Bike Ramps for Kids
The best first jump ramps for kids are INTRO and COACH, both recommended from age 6. LITE and DROP start at age 8, STREET, LIL AIR and AREA 51 at 14, and AIR at 16. Every MTB Hopper ramp adjusts in height, so kids start low and raise the ramp as their jumps get bigger.
MTB HOPPER RAMPS BY AGE
| Ramp | From age | Rider level | What it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| INTRO | 6 | Beginners | First small jumps at low speed. Weighs 3.5 kg and carries like a backpack. |
| COACH | 6 | Beginners, Amateurs and Professionals | Five positions, from a roll-down for first timers to long and airy jumps. |
| LITE | 8 | Beginners and Amateurs | A 5.7 kg kicker that turns into a backpack in 15 seconds. |
| DROP | 8 | Beginners and Amateurs | Practicing drops, on wheels you roll to the spot. |
| STREET | 14 | Amateurs and Professionals | Airy geometry for dirt and street riding. |
| LIL AIR | 14 | Amateurs and Professionals | Steep take-offs that launch you high. |
| AREA 51 | 14 | Amateurs and Professionals | High-speed long jumps over 9-12 m gaps. |
| AIR | 16 | Professionals | Height-oriented jumps and gaps up to 6 m. |
INTRO, COACH, LITE and DROP each carry up to 130 kg (286 lbs) of rider and bike, so parents can ride the same ramp. Plenty do.
"These ramps are perfect for learning to jump. I'm 50 and my son is 10 and we're both loving them." Tom D.
THE BEST FIRST RAMP FOR A 6 YEAR OLD
For a 6 year old, start with INTRO or COACH.
INTRO is the smallest ramp in the MTB Hopper lineup and the easiest way to get airborne at low speed. It weighs 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs), carries like a backpack and sets up in 30 seconds. The height adjusts from 290 to 350 mm (11.4 to 13.8 in), and the bent top gives a butter smooth take-off.
COACH is the ramp that grows with your kid. Its MINI position is a roll-down, so a rider who isn't ready to jump yet can ride straight over it and feel the front wheel lift. When that feels easy, switch COACH to LONG JUMP or AIRY JUMP. The same ramp also works as a DROP bridge and as a LAND landing. COACH weighs 15.2 kg (33.5 lbs) and rolls on its own wheels.
"It's been two weeks, and he's made his way up through the different configurations with confidence." Dominic Willsher, dad of an 11 year old, Canada
COACH OR LITE FOR A 12 YEAR OLD?
For a 12 year old who has already ridden a bike park and wants to train at home, COACH is the ramp that stays useful longest. It covers every rider level from Beginners to Professionals, handles speeds from 10 to 30 km/h (6 to 19 mph) and gaps from 0.5 to 10 m, and packs a landing and a drop position into the same ramp.
Pick LITE if your kid wants to ride away from the yard. At 5.7 kg (12.6 lbs), LITE turns into a backpack in 15 seconds and goes wherever the bike goes.
"As a 12 year old beginner, I recommend it as one of your first ramps." Sam Mason, on LITE
TRAINERS AND JUMP RAMPS, SIDE BY SIDE
Kids use trainers and jump ramps at the same time. Most kids learn to ride first and then want to hop. Some build their own ramps, some head to a local bike park, some get a ramp at home, and a trainer fits in next to any of those.
- SKINNY Set is a 7-module balance track kids build into straight lines, turns, or a swing balancer, up to 7 m long. It's a fun way to sharpen balance and bike handling between jump sessions.
- WAVE is a first pump track: two ramps and a bridge, made for kids' bikes and balance bikes. Add more WAVE sets for a longer track.
"Great ramp for toddlers on balance bikes! ... a great fit even for a 3-year-old on a balance bike." Mantas, on WAVE
HOW TO START JUMPING SAFELY
- Set the ramp to its lowest height.
- Ride at a fairly slow speed. How slow depends on the ramp.
- Once your kid feels confident, raise the height by one level. Just one.
- If you have a natural slope, put the ramp in front of it and jump onto the slope. It lowers the chance of injury and the jumps feel better too.
- No slope? Add a landing. Its shock absorbers soak up the impact, and you decide how far the landing sits from the ramp. With a MINI PAD, a rider can use a ramp one level above their current skill level.
- Helmet on, every session. The full checklist is in our bike ramp safety guide.
A RAMP THAT BEATS SCREEN TIME
MTB Hopper wants to pull kids away from screens and get them outside. One parent in Quebec wrote down the exact moment it happened, in a review of COACH:
Dad: Where you going like that?
11 years old girl: Outside?
Dad: it's 18h30?!?
Girl: I don't want to watch TV, I want to practice MTB
...
Girl: Nope, All good, I'll roll it myself!
FAQ
What age can a kid start using a bike jump ramp?
MTB Hopper recommends INTRO and COACH ramps for kids from age 6. Both start at a low height, and COACH has a roll-down position for kids who aren't ready to leave the ground yet. LITE and DROP are recommended from age 8, and the bigger airy ramps from age 14.
Is there a ramp for a toddler on a balance bike?
WAVE is the MTB Hopper ramp made for kids' bikes and balance bikes. It's a small roller ramp and pump track built from two ramps and a bridge, 370 mm (14.6 in) high. One parent reviewing WAVE called it "a great fit even for a 3-year-old on a balance bike."
Can one ramp work for a 6 year old and a 12 year old?
COACH works for both. MTB Hopper recommends COACH from age 6, and it covers Beginners through Professionals with five positions: a roll-down for first timers, long jump, airy jump, drop and landing. It carries up to 130 kg (286 lbs), so parents can ride it too.
How heavy are MTB Hopper ramps for a kid to carry?
INTRO weighs 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs) and LITE weighs 5.7 kg (12.6 lbs), and both carry like a backpack. COACH weighs 15.2 kg (33.5 lbs) and rolls on built-in wheels, so kids can move it around the yard on their own.
Does my kid need a landing ramp?
Landing on flat ground is fine while jumps stay low and slow. Once jumps get bigger, the MTB Hopper MINI PAD landing softens every impact with built-in shock absorbers and lets a rider use a ramp one level above their current skill level.