What's a Pump Track?It's a lot of fun! A pump track is a bike track where you keep going by "pumping" the rollers instead of pedaling. Add in some berms, jumps, and transfers for changing directions and your whole day is booked! Once you learn the basics of pumping the track and flowing the berms, you can progress to hops, jumps, and learning to manual the rollers. A well designed track is easy enough for beginners to get rolling, but challenging enough for experts to spend weeks developing and honing skills. It's also great for developing overall fitness. Anyone who spends time on a pump track will improve their biking skills and get stronger.
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Can I ride it too?
Yes! You can ride it IF
- You have signed a waiver
- You are wearing a helmet
- The track is dry
How can I tell if it's dry enough?
- Wait at least 24 hours after a rain.
- Don't ride it if you see puddles,
- Stop riding if your tires are making dents in the track,
- Stop riding if mud is sticking to your shoes when you walk around.
The tabletop jump
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The tabletop jump is an advanced feature, but it's optional. Don't ride it if you don't know how, you can get seriously hurt. The main track just bypasses to the side of it, just ride around it. We've never had an accident, but I'm told the typical accident if you mess up is a hardcore face-plant. Having said that, it's also the best feature on the track and the centerpiece of what makes the track fun for more advanced riders. I don't personally know how to ride it yet, but I'm working on learning.
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Some tips for riding it
- It's a one-way feature and should only be ridden in the clockwise direction.
- If you can't bunny-hop over a box of pop-tarts, then you shouldn't try the tabletop yet.
- Get ready to ride it by learning to bunny hop! That teaches the correct form and movement for jumping a table.
- Talk to the guys who know how to ride it for tips on how to tackle it the first few times.
- If something goes wrong, tuck and roll!
How do I learn to ride the track?
To start with, just get comfortable riding around the track. Tips:
- Make your first goal riding around 5 times without stopping.
- You can ride it in either direction, but start with counter-clockwise.
- Don't worry about pumping, just pedal when you need to.
- Bend your knees and elbows, and don't sit on your seat.
- Focus on being able to ride smoothly
- Look where you want to go! Where you look is where you will go.
- When you're mid-way through a 180 berm, you should be looking at the roller at the exit of the berm..
- Go around the tabletop jump, DON'T try to ride over it!
- Time your pedaling so your pedal does not hit the top of the roller. It's an uncomfortable feeling when it does.
- If something goes wrong, don't be afraid to jump off the bike and ditch it.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Who is allowed to ride it?
Everyone! Team members, Neighbors, People on other teams. We even let relatives ride it.
Do I have to sign a waiver every time?
Nope, Just once. But if you're under 18, a parent or guardian needs to sign it in person.
Why do I need a waiver?
We trust you, but we've been advised to not trust your insurance company, so we need a waiver.
How old do I have to be?
Old enough to ride a bike. So far our youngest rider was 6. You can even take a strider bike on it though.
What kind of bike do I need?
BMX bikes work best. Mountain bikes also work fine, especially if it has smaller wheels. If your bike has big knobbies, the course has to be extra dry. Full suspension bikes work but are too much extra work to be really fun. Cyclocross bikes are tricky, but good for your skills. You can always borrow one of our BMX bikes if we're home.
How did you make it?
Click here to see our build page.
Why did you do it?
We decided it was time to get rid of the grass, and we thought this would be fun for us, for the team, and the community.
What will it do to the value of your home?
We all know that home values around here are not based on the house itself, but on the dirt it's built on. So I figure that by adding 35 yards of dirt I've just made my property way more valuable.
Are you going to landscape it?
Yes! It's been slow going with all the rain, but we're working on getting bids now.
What do the neighbors think?
We have gotten a LOT of very positive comments. There have been no negative comments yet, but perhaps those who don't have anything nice to say aren't saying anything. With that in mind, we do try hard to keep the sidewalk clean and be good neighbors. It will be easier and look better once the low-water landscaping is fully installed and established.
What's with the plywood board?
That is our "wall ride" prototype, an advanced feature of the track. Once we work out all the kinks, we'll replace it with something permanent that looks nicer, hopefully this summer.
Can I run my RC car on it?
Yes! No waiver required for RC car use. Do knock and introduce yourself first though if you haven't used it before.
Does someone need to be home?
No. If we have your waiver, the track is dry, there is daylight, and you are wearing your helmet, you can ride it.
Are you going to install lights so we can ride at night?
Maybe. First I need to landscape it and do my taxes.
Can I wear earbuds while riding?
You need to be aware of other riders and whether or not you're starting to slide and things like that. Hearing these things is your best (and often only) early warning system. None of the more experienced riders wear earbuds, and I recommend that you don't either.
Everyone! Team members, Neighbors, People on other teams. We even let relatives ride it.
Do I have to sign a waiver every time?
Nope, Just once. But if you're under 18, a parent or guardian needs to sign it in person.
Why do I need a waiver?
We trust you, but we've been advised to not trust your insurance company, so we need a waiver.
How old do I have to be?
Old enough to ride a bike. So far our youngest rider was 6. You can even take a strider bike on it though.
What kind of bike do I need?
BMX bikes work best. Mountain bikes also work fine, especially if it has smaller wheels. If your bike has big knobbies, the course has to be extra dry. Full suspension bikes work but are too much extra work to be really fun. Cyclocross bikes are tricky, but good for your skills. You can always borrow one of our BMX bikes if we're home.
How did you make it?
Click here to see our build page.
Why did you do it?
We decided it was time to get rid of the grass, and we thought this would be fun for us, for the team, and the community.
What will it do to the value of your home?
We all know that home values around here are not based on the house itself, but on the dirt it's built on. So I figure that by adding 35 yards of dirt I've just made my property way more valuable.
Are you going to landscape it?
Yes! It's been slow going with all the rain, but we're working on getting bids now.
What do the neighbors think?
We have gotten a LOT of very positive comments. There have been no negative comments yet, but perhaps those who don't have anything nice to say aren't saying anything. With that in mind, we do try hard to keep the sidewalk clean and be good neighbors. It will be easier and look better once the low-water landscaping is fully installed and established.
What's with the plywood board?
That is our "wall ride" prototype, an advanced feature of the track. Once we work out all the kinks, we'll replace it with something permanent that looks nicer, hopefully this summer.
Can I run my RC car on it?
Yes! No waiver required for RC car use. Do knock and introduce yourself first though if you haven't used it before.
Does someone need to be home?
No. If we have your waiver, the track is dry, there is daylight, and you are wearing your helmet, you can ride it.
Are you going to install lights so we can ride at night?
Maybe. First I need to landscape it and do my taxes.
Can I wear earbuds while riding?
You need to be aware of other riders and whether or not you're starting to slide and things like that. Hearing these things is your best (and often only) early warning system. None of the more experienced riders wear earbuds, and I recommend that you don't either.
