When I was a kid many moons ago I used to beg for a BMX bike every birthday and every Christmas. We were poor, so instead for my two wheeled gift I got a racing bike, second hand, re painted black but still rusty and too small.

Please dont think I was ungrateful because that old black bike practically became my best friend and I loved it but I still looked on in awe at all the other BMX bikes. I did however at that point believe that if I had a BMX that I would be able to fly over the house and garden with it! I had E.T. to thank for that fallacy! Much jumping over houses on BMX bikes in videogames wasnt really the same thing.

BMX was pretty much brand new in those days and the streets were full of kids buzzing up and down and making makeshift ramps to fly (fall off the end) off! Christmas mornings reflected just how popular BMX was becoming. In fact it had become an overnight roaring success.

Strangely enough, despite the many stunts these bikes are capable of performing, none of them ever did fly over the house, and not even Mad Jimmy from number 14 could do it and boy did he try!

Despite still not being able to fly (and no sign of it happening in the near future), the fortunes of BMX bikes go from strength to strength. In Beijing 2008, they were included for the very first time as an Olympic sport.

Racing was the only BMX discipline at the Olympics this time around but Freestyle is also hugely popular and surely it's only a matter of time before this too takes its place on the biggest world stage.

Flatland BMX riding is yet another style of riding that is growing in popularity and as with other forms of BMX discipline requires great skill to master.

With such a variety of styles it is not a surprise to find out just how many different models of BMX there are. Not only does each discipline generally require a different bike with regards to weight and structure but even within the disciplines themselves there are many different models and brands.

With magazines and TV shows dedicated to the sport, BMX is enjoying fame and fortuned that it could have only have dreamed of back in the days of E.T and co!

With so much variety and choice out there, it shouldnt be a problem getting hold of the BMX bike you want, either for yourself or for a relative to unwrap on Christmas morning to once more go hurtling up the street, thrilled to bits with their new BMX.