An average BMX has a top speed of five miles per hour faster than a mountain bike. You might expect the MTB to go faster than a BMX since they have larger wheels, but wheel size only covers ground efficiently.
A BMX’s smaller size and lower weight are a significant advantage where speed is concerned. How fast can a BMX go?
When heading down a ramp, a BMX bike can go as fast as 35mph (56kph). BMX bikes are incredibly fast and is the second fastest style bike you can get. BMX riders are customizing their bikes with lighter frames, adjusting the saddle, and lowering the front end in order to increase speed with less energy spent.
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Table of Contents
How Fast Do BMX Bikes Go
BMX bikes can go 30 to 35 miles per hour. To put that in perspective, most cats would beat you in a race, but your BMX can move faster than Usain Bolt.
The measurement most people compare a BMX race bike’s speed to is the downhill ramp at the Olympics.
This is because there is relatively little data on BMX speed. Since these bikes were initially made to mimic motocross, trick jumping and whether or not a racer won on a dirt track have a long history, but pure speed records are in short supply.
Are BMX Bikes Fast
BMX bikes are incredibly fast. Looking at overall average bike speeds, BMX is the second-fastest style you can get, and many BMX riders may be breaking that 35 mile per hour barrier, but the kind of riding doesn’t lend itself easily to speed-based recording and recordkeeping.
Below is a reference chart for the top 6 bicycle styles and their average top speeds:
Bike Type & Average Top Speed
| Bicycle Style | Average Top Speed |
| BMX | 30-35 mph |
| Cruiser | 15-20 mph |
| City | 20-25 mph |
| Road | 25-30 mph |
| Mountain | 45-50 mph |
| Electric | 20-28 mph |
What Makes A BMX Bike Faster
Anyone can guess a couple of ways to make a BMX faster. You can buy a better, more aerodynamic BMX and take it up the tallest hill around to get a fast ride, but that will only work a few times before more is called for.
Even the speediest bike needs more than a good factory build to be the best.
The list below offers 7 ways to make a BMX go faster:
- Get a lightweight frame. A lighter frame costs you less energy to move and increases your speed as a result.
- Lower the front end slightly. Although you don’t want your knuckles on the ground, a lower front end can help you pick up the pace.
- It might surprise you to learn that a clean bike can move faster. There’s no grime or debris in the drive chain or other parts to slow you down.
- Check your pedal tension. Loose pedals are inefficient and will slow you down.
- Likewise, you should ensure your tires are properly inflated.
- Always perform your scheduled and necessary maintenance. A tuned-up and lubricated bike will move better and faster.
- Adjust your gears and brakes. Additionally, you can check your saddle and make sure it’s at the ideal height too.
Things A BMX Bike Rider Can Do To Go Faster
Now that you know how to improve your BMX to make it go faster, it’s time to look at the rider. You can make a few fundamental changes to increase your speed.
Going fast on a bike is about how you prepare and use your equipment, which means dressing right and knowing the best way to operate a BMX for speed.
- Good form matters more than you think when you’re riding a bike at speed. Ensure that you have proper racing posture—Tuck your elbows in as you ride.
- Don’t wear loose baggy clothing. Professional cyclists wear those skintight spandex outfits and streamlined pointy helmets for a good reason. They allow the air to move past more efficiently and help lower your wind resistance.
- Practice your technique to master the skills. A slight wobble can result in a cataclysmic crash landing, but even when it doesn’t, it still wastes fractions of a second as you correct course. If you are serious about racing, it would be best to practice daily.
Fastest BMX Bike – The Mongoose Title Elite 24 BMX Race Bike
The fastest BMX bikes depend as much on the rider’s skill as they do on the right build.
That said, having the right lightweight frame to complement your racing skills can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
There are many outstanding racing bikes available, but I’ve narrowed it down to just one pick for the fastest BMX bike around.
If you want a truly fast BMX, the Mongoose Title Elite 24 BMX Race Bike from Amazon is purpose-built for advanced riders and those returning to racing.
You don’t have to be a pro to ride this bike, but it can take the pressure of professional BMX racing with ease.
A pair of Arisun XLR8 24” tires are mounted on Xposure Infinity XD aluminum double-wall rims for outstanding ground-eating traction.
You will love the lightweight, professional-grade 6061 Tectonic T1 Biaxial Hydroformed and Butted Aluminum Frame because it’s durable but won’t weigh you down.
Plus, the Mongoose Title Elite 24 has a sealed bearing headset and fifty-millimeter stem to give you great control.
At the same time, the 4130 Chromoly handlebars and fork are rugged without weighing on the front end unnecessarily. You can get this speedy BMX when you click here.
- Capable of high-end performance – a bike designed for riders with intermediate skills all the way up to Pro – the Mongoose Title Elite 24 BMX race bike is a level above our popular Title series. Suggested rider height is 5’7" and over
- Professional-grade 6061 Tectonic T1 biaxial hydroformed and butted aluminum frame with 86mm BB shell, 3D forged 10mm dropouts and internal cable routing. 21.77” top tube length and frame weight of 3.44 lbs
- The Title Elite’s drivetrain features 175mm 2-piece 24mm hollow spindle alloy cranks with a 42T aluminum chainring and BB86 press-fit sealed bottom bracket
- The wheelset features Arisun XLR8 24” tires mounted on Xposure Infinity XD aluminum double wall rims with 10mm hollow axle sealed front hub and 18T cog sealed bearing cassette rear hub
- Aluminum linear pull brake and Radius aluminum brake levers offer precision speed control, while the 6.5" 4130 chromoly handlebar and fork are joined by a 50mm stem and sealed bearing headset to combine for maximum steering performance
Helpful Tips To Know About How Fast BMX Bikes Can Go
A professional BMX race bike ridden by a peak-performing rider can go 35 miles per hour down a slope in the Olympics.
How fast you go will depend on you and your bike and other factors like wind and the angle of your track.
Here are more helpful tips to know about how fast BMX bikes can go.
- The fastest BMX rider in the world might be eleven-year-old Marshall Gehrke. Check out this video to see him in action.
- There are different styles of BMX bikes, such as freestyle, but for the purpose of this article, I looked at BMX racing bikes. This style is faster than its often heavy trick-riding cousin.
- The fastest bike in the world is a metal doorstop without a rider. The technique, muscle, and experience of the person atop the BMX makes a huge difference in how fast the bike goes.
- There is no BMX drafting or flat-ground speed world record. However, Max Granovsky holds the world record for the longest manual, a trick on the BMX like a wheelie, but without pedaling after the front wheel leaves the ground. He performed his stunt on flat ground, and according to Airdrie Today, “Data from video analysis of the stunt showed the teen was pedaling at 158 revolutions per minute during the run-up and began the manual at a speed of 55.4 kilometers per hour.” This is just over thirty-four miles per hour, which supports the idea of a top speed of around thirty-five mph.
Final Thoughts
BMX bikes don’t race on straight tracks, and as a result, there’s not a lot of data on how fast they can go.
However, we know that downhill BMXs are second only to road bikes for the quickest time and even beat mountain bikes by at least five miles per hour.
However, the fastest BMX bikes are well maintained, perfectly tuned, and most importantly, they have riders with experience and drive.
