More than two years ago, Aaron Simms from Trail Crew Design Corp. hired me to design two pump tracks for a bike park he planned to build in Lethrbridge, Alberta, Canada.
He told me to create one pump track for beginners and one for experts, and to go nuts — no limitations. I threw down some madness. Two years later, and the park is coming together. Yesterday Aaron placed dirt for the tracks. Check out this action:
I will update this post as I explore the incredible Valmont Bike Park in Boulder, CO. Expect photos and videos.
June 14, 2011: Today, my first day at Valmont, I rode the park for six (6!) glorious hours. Features reviewed: Medium Slopestyle Line, Dual Slalom, Mesa Top Pump Park, Mesa Flow, Corkscrew, Rivet, The 5280′ Run-Up, Creekside Pump Park, Small Dirt Jumps, Dirt 101
June 15, 2011: Update on the big pump track. Added bike suggestions.
June 16, 2011: Added video of Jerad Fischer rolling the Large Slopestyle line. This man is ripping with one leg. Medium dirt jump line.
June 19, 2011: Updated pump track descriptions, added Large dirt jump line.
June 30: Updated Large dirt jump line.
Lots of people have been asking this one. Let’s hope they Google this post before they send emails.
Could you clarify one thing about the flashlight for me.
What I do not grasp so far is what the “flashlight – turning of the hips” does.
Judging from you remarks on skiing you know a thing or two about that as well. Being an enthusiastic skier myself, I have compared the position of carving a turn on skis with that on the bike. The only thing which seems to be different is the turning of the hips. As you surely know, during a turn on skis you try to keep your downward-pointing shoulder and hip back, so that you can keep the skis on their edges. So rotating the hips forward during a turn isn’t good on skis — why is it on the bike?
Or did I misunderstand something here?
Thanx a lot.
Ralf
Hi Lee, given that I strive for the lightest possible touch on the bars, how is important is stem stiffness?
My bike is used for racing XC, and the stem, which I think was really designed for a road bike, is 90mm.
Christopher (a skills client in Marin)
Lee,
Dunno who else to ask this question, if you’ve got a second, that’d be awesome.
I’m in Santa Barbara, CA on a family trip for the next week. I searched for the Tunnel Trail, since it’s the only one I’ve heard of and your site came up, like, 3rd on the search. Only got a 29er hard tail here (it lives at my parent’s house in Newport Beach). Was thinking of riding up Gibraltar road (since I guess that’s a pretty well known climb) and then down the trail. Will I die if I do this? I figure I can just be slow on the down. For comparison’s sake, I wouldn’t ride, say Keystone or Sol Vista with anything less than 6″ of travel (and DH tires for that matter), but I can’t think of anything on the Front Range that I couldn’t ride with a hardtail (including Left Hand OHV area — at least last time I rode it like 7 or 8 years ago)
Thanks,
Scott
Jerad Fischer, who recently had his lower leg amputated and is still getting used to his bionics, rolls the Large Slopestyle line at Valmont Bike Park.
This is one solid, skilled, passionate dude.
Wow. Wow. Wow. So rad.
Tons of terrain, teeming with all kinds of riders, perfect places to teach (and use!) skills.
I am vying for the contract to run programs here. Oh man, I want this. Skills clinics for all styles and levels of riders, pump track races, dual slalom races, time trials, cyclocross, special guest coaches, bike demos, my mind is spinning!
Dear Lee:
Love your stuff. The place I ride a lot just built a pump track, and after the snow melts it will be fully shred-able. Last year during building I had my Giant STP jump and pump bike stolen, and have not found it nor bought another one. I also own a 2009 Trek Fuel EX 8 with more all-mountain/freeride components (I am a smaller dude). Here is my question. This summer, I would love to be able to rip the pump track, and I am debating whether or not to buy a cheap BMX bike for around 250 to ride the pump track, or a shorter stem and bash gaurd to put on my Trek. I would make the shocks much stiffer on the Trek for pump riding. Should I save money and use my Trek, or bite the bullet and pay 250 for a BMX bike? Would a stiffer, shorter stemmed, low seat Trek Fuel EX 8 even work on a pump track? Thank you for your time.
Henry B
Yesterday we rocked the World Pump Track Championships at the Lyons Outdoor Games in Lyons, CO.
The event was smaller than hoped, but we had a gool ol’ grassrootsy time.
Last week, before we re-built the Lyons pump track, I rolled a new 100-lap record. This is despite more work and family time — and way less time on dirt. It gives me hope.
Hi Lee,
how are you?
I’m writing from Italy and I have just a simple question: in your opinion, what is the best pump track bike?
many thanks in advance
best regards
Andrea