BMX

The BMX is where CJ’s story on wheels begins. IGN’s vehicle guide notes that San Andreas was the first GTA to let you ride bicycles, and the BMX is the first one you use. It is not fast, but it is nimble and can reach places a car cannot.

Your first ride

In the opening mission, In the Beginning, CJ is dumped by corrupt police and left with nothing but a bike. GamesRadar’s early hands on describes finding the BMX in the alley right after the cutscene and riding it back to CJ’s old house. Its PS2 review praises the detail: CJ swings his leg out on corners and the spokes hum.

The mission Big Smoke, puts you straight back on a BMX to escape a Ballas drive by. IGN says you must stay on the bike, keep close to Sweet without riding ahead of him, and bunny hop to make yourself harder to hit.

Controls

GamesRadar’s hands on, written on PS2, explains the basics: tap the pedal button rather than holding it to go faster, push the stick back or forward for wheelies, use L1 to bunny hop and click L3 to ring the bell. All that early cycling soon raises CJ’s endurance, which the game shows with a small icon.

Where to find one

IGN lists these spots for a BMX:

• The trailer at the Angel Pine Junkyard
• East Los Santos
• The Burger Shot in Spinybed, Las Venturas

BMX Challenge

The BMX has its own stunt challenge at the skate park, and IGN’s 100 percent checklist includes it. IGN says you need to have finished the early mission Sweet and Kendl and have a cycling skill of at least 20 to 30 percent. A BMX always waits by the wooden half pipe; get on and the clock starts at about 15 seconds, with each ring adding more time. IGN recommends maxing out cycling first, since some rings need the highest bunny hop. Finishing pays $1,000. Completing it, or the NRG-500 Challenge, also earns the Bike or Biker achievement.

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Updated October 27, 2026