BMX Trick
180
A 180 is a BMX trick where the rider rotates the bike and body half a turn in the air, usually landing fakie or rolling out via a half-cab.
Updated 3 min read571 words
A 180 is a BMX trick where the rider rotates the bike and their body half a turn in the air, so they land facing the opposite direction. On a normal 180 you land rolling fakie, which means backwards. A 180 is usually the first spin a rider learns and is the base for 360s, 540s and every longer rotation.
Overview
Spinning 180 degrees from forward riding to backwards riding is a basic building block of street and park riding. It lets you change direction in the air, ride fakie into a bank or ledge, and link moves together.
It is also called a "one-eighty" and, when you spin from fakie to forward, a half-cab. Learn it on flat ground first. A spin is mostly head and shoulders, so the turn starts from your upper body, not the bike.
How to do it
Practise on smooth concrete or pavement at walking pace, and start by learning to ride fakie in a straight line. This makes the landing feel less odd.
- Roll in at a slow, steady speed. Keep your pedals level.
- Bunny hop. Use a low, balanced bunny hop.
- Turn your head and shoulders. Look over your shoulder in the direction you want to spin. Your shoulders follow your head.
- Let the bike follow. Your hips and bike rotate as your upper body turns.
- Spot the landing. Your eyes find the ground as you finish the half turn.
- Land fakie. Land on both wheels, riding backwards. Keep your knees bent.
- Ride out. Roll backwards or spin another 180 to ride forward again.
Landing fakie
A fakie landing feels strange at first. Keep your weight centred, keep your arms loose, and roll back slowly. Do not brake hard, because a locked rear wheel on a fakie landing can throw you forward. If you are on a freecoaster the hub lets you roll backwards without turning the cranks, and on a cassette hub the pedals turn backwards as you roll.
Rolling out via half-cab
A half-cab is the move back to forward. From fakie, you hop and spin 180 so you land rolling forward again. Learn it as a pair with the 180 for a full out-and-back: go fakie, then half-cab out.
Variations
- 180 switch. A 180 in your non-natural direction.
- 180 off a ramp. Spin off a quarter-pipe, hip or spine.
- Fakie 180. A half-cab, as above.
- 180 barspin. A barspin added to the half turn.
- 180 tailwhip. Combine with a tailwhip.
- 180 to manual. Land and roll out in a manual.
Common mistakes
- Spinning only the bike. The turn starts with your head and shoulders. If your upper body does not move, the bike will not follow.
- Looking at the ground. Eyes on your landing spot, not on your feet.
- Weak hop. Low air time leaves no room to rotate. Hop first.
- Under-rotating. Finish the half turn before landing, or you land sideways.
- Panicking on the fakie roll. Stay loose and let the bike roll.
- Hard braking. Jamming a rear brake on a fakie landing is a common cause of crashes.
History
Half-turn spins are among the oldest freestyle moves and have been part of BMX since the early freestyle years, so the origin is not credited to one person. The 180 stayed a staple as riders in park, street and dirt built longer spins on top of it. See freestyle BMX boom 1980s.
Related tricks
Frequently asked questions about 180
Which way should I spin my first 180?
Pick the direction that feels natural and stay with it until it is automatic. Most riders have an easier side. You can learn the other way later.
What is a half-cab?
A half-cab is a 180 that you do while rolling fakie, so you land rolling forwards. It is the usual way to roll out of a fakie ride and a common first step into spins.
Do I need to land fakie?
On a flat 180 you land rolling backwards, which is fakie. From there you can ride out with a half-cab, a second 180 or by rolling backwards for a few metres. Landing fakie is part of the trick.
Watch on the LUXBMX YouTube
A video about 180 from the LUXBMX YouTube channel.
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