I ride the pump track at The Fix from time to time. Shocking how
tiring it can be, and my 6" travel bike isn't exactly the right bike
to have on it but it is still fun. Having elements of a pump track on
trails would definitely be a cool idea.

--- In keystoneoffroad@yahoogroups.com, Randall Clayborn
<adventurebicycle@...> wrote:
>
> Here is an interesting build project for any mountain biker. This
could also be use in trail building using rockand or dirt to make a
boring flat session FUN.
>
>
> Pump track mania is sweeping the globe. Mountain bikers everywhere
are building endless loops of rollers and berms, and the riders are
getting smoother, fitter and faster.
> These mini tracks teach you to maintain speed — no, gain speed —
over bumps and through tight corners. Almost anyone can ride a pump
track. Beginners fumble, jumble and stumble, while experts manual,
jump and rip. On pump tracks the speed, fear and risk are low, but the
effort, fun and improvement are high.
> Legend has it that Mick Hannah trained extensively on a pump track
before he demolished the 2004 Sea Otter Classic. Knowing the fastest
Aussies pump on a regular basis, pro downhiller Steve Wentz built a
track at The Fix in Boulder, Colo. last fall. At first, his L-shaped
loop was barely rideable, but within a week the lines were grooved and
the riders were grooving.
> When I posted a story and videos on this site, pump track reports
poured in. The kids in Whistler, BC started building them. The guys at
Riding High in Taichung, Taiwan built one. And Ray Petro of Ray's MTB,
the indoor bike park in Cincinnatti, made an awesome one out of wood.
Pump tracks are superfun, and they're good for you, so you might as
well build one of your own.
> Pick a spot. You can have plenty of fun in as little as 40 x 20
feet. Yes, that's the size of your basement. More space means wider
turns, bigger rollers and greater speeds. Flat land is best, but you
can always rail some downhill berms then pump back uphill on a roller
staircase. Oof.
> Lay it out. Start with the turns. Make them tight enough to pump but
not so tight you struggle to make them. A radius of about 75 inches
works well. The 38-inch turn at The Fix creates champions but robs
speed. Make sure your berms have constant arcs, and build them
gradually from flat to vertical. When you get the hang of your track,
you'll be pulling almost three Gs and leaning 70 degrees.
>
> Fill in the spaces. Build rollers or doubles between your turns.
Avoid flat spots. Every square inch on your track should tilt upward,
downward or sideways. No time for coasting!
>
> Riding your pump track
> Choose your weapon. Dirt jump hardtails and stiff dual suspension
slalom bikes work well. A 24-inch cruiser with foot pegs and no brakes
might be ideal.
> Smoothness first, speed second. Charge into your pump track like a
maniac, and you'll injure a bystander. Start super slow, sucking up
the front sides and pumping the backsides, and watch the speed build
on its own.
> Attack the berms. Dive into them like the sideways holes they are.
Pump them for speed and get out of there!
> Race! Mountain crossers should do three-lap time trials. Downhillers
should keep it flowing for 10 laps. XC racers can keep rolling until
the other guys kick them out. For head-to-butt fun, start two riders
on opposite ends and let them pursue each other. The guy who gets
caught loses. Switch directions. Rest. Repeat.
> I hope this is helpful. In the near future I'll show you the best
ways to build rollers and berms. In the mean time, start designing!
>
> This page has videos showing early sessions on The Fix's pump track:
http://leelikesbikes.com/Stories/010405
>
> Has anyone built one of these in Tulsa Yet?
> Randall
>