Anyone who wants to shine with spectacular BMX tricks must first master the basics. The basics include jumps and grinds, as well as simple handlebar turns. If you take the tips from experts to heart and practice a lot, you’ll soon be able to balance on the axle extensions, or pegs for short, while the front or rear wheel hangs in the air. Learn the names and workings of BMX tricks.
Basics for BMX beginners
One of the easiest BMX tricks is the bunny hop: it allows you to jump over curbs, for example. While riding, the rider pulls the front wheel into the air and then lands gently on the ground. Tip: When landing, shift your weight to the rear wheel - this relieves the strain on your wrists.
The same technique is crucial for the so-called Wheely. The freestyler pulls the front wheel into the air, but pedals to continue on the rear wheel. Both BMX tricks are important prerequisites for the jumps, jumps over small ramps, called kickers in the scene.
Tip: Start with low ramps and short jumps. If you master these safely, you can dare to do 180- or 360-degree turns.
In addition to jumps, the classic tricks of extreme sports also include grinds and lip tricks. The pro understands this to mean sliding over railings or standing on edges such as curbs and benches. Flatlanders manage completely without any obstacles. These are BMXers who perform tricks exclusively on flat terrain.
BMX tricks: The best tips
BMX tricks suitable for beginners are those in which you put the handlebars in a twisting motion. For an X-up, rotate it 180 degrees so that your arms then form an X. For a barspin, give the handlebars a push as you jump, but then let go. Tip: Beginners start with a half turn, advanced riders do a 540-degree barspin.
A popular stunt is the Hang Five. The rider places his left foot on the front peg at medium speed while the rear wheel takes off. Ben Ofosu-Agyemang, BMX flatland rider from Hamburg, gives a crucial tip on “Men’s Health” on how to do the trick best: “Shift your weight forward, gain momentum with your stretched right leg and jerk the handlebars down.” In the process, the butt touches the saddle, the right leg is stretched back and provides the right balance.
Caution: Don’t get too much momentum, otherwise you could roll over to the front.
Different types of BMX freestyle
The discipline of freestyle is again divided into different subdisciplines. While in the discipline “Dirt” the participants jump over a hill into the air, in “Vert” they use a half pipe. In the “Street” variant, natural obstacles must be overcome on the street, and in “Flat” tricks and feats must be performed on a flat surface. If you are interested in these sports, you need to slowly increase your skills on the BMX bike. However, it is also great fun to simply ride the agile, stable bike over hill and dale.
