Feeble grind

A feeble grind is a BMX grind where the rider slides the rear peg along a ledge or rail while the front wheel rolls along the top of the obstacle. It is one of the first single peg grinds most street riders learn.

Overview

The feeble is a balance trick. One peg is in contact with the obstacle, and the front wheel rides on top of it. That puts the bike at an angle, with the rear half hanging past the edge. The rider keeps weight forward and steady, and uses the front wheel to keep the line straight.

It suits ledges, low rails and flat bars. A smooth, waxed ledge makes it much easier to learn on. You need pegs on the rear axle, on at least the side you plan to grind.

How to do it

Start on a low, smooth, waxed ledge. Learn the double peg grind first so that you already trust your pegs on an edge.

1. Check your setup. Make sure your rear peg is tight and the axle nuts are done up. A loose peg can spin and cause a crash.
2. Pick a ledge and a line. Use a low ledge with a clear run in and a clear run out. A longer run gives you more time to settle.
3. Approach at a shallow angle. Come at the ledge from a gentle angle, not straight on. A steep approach usually kicks the peg off the edge.
4. Keep steady speed. Too slow and the peg sticks. Too fast and you cannot control the line.
5. Hop up. Lift the front wheel with a small bunny hop and put it on top of the ledge. Bring the rear peg up behind it.
6. Drop onto the peg. As the rear peg lands on the edge, lean your weight slightly to the grinding side and keep the bike pointed along the ledge.
7. Stay forward. Keep weight over the front wheel and hands. Do not sit back.
8. Look ahead. Watch the end of the ledge, not your peg. Your bike follows your eyes.
9. Hop out. Near the end, lift the front wheel and push off the peg to hop out. Straighten up, land both wheels on the ground and roll away.

Variations

• Feeble to fakie: the rider stops at the end and rolls back off the way they came, riding fakie.
• Feeble 180 out: the rider hops off the end of the ledge with a 180.
• Feeble barspin out: a barspin is added as the rider hops off the end.
• Long feeble: a long grind over a long ledge or down a rail. It needs a steady line and more confidence.
• Opposite side: many riders have a stronger side. Learning to feeble on both sides is a good goal, and it needs pegs on both sides.

For a similar grind on the front of the bike, see the smith grind. For a rear peg grind with the front wheel in the air, see the icepick grind.

Common mistakes

• Steep approach. Coming at the ledge too straight usually throws you off.
• Weight too far back. If you sit back, the front wheel lifts off the top and you lose balance.
• Loose pegs. A loose peg can rotate under load. Always check before a session.
• Dry ledge. A rough, unwaxed ledge grabs your peg. Wax helps a lot, and you can carry a small block.
• Slow entry. Too little speed leaves you stuck on the ledge.
• Staring at the peg. Look along the ledge, not down.

History

The feeble grind came to BMX from skateboarding, where the name is also used for a similar move. Grinds with pegs became common in BMX as street riding grew in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the feeble became one of the standard single peg grinds. The exact first rider to land one in BMX is not clear, so this page does not name one.

As street riding developed, riders took the feeble onto longer ledges, rails and stair sets, and used it as the base for variations.

Related tricks

• Smith grind
• Double peg grind
• Icepick grind
• Toothpick
• Bunny hop