Freestyle BMX is perhaps one of the most entertaining and mesmerizing sports to watch. Riders utilize skills in balance, technique, spacial orientation, strength and more. You don't have to be a teenager to develop these skills, and many are transferable to other bicycle sports such as mountain biking. Some basic street maneuvers will help you progress to more challenging stunts, or at least make you an all-around better bicycle handler.
Bunny Hop
At a moderate speed with knees bent, pull back on the handlebars and spring off your feet, lifting the rear end of the bicycle. Keep your knees tucked into the frame of the bike, and try to level out the tires and land on two wheels.
This skill is a basis for countless others. It can be used in bicycle commuting, and is a strong asset to mountain biking.
Endo and Pogos
The Endo: At a slow speed, lock the front break lever and push the handlebars forward, raising the rear tire off the ground to an apex. Shift your weight to over the rear wheel while keeping your arms straight and feet stable on the pedals. Lower the rear wheel back down, and either ride away or practice rolling backwards. This trick sets the rider up for a number of moves where rolling backwards is essential.
Front Pogo: While at the height of the Endo, try hopping on the front wheel once or twice before lowering the rear wheel back down.
Rear Pogo: After the rear wheel is on the ground, pull up on the handlebars and shift your weight backwards, raising the front wheel. Now try hopping on the rear wheel a few times. With both front and rear pogos, the longer you can maintain your balance on either wheel, the more you can hop. Note that peggs on front and rear wheels can greatly enhance your ability to hop.
Wheelie
This classic may be easier to learn on a slight uphill. Start at a slow to moderate speed, then pull up and back on the handlebars, leaning your weight back in the saddle. Begin pedaling stronger to propel yourself forward, but not so aggressively that you fall backwards. If you begin to fall back, stop pedaling. This is another skill that is incredibly useful in mountain biking on technical terrain or to help navigate through otherwise unridable sections of trail.
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