BMX: Childhood Memories Feature In 'untold Story' - BBC News

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Bmx rider leaps over road with car driving downImage source, We were Rad
Image caption,

BMX took off in the UK during the 1980s

ByRumeana JahangirBBC News

From the movie E.T. to British success at the Tokyo Olympics, BMX has thrilled generations and is now being celebrated in a book by avid fans.

Antony Frascina and two friends have spent the past five years gathering recollections of what they call the "untold story of British BMX" in the 1980s.

"We wanted it to be a real piece of social history that celebrated the amazing 80s and the freedoms that we all took for granted," he said.

"The music, the fashion, the cars, even the carpets and the houses where we all lived."

BOy rides over skateboard in an estateImage source, We were Rad
Image caption,

BMX became a popular craze in neighbourhoods

Boy leaps in the air while holdingImage source, We were Rad
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The flips and tricks thrilled many teenagers

Bicycle motocross - also known as BMX - started in the 1960s, external in the US.

The trend was noted by the film director Steven Spielberg, who featured the bikes in memorable scenes in his 1982 blockbuster E.T..

children race at BMX eventImage source, We were Rad
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One book contributor said BMX "made our worlds bigger, took us to new places, gave us adventures"

children pose with trophiesImage source, We were Rad
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The sport went from dirt tracks to debuting at the Olympics in 2008

BMX soon grew in popularity in the UK, becoming a regular sight on residential streets, especially during school holidays.

"Like any first love, it never leaves you," Mr Frascina says.

woman lies down and lifts a ramp, which her son ride overImage source, We were Rad
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A brave mother lifts a ramp for her son to cross

Young man in helment and cycling gear sitting on an armchair in a living roomImage source, We were Rad
Image caption,

The book also reflects 1980s homes and lifestyles

He put the book together with fellow enthusiasts Clint Pilkington and Andrew Rigby during breaks from their busy day jobs in Merseyside and Manchester.

"The lockdown periods actually worked in our favour as it gave many people the time and opportunity to delve into their attics and sheds and find long lost and loved photographs from their childhoods."

son shows off a balancing trick on the bike while woman knits in backgroundImage source, We were Rad
Image caption,

One fan recalls spending time with friends on their bikes, saying: "We were hardly ever in watching TV"

Such was the nostalgia that they compiled more than 1,200 images and 400 contributors recollecting days of childhood freedom.

Mr Frascina says the resulting book We Were Rad "shows a narrative of how BMX in the 80's crossed many barriers that included gender, race and socio-economic differences".

"The story is one of inclusivity and one that destroys many stereotypical views of society at that time."

Charlotte Worthington in action during Womens Park FinalImage source, Reuters
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Olympians Charlotte Worthington (above), Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte have revived the sport's profile in the UK

"Those great times will be forever engraved in our hearts and minds," Mr Frascina adds.

"BMX appeared like a lightning bolt and changed my life forever."

All images subject to copyright.

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