| Freestyle BMX (also known as Bike Stunt), a | | | | flat banks - a flat bank set at an angle of roughly |
| name given it by Mat Hoffman is a creative way | | | | 40 degrees from horizontal |
| of riding 20" wheel-base bicycles. | | | | wall rides - a vertical wall above either quarter |
| In most countries, the popularity of Freestyle | | | | pipes or flat banks |
| BMX has outgrown that of racing. Many of the | | | | miniramps - two small quarter pipes facing one |
| top-selling magazines have no, or very limited, | | | | another, like a halfpipe, but with a short flat area |
| coverage of racing, while extensively covering | | | | between. |
| every aspect of Freestyle with perhaps the | | | | hips - essentially two quarter pipes or flat banks, |
| notable exception of Flatland. | | | | each with one edge at a right angle to the other. |
| Freestyle has now been split further into a | | | | Vert |
| number of disciplines with bikes being specialized | | | | Perhaps the most extreme of the BMX disciplines, |
| to cope with the demands of different riding | | | | a Vert ramp consists of two quarter pipes set |
| styles and terrains. These disciplines include Street, | | | | facing each other (much like a mini ramp), but at |
| Flatland, Vert, Park and Dirt. | | | | around 10-13 feet tall (around 2.5 to 3 metres) |
| Street is a form of BMX riding, which boils down | | | | high. Both 'faces' of the ramp have an extension |
| to riding anything that isn't meant to be ridden; | | | | to the transition that is vertical, hence the name. |
| this includes stairs, ledges, handrails, banks, walls, | | | | Riders go up each face, performing tricks in the |
| and just about anything else. However, because | | | | air before landing into the same face. A typical run |
| these obstacles are often on private property, | | | | involves going from one side to the other, airing |
| this leaves participants of this sport at risk of | | | | above the coping each side. Also possible are 'lip |
| prosecution for trespassing, and possibly | | | | tricks' - tricks on the platform at the top of the |
| destruction of property. | | | | ramps before dropping into the ramp. |
| Flatland is the art of riding 20" wheel base bicycles | | | | Mat Hoffman popularised the sport in the early |
| on flat ground in various unique and interesting | | | | 90s, and holds the record for the highest jump of |
| ways. Though Flatland was the basis for almost | | | | 27' out of a 25' ramps (a total of over 15.5 |
| every other form of modern Freestyle riding, it | | | | metres from the ground). He achieved this by |
| has fallen wayside in popularity, yet maintains a | | | | being dragged along a field by a friend with a |
| very loyal following of dedicated riders. | | | | motorbike and hitting one face of the ramp. On |
| Vert riding is riding any half pipe that reaches | | | | one attempt, he lost control at the peak of his |
| vertical, and is at least 9 feet tall or bigger. Aerial | | | | jump, and the resulting crash caused |
| tricks are performed above the ramp on either | | | | life-threatening injuries such as losing his spleen. |
| side, and peg tricks are performed on the coping | | | | Remarkably, despite his age and injuries in the |
| at the top of the ramp. | | | | past, he still competes to this day. |
| Park is of course, riding in skateparks; this style | | | | The danger of the discipline (and scarcity of |
| of riding pulls elements from all of the other | | | | full-size vert ramps) puts most riders off, and as |
| forms, even Flatland. Skateparks, while traditionally | | | | such, there are a small number of top |
| designed for skateboarders, are just as well if not | | | | professionals who remain at the top of the sport |
| better suited for BMX riders. There are many | | | | for many years. Most notable are Dave Mirra (US) |
| skateparks all around the world, but unfortunately, | | | | and Jamie Bestwick (UK) who have won almost all |
| BMXers are often at risk of arrest or fine due to | | | | the major international competitions in the past 5 |
| restrictive rules set by insurance companies or | | | | years. |
| city councils; luckily there is a growing number of | | | | Trails |
| BMX specific or friendly facilities. | | | | A photo of some trails courtesy of |
| Dirt, also know as Trails riding, is the direct | | | | barendbmx.co.uk Trails are, as the name |
| descendant of BMX racing, and involves jumps | | | | suggests, lines of jumps built from dirt (heavily |
| made almost entirely of dirt or clay (sometimes | | | | compacted mud). The jumps consist of a steep |
| carpeting is layed on top of the jumps to protect | | | | take off, called a lip, with an often slightly less |
| them and help them hold their shape). Riders | | | | steep landing. The lip and landing are usually built as |
| usually take off of one dirt ramp, perform an | | | | separate mounds, divided by a gap. The gap is |
| aerial trick, and then land on another. This | | | | measured from the topmost part of the lip, |
| combination of a take-off and landing ramp is | | | | horizontally to the topmost part of the far side of |
| usually referred to as a "double". A series of | | | | the landing. Gaps typically range from only a |
| "doubles" in a row, make up a "line", which is | | | | couple of feet to over twenty feet. A moderate |
| completed (hopefully) in succession. There are also | | | | gap is around twelve feet. |
| other types of jumps such as tabletop's, | | | | Trails riding is sometimes also referred to as Dirt |
| camelbacks, step-up's and step-downs. dirt riding | | | | Jumping. Many maintain that a subtle difference |
| generally encompasses a lot more style and 'flow' | | | | exists in the approach of the rider; trails riders |
| than any other discipline, lines can be very | | | | focus more on flowing smoothly from one jump |
| technical and are built to the rider's specifications. | | | | to the next whilst performing more stylish tricks, |
| Jumps range in size form very small learner | | | | while dirt jumpers try to perform the craziest |
| tabletops to big double's that may have gaps as | | | | tricks they can without much thought to their |
| big as 30ft. | | | | style or smoothness. |
| Freestyle BMX is a creative way of using bicycles | | | | Although many regard trails and street as being |
| originally designed for bicycle motocross racing. It | | | | completely opposite, the attraction is |
| can be split into several disciplines, although riders | | | | similar—trails riders build their own |
| will generally participate in more than one discipline. | | | | jumps so their riding is limited only by their |
| These are Street, (skate)Park, Vert, Trails and | | | | creativity and resourcefulness. |
| Flatland. Rather confusingly, in competitions, park | | | | Dirt jumping bikes are heavier than bmx racing |
| riding is often referred to as 'Street'. | | | | bikes but lighter than freestyle bikes. Often times |
| Street | | | | a bmx jump bike will have only a rear brake and |
| Street riding occurs on public streets or private | | | | they might also sport a gyro. The gyro will allow |
| property, typically within cities and towns.BMXFU is | | | | them to do airborne tricks such as barspins. |
| a team based in NY with riders such as Charlie | | | | Flatland |
| Crumlish, Ben Freedman, Brad Caruana, Peter | | | | BMX Flatland rider at Santa Monica beach.Flatland |
| Rosendahl, Brian Nusstien, and Mike Majaris. | | | | BMX occupies a position somewhat removed |
| Without purpose-made ramps, riders have to | | | | from the rest of freestyle bmx. People who ride |
| improvise with banks, walls, rails, gaps, etc. In | | | | in the above disciplines will generally take part in at |
| fact, almost anything can be used as an obstacle, | | | | least one of the others, but flatlanders tend to |
| and it is precisely this that draws people to street | | | | only ride flatland. They are often very dedicated |
| riding. Riders enjoy street riding because they are | | | | and will spend several hours a day perfecting their |
| not constrained to what a skatepark designer has | | | | technique. |
| planned for them to ride, so it allows a good deal | | | | Flatland also differs from the others in that the |
| of creativity. Street riding relentlessly progresses, | | | | terrain used is nothing but a smooth, flat surface |
| with obstacles and tricks that were considered | | | | (e.g. an asphalt parking lot, basketball courts, etc.). |
| too big or technical to attempt, becoming | | | | Tricks are performed by spinning and balancing in |
| common place. | | | | a variety of body and bicycle positions. Riders |
| Many professional BMXers are street riders who | | | | almost always use gnurled aluminum pegs to |
| are employed for the exposure they get through | | | | stand on to manipulate the bike into even |
| video parts and magazines, rather than for their | | | | stranger positions. |
| competition results. However, these riders | | | | Flatland bikes typically have a shorter wheelbase |
| generally don't get paid the huge sums that the | | | | than other freestyle bikes. Flatland bikes differ |
| big competition riders get, as most of the big | | | | from dirt jumping bikes and freestyle bikes in one |
| money comes from placing in events such as the | | | | way. The frames are often more heavily |
| X Games. However, riders like Van Homan, who | | | | reinforced due to the fact that the people riding |
| is a progressive street rider, often enter the X | | | | flatland often stand on the frames. This shorter |
| Games and manage to place quite high. | | | | wheelbase requires less effort to make the bike |
| Street bikes are different from those used on | | | | spin or to position the bike on one wheel. One of |
| park or dirt. Typically they will have two or four | | | | the primary reasons flatlanders often ride only |
| stunt (axle) pegs for grinding. They are usually the | | | | flatland is a result of the decreased stability of |
| heaviest and strongest type of BMX bike. A | | | | using a shorter bike on ramps, dirt and street. |
| considerable number of street riders set up their | | | | A variety of options are commonly found on |
| bikes without hand brakes (popularized by riders | | | | flatland bikes. The most unifying feature of |
| such as New York's Edwin DeLaRosa and Ben | | | | flatland bikes is the use of four pegs, one on the |
| Freedman). | | | | end of each wheel axle. Flatland riders will choose |
| Some street riders may also ride park and dirt, | | | | to run either a front brake, a rear brake, both |
| but the set up of street bikes can make the | | | | brakes, or no brakes at all, depending on stylistic |
| latter difficult. | | | | preference. |
| Park | | | | History of freestyle |
| Skateparks are used by BMXers as well as | | | | Freestyle BMX was pioneered by in the late |
| skateboarders, and both draw inspiration from the | | | | 1970's and early 1980's. early pioneers of |
| other. Skateparks themselves can be made of | | | | freestyle BMX included william (Crazy |
| wood or concrete, or in the case of local | | | | Lacy)Furmage, R.L. Osborne, Mike Buff, Haro, Pat |
| council-supplied parks, metal. | | | | Romano, Stu Thompson, Woody Itson, Jonathan |
| Styles of riding will differ between wood and | | | | Capozzi and Tinker Juarez. The 1980's saw a |
| concrete parks - wood lends itself to technical | | | | major level of growth in freestyle popularity, but |
| tricks, while concrete is more suited to a fast, | | | | the 1990's brought a general decline in the interest |
| flowing style, with riders searching for gaps, and | | | | on the sport. This brought the so-called |
| aiming to air higher from the coping.Concrete | | | | "rider-owned" bicycle companies to the sport, |
| parks usualy tend to contain bowls and pools. | | | | which allowed for more freedom in designing, |
| However, it is not unusual for riders to merge the | | | | producing and building bicycle parts and accesories |
| two styles in either type of park. | | | | than the traditional corporate companies would |
| Concrete parks are commonly built outdoors due | | | | allow. |
| to their ability to withstand years of exposure to | | | | Some of freestyle's major innovators in the |
| the elements. Concrete parks are also often | | | | 1980s and 1990s included:William (Crazy |
| publicly funded due to their permanent and costly | | | | Lacy)Furmage, Eddie Fiola, Mike Dominguez, Brian |
| nature. Parks made from wood are popular with | | | | Blyther, Ron Wilkerson, Dave Voelker, Rick |
| commercial skateparks due to ease of | | | | Moliterno, Vic Murphy, Pete Agustin, Mat Hoffman, |
| construction, availability of materials, cost, and the | | | | Dave Mirra, Kevin Jones, Ryan Nyquist, Dennis |
| relative safety associated with falling on wood | | | | McCoy, Ruben Alcantara, Jamie Bestwick, Jay |
| instead of concrete. Parks designed with BMX use | | | | Miron, Joe Rich, and Taj Mihelich. |
| in mind will typically have steel coping that is less | | | | The first freestyle World Championships were |
| prone to damage than concrete or pool coping. | | | | held in Vancouver, Canada during Expo86 in 1986. |
| Common obstacles include: | | | | At present many freestyle contests are held |
| quarter pipes - literally, quarter of a pipe - riders | | | | year-round around the world, being the X-Games, |
| air from it and perform tricks on a platform | | | | the Metro Jams, the Backyard Jams, and the |
| above the ramp | | | | BMX Freestyle Worlds among the more notorious. |
| spines - two quarter pipes back to back | | | | |