Eric, freestyle 'street' bmx'er from NOVA

BMX (Bicycle Moto-cross(X)) is a form of cycling on specially designed bicycles which usually have 20-inch wheels. The sport includes races on earthern track - BMX racing - as well as the performances of tricks - BMX freestyle. Recently, BMX racing's international governing body - Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) - began sponsoring the UCI BMX World Championships.

When I began my BMX series in October 2004 with the capturing of War Town Crew Hoodlums at the Navy Memorial in NW WDC while I had photographed skateboarders at Freedom Plaza since the summer 0f 1992 I did not know that the bicycle sport was known as BMX.

Freestyle BMX is a creative way of using bicycles originally designed for bicycle motocross racing. It can be split into several disciplines, although riders will generally participate in more than one discipline. These are Street, (skate) Park, Vert, Trails and Flatland. Rather confusingly, in competitions, park riding is often referred to as 'Street'.

Street riding, [which is what I have focused on], occurs on public streets or private property, typically within cities and towns. Without purpose-made ramps, riders have to improvise with banks, walls, rails, gaps, etc. In fact, almost anything can be used as an obstacle, and it is precisely this that draws people to street riding. Riders enjoy street riding because they are not constrained to what a skatepark designer has planned for them to ride, so it allows a good deal of creativity. Street riding progresses relentlessly. Obstacles and tricks that were considered too big or technical to attempt become commonplace.

Beginning with my October 2004 War Town Crew Hoodlums series other favorite BMX - Freestyle - Street collections include a BMX - Freedom Plaza series shot on 23 July 2006 of a BMXer from Gaithersburg MD and that of Eric, from Northern VA, taken on Easter Sunday at Penn Quarter.