BMX Trick
Decade
A decade is a BMX trick where the rider spins their body 360 degrees around the bike in the air while the bars and bike stay pointed forward.
Updated 3 min read673 words
A decade is a BMX trick where the rider spins their body 360 degrees around the bike in the air while the bars and bike stay pointed forward. It is the reverse of a tailwhip: the rider moves around the bike, not the bike around the rider.
Overview
On a decade, the rider takes their feet off the pedals, lets go of the bars with one hand at a time and swings their body around the bike. The bike stays straight and points along the line of travel. The rider ends where they started, back on the pedals with both hands on the bars.
Names in this part of BMX vary. Many riders group tricks where the body spins around the bike under the heading of "body varials". The decade is a well known member of that family. It appears in flatland, street and park riding, and the way it is done changes with the setting.
How to do it
Learn it on a moderate jump with a smooth landing, and wear a helmet and pads. Practise the movement on flat ground first, with the bike rolling slowly, so you know where your body goes.
- Learn a solid no-hander. You need to trust the bike in the air without both hands on it.
- Practise the body motion. On a slow roll, practise lifting each foot off the pedal and moving around the bike in small steps. Keep the bike straight.
- Choose a direction. Pick the direction that feels natural. Most riders have a stronger side.
- Take off with height. Roll in at steady speed and pop off the lip. You need air time for the spin.
- Take your feet off. Lift both feet off the pedals as the bike rises. Keep the cranks level.
- Let go with one hand. Release the hand on the side you are spinning toward. Keep the other hand on the bars.
- Spin your body. Swing your body around the bike, passing over or under the bars depending on the version. Keep the bike still by holding the grip with your remaining hand.
- Catch the bars. Bring the free hand back to the grip as you come around.
- Find the pedals and land. Put your feet back on the pedals and ride out. Land with both wheels at the same time.
Take this slowly. The trick has many steps, and it is easy to lose the bike if you rush.
Variations
- Body varial: the general name for tricks where the body spins around the bike. See above.
- Decade to fakie: the rider lands and rolls out backwards, riding fakie.
- Decade barspin: a barspin added during the decade. It is very advanced.
- Flat decade: a decade performed on flat ground in flatland riding, often with different footwork.
- Opposite direction: spinning the other way. It is much harder.
- Different hand positions: some riders keep both hands on the bars, others release them. It depends on the version.
Common mistakes
- Letting the bike turn. If the bars turn, the bike turns with you. Keep the bars straight.
- Too little height. You need enough air to finish the spin.
- Losing the bars. Stay close to the bars and catch them as you come around.
- Dropping the feet too early. Putting your feet down before the spin ends makes the landing rough.
- Rushing the steps. The decade needs a calm, planned movement.
- Trying it before a no-hander. If you cannot trust the bike in the air, the decade will fail.
History
The body varial family grew out of flatland riding, where riders spent years inventing ways to move around the bike. Street and park riders took the same idea into the air as jumps and ramps grew larger. Body varials became popular in the 1990s as street and park riding developed.
The exact origin of the decade, and who named it, is debated, so this page does not name a single rider. The trick is a reminder of how much flatland has shaped other parts of BMX.
Related tricks
Frequently asked questions about Decade
How is a decade different from a 360?
In a 360, the bike and rider turn together. In a decade, the bike keeps pointing forward and the rider's body spins 360 degrees around it.
Is the decade the same as a tailwhip?
No. In a tailwhip the frame spins around the bars while the rider stays still. In a decade, the rider spins around the bike while the bike stays still.
What is a body varial?
A body varial is a trick where the rider's body rotates around the bike while the bike stays pointed in its original direction. The decade is part of that family. Names for the variations differ from rider to rider.
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