The history of BMX Freestyle began in the skateparks of San Diego, California, in the mid-70s. The discipline was inspired by Bob Haro, the "Godfather of BMX Freestyle", a figure who has become iconic in the BMX community. At the age of 17, he was one of the first to launch his BMX on the modules of skateparks, where he worked and performed stylish tricks. Through his brand, his publications and his spectacular demonstrations, Haro has made a major contribution to the spread of freestyle bike culture.
BMX Freestyle had its golden age in the 80s. It regained popularity in the 2000s, through the X Games and FISE, and even became an Olympic discipline (in the BMX Park specialty) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
To get started or improve your skills, you need to choose your BMX Freestyle. Here's Probikeshop's advice to help you make the right choice!
A reminder of the different BMX Freestyle practices
BMX Freestyle is all about freedom, creativity and style. Over the years, BMXers have naturally explored different fields of expression. Today, the BMX Freestyle encompasses several disciplines or specialties: Park, Dirt, Flat, Street and Vert' (or Ramp).
Park
Popularized by the X Games and FISE, BMX Freestyle Park (or BMX Park) is the ultimate freestyle discipline. This is the discipline that has been introduced at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The playing field is a specially designed park with modules of different sizes and dimensions (funbox, quarter, volcano, step-up, wallride, hips). Competitors take off for one-minute sessions, where they link tricks in complete freedom. Judges award a score for each run.
BMX Park is renowned for its spectacular tricks: Tailwhip, Flair, Backflip, Frontflip, Barspin, Nothing Front Bike Flip, etc. The men's discipline is dominated by Australia's Logan Martin (double world champion, Olympic BMX Park champion). American Hannah Roberts is the most successful female rider (Olympic vice-champion, three-time world champion, 4-time World Cup overall).
Dirt
BMX Dirt is another highly spectacular format, which provided some memorable moments at the X Games. A Dirt contest is organized on a field of moguls, either indoors or outdoors. The moguls are cut to offer a wide jumping amplitude, with deep pits separating the take-off and landing. The session is short and intense, with one trick following another at a fast pace. Dirt features the most emblematic BMX tricks (double or triple Tailwhip, 360 No-hand, Superman...). Dirt requires total commitment at the start of the ramp!
The Flat
BMX Flat (or Flatland) is an ultra-technical discipline with its own UCI World Cup and World Championship. It involves performing tricks on the ground with your bike, on flat ground, using balance and rotation. Flat incorporates a strong artistic dimension, bringing it closer to urban dance (breakdance, hip-hop) in both style and scenography. In Flat, competitors often lean on the pegs. They touch the tires with their feet to maneuver the bike in balance.
Frenchman Matthias Dandois is a Flat reference: in 2021, he will win his 9th World Championship title.
The Street
BMX Street dates back to the early days of freestyle cycling. It's an alternative to the Park, free of all constraints. The urban world in the broadest sense of the term becomes a playground for the BMX Street Rider, who sees inclined planes, steps, benches and walls as all the supports needed to perform stylish tricks. Ramps and railings are used for "grinder" (sliding on pegs).
La Rampe (Vert')
The "ramp" is a rather exclusive BMX discipline, as it requires a large structure (half-pipe), not necessarily found in public skateparks. The ramp takes the form of a "U" of varying heights.
Competitors enter the "U" for short sessions. Rolling from one side of the ramp to the other, they go for a jump on each pass. The rider must maintain speed and find maximum amplitude on each impulse, to perform aerial tricks.
The greatest BMX legends have shone on this ramp (Mat Hoffman, Jamie Bestwick...).
All you need to know to choose the right BMX Freestyle bike
Frame material, size, equipment, practice, level, style... What are the most important criteria for choosing your BMX Freestyle bike?
Choosing the right size BMX Freestyle bike
For a good start, the question of style is really secondary. You need to focus on the essentials: frame size. You need to feel comfortable on your BMX, so you can ride with confidence and hope to make progress and have fun on your freestyle bike. If your BMX is too big, you'll soon tire of it. It's often advisable to opt for a size down if you're between 2 frame sizes.
The length of the Top Tube is used to define the size of a Freestyle BMX. This size is expressed in inches. Be careful not to confuse the size of the top tube with the size of the wheels (20-inch format for all adult BMX bikes).
Probikeshop offers you the following size guide to find your BMX Freestyle:
| Frame size (Top Tube) | Wheel size | Tire size | |
| 1 - 1,15 m | 12" | 12" | 12 "x2,125 |
| 1,10 - 1,25 m | 16" | 16" | 16 "x2,10 - 16 "x2,20 |
| 1,25 - 1,35 m | 17" | 18" | 18 "x2,10 - 18x2,35 |
| 1,35 - 1,45 m | 18,5" - 19,5" | 20" | 20 "x2,10 - 20 "x2,40 |
| 1,45 - 1,55 m | 20" - 20,20" | 20" | 20 "x2,10 - 20 "x2,40 |
| 1,55 - 1,65 m | 20,25" - 20,30" | 20" | 20 "x2,10 - 20 "x2,40 |
| 1,65 - 1,75 m | 20,50" - 20,75" | 20" | 20 "x2,10 - 20 "x2,40 |
| > 1,75m | 20,80" - 21" | 20" | 20 "x2,10 - 20 "x2,50 |
What material should I choose for my BMX Freestyle?
Freestyle BMX frames are always made of steel. It's a tough, durable, easily repairable material that's better able to withstand big impacts and hard landings. You'll find 2 types of steel: hi-ten steel (high tensile steel) and chromoly steel (chromium-molybdenum steel, Cromo, Cr Mo).
More affordable, but heavier and less resistant, hi-ten steel is used on entry-level BMXs. More resistant and lighter at the same time, chromoly steel is reserved for the best BMXs. It allows us to create frames with thinner, more resistant tubes. Chromoly steel helps reduce the weight of the BMX, making it easier to handle.
Aluminum can be used for certain peripherals, such as stems and seatposts.
Which frame geometry?
On the whole, BMX Freestyle bikes are similar in size (20"), dimensions and design. But a closer look reveals some subtle differences, depending on the type of riding (Flat, Street, Park...).
Flat BMX bikes are the most unusual. They use a compact, shorter and lower frame, offering maximum manoeuvrability and plenty of room for tricks. The BMX Flat's forks are generally not offset. That said, a Street model can also be used for Flat riding, depending on the rider's sensations, preferences and size.
In terms of geometry, Street, Park and Dirt BMXs all share the same characteristics. They aim for both maneuverability and stability. We always find a steering angle close to 75°, combined with a fork that marks a forward offset. Chainstay lengths vary very slightly, from 13" to 13.25".
For beginners, we advise you to opt for a BMX with versatile geometry, that will allow you to explore different freestyle practices and find your own path!
Which braking system best suits your BMX riding style?
Freestyle stars often ride without brakes (brakeless mode), but to reduce the weight of their machines as much as possible, we strongly advise against dismantling your BMX's original brake system.
While the BMX brake is of little use in flatland riding, it is particularly useful in dirt or park riding, for controlling speed after landings.
Freestyle BMX bikes use U-brake calipers, or center-pull rim brakes. The most common formula is limited to a single rear brake, with a direct cable of varying length. From a certain level of Park riding onwards, the use of a rotor brake is essential for tricks such as Tailwhip or Barspin. The rotor is a mechanism that allows the handlebar to be turned through 360°, without interfering with the brake cable.
BMX Freestyle wheels: single or double-walled?
BMX Freestyle bikes come with single-, double- or triple-walled aluminum rims. Your choice of rim type will depend on your riding style and your level of commitment.
Reinforced double-wall rims are recommended for experienced athletes who are starting to get the hang of park riding. They offer versatile wheels with a good weight-to-resistance ratio, providing material security for any freestyle discipline. Triple-wall rims are more suited to extreme riding (BMX Dirt).
BMX Freestyle components and accessories
Depending on your speciality, your BMX Freestyle will need more or less specific equipment.
Pegs come immediately to mind, as they are emblematic accessories on BMX Flat and BMX Street bikes. In plastic, steel or aluminum, pegs are extensions fitted to the wheel axles. On Flat bikes, they allow you to balance your feet on either the front or rear wheel. In Street, pegs are used to "grinder" (slide) on street furniture.
Park and Street BMX bikes can use a cassette or freecoaster rear hubs. Unlike the cassette hub, the freecoaster allows you to ride in reverse without driving the crankset. The choice of this type of equipment is a must for every BMXer at a certain level of riding.
If you're thinking of trying BMX Dirt, opt for a model with versatile tires and studs that guarantee good grip over bumps.
On a BMX, the quality of the bearings has a direct influence on durability. Sealed bearings last longer than basic bearings.
What equipment do I need for BMX Freestyle?
When it comes to your BMX equipment, we advise you to take maximum precautions, both in the learning phase and in the progression phase. Protective gear is very important in BMX, as falls are part and parcel of the sport and can leave their mark.
BMX helmet
In Freestyle, the BMX helmet takes the form of a bowl helmet or a full-face helmet.
With its covering design characteristic of urban sports, the bowl helmet offers effective protection for the skull, while remaining lightweight and stylish. Bowl helmets are used in the less extreme freestyle disciplines, such as Park, Street and Flat.
The full-face helmet covers the rider's entire head. It provides a higher level of protection, for example by incorporating an additional safety feature such as the MIPS (Multi directional Impact Protection System). Full-face helmets are ideal for dirt and ramp riding, where the rider performs aerial tricks with maximum amplitude.
Elbow, knee, shin and ankle pads
The elbow pads and knee pads protect the joints on big impacts. They also prevent burns and scratches on small falls in Park/Street.
Shin guards protect you from pedal kickbacks, which can take a (very) heavy toll on the shin.
Ankle protectors are particularly useful for riders with fragile ankles. They help to stabilize your footing on the pedal or on the ground, making it safer on big landings or failed landings. Ankle guards reduce the risk of sprains.
Gloves
The long gloves are primarily designed to protect the palms of the hands in the event of a fall. BMX gloves are also designed to secure the grip on handlebar grips.
Shoes for BMX Freestyle
We recommend sturdy shoes with thick rubber soles. The grooved/waffle sole (Vans type) gives you a good grip on the pedal, so you can throw your tricks more efficiently and land more securely.
