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How to build your own backyard pump track
Check out this amazing backyard set-up and get pro tips on how to get started with your own pump track.
Having a pump track in your garden could be every mountain bikers dream set-up. Professional enduro athlete Robin Wallner and his partner Elin Nilsson decided to make that dream a reality. Here is how and why they did it, as well as some pro tips on how to get started with your own.
Why ride pump track?
It is a great way to practice skills, without feeling like it’s practice. It is also super social as you tend to get really tired after like two laps, and end up hanging out instead, which is great, haha.
Practice makes perfect...
© Emrik Jansson
Why did you decide to build one in your garden?
When we moved in a couple of years ago I said that I was going to build one, but somehow it got put aside. I ended up building for friends, but not for us. Then one evening about a month ago, Elin and I went for a ride on the local pump track in Åre and I said to her ”it's stupid that we have to get in the car to go ride this”. Elin then reminded me - quite harshly - that I had promised to build one 2 years ago. The next day I ordered 7 truckloads of dirt and got started.
It only took two years and a couple of months...
© Emrik Jansson
Why do you think more people should build backyard pump tracks?
First off, it is a great way to get people to come hang out at your house! Then it is also the best and most fun training tool you can invest in. I'd recommend anyone to ditch the gym and build one of these instead.
Elin getting a few laps in after work.
© Emrik Jansson
What should you think about when building a pump track?
1. An even surface: It is really important that the ground is level before you start creating your pump track. If the ground is ever so slightly sloping up or down, the pump track will only be fun half way round. It was my biggest concern when creating our pump track as our garden is ever so slightly downhill facing. I spent a lot of time and dirt making it level before starting to build the actual pump track.
2. Keeping flow: It is possible to fit a lot of different lines in to a pump track, even if it is a small one. The most important thing is to maintain a bike length in-between the rollers to keep it flowing right.
3. Smooth dirt: Try and use dirt that doesn’t contain too many big rocks as it makes it a lot smoother to ride.
Shifting and shaping is all part of it.
© Emrik Jansson
6 EASY STEPS TO BUILD YOUR OWN PUMP TRACK
1. Decide where you want to build your pump track and take a few basic measurements of the area.
2. See if there are any natural features on the piece of land where you want to build, that you could incorporate into your pump track.
3. Draw up a few different options and decide on one before you start.
4. Make sure to get enough dirt - you will probably need a lot more than you think. It is worth getting some “nicer” dirt to put on as your top layer.
5. Build, shape, ride, re-build, shape, pack to make it flow right, and then smile when it´s finished.
6. Get your friends over and ride it!
Not much beats pump-track-and-BBQ-evenings.
© Emrik Jansson
