BMX Term
Knuckle
The knuckle is the rounded top edge of a jump landing or ramp, where the flat deck or gap meets the downslope, and knuckling means landing on it.
Updated 2 min read398 words
The knuckle is the rounded top edge of a landing, where the flat top of a jump or deck turns down into the landing slope. To "knuckle" a jump is to land on that edge, usually because the rider came up a little short.
Meaning
A typical dirt jump or box jump has a takeoff, a gap or flat top, and a landing. The landing slope is where the rider should touch down, ideally on the steep part just below the top. The knuckle is the curve between the flat and the slope.
Landing on the knuckle is awkward. The ground is not angled down enough to match the bike's path, so the rider takes more of the impact through the arms and legs. A knuckle landing can throw the rider forward, bottom out the bike, or cause a bail.
Knuckling is a lesser cousin of casing. On a gap jump, coming up a bit short means knuckling; coming up well short means casing or hitting the lip. The two terms overlap, and some riders call any short landing a case. Both are signs a rider needs more speed or a better pop off the lip.
The same word applies to the edge of a deck on a ramp, where the flat platform meets the slope.
Origin
Knuckle is an ordinary English word for a rounded joint, and the shape of a jump's edge resembles one. The term is shared with other jump sports. Snowboard and ski terrain parks use it for the same spot (a study of snowboard jump landings calls the transition from the flat top to the landing ramp the knuckle), and mountain bikers and motocross riders use it too. Which sport used it first is not documented.
Usage examples
- "I knuckled the last set and nearly went over the bars."
- "Pump harder, you're landing on the knuckle."
- "The knuckle on that landing is really rounded, so overshoot it slightly."
How to avoid it
Carry a little more speed, pump the takeoff, and look at the landing, not the gap. Build up to new jumps slowly and walk them first.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions about Knuckle
What does it mean to knuckle a jump?
It means coming up slightly short and landing on the rounded top edge of the landing instead of the slope below it. The landing feels harsh because there is little downslope to absorb the impact.
Is knuckling worse than casing?
It depends on the jump. Casing usually means the rear wheel hits the lip or deck, which is a harder shock. Knuckling is often milder, but it can still throw a rider forward or bottom out the bike.
Related articles
Case
To case a jump in BMX is to land short so the rear wheel or bike hits the lip or knuckle of the landing instead of rolling down the slope.
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A deck is the flat platform at the top of a ramp, quarter pipe or box jump, where riders stand to drop in, stall, plant or land tricks.
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A box jump is a BMX jump with a flat-topped box between the takeoff and the landing, so a rider who comes up short lands on the deck, not in a gap.
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To bail in BMX is to abandon a trick mid-air or to crash, and a bail is the act of dropping the attempt, often by jumping off the bike.
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A sender is a BMX rider who commits fully to big, risky tricks, drops or gaps, the kind of rider who will "send it" when others hold back.
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Dirt jumping is the BMX discipline of riding packed earth jumps, performing tricks over the gap between a take-off lip and a landing, often in contest form.
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