How to Wall Ride a BMX

Freestyle BMX is a sport in which bikers ride modified bikes that enable them to perform tricks ranging from simple jumps to advanced spins and plants. A popular move is the wall ride, in which a rider goes up a quarter-pipe ramp, touches both wheels to a wall, then rides back down the ramp backward. While the jump can be intimidating at first, both for the height achieved and the backwards ride, with practice it can be mastered.

Instructions

    • 1

      Practice riding the BMX backward, first slowly, then gradually at a higher speed. As the wall ride requires a backward landing on the ramp, it is important to be comfortable riding backward before attempting the trick, or else you can badly injure yourself.

    • 2

      Ride at the ramp at a comfortable but fast speed. It is important not to be out of control, but you must get enough speed so you can get enough height above the ramp to touch the wall and push back off in time to land on the ramp again.

    • 3

      Launch off the top of the ramp so that you are travelling straight up from the lip vertically.

    • 4

      Push toward the wall on both the pedals and handlebars so that the bike moves toward the wall evenly, and both the front and back tires touch it at the same time.

    • 5

      Pull back off the wall to prepare for re-entry onto the ramp.

    • 6

      Land on the ramp backward, and ride down in reverse. You can continue performing tricks that require moving backward or you can perform a turn so that you are travelling forward again.