riders that want an affordable bike that will be able to take some abuse.
Their Pro bike and Evo BMX is complete bikes that use high-quality materials and more aftermarket parts.
These Bikes are designed with adults in mind and can take some severe beating.
Today, some of the best childhood memories are born around BMX bikes.
Family summer weekends are spent outside around a BBQ and practicing barspin’s and bunnyhops with friends, or racing one another down the cul-de-sac.
Growing up with a BMX gave you taste of what life has to offer, and embed in you a fearlessness of living and a lust for adventure.
This iconic bike can teach you life lessons that a lot of people spent their whole life trying to figure out.
Falling down in life is not going to define you.
It is whether or not you are going to get up and try again.
Every mistake made on a BMX is pardoned, even if you had to pay with a few bruises.
BMX FAQs
What is a BMX bike?
A BMX bike is a bike designed for off-road use; mainly racing and stunt cycling, and drew its original inspiration from motocross racing.
How much are mini BMX bikes?
You can get a good mini BMX bike for around $200 to $300.
Where to buy bmx bikes near me?
You should be able to find BMX bikes at your local bike shop. Many Walmarts carry BMX bikes. Or you can buy with us – we carry some high quality BMX brands at pretty impressive prices.
What bmx bikes are the lightest?
BMX bikes are very commonly made from steel – some higher-ends use 4130 chromoly steel which is a bit lighter. Some bikes in the racing category can be made from aluminium or carbon.
Steel BMX bikes can easily weigh upwards of 30 lbs. High quality components and a high quality frame can bring the weight down to as little as 22 lbs. Aluminium is not a preferred choice for most BMX riders.
Where to buy BMX bikes online?
You can find BMX bikes online at Amazon.com. There are other sites like danscomp.com selling BMX bikes. And ofcourse, you can buy BMX bikes at your site, boneshaker.bike.
Where to find cheap BMX bikes?
You can read more about finding cheap BMX bikes here.
What are the best bmx bikes for beginners?
Look into this section: Good Cheap BMX Bikes.
We have listed some of the best BMX bikes that are both affordable and suitable for an entry rider.
Do BMX bikes come with brakes? Why do bmx bikes not have brakes
In general, BMX bikes are supposed to have brakes. Most BMX races would require the rider to have a rear brake. However, made riders specially in parks often choose to ride brakeless – and that’s really more of a choice. Most bikes should come with brakes.
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