Bideford BMX Club, located in Bideford, is a non-profit club that races and trains at the BMX Track adjacent to the Pollyfields Centre in East-the-Water. The club is run entirely by volunteers and has a strong community focus. The main goals of the club are to provide riders with the necessary facilities and resources to enhance their riding abilities, offer coaching sessions to improve race performance, promote cycling in the local community, and maintain and enhance the track and its surrounding areas. Bideford BMX Club has a rich history dating back to the early 80s and is the only remaining BMX club in North Devon.
The club caters to riders of all skill levels, from beginners to experts, with ages ranging from 4 to 50+. Bideford BMX Club is registered as a “Go-ride” club, which means it has met the coaching and governance criteria set out by British Cycling. The club is currently working towards becoming “club mark” accredited. One of the main focuses of the development plans for Bideford BMX Club is to modernise the facilities.
Since 2014, the club has undergone various phases of regeneration to bring the track up to national track standards and to cater to the needs of its members. Some notable developments include the installation of mains electric, upgrading the fourth straight, installing mains water and sewerage, purchasing a WC block with facilities for male, female, and disabled members, installing a perimeter fence for safety, upgrading the clubhouse with cladding and a pitched roof, upgrading the second and third straights, remodelling the first straight to provide more challenging jumps, and installing a 5m start hill in line with UCI regulations. The club also has plans to renew the start gate with a ProStart gate, which is recognised by the UCI and British Cycling. This system offers reliability, less frequent servicing, excellent support, and a noise reduction feature to ensure that neighbours are not disturbed during gate sessions or race days.
The final phase of the development programme includes the construction of a covered start gate hut. This hut will not only protect riders from the wind but also serve as a coaching hub with TV screens for video analysis, elevating the level of coaching provided by the club. Currently, this project is in the planning phases. Bideford BMX Club strives to create a healthy, vibrant, and connected community by promoting the sport of BMX racing through its grassroots programme and offering a welcoming environment for all riders.