BMX originated in the state of California, United States in the late 1960s, when teenagers imitated their motocross heroes (most notably Steve McQueen ) on their bicycles. Scot Breithaupt is credited as the founder of BMX. The 1971 motorcycle racing documentary On Any Sunday is generally credited with inspiring the movement nationally. In the opening scene, kids are shown riding their Schwinns off-road. It wasn't until the middle of that decade that the sport achieved critical mass, and manufacturers began creating bicycles designed specially for the sport. Freestyle has in fact come to be more popular than BMX racing.