| BMX Biking, which is similar to mountain | | | | mounds of dirt - formed by compacting mud - |
| biking, is a multi-faceted sport with many | | | | and is sometimes known as "dirty jumping." In |
| different disciplines. There are four major | | | | order to do this kind of riding, the biker |
| BMX concentrations - park, vertical, trails, | | | | will need a heavier, more reinforced bike, |
| and flatlands. They each have their own | | | | and it will usually only have rear brakes, as |
| rules and specifics which will be outlined in | | | | the terrain is very rough and hard on the |
| this article. | | | | rider. There are a lot of gaps in the mud |
| | | | and dirt that the rider has to deal with, |
| Park riding is often done in standard skate | | | | with the gaps ranging anywhere from three |
| parks, as BMX park riding takes a great | | | | feet to up to 20 feet. On average, the gaps |
| amount of inspiration from skateboarding. | | | | are about 12 feet. |
| Skate parks have all kinds of different | | | | |
| obstacles and they can be made from wood, | | | | Flatland BMX is one of the least popular BMX |
| metal, or concrete, which makes them the | | | | sports. It is done on any simple flat |
| perfect grounds for BMX riding as well. | | | | surface, most commonly, concrete. The tricks |
| Depending on the type of obstacle, the | | | | involve balance and spinning tricks more than |
| rider's style will change. Some of the most | | | | high jumps found in other types of BMX |
| common obstacles one will see in a park | | | | riding. The bikes are usually equipped with |
| include quarter pipes, spines, flat banks, | | | | pegs that the bikers can stand on, enabling |
| walls, mini ramps, boxes, hips, and pyramids. | | | | them to do even more diverse and strange |
| All are used for different tricks, and in | | | | tricks with their bikes. The bikes are often |
| sanctioned competitions, the speed, skill, | | | | short and light, which enables the jumping |
| and fluidity of the trick is rated and judged | | | | and spinning type tricks that the bikers will |
| to determine a points-based winner. | | | | be attempting. Some of the popular tricks |
| | | | include the bunnyhop, air, grinding, fakies, |
| Vertical riding, which is commonly called by | | | | manuals, wallrides, endos, roll-backs, and |
| its slang variant, "vert," is an extreme form | | | | catwalks. |
| of BMX. The standard ramp consists of two | | | | |
| half pipes that have been joined to form what | | | | As for grinding, the most common tricks |
| looks like an expanded "u" shape. The record | | | | include feeble, smith, double-peg, icepick, |
| for the biggest ramp is the 27-foot tall | | | | toothpick, crooked, and pedal grinds, though |
| X-Games "big air" ramp. This is the most | | | | there are many other variations on the grind. |
| dangerous form of BMX racing, and there are | | | | |
| very few professionals who go into this | | | | Air tricks include X-up, one handed riding, |
| discipline, or stay at it for a very long | | | | no handed riding, seat grabs, tire grabs, 180 |
| time. Matt Hoffman, who is probably one of | | | | 360/540/720/900/1080 spins, backflips, |
| the best known BMX vertical riders, has | | | | frontflips, flairs, tabletops, lookbacks, |
| nearly lost his life on several attempts to | | | | barspins, can-cans, and many others. |
| set new records for height and speed. | | | | |
| | | | As you can see, there are many different |
| Trail riding involves dealing with huge | | | | aspects to BMX biking. |