What is the term for a bicycle designed for stunts and tricks?

A bicycle designed for stunts and tricks is called a BMX bike. “BMX” stands for bicycle motocross, and the category includes bikes built for both racing and freestyle riding.

BMX began in the early 1970s in Southern California, where children copied motocross racing on bicycles and dirt tracks. The bikes were compact, tough, and easy to maneuver, making them suitable for jumps, racing, and later tricks on streets and ramps.

Modern BMX bikes vary by discipline. Race BMX bikes are lightweight and optimized for acceleration, while freestyle models are reinforced for landings, grinding, spinning handlebars, and repeated impacts. A mountain bike or track bike may also be used for specialized riding, but neither is the standard name for a stunt-focused bicycle.

BMX became an organized international sport, and BMX racing debuted as an Olympic medal event at the 2008 Beijing Games. Freestyle BMX was added to the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021.