Flatland Tricks & Tips for BMX Bikes

Flatland BMX refers to the art of performing BMX bicycle tricks on flat ground with no obstacles or items to trick off of (ramps, bars, gaps, etc.). The best BMX flatlanders start with simple tricks, and add to them until they look insanely difficult. If you add a few simple tricks to your repertoire, and practice regularly, you'll be performing the difficult tricks in no time.

  1. Backwards Halfhiker

    • Start by standing on the front pegs, facing the bike seat, and using one of your legs to propel the front wheel downward (called a traditional fork glide). This will give you some momentum in one direction. Hold on to the handlebars and try to keep the bike steady as we get ready to begin the trick.

      Hold the handlebars with your right hand, and lift the seat up with the left. Hold onto the seat, and let go of the handlebars so that they allow the seat to come around and rest near your right hip. Now the handlebars will face forward, while the rest of the bike is backwards. The idea here is to hold on to the seat with your right hand, and to balance on the front pegs as your bike continues to propel you forward (backwards to you, due to how you are standing). Put your left hand in the air for balance, and continually adjust your weight using your knees to stay balanced.

    Bar Spin

    • While standing on your rear pegs, grab your right handlebar with your left hand. Keep your legs steady on the rear pegs, and lean back slightly to get the weight off the front wheel, which will lift the wheel slightly off the ground when you execute the trick. With your left hand, pull the handlebar toward you while keeping your weight on the rear pegs (which lifts the font wheel slightly). Stop the rotation when your right handlebar flips all the way around to become your left handlebar.

      You can also do a 360 degree bar spin by grabbing the seat with your left hand, lifting up slightly and rotating the handlebars 360 degrees with your right hand. Pull backwards on the handlebars and spin them in a clockwise motion 360 degrees.

      With a little imagination, and some practice, there are a ton of variations you can do with this trick.

    Peg Stand

    • The peg stand is accomplished by standing on your rear, or front, pegs and removing your hands from the handlebars. The trick here is balance, and it is accomplished by shifting weight between your left and right leg. Once you remove your hands, the goal is to have your bike continue forward, or backward, while you are standing on the pegs with your hands in the air. This one's always a crowd-pleaser.

    Tail Whip

    • When moving forward slowly, take your right foot off the pedal, and place it in between the fork and the tire. Apply downward pressure on the front tire while using your left foot to push the bike to the right. When done correctly, the pressure applied on the front wheel will cause the front tire to stop rotating, which will lift the back wheel off the ground long enough for you to push it around to the right. The bike should make a complete 360 degree turn, and then you catch it with your right foot, and sit back down to continue forward. While the bike is making its rotation, you are balancing on the front wheel with your right foot. Your left foot will be in the air waiting for the bike to whip back around so that you can catch it.