BMX riding requires tremendous skill, courage, and creativity. The top BMX stars in the world today have mastered the sport and progressed it to places that were unimaginable just a decade ago.
Freestyle BMX in particular has exploded, with riders performing jaw-dropping tricks on vert ramps, big air jumps, and street obstacles.
As BMX continues to grow, a new generation of riders is making their mark. Veterans of the sport still compete at an elite level, but young riders are challenging the old guard.
In this blog, we rank the top 30 best BMX riders in the world today and look at their career highlights. From legends of the sport to up-and-coming pros, these are the biggest BMX stars and athletes pushing boundaries.
Top 30 Best BMX Riders
Below is the list of the top 30 best BMX riders in the world today. These athletes represent the pinnacle of professional BMX across disciplines like vert, park, street, and dirt jumping.
They have mastered their craft to push the progression of tricks, style, and control. The riders that make up this list include young talents establishing themselves as well as veterans who have influenced the sport for decades.
Each brings their own unique abilities, but all 30 continuously take BMX to new heights year after year through competition, films, and progression.
1. Scotty Cranmer
One of the most influential BMX riders of all time, Scotty Cranmer has been at the forefront of BMX for over two decades. He’s won nearly every major competition in BMX, including X Games gold medals and D Dew Tour championships.
Cranmer is renowned for his smooth style and innovation on vert, park, and street. After recovering from a serious spinal cord injury in 2016, Cranmer continues to inspire new generations of riders.
2. Daniel Dhers
The Venezuelan BMX legend Daniel Dhers is one of the most decorated vert and park riders ever. He dominated X Games vert throughout the 2000s, winning five straight golds from 2002-2006.
Dhers has also won multiple medals on the Dew Tour and in the FISE World Series. He owns his own BMX training complex called Nitro Circus, encouraging new talent from around the world. Even in his late 30s, Dhers continues to push the progression of vert riding.
3. Garrett Reynolds
Garrett Reynolds has cemented himself as one of the greatest street BMX riders of his generation. His fluent style and groundbreaking tricks have won him almost every major street competition.
Reynolds took home an incredible seven straight X Games gold medals in BMX Street from 2008 to 2014. He’s also won multiple Dew Tour and Vans Park Series events. Reynolds’ innovation in grind and rail tricks has greatly influenced street riding.
4. Chad Kerley
As one of today’s elite street riders, Chad Kerley impresses crowds with his huge bag of technical tricks. He’s known for effortlessly linking difficult combos and transitioning between setups.
Kerley won back-to-back gold medals at X Games Austin 2014 and 2015. He’s also collected medals across the Dew Tour, Vans Park Series, and FISE World Series. His smooth precision on street courses is almost unmatched.
5. Dennis Enarson
Dennis Enarson has long been among the world’s best street and park competitors. The American has a deep bag of tricks including tailwhips, truck drivers, and barspins that win over judges.
Enarson has won a silver medal in BMX Big Air at the X Games as well as a bronze in Park and Street. His all-around skills make him a constant podium contender at any competition.
6. Pat Casey
Pat Casey is the fresh face of BMX street riding today. The 20-year-old took the BMX world by storm in 2017, winning back-to-back street golds at X Games Minneapolis and X Games Los Angeles.
Casey’s creativity on rails and gaps along with his consistency make him unbeatable on his day. With his career just getting started, the young American could dominate BMX Street for years to come.
7. Nigel Sylvester
While not competing much lately, Nigel Sylvester remains one of the most influential BMX riders globally. The New Yorker has produced groundbreaking street videos since the early 2000s that set trends.
His smooth style inspires new generations of riders. Sylvester also works extensively with sponsors and charities to promote BMX and create opportunities for inner-city kids.
8. Kevin Peraza
Kevin Peraza first made waves by winning the amateur rodeo at the X Games at just 15 years old. He turned pro in 2014 and hasn’t looked back, collecting multiple park and street medals at the X Games, Dew Tour, and FISE World Series.
The Arizona resident has also starred in web clips and edits that showcase his creative line combinations on park features. Still just 21, Peraza keeps improving his contest runs year after year.
9. Harry Main
Brit BMX pro Harry Main is one of the sport’s most recognizable figures and best park riders. He’s been competing for over a decade on the FMB World Tour, winning World and European Championships.
Main has also appeared in prestigious events like the X Games and Dew Cup. His huge trick repertoire including variations of whips and 360s make him a favorite with crowds around the globe.
10. Tom Dugan
Tom Dugan has showcased his signature flowing style on park courses for over two decades. The veteran pro represented the U.S. on the inaugural UCI BMX World Championships park team 2001.
He’s also appeared in the X Games and Gravity Games over 10 times, winning park medals. Dugan is still competing and progressing into his 40s through a focus on fitness and a competition mentality.
11. Alfredo Mancuso
Italian Alfredo Mancuso has established himself as one of the preeminent BMX Park riders in the world. He finished third at the debut UCI BMX World Championships and became Italian National Champion three times.
Mancuso has continued to excel, winning multiple Dew Tour and UCI World Cup podiums. His huge tricks and fluid park riding make him a consistent top finisher.
12. Ryan Nyquist
Ryan Nyquist is a living legend in BMX Park and dirt jumping after dominating both for two decades. He’s a five-time X Games gold medalist, eight-time Dew Cup champion, and two-time World Champion.
Nyquist’s progression of 360 variations like tailwhips, truck drivers, and barspins make him arguably the best park/dirt jumper ever. Even in his 40s, his timeless style still holds up.
13. Daniel Sandoval
Daniel Sandoval has long pushed the limits of technical street riding. The veteran pro specializes in creative rail setups and technical lines that few can match.
He’s appeared in X Games, Dew Tour, Simple Session, and contests worldwide for almost 20 years. While Sandoval often doesn’t chase competition points, his videos and web edits inspire new generations.
14. Cory Berglar
One of the smoothest BMX vert competitors ever, Cory Berglar has captured podiums for two decades across the X Games, Gravity Games, Dew Tour, and Vans Park Series.
He finished second at the X Games vert in 1995 and still competes at an elite level. Burglar is renowned for his effortless style and huge airs above the lip.
Now into his 40s, Burglar is the wise veteran of the vert scene.
15. Dennis McCoy
Widely known as “The Godfather of Freestyle”, Dennis McCoy dominated the BMX scene through the 1980s and 90s. He created many original flatland tricks and took home over 100 professional titles.
McCoy also won five X Games medals along with countless other competitions. While he’s stepped back from competing in recent years, McCoy’s impact on early freestyle riding is unmatched.
16. Zack Warden
Zack Warden made his name winning BMX Big Air gold at X Games 2013 with a pioneering backflip barspin. He went on to collect more X Games, Dew Tour, and Nitro Circus podiums in the coming years.
Warden has also pushed progression riding mega ramps and expansive dirt jumps. His huge air and originality captivate audiences and judges alike.
17. Simone Barraco
Italian rider Simone Barraco excels at bringing creativity to street courses along with power and consistency. He’s represented Europe at the X Games with multiple top-10 finishes.
On the FMB World Tour, Barraco has stood atop the podium and continues to travel the globe for events. His innovation on rails and ability to link long lines make him tough to beat.
18. Trey Jones
Trey Jones emerged as one of BMX’s top street riders by winning X Games Austin gold at just 17 years old in 2016. The young American follows in the footsteps of Garrett Reynolds with a fluid style on rails and big gaps.
Jones competes across the X Games, Dew Tour, and Vans Park Series, regularly finishing in the top 3. As his career takes off, his best contests and videos are surely still to come.
19. Sean Sexton
Veteran street and park rider Sean Sexton has appeared in BMX competitions for over 20 years, from the X Games to the Dew Tour to the Vans Park Series.
The technically precise Sexton still impresses today with smooth grinds, tailwhips, and transfers that link together effortlessly. His consistency over two decades at the top level is almost unmatched in BMX.
20. Colton Satterfield
NorCal’s Colton Satterfield emerged as a force in BMX Park around 2015 and is still going strong. He’s excelled across the Dew Tour, X Games, and Vans Park Series with multiple podium finishes.
Satterfield’s signature amplitude out of the park along with trick innovation makes him a favorite to take gold at any contest. Expect his career to continue flourishing over the next decade.
21. Mike Spinner
Florida’s Mike Spinner has pushed street riding progression for 15 years with creative board/rail slides and gap/stairs tricks. From forming Audi/Rolling with one of BMX’s best videos in 2010 to earning sponsors like Red Bull, Spinner’s career has mirrored street riding’s growth.
His consistency and work ethic on and off the bike are second to none.
22. Steven Hamilton
Steven Hamilton emerged from the UK in the early 2000s to become one of BMX’s biggest stars and a legend of dirt jumping. His Road Fools segment in 2004 cemented him as an icon.
Hamilton also dominated contests like the Dew Cup, Gravity Games, and X Games before retiring in the 2010s. His influential riding style still inspires top dirt jumpers today.
23. Rob Darden
Rob Darden has quite literally taken BMX to new heights as one of the sport’s best vert/mega ramp riders. He’s been competing at an elite level since the early 2000s, winning X Games, Gravity Games, and Dew Tour medals.
Darden’s specialty is pushing big air boundaries, from clearing the X Games mega ramp gap to setting new high air records. Even in his 30s, he keeps innovating.
24. Dave Mirra
The late Dave Mirra remains an absolute legend in BMX and action sports. With 24 X Games medals, Mirra was the most decorated X Games athlete ever at the time of his retirement.
He pioneered progression in street and park riding in the 1990s and 2000s with innovative tricks and huge airs. Mirra tragically took his own life in 2016, but his pioneering legacy lives on.
25. Rick Thorne
An icon of early freestyle, Rick Thorne mastered vert, street, and flatland pioneering tricks throughout the 1980s. He appeared in classic movies like Rad and won an X Games gold in 1995.
Thorne’s effortless style on all terrain helped progress the sport in its infancy. While retired today, his influence during BMX’s emergence is monumental.
26. Anthony Napolitan
Anthony Napolitan has been a consistent street contender for nearly two decades, appearing in all the sport’s biggest competitions. He excels at linking technical rail and gap setups with creativity.
Napolitano has also pushed BMX filming, producing groundbreaking videos like Deadline. His longevity and consistency at the top level is incredible.
27. Dakota Roche
Creative park and street rider Dakota Roche has pushed trick innovation and bike control for over a decade. He excels at flowing park lines and bike-handling skills like nose manuals and wheelies.
Roche has also filmed video parts and web series that inspire new generations. His range across disciplines makes him one of the most well-rounded pros.
28. Ben Wallace
As a BMX veteran, Ben Wallace has ridden for sponsorship teams like Haro, GT, and Hyper for over 20 years. His fluid style and deep bag of tricks make him one of the most recognizable BMX stars.
Wallace has competed across the Dew Tour, Gravity Games, X Games, and more. While in his 40s now, Wallace still rides demos and events at an elite level.
29. Mike Escamilla
A freeride icon, Mike Escamilla has taken BMX to places previously unheard of. He’s known for pioneering massive jumps, cliff drops, and mega ramp riding. Escamilla has also pushed progression in competitions like Red Bull X-Fighters.
His daring riding combines BMX with motocross and rally car influences to expand possibilities.
30. Morgan Wade
One of the emerging talents in BMX, Morgan Wade first grabbed attention by winning X Games Real Street gold in 2019 just after turning pro. The young street rider combines consistency with creative lines that are breathtaking.
After taking a break in 2020, Wade’s return in 2021 showed he’s still advancing the sport and hungry for more gold.
Conclusion
As BMX riding progresses, the limits of what’s possible remain redefined. The riders above represent the top 30 best BMX riders and athletes who are pushing their skills and creativity to new levels.
From rising young talents to seasoned veterans, these BMX stars exemplify the dedication and innovation that makes the sport so incredible.
Whether riding vert ramps, dirt jumps or urban streets, the riders here continue to inspire new generations to pick up BMX.