Number Plates

BMX race number plates: choosing the right number carrier

The number plate is the large panel mounted at the front of the bike, between the handlebars and the head tube. It carries the number allocated to the rider and lets officials identify everyone as they leave the gate. Three criteria drive the choice: size, material and how the plate attaches to your build. Lettering is dealt with separately.

The sizes: Mini, Standard and Pro

Number plates come in a handful of sizes that follow the bike and the rider class.

• Mini: a reduced plate for Micro and Mini bikes, where a standard plate would foul the front tyre or restrict steering
• Standard: the most common size, fitted to Junior, Expert and Expert XL frames
• Pro: an equivalent or slightly larger panel, shaped for long frames and wide handlebars

Before ordering, measure the clearance between the crossbar of the handlebars and the tyre with the bars on full lock: that figure, not the frame size, decides whether a plate fits.

Materials and construction

A race plate is moulded from a flexible plastic, typically polypropylene, which bends rather than shatters in a crash and springs back into shape. The wall stays thin to limit weight and wind catch, the edges are rounded and the corners softened. The front face is flat across the whole usable area, which is essential for adhesive digits to sit without bubbles. Some plates are coloured through the material, others carry a screen-printed background.

Fitting and frame / handlebar compatibility

The plate mounts with nylon cable ties through pre-drilled holes, never with bolts. The principle is always the same: two upper points on the handlebar crossbar, one or two lower points on the down tube or head tube.

• Multiple holes or slots to suit different crossbar widths
• Works with 22.2 mm and 31.8 mm clamp bars alike, since the plate mounts on the crossbar and not on the clamped section
• Combines with a crossbar pad: fit the pad first, then the plate over the ties
• On a high-rise handlebar, allow for a slightly taller plate to clear the tyre

Our handlebar and crossbar pads sit alongside most plates without conflict, provided the ties are tightened once the pad is in place.

Numbers and lettering: what goes on top

Plates are sold blank. The number allocated by your club or federation is made up from adhesive plate numbers, and the rider name or club initial from plate letters. Pick the digit height to match the plate size chosen here: a Mini plate will not take the same sizes as a Standard.

Service life and replacement

Replace a plate when it has cracked at a fixing hole, stayed permanently warped after a crash, or become too scratched for adhesive to grip. Cable ties are consumables: check them before every moto. Sponge washing is enough; keep pressure washers away, as they lift vinyl digits.

The BMX RACING advice

Give us the rider class, the frame size and your handlebar width, and we will confirm the plate size that fits without touching the wheel, along with the matching digit height. Being multi-brand, we compare plates on how they hold up rather than pushing one range. Dispatched within 24 to 72 hours, you can spread the cost over 2 or 3 payments available, and the rest of the range in our BMX accessories.