Black BMX riding styles

An Introduction To BMX Riding
It’s about a way of life with a unique style that is now spreading to other areas of cycling as well as main stream fashion and culture.All BMX riding is strongly influenced by riders who have paved the way for others to follow, such as Bob Haro, Ron Wilkerson, Eddie Roman and Matt Hoffman who push the boundaries of the sport creating new tricks and constantly developing the sport. These riders lead the way in bike design and fashion with large manufacturers stepping in and using their knowledge to design new signature brands and models that are used in skate parks, on the street and raced around tracks across the world.

However, BMX is not just about riding. BMX riding has five main disciplines that are split into two sections; racing and freestyle. Four of the areas come under the general heading of freestyle riding, which all have their own style, tricks and culture. These disciplines are Flatland, Dirt Street, Ramp and Park.

Dirt Jumping
Dirt jumping takes place on either a collection of jumps (otherwise known as trails) or on one or two larger jumps. This discipline is the most common type of BMX competition seen on the TV. Trail riders often build trials in woodland with systems of jumps that all link together and larger ones mixed in so that the biker can pull different styles and ranges of tricks from one jump to the next. Dirt Jumping involves large jumps where big air is the name of the game. Lots of tricks can be dangerous and extremely difficult to perform.

BMX bikes are heavier than street or flatland cycles, made from strong steels and often triple butted welding at the joints. This is essential asthey need to be manufactured to withstand the large impacts that this skilful discipline involves. They will normally have no stunt pegs and will only feature a giro if that is the type of trick the rider wishes to perform. The wheels, although still 20?, commonly have just 36 spokes. Although strong they are lighter and easier for jumping and moving in the air. The bars are two piece for added strength and incorporate a bracing bar to stop them collapsing upon landing. Tricks include back flips, tail whips and 360s.

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Flatland BMX
The basic idea behind flatland riding is performing tricks whilst riding on a flat piece of land. This makes it highly accessible to riders as it does not require obstacles or specially built parks. As with all BMX disciplines a high level of skill and lots of practice is required with groups of riders often gathering in car parks or tennis courts to show off their moves.

The cycles tend to be short and light, giving the rider to have greater control and allowing the fames to be spun more easily. For optimum positioning at either end these bicycles have four stunt pegs (two on each wheel) and generally use a gyro headset that enables the bike to be spun 360 degrees without tangling the cables. Most BMX riders will also use two brakes at the front and rear, however this is personal choice as many prefer a simple front brake.