BMX Trick
Turndown
A turndown is a BMX air trick where the rider turns the bars and twists the bike down toward the ground in mid-air, then straightens it out before landing.
Updated 3 min read723 words
A turndown is a BMX air trick where the rider turns the handlebars and twists the bike down toward the ground in mid-air, with the hips and body rotating against the bike, then straightens everything out before landing. It is a style trick built on body twist rather than rotation. Turndowns are popular on dirt jumps, park jumps and hips.
Overview
In a turndown the rider takes off normally, then turns the bars and pushes the front of the bike down and across the body. The back end of the bike swings up and out, and the rider's hips twist with it. At full extension the bike is pointed sideways and down, while the rider's head and shoulders stay facing the landing.
The trick is often explained by comparing it with two others:
| Trick | What the bars do | What the bike does |
|---|---|---|
| X-up | Turn about 180 degrees, arms cross | Stays mostly straight |
| Tabletop | Mostly straight | Pulled up and laid flat to the side |
| Turndown | Turned partway | Twisted down, rotating the opposite way to a tabletop |
Because of this, riders often call the turndown the opposite of a tabletop. A tabletop lifts the bike up and flat. A turndown turns it down and under.
How to do it
You need a jump with comfortable height and a smooth landing. Turndowns feel natural to some riders and awkward to others, so expect to spend time on small versions first.
- Ride in with steady speed. Keep your weight centred and your cranks level.
- Take off cleanly. Leave the lip straight and balanced.
- Turn the bars. Turn them part of the way to whichever side feels natural. How far varies from rider to rider.
- Push the bike down. As the bars turn, drive the front of the bike down and across with your arms.
- Twist the hips. Let your hips and legs follow the bike so the back end swings up and out.
- Keep your head up. Look at the landing over the front of the bike. Your upper body stays fairly square.
- Unwind. Pull the bike back under you and straighten the bars as you reach the peak.
- Land straight. Both wheels touch down together with the bars lined up.
Where the twist comes from
A turndown is mostly hips and legs. The bars start the movement, but if you only turn the bars you get a sloppy x-up. Think of turning your hips one way while your shoulders stay pointed at the landing.
Variations
- Flat turndown. The bike is twisted so far it sits nearly level, facing down. A large, stretched version.
- One-handed turndown. One hand comes off at full twist. See one-hander.
- Turndown to barspin. Come out of the twist with a barspin. Advanced.
- 360 turndown. A turndown thrown during a 360.
- Hip turndown. A turndown over a hip jump, where the change of direction adds to the shape.
- Lookback. A related trick where the bike twists the other way and the rider looks back toward the takeoff. See lookback.
Learning progression
- Practise the twist on small jumps. Turn the bars slightly and push the bike a few degrees, then return it.
- Add more bar turn. Increase how far the bars go once the return is reliable.
- Bring the hips in. Start twisting your hips with the bike.
- Hold at the peak. Pause at full twist before unwinding.
- Move to bigger jumps. More air time lets you twist further and still straighten out.
Wear a helmet, gloves and pads. Landing with the bars still turned throws you over the front, so bail early if the unwind feels late.
Common mistakes
- Only turning the bars. Without hip twist, the trick looks like a weak x-up.
- Leaning the shoulders down. Your upper body should stay facing the landing.
- Unwinding too late. You land twisted and the front wheel steers.
- Too little height. Small jumps do not leave time to twist and return.
- Loose bars or stem. The bars take a lot of force in this trick. Check your handlebars and stem are tight.
History
Turndowns are a long-standing BMX style trick, closely tied to dirt jumping, and the turndown family (including the unturndown) is also part of mountain bike slopestyle. The trick does not have a widely accepted inventor, and its exact origin is not well documented. See dirt jumping.
Related tricks
Frequently asked questions about Turndown
Is a turndown the opposite of a tabletop?
It is often described that way. In a tabletop the bike is pulled up and laid flat. In a turndown the bars are turned and the bike is twisted down, so the rotation goes the other way.
How is a turndown different from an x-up?
In an x-up the bars turn about 180 degrees and the arms cross, but the bike itself stays mostly straight. In a turndown the bars turn less, and the main movement is the whole bike twisting down beneath the rider.
Which way do you turn the bars?
Most riders turn the bars in the direction that feels natural for their stance and twist the bike the same way. There is no fixed rule, and many riders can do them both ways.
Watch on the LUXBMX YouTube
A video about Turndown from the LUXBMX YouTube channel.
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