# Size for pump track



## jayoutside (Mar 21, 2004)

hey gang - been working with the city for a looooong time to get permission to build a pump track on city park land - looks as if it will happen soon.

Read a ton, got Lee's pump track book, ridden a handful myself, read tons on this board. So trying to do some homework. We are going to get this professionally planned through the local mtb club funds - however - before we get to that, we need to pick a site.

this will be a pump track - not a dirt jump track - need to keep the city planners happy and considering where this will be, it can't look as if it is taking over the area - it needs to "blend in". Thinking 3-4 ft will be the max height allowed for dirt stacks. Its in the east and we get lots of rain, so digging below grade is a no-go for drainage.

Here's the question. Site A would limit us to 1/3 an acre. Site B would be 1/2 to 2/3 a acre. 
Site A is closer to singletrack in town and makes a bit more sense than Site B. 
Would a track that is 1/2-2/3 an acre actually be "better" than one that is 1/3 an acre? Like I said, we are going to contract out the design, but need to make decisions on the actual site sooner rather than later. maybe in the next few days....thoughts???

thanks!


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## Punkeyboozter (Mar 31, 2009)

sounds like 1/2 acre is plenty to me, you must remember that maintenance would likely be your biggest problem. the bigger the site the more work there will be. Labour is exspensive and as we all know not every one digs and many more dont care if they damage the track. I would also recommend some table tops at the end for the added fun factor. and a double bump long bump ...oo whish we had cool stuff like that around here


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

1/3 acre will be okay. It's more important to pick a good location that is convenient to a lot of riders.

An acre is 90% of the size of a football field according to wikipedia.....










ALSO . . . . I honestly think you should consider a design that has jumps or "jumpable" features. You could have 2 loops, one inner, one outer, with the inner loop being rollers only, but the outer loop having some tables, camel-back rollable doubles, etc. mixed in.

From my experience, adult xc mtb'ers tend to be very casual or occasional users of pump tracks (if they are interested at all) . . . whereas youths or adult bmx and mtb-dj / mtbmx riders or xc-to-mtbmx converts tend to be MOST of the users of the pump track. They will also be more dedicated to keeping the spot maintained.


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## Raison d'être (Mar 20, 2009)

cmc4130 said:


> ... . I honestly think you should consider a design that has jumps or "jumpable" features. .......
> 
> From my experience, adult xc mtb'ers tend to be very casual or occasional users of pump tracks (if they are interested at all) . . . whereas youths or adult bmx and mtb-dj / mtbmx riders or xc-to-mtbmx converts tend to be MOST of the users of the pump track. They will also be more dedicated to keeping the spot maintained.


These words are 100% true for our town pump track. It's only 30'x100', and requires more maintenance than we thought it would, especially since there are many who don't care if they damage the track.

We're now adding jumpable features to help get/keep the interest of more of those you call xc-to-mtbmx


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

the mtbmx style pump track i and my crew built is about 180 ish feet long and about 60 feet wide. two rectangular loops, one inside the other, with transfers going from outside to inside and inside to outside.

it is NOT on flat ground. i disagree with the idea that pump tracks should be flat. that's just an easy starting point. especially for a backyard. if there are natural terrain elevation differences, use them (especially for starting hills). it can be tricky to get roller spacing right to get back up-gradient, but it is highly do-able and rewarding when you achieve it.

wcpt random edit spring '10





walnut creek pump track summer '09


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Someday my back yard will look like that ^


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