BMX Term
Spine
A spine is a BMX ramp made of two quarter pipes placed back to back and sharing one coping, so riders jump from one side to the other.
Updated 2 min read386 words
A spine is a ramp built from two quarter pipes placed back to back. They share one line of coping at the top and have no deck in between. Riders go up one side, cross the top and land on the other side.
Meaning
Picture two quarter pipes with their flat decks removed, pushed together so the curved walls point away from each other. The ridge where they meet is the spine. It is usually fitted with coping, so riders can grind or stall on the edge as well as fly over it.
Because there is no flat deck, the rider has very little room at the top. Riders approach with speed, go up the transition, let the bike travel across the ridge in the air, and land on the opposite face. The move is called a spine transfer.
The key skill is control of height. A rider who is too slow will not clear the top. A rider who is too fast may overshoot the landing. Many riders start with a small spine and work up to taller ones.
Origin and usage
The spine shape is common in skateboarding and BMX parks, and it is used in both concrete and wooden builds. The exact origin of the name is not well documented, though it clearly describes the ridge down the middle of the obstacle, like the spine of a body.
Spines show up in skateparks, backyard ramp setups and some dirt and park courses. They are often placed in the middle of a line so riders can move from one side of the park to the other. A spine can also be paired with a hip or a flyout, which makes lines more varied.
Common tricks over a spine include tabletops, barspins, tailwhips, no-handers and 180s. Grind and stall tricks on the coping are also popular.
Examples
- "I'm trying a tailwhip spine transfer on the small spine."
- "He hit the spine at full speed and landed a clean barspin."
- "The best line in this park goes over the spine and into the bank."
Related terms
- Quarter pipe: a ramp with one curved wall.
- Hip: two ramps meeting at an angle.
- Coping: the edge at the top of a ramp.
- Transition: the curved part of a ramp.
- Flyout: a ramp used to launch onto a deck.
Frequently asked questions about Spine
What is a spine transfer?
A spine transfer is riding up one side of a spine, flying over the top and landing on the other side. It lets a rider change direction and travel between two areas of a park.
How is a spine different from a hip?
A spine joins two ramps back to back in a straight line. A hip joins two ramps at an angle, so the rider turns as well as crosses.
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