Melanie Osborne

Melanie Osborne’s BMX journey began in 1982 in an unexpected way. While watching her friend Chris Potter race, his parents were speaking with sponsors SRE about supporting their son and happened to mention Melanie’s natural speed and cycling ability. At the time, Melanie had never raced BMX, never ridden on a BMX track, and did not even own a BMX bike.

Intrigued, the team from SRE invited Melanie to test ride one of their bikes in a car park while they observed. During the ride, they repeatedly encouraged her to go faster. As she pushed the bike to its limits, she became so focused on examining its components that she almost collided with a brick building. With quick reactions, she managed to skid the bike sideways, staying upright and missing the wall by only inches.

Impressed by her natural talent, SRE founder Colin Saunders offered Melanie a full sponsorship on the spot. Until a custom-built SRE bike could be completed, she was provided with a Redline to race. The following weekend, SRE took her to Bath for her very first BMX race. Racing in the Senior Girls category, Melanie returned home with a first-place finish.

Soon afterwards, her custom SRE bike was ready. The back of her distinctive red helmet proudly displayed the nickname “Magic Mel,” and she quickly lived up to the title. For more than a year, she dominated regional and Open National competitions, consistently taking first place.

By 1983 and 1984, Melanie had established herself as the number one female BMX racer in the South West of England. She competed against many of the sport’s leading riders and reigning champions, continuing to achieve outstanding results.

One of the defining moments of her racing career came in 1983 at a National event held at Bournemouth BMX Track. There, she met and raced against Alice Temple, the reigning British Champion. Admitting to some nerves at the prospect of racing against BMX royalty, Melanie delivered one of the finest performances of her career. In a closely contested race, she crossed the finish line in first place, a victory she still regards as one of her greatest achievements.

As her success grew, Melanie attracted further sponsorships from some of the biggest names in BMX. She was sponsored by World Champion Greg Hill through GHP, riding bikes that played a significant role in her continued success. She later joined the team of the late Graham Merry, racing on a CW bike. Graham and his wife Pam were highly respected figures within the BMX community and became valued friends, often driving Melanie and the team to races throughout the country.

Melanie’s BMX career remains a proud chapter in British BMX history, reflecting her natural talent, determination, and competitive spirit during the formative years of the sport.