Archive for category: Trail building

Hi Lee,

I purchased your excellent book Welcome to Pump Track Nation v2 (hardcover) because my son and I are building a pump track in our backyard. I was wondering if I could ask you a question. I’ve gotten a dirt sample from a friend who’s got an excavator and can deliver it to me. I did your ball jar dirt test, and while I clearly see the clay (62.5%) it’s above another layer (37.5%), which is undifferentiated. I can’t figure out, by looking at your photo in the book, whether that bottom layer sand or silt. Or could it be both? If you could check out this photo and let me know what you think, I would be super grateful! (I wish I lived in Boulder so I could take one of your lessons – I may head out that way next summer anyways, so I might be able to squeeze one in). Also, I live in VT, is 62.5% clay too much for an environment where it can rain a fair amount?

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Hi Lee

I thought I would get in touch and I hope you are doing ok in these difficult times.

I have been dreaming of a backyard pumptrack for a few years and with the coronavirus lockdown here in the UK I am trying to find the silver lining and so am planning a build!

I bought your great book Welcome to Pump Track Nation v2 and have taken to design package inkscape to try to plan out a track. I have a long but relatively narrow space which is on flat land and currently simple turf. I plan to bring in a mini digger but don’t have access to bring dirt in easily so will dig down to get the dirt and then put in drainage from the low points.

The design is attached and includes a simple oval with an s-bend berm in the middle and a mixture of simple rollers and a couple of bigger ones to try to give the chance for jumps – including in and out of the s-berm. The track will be used by myself (38 and a bmx/mtb rider since a teenager) and my two kids (11 and 5 yr olds).

It would be amazing to get any thoughts you have.

Thanks
Joel

Hi Lee,

I bought the v2 of the pump track nation book. Gotta say super well written. I’m planning on building one in the back yard to keep my kids busy. They are 3 1/2 (good at strider) and almost 6 (he’s got a nice 20” bike and can ride mellow mtb trails)

My space in the yard is 35 feet wide and 32 feet deep but the SW corner has a shed so need to keep entrance clear so will likely do a trapezoid shape. That includes room for the back of berms.

My main question has to do with the 10 foot peak to peak number you mention as ideal for rollers. How tight can I make rollers. I assume since the kids are on small bikes they can handle tighter spacing. What’s a smaller spacing that would still be manageable for me. I’m advanced rider on a dj bike. I can pump my way around a pump track without pedaling but by no means an expert. Though I’d like to practice now that I have time. We are working from home for the next foreseeable future and we have the kids home too. All schools and daycares are shut down here for the next 2 months at least. Our local pump track will also be shut down for the foreseeable future.

Thanks
Bogdan

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Hey Lee,

Just purchased the Pumptopia Track Plan and was reviewing some of the sheets while comparing some things in your ebook “Welcome to Pump Track Nation v2” and had a few questions.

In the ebook it mentions 12″ high rollers with 10′ from peak to peak for the rollers.  However, in the plans it shows 18″ for what looks like 10′ peak to peak on rollers?  Is there a reason for this?  Will it be faster or slower?

Sean

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