Freestyle BMX is a creative way of using bicycles originally designed for bicycle motocross racing. It can be split into several disciplines, although riders will generally participate in more than one discipline. These are Street, Park, Vert, Trails (sometimes called Dirt) and Flatland.

The vast majority of freestyle bikes utilize 20 inch wheels. Frame sizes and geometry vary, but the top tubes are usually between 20 to 21 inches long. Beginner riders tend to purchase store bought complete bikes and often customize their bike with after-market parts, generally as parts break such as forks, pedals and cranks to suit their specific needs. More experienced riders however usually build custom bikes from the ground up to suit their preferences and style of riding, which is much more expensive but allows for greatest customization based on personal preference.

Generally, street riders use slicker tires for more grip on concrete, and may use up to four axle pegs for grinding. Riders generally have a preferred side for grinding and may run 2 pegs only on one side. However, adding an additional 2 pegs to the non-preferred side can open up a great deal of trick variations such as crooked grinds. Street riders also tend to ride cut bars for easier barspins and smaller gearing.

Park riders use a very similar setup to street riders. Some park riders however prefer to use brakes (rear or both) for an increased variety of tricks and more control. Park bikes may differ to street bikes in the fact that they are not as reliant on heavy duty high-strength parts as park riding is often much less stressful on the bike.

Dirt riders usually don’t have pegs unless they want to do peg specific non-grind tricks such as rocket airs, and use knobby tires for better grip in the loose dirt. Dirt bikes also tend to run only a rear brake as they do not have a need for a front brake, and have longer top tubes and wheelbases. Many riders use bigger bars for more control, although big bars have become a trend among kids and popular professional riders. Dirt bikes generally at least have chromoly top and down/seat tubes and forks to increase durability and prevent bending of parts (especially forks) when landing large jumps.

A professional who primarily competes in park contests will probably have a gyro with rear brakes only, zero to 4 pegs, and a lightweight bike. This is because riders in contests usually have a limited time, 60 seconds or less, and have to perform very difficult tricks consistently.

Vert bikes are relatively heavy for stability and control.

Flatland riders bikes usually run four oversize pegs, and smaller, lighter frames often with pre-bent tubes to make it easier to do flatland tricks. Flatland BMXs most of the time have both front and rear brakes, as many tricks require them to exit a trick or aid in weight distribution. Flatland bikes almost always have small sprockets (25 to 30 teeth) and low gearing, to make it easier to pedal out of tricks, and there is no need for them to ride fast.

Before there was a “true” freestyle bicycle, riders used BMX racing frames for jumping and for performing flatland maneuvers. Bob Haro was the founder of the first freestyle bicycles company, Haro Bikes. Most of the early Haro Freestyler bicycles are collectible items that sell for several thousand dollars. [1] The first freestyle bicycles were not as riding style-specific as modern ones; what made them suitable for flatland usually was the addition of bolt-on components, like standing pegs, platforms for the frame, the forks or the chain stays near the rear dropouts, and front and rear brake cable detangler systems like the ACS Rotor for the rear brake and the Potts Mod, a hollow stem wedge bolt for the front brake. By mid-90s, riding style differentiation in frames and components became the norm.

Coming into the 2000s BMX bikes have taken a turn for technology. Past trends of strength over weight have flipped once again and now new technologies have led to stronger parts at lighter weights. Many innovations are coming from MTB, Road, and other forms of cycling. New innovations in the BMX world include:

* Integrated / Internal headsets

Commonplace in road-bikes for many years, they are now the norm for BMX, replacing the tried and true press fit cups seen in the past.

* Mid / Spanish / European bottom brackets (BB)

All smaller than the traditional American bottom brackets seen on many older BMX bikes, these save weight, clean up appearances, and add ease of use with threads and straight push fit bearings. Mid and Spanish bottom brackets use bearings that press directly into the frames, the basic design of which was used on road bikes years ago. No cups are used. Mid BB’s use larger bearings than Spanish.

* Integrated seatclamps

Old technology making its way to BMX once again.

* Integrated seat/Seatpost combination

An innovation from BMX that is now being used for all forms of cycling. These seats are much easier to fit and much lighter.

* Pivotal seatposts

Pivotal seats and posts utilize a single bolt locking mechanism to hold the seat is place. The seat is adjusted with an allen wrench through a small slit in the top or side of the seat. Pivotal posts hold the seat on much better than normal rail posts and are lighter.

* Kevlar beaded tires – Kevlar is much stronger, lighter and more expensive than steel which is used as the bead for traditional tires. Some companies have started combining Kevlar beads with very thin tire carcasses, which make for super-light and very expensive tires. The primary function of these tires is to reduce rotating weight, which has a substantial effect on the feel of a bike.

Over time, many parts have been popular for strength, comfort and such, thus making many riders enjoy them/buy them, but some rebel and choose not to ride these parts, and then have an excuse to call riders with those parts “trend whores”. Some of the parts include small sprockets (28 or less teeth), big bars (28″ width, 8″ high rise) etc.

Other products have emerged from companies that have pushed the envelope of what technology can do in BMX, from one-bolt stems, to antique ideas making a come back with modifications, BMX is in a new era, parts are more reliable and bikes are lighter, the BMX world is getting in key with other cycling sports.