BMX Term
Flow
Flow is smooth, linked riding that carries speed through a park, bowl or trail line with few stops, pedal strokes or breaks in rhythm.
Updated 2 min read351 words
Flow is smooth, linked riding that carries speed from one feature to the next. A rider with good flow moves through a park, bowl or trail line in one continuous run, with few stops, little pedalling and no breaks in rhythm.
Meaning
Flow comes from reading the terrain. The rider uses pump through transitions, picks lines that link together, and sets up each trick so it leads into the next. Speed is kept, not rebuilt.
The word is used in a few ways:
- Rider flow. "She has great flow" means a rider links everything smoothly.
- Park flow. A park "flows well" when obstacles are spaced and angled so lines connect naturally. Poor flow means awkward run-ups and dead spots.
- Flow trails. Mainly a mountain bike term for built trails with berms, rollers and jumps designed to be ridden smoothly at speed. BMX trails riders use "flow" in a similar way for a set of jumps that link with good rhythm.
- Flow sponsorship. A separate meaning. A "flow" rider receives free or discounted parts and clothing from a brand, but no wage. In skateboarding it is usually described as the entry level of sponsorship, above a shop deal and below an amateur or pro deal.
Origin
Flow is an ordinary English word for smooth, continuous movement. Its use for riding style is shared with skateboarding, surfing and mountain biking, and it has no single documented origin in BMX. The sponsorship sense, where product "flows" to a rider, is well established in skateboarding and is used the same way in BMX and other action sports. Its first use is not clear.
Usage examples
- "This bowl has so much flow, you never need to pedal."
- "Work on your flow before adding tricks to the line."
- "The new mini ramp killed the flow of the park."
- "He's on flow from a local brand."
Related terms
- Pump: building speed through bumps and curves.
- Line: a run of tricks or obstacles linked together.
- Transition: the curved part of a ramp.
- Roll-in: a sloped ramp used to start a run with speed.
- Steezy: riding with style and ease.
Frequently asked questions about Flow
What does it mean when a park has good flow?
It means the obstacles are placed so a rider can link them in a smooth run, carrying speed from one to the next without stopping or pedalling much.
What is a flow rider?
In sponsorship slang, a flow rider gets free or discounted product from a brand but is not paid a salary. It is often the first step towards a full sponsorship.
Related articles
Pump
Pump is the technique of building speed on a bike by pushing the body and bike through bumps and transitions rather than by pedalling.
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A line in BMX is a connected sequence of tricks or obstacles ridden in one run without stopping, often filmed as part of a video.
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Transition is the curved surface of a ramp that connects flat ground to the top edge, and it is often shortened to tranny in BMX and skateboarding.
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A bowl is a concave, pool-like concrete structure with transitions on every side, ridden by carving around the walls and airing out over the coping.
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Steezy is slang for riding with obvious style and apparent ease, so tricks look smooth, relaxed and effortless rather than forced or sketchy.
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Park BMX is the discipline of riding skateparks, linking airs and tricks across ramps, bowls and box jumps, and is the format used in most major contests.
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