In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
Pump track biking is a popular sport! In recent years, new facilities have been built in many communities. Often hidden behind schools and sports grounds, pump tracks provide a veritable playground for mountain bikers of all ages in a small space. Young bikers are often the first to discover the fun of pump tracks. In many cases, their enthusiasm also infects their cycling parents. We think that's a good thing, because everyone should visit a pump track at least once. Before their first pump track experience, however, bikers often ask themselves very specific questions. What is a pump track anyway? Which bike is best suited? How does the right riding technique work? What accessories do I need? In our big pump track guide, we explain what bikers need to have fun on a pump track.
1. the route
It doesn't actually take much to have fun on a pump track. But one thing is of course essential: the right track. There are now pump tracks in almost every large municipality. You can easily spend half a day or even a whole day on a track - so it's worth travelling to one. The circuits made of tarmac or compacted earth are made up of various elements: Waves ("pumps"), banked turns and tables. Unlike in bike parks, all elements of a pump track can usually be ridden. Fears of hitting a gap jump are therefore superfluous.
2. the bike
You can also roll over tarmac pump tracks on a BMX, scooter, skateboard or even inline skates. Young children can have fun on the hills with a balance bike. However, mountain bikes are particularly suitable. In general, of course, a fully also works on the pump track. However, rear suspension wastes a lot of energy that would actually be needed to generate speed without pedalling over waves and through berms. Riding a pump track with a full-suspension MTB is therefore much more strenuous and usually slower than with a hardtail.
The generally longer geometry of a full-suspension bike can also put the brakes on riding fun on the pump track. Shorter hardtails go through tight corners more effortlessly and are easier to control on a pump track, especially with high-frequency pumping movements. The stiff rear triangle of a hardtail immediately translates rider input. Since roots, rocks and steps are rarely encountered on a pump track, the suspension travel reserves of a full-suspension bike can be dispensed with. But even with a hardtail, there are still important conceptual questions for use on the pump track.
Area of use: Specialised dirt bike or all-round hardtail?
You can also have fun on the pump track with a "normal" hardtail. If you already own a bike with a fixed rear, you should think carefully about whether you also need a special dirt bike. Young bikers in particular often don't have the money for an additional bike. A 100-millimetre hardtail has a wide range of uses, from touring to the first marathon. In addition, the purchase costs of cheaper models are comparable to those of specialised bikes. Seen in this light, this concept is a price-performance tip for mountain bikers who only occasionally visit a pump track.
Depending on the frame size, the long seat tube of an all-round hardtail can get in the way of active pushing over waves compared to a dirt bike. Jumps and tricks are not impossible, but are significantly more difficult with the bulky frame. In any case, the saddle must be able to be lowered as far as possible. To get up to speed, a touring hardtail requires more effort from the rider on the pump track. This is due to the longer chainstays, the higher overall weight and the larger wheels. Once you get the hang of it, however, a normal hardtail also works surprisingly well on the pump track.
Wheel size: 26 or 27.5 inches?
Most dirt bikes rely on 26-inch wheels. In fact, apart from bikes for children, this is the only area in which new mountain bikes with this wheel size are still being developed. However, as Specialized has two identically equipped dirt bikes with different wheel sizes in its range, we were able to track down the advantages and disadvantages of large and small wheels in practice Compared to its identically equipped 26" counterpart, the test bike with 27.5" tyres was able to convince all test riders. On the pump track, it was easier to generate speed over straight waves without any serious disadvantages in corners or on the rear wheel. Mountain bikers appreciate the more stable, more familiar feel of the large wheels. In the laboratory, we determined an advantage of 384 kg x cm² in favour of the lighter 26" wheels in terms of wheel acceleration. In practice, this is hardly noticeable.
Price question: Cheap or expensive?
To find out what bikers really need on the pump track, we also tested bikes from very different price ranges. For the 2300 euro bike, limited to 25 pieces and XPro Digga Cream welded in Europe you would get the Melt Pump model from Octane One three times for 699 euros and still have money left over. For most pump track bikers, the ideal price lies between the two extremes. A very good dirt bike is available today for around 1200 euros. Direct mail order companies, such as Rose, are realising their price advantage over bikes from specialist dealers, such as Rocky Mountain, by offering higher quality equipment.
Detailed, top-quality frames, such as those on our Specialized test bikes, are a question of personal priorities. The same applies to the stylish DMR cranks and the CNC-machined stem of the XPro. However, if the geometry and cockpit are right, the equipment is almost irrelevant for riding fun on the pump track. With the important exception of the suspension fork. Anything below the price level of the Manitou Circus Sport is an exclusion criterion. The extra charge for an air suspension fork is definitely worth it.
Preferences: Tricks or speed?
Dirt bikes were originally developed for acrobatic stunts over large jumps. Bikers can also learn a few tricks on the pump track in addition to the basic techniques. Many manufacturers only offer their frames in one size. Some also differentiate according to frame length. Long frames have a more stable straight-line stability when high speeds are reached on the pump track. They can also fit taller riders better. Smaller sizes offer a more reactive riding behaviour - good for creative street play.
When performing tricks, the front brake cable can quickly get in the way. If you don't have a mechanical or hydraulic rotor, it's better to do without a front brake and run the long rear brake cable around the stem in several bends. If you want to take your pumptrack bike into the trials area and jump like Danny MacAskill, you need a particularly small gear ratio. Steel and aluminium cranks with direct mount allow for particularly small chainrings.
Equipment: What do you really need on the pump track?
Frame: Hardtail-Aluminium frames are light and rigid. Steel frames have mainly aesthetic advantages, but are more expensive and heavier. Dirt bikes are characterised by their compact geometry. Short chainstays help with small impulses on the rear wheel and are therefore easy to pull into the manual. Short wheelbases help with rotation tricks and in tight bends, while long wheelbases are safer at high speeds. Steering angles between 68.5 and 70 degrees are the rule. Shallow angles make the front of a dirt bike smoother, while steep angles can give the bike more reactivity.
DriveAs you don't pedal to accelerate on a pump track, you don't actually need a drivetrain or gears. The chain is even removed before many pump track competitions. Dirt bikes have stable single-speed drives. To do this, the chain must be tensioned using sliding or horizontal dropouts or an eccentric bottom bracket. Due to the chain elongation, there is no way around a special chain tensioner on most fullys. The larger the chainring and the smaller the sprocket, the heavier the single-speed gear.
Fork: Pump tracks can also be ridden with rigid forks without any problems. There are not many special suspension forks for dirt bikes. Forks with air springs, such as the expensive Rockshox Pike DJ, are the easiest to set up. Air forks from Marzocchi and Manitou also deliver solid performance on the pump track. Inexpensive steel suspension forks put a lot of pressure on the scales and rarely allow any adjustment apart from the spring preload. It is important to have good support so as not to lose any energy on the pump track.
Brakes: A simple rear brake is enough to slow you down on the pump track. Even mechanical models can do this. However, some manufacturers still supply their dirt bikes with a simple front brake. The brake lines can get in the way during tricks. With their small brake discs, dirt bikes are not made for longer descents.
Cockpit: A wide handlebar gives you a lot of control on the pump track, but can be too much for smaller riders in particular. Narrow models make tricks such as barspins easier. The handlebar width should match your height and shoulder width. Short stems provide the direct handling required on a pump track.
Tyres: On asphalt pump tracks, tyres should above all roll fast. Wide models with high air pressure can also achieve this. If tyres around 2.3 inches wide are set up wide on rims with a large inner diameter, they can also have damping advantages over narrower models on the pump track. On gravel tracks and dirt jumps, more tread is required on the front tyre.
3. the driving technique
Pump tracks offer ideal training opportunities for mountain biking. Here, bikers learn turns, jumps, manuals and active riding for the trail under laboratory conditions. The most important basic techniques, such as pushing over waves, can be learnt in just one day. Pump track curves are ideal for improving your cornering technique, as there are no excuses here. Stones, braking grooves and bumps are distracting on the trail, but not on the pump track. Bikers feel riding errors directly and immediately. Generating speed without pedalling is the key to fast and smooth riding - whether on the pump track or on the trail. Aaron Gwin demonstrated this impressively with a World Cup downhill victory without a chain.
4. the accessories
You don't need a lot of accessories to ride a pump track. In classic dirt and street style, a casual look with stretch jeans and a T-shirt is also suitable. However, a helmet is a must! Knee protectors and gloves are advisable to protect yourself in the event of a fall. The easiest way to practise your riding technique is on flat pedals. This requires the right stable, non-slip flat pedal shoes. Pump track riding is strenuous and bikers work up a sweat quickly. Functional clothing can be helpfulbut is by no means a must. It is more important to have good freedom of movement on the bike.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
