by Julian Lehnert
Kingaroy-born BMX rider Dylan Devitt has made history, landing a world-first bike trick at the Sunshine Coast this month.
After 700 attempts across 11 days and risking dozens of falls from 30 feet high, Devitt successfully landed a ‘360 Nothing Front Bike Flip’ on 5 November, crossing not just a life-long dream off his bucket list but also joining the exclusive ranks of BMX trick-smiths.
A ‘360 Nothing Front Bike Flip’ entails fully dismounting one’s bike mid-air and making it perform a front flip all the while spinning 360 degrees horizontally oneself, then mounting up and landing safely.
Devitt said he modelled his trick on that of extreme sporting legend and close friend Ryan Williams, who performed it on a scooter some years back, and who also claimed the world-first ‘Nothing Front Bike Flip’ – without the spin – back in 2015.
The Kingaroy biker spent the entire 11-day span of attempts at Williams’s ‘R-Willy Land’ facility on the Sunshine Coast, which features a 13-foot mega ramp to practice on.
“They [the attempts] weren’t super dangerous as the trick didn’t involve going upside down,” Devitt explained to Burnett Today, though he said in a video detailing his journey toward landing the world-first move that, as the days dragged on, the attempts took a toll on his body.
“[I] landed on my butt that many times, I wore holes through my pants and my undies. (…) This was a war.”
Devitt said that landing the world-first trick this month made him a legend overnight, with his videos and social media channels exploding in popularity after he published the ‘360 Nothing Front Bike Flip’ clip.
“I got my name out there with the big guys – all these riders I’ve looked up to all my life,” he said.
The video detailing his journey toward landing the trick has already amassed nearly 100,000 views on Youtube alone.
Devitt’s world-first clip even found a fan in Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber, whose songs the Kingaroy rider was listening to during attempts and while landing the trick.
With the help of Ryan Williams, whom he called “the best rider in the world”, Devitt also hopes to show off his new trick on the world stage, including at next year’s Nitro Circus extreme sports event.
“It would also be pretty cool to go to an X Games and perform my trick there – maybe even win gold!” Devitt said.
In the meantime, the Kingaroy BMX rider is already back in the saddle of his trusty bike, practicing new tricks and performing at shows with touring company JC Action Sports.
Devitt thanked his dedicated team and supporters for their efforts in helping him land the world-first trick, giving special thanks to his girlfriend Lucinda, his father, and Ryan Williams.
“I still don’t believe this is real,” Devitt said.
“I still think I will wake up one morning and go back to school at Kingaroy.”
