BMX Term
Hubba
A hubba is a long ledge that runs down beside a set of stairs, giving BMX riders a sloped edge to grind from the top of the steps to the bottom.
Updated 2 min read431 words
A hubba is a ledge that runs down beside a set of stairs. It slopes with the steps, so a rider can grind from the top down to the bottom. The word was borrowed from skateboarding.
Meaning
A normal ledge is flat. A hubba is built on an angle. One side drops with the stairs, and the other side is a wall or the ground. The top surface is usually concrete or stone, wide enough to ride and with a hard outer edge that suits grinds.
Hubbas are tall and steep. To grind one, the rider must approach with speed, jump on at the top, hold the grind as the ledge falls away, and then land at the bottom. A bail can mean a drop beside the ledge, so riders treat a hubba with respect. Riders often call a clean hubba grind a hammer when the ledge is big.
Common tricks are the feeble grind, smith grind, icepick grind and double peg grind. Riders may also hop off the end with a spin. Because the ledge slopes, momentum and balance matter more than on a flat ledge. Wax on the edge helps the pegs slide.
Origin and usage
The term came from skateboarding. It comes from Hubba Hideout, a skate spot by Justin Herman Plaza on San Francisco's Embarcadero with large concrete ledges beside two sets of stairs. The spot was named after "hubba", Bay Area slang for crack cocaine, and its fame turned the name into the general word for a ledge beside stairs. The city removed the ledges in 2011. After skateboarders started calling any ledge beside stairs a "hubba", BMX riders adopted the word.
Today the word is used for any ledge that runs beside a staircase. It is common in street edits and in park design. Some parks build a hubba as a small version for practice, with a few steps and a short sloped ledge.
A hubba is a key target for street riders looking for a new spot. Riders will walk the stairs and check the run-up, the ledge surface and the landing before trying a trick.
Examples
- "There's a hubba behind the library, we should go and check it out."
- "He feeble grinded the whole hubba and rode away."
- "I'm not ready for the big hubba, so I'll start on the small one."
Related terms
Frequently asked questions about Hubba
Where does the word hubba come from?
It is borrowed from skateboarding. It comes from Hubba Hideout, a famous San Francisco skate spot whose stair ledges gave their name to the obstacle type.
Is a hubba different from a handrail?
Yes. A hubba is a solid ledge, usually concrete, that follows the angle of the stairs. A handrail is a thin metal tube. Both are grinds down stairs, but they feel very different.
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