Types of Bike Ramps

Bike ramps are available in a variety of styles and sizes, depending on the type of tricks the rider wishes to perform. They are often homemade, but companies are now producing pre-built ramps made out of metal or plastic. These pre-built ramps are portable and can be quickly moved around to change the layout of your bike riding area.

  1. Quarter Pipe

    • A quarter pipe is a free-standing bike ramp that looks like one quarter of a cross-section of a round pipe when viewed from the side. The transition begins at the ground and becomes progressively steeper as you ride up the ramp. There is a strip of metal or plastic coping along the top of the transition. Quarter pipes are used for aerial bike tricks or lip tricks such as grinds or stalls.

    Half Pipe

    • A half pipe consists of two quarter pipe bike ramps placed opposite each other with a flat stretch of ground between the two transitions. This allows a rider to ride continuously and do tricks on both sides of the ramp. Large half pipes usually have a foot or two of vertical wall at the top of the transition, which makes it easier for the rider to launch into the air. Smaller half pipes, also known as mini ramps, do not have the added vert and are better for practicing lip tricks.

    Wedge Ramp

    • This type of bike ramp is shaped like a wedge, with an inclined surface that launches the rider forward. Unlike a quarter pipe or launch ramp, the transition of a wedge ramp does not curve. This allows the rider to get maximum distance instead of height. Wedge ramps are often used to do tricks over rails, gaps, or other obstacles.

    Launch Ramp

    • A launch ramp looks similar to a quarter pipe, but is designed to launch the rider off the edge of the ramp instead of straight up in the air. There is a slight curve in the transition, which launches the rider higher than a wedge ramp, but not as far. Launch ramps give the rider more room to perform complicated tricks over an obstacle. Because of the launching effect of the transition, the bike is harder to control when jumping off a launch ramp than when jumping off a straight wedge ramp.

    Dirt Ramp

    • Dirt ramps are popular for outdoor bike riding. The rider must pile up the dirt and shape it into the desired transition. When building a dirt ramp, you must be careful not to include rocks or twigs that will cause the bike to lose traction or become hard to control. After building up the transition, the dirt must be allowed to harden so the bike tires do not slip. Dirt bike ramps are usually in the shape of a large launch ramp so that the rider can launch into the air and perform a trick.