How to Build BMX Ramps

Very few things are as satisfying to a BMX cyclist than getting air. Unfortunately, unless you live near a bike park or track, opportunities for real BMX jumping can be few and far between. The simplest solution is to build your own ramp.

Things You'll Need

• Sandbags
• 2x4s
• 2.5-inch wood screws
• A power screwdriver
• A saw
• A sheet of plywood
• Sealant or paint
• Work gloves
• Protective goggles

Instructions

Building Your Ramp

1. There are many ways to build BMX ramps, including using dirt and concrete but for safety, cost and convenience nothing beats a wooden ramp. If you keep your ramp size reasonable, it can even be portable.

2. You will be building a wedged platform with the profile of a long isosceles triangle to form your jump. The basic design will involve a ramp 4 feet long, with an 18-inch rise. The pattern will work for any size ramp, but the dimensions must remain consistent. A ramp that slopes upward too dramatically will slow the bike too quickly, taking away from your air instead of generating it.

3. Assemble the basic form of the ramp by making two capital Ls made of 2x4s. Cut two lengths to 4 feet and two lengths to a little more than 18 inches. These will form the base of the ramp. Fasten the shorter 2x4s securely to the inside of one end of the longer 2x4. Make sure to use screws on several different levels, as opposed to in a straight line, to make the join as strong as possible. Cut three strips of 2x4 to 20 inches in length and lay them horizontally between the bases. Use these strips to connect the two sides of the base.

4. Roll the base onto its side and use a 2x4 to measure a straight line from one corner of the base to the other and mark it. Repeat this process on the other side. This will be the line your ramp follows. The portions you have marked are where you will have to remove the wood for the ramp face to form the jump. Again, using your 2x4 as a ruler, move the marks on the vertical support for the ramp one inch lower. Use your saw to remove the marked portions of wood, leaving a slope for your ramp to sit on.

5. Cut the ramp itself by cutting a plywood sheet in half twice so that you have one strip measuring 2 feet by 4 feet. This is the surface of your ramp.

6. Cut a 22-inch strip of 2x4 to place at an angle at the top of the ramp support and fasten it in place. This will keep the top of the ramp from bowing as the rider flies off it. If you did this properly, the straight angle from one end of the ramp to the other should have been maintained.

7. Screw the ramp face onto the support structure, finishing the ramp. Once the ramp is completed, secure it in place by laying two sandbags across the support legs, beneath the ramp surface. Test it slowly before using it for really big air. Finally, after testing it out be sure to stain or paint the ramp to make it weather proof. Plywood will warp quickly with exposure to moisture otherwise.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective goggles when using power tools.