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Backyard pump track advice

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum but not to bmx and dj. I haven't rode in about 12 years (kids and life!) well anyway my boys are 9 and 7 and I'm starting a small backyard pump track in out back yard. I got a out 4900 Sq feet of space to throw a track around. But I have to leave anything that's existingbin place (wife's rule).

I want to build a decent one and have never built one before. Back in the day I helped dig a few and maintain a few but didn't do any of the fine tuning. My boys are really wanting to get into BMX pump tracks and I'll admit it rekindled my passion for riding. So while I'm waiting to get a bike I figured I could build a track.

So far I have a couple little rollers and a start to a Burm. I sketched out the area last night and this is what I came up with. Any thoughts or ideas will be greatly appreciated.
 
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Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,927
14,445
where the trails are
mohawks welcome.

Consider a transition to change directions. Also, did you mean 700 sq/ft? 70 might be a little 'cozy' for a pump track.
Post an update as you build!
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
mohawks welcome.

Consider a transition to change directions. Also, did you mean 700 sq/ft? 70 might be a little 'cozy' for a pump track.
Post an update as you build!
Thank you!
May have typed that out to fast. The area is 70' by 70' but I may extent it across the lane and down into the lower field.

I was thinking about change of direction this morning after I posted it. I'll hav to look at my options, but I agree change of direction would be a good thing
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Looks like fun. Pumptracks are cool because they're always under construction. If you build it and there's no flow, reshape it until the flow comes. Put those kids to work!
 

NevilleC

Chimp
Sep 9, 2014
10
7
new england
I just got done building mine and the one big rule I had to remember, straight from "Pumptrack Nation", was: No flat spots. Great book if you're totally green at building tracks like I am.

Also, rollers at the beginning and end of berms should be incorporated INTO the berm. Once I started riding mine, I realized I didn't make my entry and exit rollers IN the berm. Mine were just outside of it and it was hard to stay on the track when you came out of a berm.

I also had to tighten up the radius on my berms at first too. 8 foot plus seems to be somewhat of a speed killer.

Good luck and get those boys shoveling!! It's a great sense of accomplishment once you complete something like that.
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
I just got done building mine and the one big rule I had to remember, straight from "Pumptrack Nation", was: No flat spots. Great book if you're totally green at building tracks like I am.

Also, rollers at the beginning and end of berms should be incorporated INTO the berm. Once I started riding mine, I realized I didn't make my entry and exit rollers IN the berm. Mine were just outside of it and it was hard to stay on the track when you came out of a berm.

I also had to tighten up the radius on my berms at first too. 8 foot plus seems to be somewhat of a speed killer.

Good luck and get those boys shoveling!! It's a great sense of accomplishment once you complete something like that.
I knew about not having any flat spots and 8' radius, but I didn't know the rollers needed to go into the berm. I thought they stopped at the beginning of the turn and started at the end of the turn.

Thank you @NevilleC for the very useful info.
 

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,658
1,633
NorCack
I think that looks like a pretty fun layout. Question for you: how flat is the area you're working with. The biggest challenge I had in my yard was that there was probably a 3-4 foot elevation drop across the track and while that doesn't sound like much, we really had to rework a bunch of things to get it so that you could lap it continuously without pedaling. There are tricks though.

Main thing I'd change looking at your layout is the upper left of the diagram. I'd make that S berms with a single roller between them--really fun feature in that you're laid over in a turn, pick up over the roller and then laid over the other way. Does good things for bike handling.

I'd also say that most berms do well to have a roller at the start and the end, but all mine have been oriented pretty much vertical (i.e. there is not a lump built into the angled surface of the berm).

Think now about drainage. Berms are the worst about holding water so consider making a pit inside then installing corrugated pipe to let water out on the other side. Sucks to chop a hole in a good berm just to install drainage after the fact (ask me how I know). Where you can, elevating the trail bed of the track is always a bonus.

As others have said, it will always be a work in progress, which is great fun and a bunch of work.

Keep posting pics and ideas and we can all live vicariously through your creation!
 

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,658
1,633
NorCack
I found a picture to show what I mean about rollers and berms. The roller with the arrow doesn't look like much, but it's about 2.5 feet tall and you get an insane amount of speed when you pump it just right coming out of the berm. It's actually one of the crux moves of the track.
Slide1.jpg
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
Question for you: how flat is the area you're working with. The biggest challenge I had in my yard was that there was probably a 3-4 foot elevation drop across the track and while that doesn't sound like much, we really had to rework a bunch of things to get it so that you could lap it continuously without pedaling. There are tricks though.

Main thing I'd change looking at your layout is the upper left of the diagram. I'd make that S berms with a single roller between them--really fun feature in that you're laid over in a turn, pick up over the roller and then laid over the other way. Does good things for bike handling.

I'd also say that most berms do well to have a roller at the start and the end, but all mine have been oriented pretty much vertical (i.e. there is not a lump built into the angled surface of the berm).

Think now about drainage. Berms are the worst about holding water so consider making a pit inside then installing corrugated pipe to let water out on the other side. Sucks to chop a hole in a good berm just to install drainage after the fact (ask me how I know). Where you can, elevating the trail bed of the track is always a bonus.

As others have said, it will always be a work in progress, which is great fun and a bunch of work.

Keep posting pics and ideas and we can all live vicariously through your creation!
The area is mostly flat is it rolls off to the center of the area (towards the fire pit) and then down to my parking area. Which is why I'm planning on elevating the start area of the track.

I'm not sure I understand the s Burm with roller between. You stated in the top left of the diagram. The top left had a path through it that leads to our chicken coup so I can't change it much (I'd like to leave the access if possible other wise I have to walk a long way around to feed the animals.)

As for drainage the Burma at the top of the diagram will shead water with the natural slope of the yard its the ones in the bottom right that will be a drainage nightmare. However we live in an area that doesn't get a lot of rain fall. Just sun and snow and usually not much snow although last year we got 4' of it.

Definitely going to post pics along the way. I just have a lot of shovel work to do before it looks like anything other than a messy yard
 
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SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,658
1,633
NorCack
I'm not sure I understand the s Burm with roller between. You stated in the top left of the diagram. The top left had a path through it that leads to our chicken coup so I can't change it much (I'd like to leave the access if possible other wise I have to walk a long way around to feed the animals.)
Sorry, no coffee on board when I wrote this. I meant upper RIGHT. If you look at this diagram, the S berm is right in the middle.

 

Kevin

Turbo Monkey
Just get a sharkano. Nothing is cooler then a mountain that spits sharks
At the bottom you build a bong shed surrounded by a pumptrack surrounded by a crocodile filled moat.
People will come to ride your pumptrack and fall in the moat. The crocs will eat them, you fish their bikes out of the water and you and your kids ride the hell out of them.

Fuck yeah...
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
Started carving out some of the track last night. How do you guys keep your radius for turns? String on a stake?
 
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NevilleC

Chimp
Sep 9, 2014
10
7
new england
Started carving out some of the track last night. How do you guys keep your radius for turns? String on a stake?
I used a 100' tape measure and pounded a piece of rebar in the ground to put the end of the tape on. Then walked the radius with a can of spray paint and painted the radius a few times as the berm grew.
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
I used a 100' tape measure and pounded a piece of rebar in the ground to put the end of the tape on. Then walked the radius with a can of spray paint and painted the radius a few times as the berm grew.
Not sure if the í have any spray paint left... But thats doable if I have any laying around and if not maybe payday
 

Siphin

Chimp
Aug 27, 2017
29
10
Ontario Oregon
I got some work done on the track. Mind you it's all shovel work. I know I have to work on drainage still. And im planning on pulling down the insides and leveling out a bit. Anyway here is about 4 hours worth of work.
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20170831_185259-1.jpg
20170831_185243-1.jpg
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FlipSide

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,376
804
Nice project. I'd love having the space to have a pump track at home.

Do I see correctly that you are digging the track so that parts of it will be below the surface? If it is indeed the case, I strongly advise you bring material in so that even the lowest parts of the track are above ground level. Otherwise, it will just get filled with water when it rains and you will have a very hard time maintaining it in decent shape.