The Cost of BMX Racing

Why are we (mainly me) writing this? Because we want prospective riders and parents to know what they are getting into with BMX racing. It takes passion, dedication, training, willpower, and focus. And time; and money.

Buy a freestyle/park bike and grind it, jump it, and hop it at the skatepark or on the streets for free. Go get a mountain bike and shred the gnar for free, or pay to use purpose-built bike parks all day. Buy a road bike and race around the roads for free, dodging cars along the way (roadies get no love). Buy a BMX race bike, and ain't nothing free. I'm going to tell it like it is. This is based on our experience, observations, and being in the BMX race community. Try to read this to the end.

First, let's talk about bikes and parts in general. If you have any type of bike meant for cycling sports then upgrading and maintaining go with it. That costs money whether it's a park, race, MTB, road, or gravel bike. The post-covid oversupply with rock bottom prices and lots of inventory from a few years ago is gone. Cycling is back to low demand, low volume, and creeping prices. Things aren't getting cheaper any time soon. Cycling is cyclic (pun intended) and right now it is on the downslope sliding into the abyss. Note that BMX is on the tail end of the industry, so it takes a little time for the cyclic troughs to hit. BMX racing is a niche of a niche. The post-covid cycling collapse has also caused the disappearance of brands and parts, mainly because companies don't like to spend $100 to make $10. The 'boutique' brands that are discipline specific are now taking over where corporate cycling companies have pulled out. Used market aside, the cycling industry is like a donut; there's no middle. Either you buy the $118.99 bike from Wally World, or you spend thousands to get the right bike for the right discipline. You'll need the right bike for BMX racing. It isn't 1980 BMX with feral kids on pieced together bikes at a dirt track built with shovels. We're not saying kids with shovels and bikes aren't still out there in dirt lots and the woods, we're saying 2020's BMX racing has evolved to a technical sport requiring technical equipment. This already sounds expensive.

Keep in mind that BMX racing is not a 'drop-off' sport. There are no coaches to watch your kid. You may need to volunteer to score, drop gates, work a corner, or help run the race. The track has to be maintained, and it is volunteers that do it. BMX racing is the parents as much as it is the kids. You don't have to take over any job or be an all-star at anything. Working a corner just means watching it for safety. Scoring is writing down the bike numbers as they cross the finish line. Nothing hard, and each volunteer is very important. BMX racing doesn't work out for dropping your racer off and then having 'me time.' BMX racing is not a babysitter. You need to be there. It will cost you time. A kid's success is also tied to the parents' involvement. If you're an adult racer, make sure your spouse is involved too because you'll need someone to drive you to ER. Still interested? Read on.

The BMX race leagues are fun. They are a great introduction to the track and using BMX race bikes and gear. Your one-time league fee gets you coaching, mock races, gear usage, and a pizza party. It's basically fun intramural sports. The fee usually comes with a paid membership to USA BMX too. Racing and league are not the same. The fun line is distorted. It's borderline bait-and-switch. BMX racing is an individual sport like track, golf, or swimming. It's not like traditional ball sports. Example, your kid can hit but not throw, his teammate can throw but not hit, and another can catch anything; together they win the tournament. If you think of BMX racing as baseball then your kid will need to hit, throw, catch, and run. Bob Ross once said, "Talent is a pursued interest." BMX racing is a talent that must be pursued. The rider that races here and there isn't going to stay long in BMX. It takes determination and dedication. Getting beat is also part of racing. It is important to know you're not losing, you're learning. The fun fades and the grind begins. Pursue it and you will get faster. You're always learning, never losing. You're learning, not 'not good enough.' Winning is fun, and winning takes work. Time. It costs time. We've seen kids with expensive personalized coaching programs and we've seen kids just ride all the time and figure it out with no coaching. Both are putting in the work, both are winning. Each individual is different in every way. Put in the work and be proud that you are doing what few can do. Many will try, few will succeed. Succeeding also means not quitting. Riding fast with 8 others on a track isn't a skill most kids have these days. Many can hardly ride a bike. Which leads us to this: racing is also dangerous. It's more dangerous for pro riders than amateurs, but still dangerous. We know kids that do wrestling, football, and hockey and they all say BMX is more dangerous. It is classified as an extreme sport after all. We've seen kids smash into the ground and bend body parts then stand up, straighten their bars, and ride away. We've also seen kids break bones by falling off their bike. It's hard to say which kid you have but make sure they have a good helmet and insurance. Still with me?

Your first bike can cost anywhere from $250 to $5,000. If you find the 'hundred dollar special' it will need $100+ of work. Be prepared to buy a bike, parts, or frame every year. Up until they are teens it's typical for kids to get 1 to 2 seasons out of a bike. Usually, parts can be transferred to the next frame size to help keep costs down, but parts also wear out. You'll go through a lot of tubes (avg $8/ea), and some are special sizes used only on BMX race bikes. Some tires last six months, some last years. Tires are $50 to $140. Brake pads are few dollars. Grips are $30. You get the point. The good thing is your BMX race bike is rebuildable. Many of the bikes buy and sell amongst BMX'ers and never make it to online marketplaces. Our advice is to use the track bikes until you are certain BMX racing is what you and your kid want to do. As the rider gains skills, they will need better bikes. Better bikes cost more money. The expensive bikes cost more money to maintain too. Riders can start in a Ford, but eventually they're going to need a Ferrari. Helmets can cost anywhere from $50 to $700. A basic full-face helmet works to start out, but eventually lighter and better helmets will be needed. Race wear is variable. Jerseys can be from the closeout bin or the newest releases. Pants can be athletic joggers or purpose made for bike racing. Van's are good for racing and wearing everyday, or get the gummy sole flat pedal specific shoes from 5.10 or RC. It just depends on what you want to spend. We sell Fly Racing which is the de facto gear for BMX. We can give you advice on what to get with any budget. Feeling broke already? Just wait.

Racing has entry fees. Liability insurance is a few bucks per rider. Awards are a few bucks each. The track needs a few dollars for improvements and maintenance. Race fees can run between $10 to $70 per race, per rider, per bike. The average local race fee is typicaly $12-15 per rider. One race a week, 36 weeks of racing: $432. State races? Add another $200 in fees. Gold Cup? Add $200. Nationals? We can't even count that high. Add in lodging, food, camping, gas, and time off. We've been told stories of families that spend $60,000 per year chasing races across the country. A big State or Gold Cup race weekend can easily total up to $1,000. Depending on which way you look at it, BMX racing may or may not be affordable. I honestly don't know what baseball costs these days, but I imagine not much different for hotel, gas, and food. If local single point races and practice is all your budget supports, do it. That's better than nothing, and eventually you'll want (need) to travel to other tracks to keep it interesting and build skills. Go to their $12 local races. Plan your trip or make it a day-cation. If you really want to be creative, blend in some "Survivorman" into your travels and sleep in your truck/van and bring primitive camping supplies. There are guys that do it. Truck bed tents and air mattresses. Travel trailers or Hampton Inn & Suites. Air BnB. Just be prepared to invest. Invest in your kids because you don't get much time with them. Instead of investing in your 'toys' invest in theirs. You get a few years with your kids before you're not cool anymore; the investment is worth it. You got the rest of your life for your 'toys.' Sacrificing some of your wants is costly, isn't it? You still thinking about it?

A nice thing is many tracks are in public parks which means you can practice for free on days without races. There won't be a gate to do gate practice outside of scheduled events, but during 'public' time the rhythms, turns, and obstacles are there. Practice, practice, and practice. Incorporate a workout and stretching. By the way, police the track when you're there because the public may not know they shouldn't ride their Sauron's on it. BMX tracks are not MX tracks. In BMX everyone gets out what they put in. Friendships, community, service, being there. As much as it is an individual sport it is a family sport. The cost is the cost; worth is defined by you. We write this as members in the BMX community. If anything, we've probably scared you off and killed any potential sales for us in the future, but we want people to know what they are getting themselves into. Once you know BMX is for you, things like teams, points, track politics, and the multitude of personalities are just part of the ride. Enjoy it whether it's you racing, your spouse, or your kids. BMX is a journey that flows up and down. Sometimes it is an adventure in insanity. I don't know where anyone's BMX journey ends, but all I have to say to anyone is enjoy the ride. If BMX isn't 'the thing' then find something that is. Peace be the journey.