How to Make Homemade Bike Ramps

mountain bike world cup 2006 image by Doug Stacey from Fotolia.com

To add some variety to your biking regime, consider making your own bike ramp. A bike ramp can help you work on your jumps and, later, tricks associated with jumping. But the task of building a bike ramp should never be undertaken lightly; if it isn't built correctly, you risk severe injury. By strictly following a few simple steps, however, you should be able to construct an effective and safe bike ramp.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Shovel
Wheelbarrow
Dirt and soil
Water
Bicycle

Step 1

Pick a spot for your ramp. There should be enough room before the ramp for you to gain considerable speed for a jump, and enough room beyond the ramp to be able to slow down and turn around after a jump.

Step 2

Dump the dirt and soil at the designated ramp spot. You'll probably need several wheelbarrows worth of dirt and soil. Create the height and pitch of the ramp as desired.

Step 3

Shape the soil into a ramp with your hand and the shovel. Wet the dirt and soil help accomplish this. Pack the dirt tightly.

Step 4

Allow the ramp formation to dry, which might take a day or two.

Step 5

Test the ramp out by bicycling over it. Don't try anything fancy at this point; you are simply testing the ramp's strength. A top, thin layer of loose dirt may be present, but this will quickly give way to a solid core--your bike ramp.

Tips & Warnings

A 30-degree angle between your ramp's surface and the ground should work effectively.

Article Written By William Jackson

William Jackson has written, reported and edited professionally for more than 10 years. His work has been published in newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, high-level government reports, books and online. He holds a master's degree in humanities from Pennsylvania State University.

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