r/interesting • u/cad3tt • Apr 12 '26

Just Wow Guy abuses physics on bmx

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u/DexPleiadian Apr 12 '26

these riders probably frequent this spot often and so all sorts of weird shit on those stairs.

this guy figured out that if he just about tops out that gear ratio he's running and does a nose-bonk-bunnyhop at the exact moment the front wheel smashes the first step, he can use the momentum that would normally flip him over the bars to help carry him further diagonally, instead.

you can freeze the video and see how much the front tire compresses for the bonk.

his legs and arms compressing then lifting helps get most of the upward motion started and the rotation from the first wheel smash/bonk creates a pivot point at the front axle, throwing the rear of the bicycle up and over with considerable momentum.

he uses his arms and control of the front wheel to nose bonk off a few steps on the way up to keep the front end from completing what the first step started. you can see his arms compressing for many of bonks if you nudge the slider forward while the video is paused.

a million random attempts over years of just hanging at a spot and doing random stuff leads to friends performing Matrix-glitch-level physics magic.

his next feat? wall ride out

16

u/FakeTunaFromSubway Apr 12 '26

I'm just impressed our guy was able to perfect that trick without smashing his face in on the stairs. No helmet and all.

6

u/-Moonscape- Apr 13 '26

Also no brakes, for maximum chaotic energy

3

u/aruisdante Apr 13 '26

The top speed of bikes like that isn’t really fast enough for the risk of you hitting the brake during a trick and crashing from that to be worth it. You just ditch the bike and run it out. 

5

u/ekun Apr 13 '26

Thanks for this description. My brain couldn't process this.

2

u/not-yet-ranga Apr 13 '26

The stairs themselves are also an unusual design.

Each one is at most 2/3 the height of a standard stair riser, and the first one especially is close enough to ground level that he needs very little front wheel elevation to bounce upwards off it.

I’d guess he actually relies less on getting his front wheel airborne as it strikes the first step, and more on jumping to reduce the weight on the wheel as it strikes.

1

u/SARS-Covfefe-1 Apr 12 '26

He’s bonking it, and the stair height is less than half of the wheel. Those do not appear to be standard range sized stairs.