At it's core, BMX is about connection and community. These qualities represent the intangible ‘glue’, the motivating force, the drive to push yourself beyond limitation – the reason that you can't stop thinking about it, the reason that you prioritise it above all else and the reason why you'll find yourself volunteering to help a mate dig backyard drainage in the pouring rain. 

Connection and community is not specific to BMX, however in combination, there are many unique aspects that deserve to be highlighted. For example, the camaraderie that is able to be developed when you're pushing boundaries, thinking outside the box and supporting each other through challenges and triumphs. This works to create a tight bond between bikers, enhanced through shared experiences and a collective passion to further your level of engagement within BMX. 

The drive to push beyond limitations is a testament to the resilience and determination that BMX instils in those that participate. It's about constantly striving for improvement, not just in terms of skills and tricks, but also in terms of personal growth and development. The best part is, it will just happen naturally, no need to take a course or be persuaded by some social media influencer.  

Connection and community also extends beyond the individual, it's also about the relationship with your bike, the environment, and the broader BMX community. It's about the sense of belonging and identity that comes from being part of something bigger than oneself. This concept is one that really stands out for me, something that I experience and am hugely grateful for. 

To the point about volunteering for a mate to do some 'shitty' job, this is worth expanding on as it represents a perfect example of the spirit of BMX. 

In traditional sports like cricket and football etc, there are usually dedicated groundskeepers who are responsible for maintaining the field/pitch/deck. The players can then focus on training and performance, while the groundskeeper ensures that playing conditions are optimal. In contrast, BMX has a strong 'do it yourself' (DIY) culture where the riders are also the builders and maintainers of their own spaces, including building ramps, maintaining trails to one-off spots like the tree trunk hand plant in the above image. This hands-on involvement in creating and maintaining our own spaces is part of what fosters a strong sense of community and ownership amongst the riders. It's these moments of shared effort and dedication that strengthen the bonds within the BMX community and which work to make it such a unique and special sport.  

From my point of view, this resonates strongly with why I love BMX so much. It is incredibly fulfilling to set a goal, work through a set of challenges and eventually, overcome adversity to complete your goal. This process is inherent to BMX and often more attractive in that it isn't preached or overly structured. Whether it’s a full video part that takes years, or simply a game of B.I.K.E down at the local skatepark, the consequences are overwhelmingly positive.  

Furthermore, the process of setting and working towards these goals can teach one valuable skills such as planning, perseverance, problem-solving, and self-discipline. It can also boost self-confidence and self-efficacy as riders see the tangible results of their efforts. 

Playing a game of B.I.K.E or working on a video part also provides immediate feedback and a clear measure of progress, which can be highly motivating. Even when a goal is not achieved, riders can learn from the experience and use it to inform their future efforts. 

Building on the above items of community and goal setting is another profound attribute of BMX, creating culture. 

The ability to create culture (often at a local level) rather than just consume it is a unique and powerful attribute of BMX. This can occur from both a participatory and competitive space, with each platform comprising established rules and traditions that guide how people understand what riders are ‘doing’. 

Focussing on the participatory space (i.e. non-competitive), you'll note that riders are free to bend rules and forge their own path. This can occur through their riding style, trick selection, bike modifications, video and print content as well as the way bikers interact with and support each other. Each rider brings their own unique perspective and creativity to the sport, and in doing so, helps to shape its culture. 

Those who live and breathe the DIY aspect of BMX will have been front and centre to creating culture. Most obviously, the physical element of digging trails, shaping concrete and bolting in rails literally creates the spaces to ride bikes and encourages others to partake and grow their own scene. From this platform, social connections develop, trends and languages are defined and before you know it (indirectly or otherwise), your very own slice of culture has been created and boy, that is special. 

What makes this even more special and unique to BMX is that it's not just limited to professional riders or those at the top of the sport. Even beginners and casual riders can contribute to the culture of BMX, whether it's by bringing a new energy and enthusiasm to their local scene, or by sharing their experiences and passion with others. It empowers individuals to express themselves, to make their mark, and to be part of something bigger than themselves. This is one of the many reasons why BMX is such a special and vibrant sport which can be immensely rewarding. 

This process can be described as 'reimagining' a landscape, it is then the lens through which you view the world and damn is it hard to turn off. BMX enables ways of interacting with the world that challenges what is normally done in a space, it creates possibilities.

Despite being out of filming mode for almost a decade, no matter where I go, I still see the built environment as a spot, everything in it has the potential to be ridden. Seeing the world as a potential place to ride bikes is a key way that creativity and imagination are applied in BMX. It's about seeing possibilities where others see obstacles, and transforming everyday spaces into platforms for self-expression and skill. 

Furthermore, choosing to take the 'fun route', such as sliding down a rail or hopping down stairs, despite the risks involved, speaks to the adventurous spirit of BMX riders. It's about embracing challenges, pushing boundaries, as well as finding joy and excitement in both the outcome and the process. 

That BMX exists as a reminder to prioritise happiness and enjoyment, in a way that feels personalised and liberating, is really quite unique. 

Central to BMX is taking risks as well as embracing and overcoming challenges. 

While this may initially be off-putting to those new to the sport, a further look reveals that this is not the case and that in effect, these qualities are in fact a positive. 

Taking risks with BMX begins as soon as you clench the grips and mould your feet to the pedals. While this is more intense with attempting difficult tricks or riding unconventional obstacles, BMX works to educate the biker to reach a state of calculated risk. Ultimately, this means that the rider accepts that there are unavoidable risks involved in BMX, however has developed a set of tools and skills through which the level of risk is minimised as far as practical. 

So, while it is certainly acknowledged that the physical risk associated with BMX is greater than most other forms of creative expression, it is nonetheless a reminder of the stakes involved as well as the resilience and determination required to get back up after a crash. This can be viewed as a positive. For example, observing another rider crash and then work through the pain and the preceding challenge which led to the wreck can work to inspire others to do the same as well as foster a sense of empathy and mutual support as riders help each other through offering encouragement and sharing advice.

The challenges presented by BMX and how they serve a greater 'force' that connects riders is a remarkable quality. Often, this happens without the rider knowing, yet exists as a powerful phenomenon, particularly when related to sharing the journey of overcoming obstacles and continually striving to improve. This shared, positive experience in the face of adversity translates to valuable life skills, including problem-solving. Whether it's figuring out how to land a trick, navigating a challenging course, or even maintaining and repairing a bike, riders are constantly faced with problems that they need to solve. This requires creativity, critical thinking, and perseverance, all of which are important skills not just in BMX, but in life in general. 

Lastly, while BMX is like a cold drink - best experienced with others - it is also a fundamentally individual pursuit. Each riding session is a collaborative creation of embodied imaginations full of possibilities. When a riding session goes off, nothing beats it. Through this platform, working through risks and overcoming challenges is largely dependent on the rider themselves to conjure the effort and resilience required of this setting. The sense of accomplishment that comes from resolving a challenge and managing risk is incredibly empowering, boosts self-confidence as well as self-efficacy. This can translate into a greater belief in one's ability to tackle challenges and achieve goals in other areas of life. 

There you have it, the 5 key qualities that make BMX rad. 

The coolest thing about these 5 items? That they apply to all who straddle a 4130 chromoly steed. You can be a ratty street lurker nibbling on cracked kerbs or mouth guarded up, sweating through your briefs as you dedicate another hour to learning a new trick for glory and gold. It doesn't matter, you both (and all in between) thrive on connection and community, you've learned to set goals and self-motivate, you contribute to a DIY culture, you have finessed the ability to reimagine a landscape for your own biking purposes and lastly, you know how to work through a challenge and manage risk. 

What's even cooler is that these attributes are both specific to BMX - in developing individuals who benefit from and then contribute to, growing the sport as well as being qualities that work to allow that person to flourish in society broadly. Think about each of the above 5 items and how these skills can be adapted to a 'non-BMX' setting - such as a traffic incident, a job interview, a work injury, etc. 

Most importantly, I love the idea of retaining 'street eyes' for eternity, to never lose the ability to turn the world into a playground and to create, create, create. 

Out.