Welcome to my flatland how-to's page! The tricks are in order from the easiest to hardest (according to my experience. Some tricks may be harder than others, depending on you). Some people do things differently than me, I am not an authority on tricks, I know how to do some my way. Develop your own style as you ride, and tricks will come easier to you. Also, there are some phrasee used here; "feathering the brakes", and "scuffing". To feather the brakes is to pull on them lightly, enough to controll your speed, not stop you. Eg: if you want to get the rear-end of the bike off of the ground while you are standing on the front pegs, you "feather" the brakes just enough to pull it off of the ground. "Scuffing" is when you push on the tire to control your speed. If you're going forward while facing forward, and want to speed up, you push down in swift, small motions on the front tire with your foot, and the visa-versa too. Well, with that said, read on, enjoy, and have fun!
Wheelies: This is one of the most simple and basic tricks out there. Everybody knows what they are, and everybody wants to see them. You just start out riding forward at a fare pace, then you pull up on your handlebars to get the front wheel a few feet off of the ground, and you pedal hard. Be careful not to pedal too hard, or your back will hit the ground too hard. Pretty soon you'll be doing it for 30 feet +.
Manuals: A manual has the same basics as a wheelie, only with these you do not pedal at all after the front tire is off of the ground. Start out coasting at a fare pace once more, with your pedals level (I'm right-handed so I have my right foot back, and my left foot forward). You then pull up with your knees bent slightly. The more your knees are bent, the higher your front-wheel will lift off of the ground with less effort, so be careful. As you coast forward, bend and straighten your knees to balance, the more your knees are straight, the lower the front end will go, and visa-versa. Keep practicing!
Before starting, I would just like to explain a term used on this how-to's page; "Feathering the brakes". When the term "feathering the brakes" is used, it means that you do not pull the brakes to completely stop the bike, you just lightly pull them to controll speed, and sometimes manipulate the bike. Eg: If you wanted to lift the rear tire off of the ground while you were standing on the front pegs, you "feather" the brakes to get it up without stopping. With that been said, read on, and have fun riding!
Endos: Endos are another simple trick that when you get them down, and get them big, people stare with awe at you (maybe I'm exaggerating, but who cares?). For the first few times, just start riding forward at a slower pace, and slam the front brakes only, and push forward with your arms. Your rear tire will come off the ground, then when you start to fall back to the ground. Let go of the front brakes slowly so you roll forward as you fall, then pedal as hard as you can once both tires are on the ground to go. Just keep going faster, and pushing harder to get more height with your back tire. Have fun with this trick!
Manual Bar Turns: These are pretty much just to get you used to the manual handlebar tricks that come later on. You start out riding at a fare pace, then you clench the seat with your knees (around the back, where it is the widest). Then you pull up, and turn your bars 90° for a bar-turn. The higher you go, and the longer you stay in the air, the farther you can turn your bars, which leads to x-ups.
Manual X-Ups: Here's what the bar-turns were getting you ready for. The same thing starts out, you start out riding at a fare pace, then you clench the seat with your knees (around the back, where it is the widest). Then you pull up, and turn your bars 180° or more, which from 180° on, is called an x-up just like in street riding.
1/2 Bar spins: These are easy tricks that, again, get you used to doing something for bigger things. Start out at a slower pace in case you mess up, then you won't come to a dead-stop near as fast. Take your hand (I use my right hand because I'm right handed, just see which one you're more comfortable with) and put it upside-down hanging onto the opposite grip. Then spin it around so your hand is right-side up again. This may sound easier than it actually is, you may get yanked over your handlebars, so just lean back more and more until you get it.
Bar spins +: Bar spins are easy and look phat once you get them to work. Just start riding forward at a slower pace to start out with, stop pedaling, and put the pedals level with your feet. Clench the widest part of the back of the seat with your knees, and lean way back to start out with. Then you just spin the bars with your dominant hand, and watch them come around 360°. Then catch them with both hands to stop them. You can put your dominant hand upside down to catch them to start out with so you don't miss them, and they keep going around until you get stopped abruptly by them. But be sure to put both hands right-side up to catch them later on to make them look better, and make them easier to go into another trick. To do more than just one, ride faster and spin 'em harder. Good Luck!
Manual Bar spins +: Manual barspins will be a little bit easier once you get the manual bar turns and x-ups. The only difference is you go a little faster and pull up even more. I pull my front wheel up only an inch or so off of the ground because I have been doing them so much, I don't have to pull up as much as I did before. Okay, anyways, you ride forward at a medium speed, and clench your seat with your knees while your feet are level. Then pull up, spin your bars, and let them fall if you want to. Just be sure to catch them so they don't land sideways, and you go over your handlebars. Just like with normal barspins, all you have to do is go faster, pull up harder and spin the bars faster to get more. Good luck, and keep practicing!!
Rodents: The rodent is a trick that really doesn't have an official name, just some of my friends came up with "rodent". Anyways, you put your right foot on the left-rear peg, and your left foot on the left-front peg and ride forward (get used to this position, because many tricks start out, or end like this). Then you hit the brakes to slow down gradually. Lay the bike down so the right pegs are holding you and the bike up. Then, put your left foot on the pedal, and have your right foot out behind you NOT standing on the bike. Then pull the bike up and put your right foot on the right pedal, and either back-pedal, then pedal forwards, or just pedal forwards to go again. This will help you if you start to fall on some flatland tricks, just do the rodent to get back up without touching the ground. Try it on both sides, and it will help you with everything, including balance.
Tilda Stands: The tilda stand is a trick that a person at BMXtrix.com came up with. I saw it on the "Flatland 2 of 2" video, tried it a few times, and got it to work. Start out riding at a slower pace because you come to a dead stop. Put your feet on the back pegs of your bike, and (this is according to preference of which side) put your left pedal down, and your right one up (of course they're going to be opposite of each other, if not, you have a freaky bike!). Then hit the brakes, and push your bike down so the pedal that is down and the rear peg are holding the bike up, and the foot that was on the side that is now down is off to the side for balance (you can hang onto the seat for balance with one hand while the other is hanging onto the handlebars still). Then spin the bars as hard and as fast as you want to, catch them, and pull the bike up so only the rear peg is holding it up. Then take the foot that isn't on a peg, put it on the pedal that is up, and pull the bike up while pushing on that pedal, so as soon as the peg leaves the ground, you start going forwards. Then just get back on the pedals normally, and ride off! Not many people know about this trick, so many will stare with awe when they see you complete it! :D Have fun!
Freaky Scuffs: Freaky scuffs are just a foot-scuff that can be added onto a combo, or just be a sweet trick in itself. Start out rolling at a fare, or quick, pace. Put your (again, according to preference) right foot over the handlebars just above the tire, and scuff the tire a few times to get the hang of it for the first couple of times you try. Then jump your left foot to the front peg and coast for a while. It's gauranteed that you will fall the first few times. Then start to scuff the front tire to keep going. Circling while doing this may help you, but I never did it to keep going, I've always gone straight, it just depends on you. Then after you get the hang of it, you need to try and get the rear tire off of the ground while you do it. To do that, you just push down on the front tire with your foot (not too hard, or face plant here you come!), or you can feather the brakes (as explained at the top of the page). Have fun!
Frame Stands: These may be harder than Front-peg pogos, or eaier than tricks listed above, but for me they're right here. This tricks is pretty much standing on the top tube of your frame right in front of the seat-post. Start out riding at a medium pace so you don't slow down too much once you get up standing on the bike frame. Anyways, stand on your right foot (preference) with your heel against the front of the seat-post, and let go of the handlebars at your own risk. The rest is balance, just find ways to stay on without hanging on. Good luck!
Front-Peg Pogos: Front-peg pogos, I think, are fun and hilarious. I love doing them. To do these, start riding forward fast enough to where you know you can get a good endo (third trick explained near the top). Then, hit the front brakes with your pedals level, and jump from the pedals to the front pegs (with both feet). Once you get on them, just start jumping up and down while pulling up on the handlebars as you do to keep your feet on the pegs. When you're ready to get out of them, just jump back to your pedals, which may still be level.
Tailwhips: These are getting into the difficult (for beginners) tricks. I can get them easily after 7 months of riding. Start out riding at a slower pace (to begin with), and put your left pedal straight down (preference, preference, preference) so you can pull your right leg over the frame to the left side. Put your right foot right behind the fork so the tire lightly rubs the bottom of your foot. Then hit the front brakes, and at the same time jam your foot into the back of the fork so you get a good endo. As your rear tire lifts up, kick the frame around with your left foot. You will fall a few times before it even comes 180° around until you really get used to it. As the frame comes around, help it by moving your handlebars in a circle following the frame to keep it going. Here's the difficult part, you must catch the frame with your left foot, get your right foot back to the pedal, and start pedaling before you touch the ground. One thing that might help when you get good at pusing the frame around is, if you watch your pedals until they get level, hit the back brakes as the bike is swinging around to stop them so it's way easier to pedal again once you get the frame. This trick takes months to get, so be patient!!! And never stop riding! Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Steam Rollers: The steam roller is a trick that will help you later on with many more tricks, like the whiplash, and the fire-hydrant, which are all listed below. Anway, you start out with your right foot on the left-rear peg, and your left foot on the left-front peg. You then push forward on your handlebars until the back tire of the bike goes forward (you can also feather the brakes), and as that happens, kick the frame around. When it reaches 180°, or when it's right out in front of you, take your right hand (preference) and grab onto the back under-side part of your seat. Then just roll. When you feel comfortable, lay the rear-end down and turn the bars until you're at less than 90° with the frame, put your foot on the pedal, and ride away.
Fire-Hydrants: These I haven't gotten to completely work...yet. Start out with your right foot on the left-rear peg, and your left foot on the left-front peg (this will be known as the fire-hydrant position from now on). Then push off with your right foot and turn the handlebars around clock wise so when you go 180°, you will be facing directly towards the back-end of the bike. You may want to go more than 180° and circle until you get your balance. Then pull back on the handlebars to get the back-end of the bike off of the ground. As it lifts up, lean the handlebars completely to the right so the bike comes around. Then just catch the frame with your free foot, get on the pedals and ride away. This one will take a long time to learn, so be patient as always.
