I had the itch to create a new mountain bike jump in my backyard but not the funds for store-bought wood. So, I grabbed my chainsaw and Granberg Alaskan Mill to transform a fallen tree on my property into an epic kicker ramp. The goal? A budget-friendly adventure for riders seeking some serious airtime.
The first stage of the project was building the landing. Using a tractor I pushed an old unused table top jump into one tall pile of dirt. Then shaped it by hand.
How To Pack Dirt!
When constructing a mountain bike landing with dirt, it's crucial to compact it for a firm riding surface. Ensure the dirt is moist, so that it sticks together. When I was constructing the landing the dirt was extremely dry and dusty and it wouldn’t pack down at all. I had to use a watering can filled from the dam to soak the dirt. Once the general shape is achieved, use the flat side of a shovel to pack the landing firmly, ensuring it becomes solid and smooth.
How To Design A Mountain Bike Jump!
With the landing complete I then began to design the shape of the jump. This way I would know how much wood I would need cut. I start by using a pen and paper to get a rough idea of the shape and size and then design a more detailed version using Adobe Illustrator. This isn’t the best design program for the job but it is one I am very familiar with and use in my regular job.
Milling Wood With The Granberg Alaskan Mill
With the designs of the mountain bike kicker complete, it was then time to find the wood to build it with. I knew of a tree that had fallen over on the property a year ago and thought it woud be perfect for the build.
Using my chainsaw I cut the log into a number of smaller sections and then set up my Granberg Alaskan Mill.
What is an Granberg Alaskan Mill?
A grandberg alaskan mill is a guide that fits over your chainsaw and allows you to slice perfect slabs of wood from logs. It is one of the best trail building tools I have and allows me to build some pretty awesome backyard mountain bike features.
Using the mill I sliced the log into slabs of various sizes as needed for the plans.
How to build a backyard mountain bike jump
The next step in the process was to cut all the wood to size and construct the MTB kicker. I used heavy duty bugle screws to hold it together and made sure to use cross bracing so the structure was solid without ay wobble.
This mountain bike jump was huge!!! I even attached wheelbarrow wheels to the structure so that it could be easily moved. This makes it the perfect backyard mountain bike jump for beginners and advanced riders. As the rider progresses their skills the ramp can be moved further back increasing the gap.
Backyard MTB Jump, A Huge Success!
The build was a massive success and if you would like to build your own. Take a look at the YouTube video for more information.
