The explosive burst of acceleration at the beginning of a BMX race is one of the most exciting moments in all of competitive cycling disciplines but even a minor lapse in the starting gate’s timing mechanism can create instant disaster.
Standard BMX starting gates use an electronically controlled mechanism that drops forward when the start signal is given. Racers stand posed and ready to pounce as a efficient gate start is critical to success and the first few seconds of the race regularly determine its outcome.
The following video shows what happens when the starting signal is sounded but the gate drop is delayed by just a fraction of a second. With the full force and commitment to generating maximize power and preventing speed sucking wheelies, the racers drove forward only to met with a still vertical gate resulting in six out of seven racers crashing face first in unison. Thankfully the racers were all wearing proper protective equipment and seemed more frustrated than injured.
