BMX Term
Quarter pipe
A quarter pipe is a ramp with a curved, quarter-circle transition that rises from flat to a vertical or near vertical top edge, used for airs.
Updated 2 min read385 words
A quarter pipe is a ramp with one curved wall, shaped like a quarter of a circle. Riders roll up the curve, leave the top edge for an air or a grind, and roll back down. It is one of the most common obstacles in BMX.
Meaning
The curved part of a quarter pipe is its transition. At the bottom it is nearly flat. It gets steeper as it rises, and at the top it is close to vertical. The top edge is finished with coping, a rounded metal or concrete lip that riders can grind or stall on. Behind the coping is the deck, a flat platform where a rider can stand, drop in or turn.
A quarter pipe differs from a half pipe. A half pipe is two quarter pipes facing each other with a flat bottom between. A quarter pipe has only one wall, so the rider rides up and comes back down the same face. This makes it easier to build and common in small parks, backyards and street plazas.
Sizes range a lot. Small quarters are knee or waist height and suit beginners. Larger park quarters are often around chest height or taller, and big vert ramps go well beyond that. A bigger ramp gives more speed and more air but is also less forgiving.
Origin and usage
The shape comes from skateboard and bike ramps built in the twentieth century, and BMX borrowed it early. The exact first build is not well documented. Today quarter pipes appear in almost every park and in vert riding in much larger form.
Riders use quarter pipes for tabletops, barspins, 180s, tailwhips, grinds on the coping and many other tricks. Two quarters can also be joined into a spine, or placed so riders can ride from one to another.
Examples
- "I'm learning tabletops on the small quarter before I try the big one."
- "He pumped out of the bank and went straight up the quarter for a boost air."
- "The park has two quarters facing each other with a gap in between."
Related terms
- Transition: the curved part of a ramp.
- Coping: the metal or concrete edge at the top.
- Spine: two quarters back to back.
- Flyout: a ramp used to launch out onto a deck.
- Hip: two ramps meeting at an angle.
Frequently asked questions about Quarter pipe
What is the difference between a quarter pipe and a half pipe?
A quarter pipe has one curved wall and a deck, so you ride up, do a trick and come back down the same way. A half pipe has two facing walls with a flat bottom between them, so you ride back and forth.
How tall is a quarter pipe?
It varies a lot. Small park quarters can be around knee or waist height, and larger ones go well over two metres. Vert ramps use much taller walls with a vertical section at the top.
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Transition is the curved surface of a ramp that connects flat ground to the top edge, and it is often shortened to tranny in BMX and skateboarding.
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Coping is the rounded metal or concrete edge along the top of a ramp or bowl, used by BMX riders to grind, stall and transfer between surfaces.
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