People all over the world had been riding bikes in a casual manner until the late 1960s.
This was the time when the bike known as the Sting-Ray was created, and sold to the public short after. This bike very well may have changed the face of biking forever. The great grips and extra cushioning on the seat paired with a very strong frame and better handlebars instantly attracted people; especially the younger generation. There is controversy that goes on sometimes whether this sport originated in 1963, or 1971, however, it is common knowledge that the sport did not take hold with the masses until 1982 when the first World Championship for the sport was held.


One reason this came to be was because people enjoyed motocross, but was completely unable to afford the equipment for it, much less motocross bike itself. Therefore a bike was created for people who wanted to participate, but on a smaller scale. At this time nobody realized this seemingly simple change would become so popular.
When the Sting-Ray was invented people realized that bikes could come in many more shapes, sizes, and forms. This led to a global change of many bikes. 

Bikes that were more able to be launched over ramps and other obstacles were created, as well as bikes that could take heavy damage. Seats were provided with more cushion and flexibility, tires were made more compact and strong, and the entire body of the bike was strengthened.
In the 1990s the sport had a firm hold in the world, never even near a chance of fading into history like other sports. Instead of one simple type of bike the world now has three types. Each is specific for certain things; jumping, Lạc Sơn Đại Phật freestyle, and BMX racing.

Although some people who ride bikes for fun dont race or do jumps, they still ride a bike that has its roots from the first BMX bike, the Sting-Ray, which can be seen on many a BMX video