Equipment
To ride on our track you will need the following equipment:
A bike - preferably a race BMX bike, but any "off-road" capable bike will do to start with, eg strider bike, kids bike, freestyle BMX, dirt jumper, mountain bike. Once you start riding on the track, you will want to ride a race BMX. At trainings and Club Nights, we have a large number of race BMX's available for hire.
A full-faced helmet (we have these available to hire)
A long-sleeved shirt/jersey
Long pants
Covered shoes
A pair of full-finger gloves (we have some available to use)
Knee and elbow protection (compulsory for Sprocket riders 7 years and under)
We have our own club racing jersey that you can order by clicking on the below link. These come from a supplier in Australia so we normally do 2-3 orders a year in bulk. The next order will be made on 24 August 2024, you will have until Wednesday 22 August to make this order.
Number Plates
All riders UCI8 and above must have a number plate that meets BMXNZ regulations to be able to race at calendar meets.
A rider can choose any number between 51 and 999 as long as noone else in the same class in our club has that number.
Male 20” (8yrs plus): Yellow plate with black numbers
Female 20” (8yrs plus): Blue plate with white numbers
Cruisers (8yrs plus): Red plate with white numbers
Numbers must be a minimum of 75mm high x 10mm wide and all plates must display a club prefix of 25mm minimum in height. Our club prefix is TPO. Riders attending BMX events without the correct plate, colour combination and/or number will not be able to compete at the event.
There are a few people and businesses in NZ that can make them for you and should know the regulations, and can be found on Facebook, or ask any of our current members.
In Taupo, Signs R Us make them. They are next to Countdown on Nukuhau Street.
Transponders
Transponders attach to the forks of your bikes and are used for moto timing at most calendar meets for UCI8 and above riders.
You can get see information on transponders and purchase a BMXNZ approved MYLAPS transponder on the BMXNZ website www.bmxnz.co.nz/transponders/transponder-information. You can also purchase a transponder at the same time as you join our club.
Delivery will be approximately 3-5 days after payment confirmation.
Transponder Registration Process
There is a TWO-step registration process for your transponders. First is the MYLAPS registration, the second is the BMXNZ registration.
Step ONE
**Note - if you already have an existing Transponder & used in racing you do not need to do this part.
Go to the MYLAPS website at https://www.mylaps.com
Create an account & add in all your details.
You will need to download the ProChip FLEX Manager App to your computer. Plug your transponder into your computer and follow the process to activate your transponder. The program will confirm your registration and advise that "Everything is OK"
Step TWO
With the new SPORTY website and database, you need to advise your club of your transponder number. They will update your club profile with the detail. If you change you transponder at any time, please update your club of the changed detail.
Once the details are loaded to your profile, you are ready to race.
If you need help, please e-mail admin@bmxnz.co.nz
BMX Race Bikes
If you are looking at purchasing a BMX race bike, it's best to start with a second-hand one. Many members in the club have them for sale or you can go to the many Facebook pages to buy one. If you think you have found one to buy, we suggest to ask one of our more experienced riders and/or committee to check it out for you.
You want to make sure you get the correct size, this chart gives you a rough idea of what size to get. Also chat to the other riders and their parents to see what size they are riding.
