best small ramps to build, your input appreciated

[botefdunn]

I have a little contract with the city to build some skate ramps this summer. This isn't a permanent skatepark, just some ramps along a pathway in a city park.

I'd like to do something simple but unique, skateable of course, but not just the typical flatbar/qp/box setup.

Anybody have any ideas? I have a little budget and feel pretty good about building whatever, just trying to figure out what would be interesting and skateable.

So far I'm thinking maybe an execution-theme, guillotine, gallows, iron maiden, etc.

[Urtripping]

Will be eagerly awaiting replies and ideas, as I'm trying to achieve this in my area as well. Any tips on how you secured your contract?

I like the idea of multi-use obstacles, like a ledge that's also a raised garden bed or like a double sided park bench with one side specifically designed to be skated. Pretty boring stuff when compared to the execution theme lol

[botefdunn]

not serious abbout the execution stuff, but I would like to do some more sculptural/figurative type stuff that is actually skateable and somewhat weather and drunk-proof (ramps are outside in a park and gonna suffer some abuse).

Lucked out on the contract. I had applied and been denied last year and this year they approached us. There was a pilot project with kid's bike ramps last summer that got good feedbaack so someone decided maybe skate ramps would be a good idea and here we are. Good luck with your application, it may pan out down the line!

[RichardBarkley]

Not to boring but some low ledges wish coping that double up benches work perfect no ?

[matty_c]

I don’t know what you’ve allowed for but if you use steel and structurally weld everything together it’s gonna last way longer then wood, mate

Cause you already got the job it’s probably worth at least trying to come back to them with another rate for steel and give them the option. Explain to them the benefits, I mean it’s relocatable and sellable
The wood will just perish over time, deadset worst option for a public skatepark

Not having a go at you personally, if that’s what they specced it is what it is. But it’s good to upsell cunts and also, think of the children

[sketchyrider]

i bought a 8 foot wide by 2.5 foot tall ramp cheap and ended up leaving it at a friends place, it was kinda too heavy and awkward to set up by myself. something to think about.

[cucktard]

Spines are probably offer the the most diverse selection of trucks for a transition obstacle

[Burton Ernie]

Spines are probably offer the the most diverse selection of trucks for a transition obstacle

yeah some kind of street spine would be sick. Also a small mellow bank-to-curb type box would be a good one. Adding a draft/incline to the vertical part of any boxes you build will add wallie or slappy options to the obstacles too.

[Eggie Vedder]

To be honest usually a ledge or manny pad is the best way to go. Skate sculptures look cool but are only fun to skate a few times. You end up exhausting the options too quickly where as a ledge you can just learn a new trick. Maybe some transition on the sides to pump or grind to get a little more creative.

[Hyliannightmare]

[DaleSr]

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Spines are probably offer the the most diverse selection of trucks for a transition obstacle

[close]

yeah some kind of street spine would be sick. Also a small mellow bank-to-curb type box would be a good one. Adding a draft/incline to the vertical part of any boxes you build will add wallie or slappy options to the obstacles too.

I back the street spine idea for sure.

Also unrelated but I've been day dreaming recently about my city and how dope it would be to just have little quarter pipes with pool coping scattered all over town. Or to even have pool coping randomly mounted all over the city, like a scumbag geocache that you and your friends could roll up with a truck and a deckless quarter pipe. Highly impractical, but a dumb little idea that floats around my head

[IUTSM]

what are you using for material?

super low planter box bank/ledge/seat for slappies could be pretty fun and not stand out as something necessarily skate related

round balls sorta like those red things outside target or Eggs in Boston

short concaved carving wall

even just multi-use 4x4x2 planter boxes that could serve as ledges, seats, etc

I-beams that could masquerade as balance beams for pedestrians/children/drunks but were truly designed to be skated. Could be a straight line or horizontal/vertical zig zags

[43]

Wood is the worst. Falls apart so quickly.

Concrete planter boxes with nice flowers inside - one side waxed or angle iron and the other with a mellow transition with coping or waxed. Maybe three feet tall, 20 feet long, six feet deep.

[Brguy]

Just build somewhere you'd sleep in.

[Willie]

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Spines are probably offer the the most diverse selection of trucks for a transition obstacle

[close]

yeah some kind of street spine would be sick. Also a small mellow bank-to-curb type box would be a good one. Adding a draft/incline to the vertical part of any boxes you build will add wallie or slappy options to the obstacles too.

It’s too easy to fuck up a spine and have something that’s less useful than a QP the same size. I’ve skated plenty and unless you do a decent “double barrel” coping (2-2.5” steel, no gap) it becomes a battle to do simple stuff.


I haven’t built this but I’ve imagined a Swiss Army Funbox that I think might be fun:

Four sides, North, South, East, West - East and West are longer than N+S.

North is a straight slope with Euro gap to platform.

East is a long quarterpipe with coping.

South is a narrower quarterpipe with rail in the middle, perhaps no coping.

West is either (depending on overall height) a ledge that is half the size of the box or 3 steps.



Someone build a proof of concept and let us know how it goes!

[Jean-Ralphio Zaperstein]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Spines are probably offer the the most diverse selection of trucks for a transition obstacle

[close]

yeah some kind of street spine would be sick. Also a small mellow bank-to-curb type box would be a good one. Adding a draft/incline to the vertical part of any boxes you build will add wallie or slappy options to the obstacles too.

[close]

It’s too easy to fuck up a spine and have something that’s less useful than a QP the same size. I’ve skated plenty and unless you do a decent “double barrel” coping (2-2.5” steel, no gap) it becomes a battle to do simple stuff.


I haven’t built this but I’ve imagined a Swiss Army Funbox that I think might be fun:

Four sides, North, South, East, West - East and West are longer than N+S.

North is a straight slope with Euro gap to platform.

East is a long quarterpipe with coping.

South is a narrower quarterpipe with rail in the middle, perhaps no coping.

West is either (depending on overall height) a ledge that is half the size of the box or 3 steps.



Someone build a proof of concept and let us know how it goes!

so this is your dream spot ?
I grew up next to 10 of those and it's never been good

[wigwam_24]

don't forget to put a little picnic table or bench in a dark corner somewhere so emos and fake gangsters can blast there Bluetooth speakers and smoke weed

[matt_2993]

I always like this unique little park in Paris. Small cement obstacles slightly different from the norm. Just add one standard clean ledge though

[Deputy Wendell]

I always like this unique little park in Paris. Small cement obstacles slightly different from the norm. Just add one standard clean ledge though

that looks like an absolute blast

to add to the above conversation regarding spines, i too think they can be really fun and conducive to a lot of creativity, because of how they can be approached from a number of different ways...straight on, across like a flat bar, or straight on, but then into the transitions, in addition to skating them from tranny to tranny. as has been said above, this does all depend on how they are built and what kind of lip/coping is incorporated...