Grinds
Grinds are where a rider’s BMX bike will slide along a surface (such as a rail, ledge or lip of a ramp) on a part of the bike other than the wheels. Usually “stunt pegs” are used; these are short tubes that are attached in-line with an axle that project out from the main frame so that they can slide along the surface they wish to grind. Some grinds also involve the cranks and pedals.
- Double peg: The rider must bunny-hop on and land both pegs on the rail or ledge (wheels must be off the ground for all grinds).
- Feeble grind: The most basic grind to do on a ledge. The rider must bunny hop and land the rear peg and the front wheel on the ledge. This is easy to do on a ledge because ledges are generally wider than rails.
- Smith grind: The step up from a feeble. The rider must bunny-hop and land the front peg and rear wheel on the ledge or rail.
- Luc-e grind: The rider must bunny-hop, turn the handlebars 45 degrees, and land the back peg and the pedal on the ledge and lean back, keeping the front wheel off the ground but not grinding the front peg on the top of the ledge either.
- UnLuc-e grind: The rider bunny-hops and lands the front peg and pedal on the ledge or rail, keeping the back wheel off the ground.
- Roller coaster grind: The rider must find two rails or ledges close enough together so they can bunny hop and grind with at least one peg on each rail.
- Icepick grind: A rear peg grind where the rider is riding on the back peg only with the front wheel above the rail or ledge they are grinding on.
- Crooked grind: When alternate pegs are on either side of the rail.
- Predator grind: When the rider does a double peg grind on a rail then hops over to his alternate pegs.
- Toothpick grind: The rider slides on the front peg only with the rear wheel in mid air.
- Toothpick hangover : A toothpick grind where the rider hangs the rear end of their bike over the opposite side of the rail or ledge they are grinding.
- Snaggletooth: This is an over to toothpick hangover.
- Howyadoin grind: this is a rail hop 180 to an icepick to half cab (180) off. usually performed on a rail, but sometimes on a thin ledge.
- Lucky: The rider icepicks the rail while also having the pedal sliding to, but the front peg is below the rail.
Air Tricks
These tricks take place in the air. BMX freestyle dirt involves many air tricks.
- Tabletop: While in the air the rider will bring the bike up to one side of him/her by turning the handlebars and using body movement making the bike look like it is flat like the top of a table.
- Superman: The rider removes both feet and extends them outwards to resemble Superman in flight.
- Barspin: Spinning the handle bars 360° while in the air.
- Tailwhip: The rider throws the bike out to one side of them while still holding onto the handle bars so the main frame goes 360° around the steer tube, the rider then catches the frame again and stands back on the pedals.
- Decade: Similar to the flatland decade, the rider throws themself around the bike whilst holding on the handlebars before coming back round to meet the bike and land on the pedals.
- Backflip: Both rider and bike do a backward flip while in the air, usually from one ramp to another.
- Frontflip: Both rider and bike do a forward flip while in the air, again, usually from one ramp to another.
- Flair: Both rider and bike do a backflip combined with a 180 to land facing back down the ramp. Usually performed on a quarter pipe.
- 180°: The rider and bike spin 180° in the air and land backwards, in what is called fakie (riding backwards).
- 360°: The rider and bike spin 360°.
- X-up: The rider turns the bars at least 180 degrees, so the arms are crossed and then turns them back.
- Can Can: The rider brings a foot over the bike to the other side.
- No Footed Can: The rider does a can can but takes the other foot off the pedal as well, so that both legs are on one side of the bike.
- Tire grab: The rider grabs the front tire.
- Tuck no Hander: The rider tucks in the handlebars and takes both hands off.
- Turn down: The rider will whip the bike out to one side and turn the handle bars into his or her legs wrapping them around their leg.
- Crankflip: The rider bunny hops and kicks the pedals backwards so the crank arms make a 360° spin and then feet are placed back on pedals to stop the cranks.
- ET: The rider is in mid air and pedals quickly as though he is riding normally.
- UFO: The rider is in mid air and pedals backwards quickly.
- Bikeflip: The rider will just flip his bicycle but he doesn’t move in air.
- Seat grab: The rider takes one hand off the bars and grabs their seat, then returns their hand to the bars before landing.
Variations and combinations of these tricks also exist, for example a 360° tailwhip would be where the rider spins 360° in one direction and the frame of the bike spins 360° around the steer tube, both bike and rider will then meet again, with the rider catching the pedals, facing the same direction as before the trick.
Flatland Tricks
Flatland tricks are not just used within flatland BMX, but also in street BMX. Flatland tricks usually involve much balance, more often than not with only one wheel in contact with the ground.
- Wheelie: The most basic of flatland tricks, the wheelie is when the rider rides the bike on only the back wheel whilst pedaling.
- Endo: Basic flatland trick where the rider uses the front brake or a curb to lift the back wheel and balance on the front tire.
- Front or Back Pogos: Basic flatland trick where the rider stands on the wheel pegs (front or back), locks the wheel’s brake, and hops with the other wheel in the air.
- Manual: A step-up from the wheelie, the manual is essentially the same only the rider does not pedal; this makes the trick more difficult to perform as point of balance between the front and back of the bike has to be reached. Professional riders can often do this until their bike runs out of momentum.
- Pogo: The most popular advanced basic trick. Created in the 80’s, it is executed by swinging the bike to a vertical position on its rear wheel while the rider sits and hops on it to maintain balance.
- Nose manual: The same concept as a manual, only performed with the back wheel in the air and the front wheel on the ground.
- Bunny hop: A bunny hop is achieved when a rider jumps the bike into the air from flat ground (this can also be done close to the lip of ramp to gain more height) so that neither wheels are touching the ground.
- Dork Wheelie: When rider puts one foot on the peg, and the other foot in the air, controlling balance, and ride down the street in a manual with the foot on the peg.
- Fork Wheelie: When a rider puts one foot on the front peg and spins the handlebars around, to lift the bike up into a fakie manual, with both feet on pegs.
- Footjam Tailwhip: The rider jams his/her foot in the fork to start a foot jam endo then kicks the tail of the bike around. When the tail of the bike goes 360 degrees the rider puts his/her foot back on the pedals. An alternate trick is to jump the frame as it comes around repeatedly until the rider elects to put his/her foot back on the pedals.
- Footjam: The rider jams his foot between the forks and tire, stopping the bike, and he balances with the back tire airborne.
