What a tailwhip is
In a tailwhip, the rider is in the air and kicks the frame so that it spins a full turn around the steering axis, while the handlebars and the front wheel stay roughly facing forward and the rider’s hands stay on the bars. The rider then catches the frame with their feet and lands. In plain terms, the rear of the bike swings around like a whip, which is how the trick gets its name.
It is a BMX and freestyle trick. It depends on a frame that is short, light and has nothing in the way, such as no gear cables or rear brake cable wrapped around the steering area. A standard commuting or mountain bike is not built for it.
Why this is not a trick to learn from an article
A tailwhip is one of the trickier moves in freestyle riding, and its hazards are specific:
- The rider is in the air, so a mistake means a fall from height.
- The frame must be caught again by the feet at the right moment. A missed catch means the bike lands wrong or the rider lands on or beside it.
- A landing with the frame not yet back in line can twist the bars and throw the rider.
- Hands slipping from the grips mid-trick can end in a bad fall.
For all of these reasons, tailwhips are for trained riders at skills parks with qualified instruction. This article describes the trick so you understand it. It is not a guide to attempting it, and nobody can promise that someone will land a tailwhip or avoid getting hurt. A helmet and suitable protection matter at every stage of trick riding, and falls from height can still cause serious injury despite them.
The skills that normally come first
Riders who learn tailwhips usually already have a long list of other skills in place:
- Solid, repeatable jumps with a stable, balanced landing, both low and higher. A calm jump landing is the foundation.
- Reliable bunny hop technique to a controlled height, since the trick needs the bike to be lifted as a whole.
- Comfort rotating in the air, often through 180s and 360s, so the rider is not disoriented. Both of those are covered in the neighbouring articles on the bike 180 and the bike 360.
- The ability to bail out safely. Knowing how to fall and how to abandon a trick is part of the training, and bailing out is practised before bigger attempts.
- Body control, such as keeping your head up and tracking the ground. The attack position is the usual base stance.
Even with all that, the move is typically introduced in stages by an instructor, not by a rider alone.
How the trick is usually taught
Teaching generally breaks the trick into parts and removes the landing risk first. Descriptions vary between coaches and parks, so what follows is a general picture and not a method.
- Ground work. Some riders get a feel for the frame-spinning motion with the bike rolling slowly or standing still, where there is no air.
- Soft landings. Foam pits and airbags let a rider attempt the rotation with a forgiving landing. These are found at some skills parks, and what a park offers differs.
- Spotting and feedback. A coach watches the timing and body position, and can say what to change. That feedback is often the most valuable thing a lesson provides.
- Gradual height. Only once the motion is reliable does the trick move to a ramp and a hard landing, if at all.
Booking a skills lesson is a good way to find out what is available near you. Good skills park etiquette applies at every park, so take turns, watch the landing and follow staff instructions.
Bike and setup
Even in a park, the bike has to be suitable. Features that make the trick workable include a short frame, plain bars, and brake and cable arrangements that allow the frame to spin without snagging. Frames and parts for freestyle are built for hard landings, while ordinary bikes are not. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and have a bike shop check anything you are unsure about. Doing a trick session warm-up check of bolts, bars, tyres and brakes before any attempt is a sensible habit.
What to do instead, for now
If the tailwhip appeals, you can build toward it in lower-risk ways without trying the trick:
- Learn to control the bike on the ground, with pivots, slow-speed riding and a track stand.
- Take a few lessons, ideally with someone who coaches freestyle.
- Get used to small jumps on a pump track or a park with beginner features.
- Practise falling on soft ground.
Watching experienced riders is also worthwhile. Footage can show how the timing looks, but it does not show the years of practice or the safety setup behind it.
Is “perfect” the right goal?
The word suggests there is one flawless way to do the trick. In practice, riders look for a clean, controlled version that they can repeat, and they decide for themselves when to stop. For most people, enjoying the earlier steps is a better target than the tailwhip, and choosing not to attempt it is a sensible decision.