Gyro Tab

Gyro tabs are small tabs on a BMX frame, usually on the head tube, that anchor the lower cable stops of a gyro detangler. They hold the lower half of the gyro system still against the frame, so the bars can spin a full circle while the rear brake still works.

Meaning

A gyro, or detangler, lets a rider do barspins without the rear brake cable wrapping around the head tube. It splits the cable into an upper and a lower set, linked by a bearing that sits around the steerer, below the stem.

The upper cables turn with the bars. The lower cables must stay fixed to the frame, or the system would twist. Gyro tabs provide the fixing points. On most modern frames they are small steel tabs that bolt into threaded holes drilled through the sides of the head tube, one on each side. Some frames have fixed, welded-on tabs instead. The lower cable housings stop at the tabs, usually through barrel adjusters that let the rider fine-tune the brake, and the cables run from there to a splitter and on to the rear brake.

Key points:

• Not brake mounts. The rear U-brake bolts to separate bosses, known as 990 mounts, near the rear wheel. Gyro tabs only locate the gyro's cables.
• Not on every frame. Many modern frames skip them or make them removable, since brakeless riding is common.
• Removable tabs. Many frames are simply drilled for bolt-on gyro tabs, which can be left off or removed to save weight and tidy the look. Aftermarket tabs are sold in pairs with small mounting screws (M4 is common), but check the thread for your frame.
• Frames without tabs. On a standard external headset, some gyro kits include a lower plate with built-in cable stops that does the same job. Integrated head tubes generally need tab holes.
• Exact position varies. Brands place and angle the tabs differently, so check the gyro and frame are compatible.

Forks do not normally have gyro tabs. Some forks have their own bosses for a front brake, which is a separate feature.

Origin

The name simply describes tabs for the gyro. Odyssey, founded in 1985, introduced its Gyro detangler in the mid 1980s, and detanglers became common on freestyle bikes later that decade. Frames added dedicated tabs as gyros spread, but which frame first had them is not documented here.

Usage examples

• "My frame has removable gyro tabs, so I took them off when I went brakeless."
• "Check for gyro tabs before you buy a detangler."
• "The barrel adjusters thread straight into the gyro tabs."

Setting up

Gyro setup is fiddly, and cable lengths and adjuster tension matter. Follow the gyro maker's instructions, and see brakes or brakeless if you are deciding whether to run one.

Related terms

• Gyro detangler: the part that uses the tabs.
• Brakes: the rear U-brake and its 990 mounts.
• Headset: the bearings the gyro sits around.
• Barspin: the trick a gyro makes possible with a brake.