So Velosolutions are building a tarmac pumptrack near work, and I’m thinking I should get my old 27.5 hardtail parts out of retirement, for a bike I can ride the 3 miles there (the route is totally flat), play, and ride back.
Ideally I’d make it a 26” bike but I’ve got two sets of 27.5 wheels and no 26 ones, plus my hardtail has a rather low BB already.
It’s a Bird Zero AM with a 150mm Pike RCT but I can run that firmer and/or lockout so it pumps better. It currently has a -2 deg Works headset so I’m thinking if I’m running the fork with minimal sag on a pump track it wants a normal headset instead (that’ll give it a 65.4 deg static HA so still slack).
I’m assuming I’d be best off with some tarmac tyres - no point dragging knobblies around or risking side knob squirm if I get any good at ripping turns. Not sure what to get?
I need some disc brakes for it - any budget suggestions?
I need some bars and a stem - I’m assuming 760mm and 50mm because that’s what I like on my other bikes (I really like the shape of Renthal bars but don’t know if that matters on a pumptrack bike). Stem must not be flexy feeling!
I have a GX Eagle drivetrain sitting unused but I’m also wondering about making it singlespeed - if so I’d need a tensioner and to figure out what gearing is best for the pedal there and back.
I also need either a seatpost or a dropper post. The former is certainly cheaper and won’t go wrong, so I’m leaning that way now…
I’m sure a few of you have already done this, so send me your suggestions!
Drivetrain - choose something that works to ride there and back, you wont be pedalling much when you get there. SS might be best.
Tyres - fat and slick.
Seatpost - most important IMO, get whatever goes the lowest. I'd suggest a simple rigid seatpost with a QR clamp so you can drop it when you get there.
Fork - not sure, but doubt it matters too much.
I've been to a few this week with my boy cos he loves them. Ride about 3 miles to and from too.
I follow him round on a 24 inch cruiser BMX. Even that can feel a bit long around some tight pumptrack corners.
My advice would be hold off spending any more on a 150 forked 27.5 bike. Ride what you've got first, then Depending on the track they build, you might want to put that cash towards something with much smaller wheels.
Do what I did and buy one of these...
https://www.sourcebmx.com/products/fit-series-22-bmx-bike-1?variant=40772695556207
I've got a 26" DJ bike and lots of local pump tracks and this thing feels like a rocket in comparison.
Not all pumptracks are equal, some are really tight and not as suited to MTB flavoured bikes. Pick wisely!
Pump your tyres up solid, same with the suspension max out the high and low, you aren't supposed to be comfortable casing every jump! Some places if you even try and run a soft trail setup you will hardly get off the ground never mind clear any doubles!
Oh and if you are running gears (not ideal) set the clutch tension super stiff so the chain doesn't jump off every bad landing. Remember there is no sitting down peddling or gear changing for hills you just go with the hardest gear you've got.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the bike. Make it as simple as possible.
I’d be more worried about the core stength that you’re just about to find you don’t have. Couple laps round a pump track damn near killed me recently. Awesome though. Go for it.
What you're describing will deffo not be ideal
I've got a small 20" bmx that i picked up off Harry the spider on here ages ago, it's perfect for the /very/ compact pumptrack at our local park. Admittedly at the very other end of the scale, my enduro bike is pointless taking, there by the time you can pump the back wheel the front one is going up again!
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We built a pumptrack on our local sports field back in 2013, then last year finally raised enough funds to get Clark and Kent to build a 'proper' one.
The original was a version from the Pumptrack Nation e-book, and the bitsa bike worked well on it, the new tarmac track, not so much, still getting my head round it.
Cheap frame, but its heavy, I already had the wheels, cranks were tiagra, with a ghetto single speed, the most money is in the tyres and pedals, fork was given by a mate.
It works, but the transitions are much tighter and as I said, a WIP for me.
Ideally I'd like a 24" cruiser from Curtis, but it'll do for now.
You can ride a pumptrack on most bikes, but enjoying it and it being fun...........
just ride what you have and love it
just ride what you have and love it
Eh? wot? Without brakes and no seatpost? I suppose in theory you could! The ride home might be a bit dodgy though 😂
Only thing I remember from taking my lad to the local pump track was tyre pressures need to be fairly high. Young lad there was flying round, jumping everything, while we were slogging away. I had a chat with him and remember him saying he was running something like 50psi.
“Eh? wot? Without brakes and no seatpost? I suppose in theory you could! The ride home might be a bit dodgy though 😂”
It was the lack of stem or bars that was bothering me more!
The other bikes I have to choose from are my Brompton (wheel size good, everything else bad), Levo (wheel size and geometry too big, suspension too long travel and squishy), and Moxie (wheel size and and geometry too big, fork too long travel and squishy).
At some point the Zero has to become a working MTB for when my eldest grows into it so in the meantime I thought it could do pumptrack duties. It’s quite a lot shorter and steeper than my other MTBs. I did have a BMX some years ago and I was really rubbish at riding it, the super quick handling made me bad at committing to anything with speed or power.
Maybe I’ll get the Zero back to being a working MTB and then figure out if a cruiser or jump bike is better for this track?
Don't spend any money until the track is finished and then go along and ask for a ride on someone else's bike?
I used to coach on pumptracks, much preferred a dirt jump bike to a BMX but the fastest person I ever saw on our track was a pro Bmxer. I'd just get some quick, grippy tyres on your Bird and give it a blast. You might not ride the pumptrack enough to have a dedicated bike. I have an old Specialized DJ bike in the shed but haven't used it for years.
I used to coach on pumptracks, much preferred a dirt jump bike to a BMX but the fastest person I ever saw on our track was a pro Bmxer.
I've got both and I can say that for me, (same rider/fitness/ability) the BMX absolutely flies around the track.
A couple of laps on the DJ bike and I'm blowing and my legs are gassed. The BMX will do double the laps for the same effort.
It's not even a 'proper' BMX it's a cheap one with a hi-ten frame and 22" wheels. It's not as twitchy and dangerous feeling as a tiny 20"er but it still takes some getting used to.
I've only ridden it a few times on cold, soggy tracks. I can't wait for some warm sunny days.
Aw, Sharkattack's pic makes me sad for our local track - wasn't quite as good as that one, but me and my lad had fun on it a few years back. It now looks like this...
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🙁
you want a steeper head angle than 65deg, if you want to use that frame/fork I'd look at lowering the fork, running the slackset backwards.
26" wheels or smaller, they're cheap these days. Crank clearance isn't an issue, DTH tyres
single speed
brake doesn't really matter, any old cable brake is fine, or a cheapo shimano hydraulic if thats your thing
non-dropper seatpost
Personally I wouldn’t spend any money on that Bird for that purpose.
I’d trawl fb classifieds for a cheap bmx or dirt jump bike. Loads of stuff £200 or less looking around Bristol. If you’re a fully grown adult then look for a bmx with the longest tip tube you can find - think 21.75” is at the long end. It’ll still feel short and twitchy for a while though - but it’ll be rapid round a pump track.
If you really must build the bird then ideally you want that fork as short and hard as you can get it and then raise the front up with a high riser bar. Brakes don’t matter at all on pump track - you don’t want to be slower down your hard earned speed. Most bmx / dirt jumpers just have a rear brake and often not a very good one at that.
You just might want a front if you’re riding to the pump track on the road for legality purposes. Just put on the cheapest things you can find - Clarks M2 are normally the cheapest pairing available and come with rotors too.
Tyres you want something like Maxxis DTH / Schwalbe Billy Bonkers etc.
I think my BMX was £50 or £70 in a bit of a state - I just changed the tyres / brakes / new chain to get it serviceable. They’re all quite crude things but that’s all you need.
One of those dirt cheap Mongoose Fireballs would be ideal for you. £200 single speed and you can just get a longer seat most of it’s too short for your commute.
Otherwise just ride what you have and pump the tyres up hard.
I have a single speed Charge Blender with either a long seatpost for pottering around with the kids/commuting or a really short one if it’s just a pump track. I have a few near me in Exeter. But I miss the sheer choice of tracks in Bristol. Where’s the new one going to be.
I’ve got a Maxxis DTH on the rear for fast rolling and a Kenda Small Block 8 on the front for fast rolling and grip when I ride it around the woods/forests with the kids. TBH a matching pair of either tyres would be fine.
New pump track is a few months away, at Hove Lagoon.
@chiefgrooveguru
I have a PlanetX Jack flash for this type of duty. Along the seafront, it doesn't really matter which gear ratios you have surely? I have to have some lower gears as i live near fiveways, so up a big hill on return.
Tyres, specialzed Kicker Sport were £20 each and feel great.
Mostly it's just part worn 11speed bits from the trail bike.
BMX stem and cruiser bars.
I do have a BrandX dropper on it, so i can ride there, and then ride low. (mostly to save my knees)
Currently got a DMR rigid fork on it, but going to swap for short travel 100mm sus fork. I'm too old for wrist smashing on a fully rigid i think.
I'm looking forward to it opening.
Brakes don’t matter at all on pump track – you don’t want to be slower down your hard earned speed.
That's fine when you've got the place to yourself but not great when there's kids running around all over the place.
You don't want to be a grown man explaining to someone's Dad that you flattened their kid because you were on a hot lap.
We've got that new Velosolutions track in Hillsborough but it's basically unrideable for most of the day because of how busy it is.
That’s fine when you’ve got the place to yourself but not great when there’s kids running around all over the place.
Very much this indeed, which is why 100kgs of me ALWAYS has good brakes on board.
Brakes - whatever is cheap like a set of budget Shimano. You won't use them much on a pump track. I had cable discs on my first pump track bike to start with and they were fine
Ribble have some bargain brakes at the mo
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/components/brakes-and-pads/?category_ids=274
for any other sussex pumptrackers - the burgess hill pumptrack recently got tarmac'd so its pretty good. Not as fast/wild as newhaven, but bigger and better than bolney
for any other sussex pumptrackers – the burgess hill pumptrack recently got tarmac’d so its pretty good. Not as fast/wild as newhaven, but bigger and better than bolney
Good shout there. Thought it was still dirt. Might be worth a trip then.
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I built this 26" but now run 24" wheelset with lightweight Vee Speedster tyres and it is much better, flies around
Thanks for all the ideas! You may all be right that I'm best off with something much shorter and steeper and smaller wheeled but I need to get this hardtail back into a usable state anyway, so I'll start off with making it a working hardtail and put some more tarmac oriented tyres on it. If I turn out to have a talent for pumptracks I'll reward myself with a proper DJ or BMX and sideline the hardtail for when eldest grows into it.
Any suggestions on what tyres to put on it? 27.5 makes it more of a challenge but I'm thinking that I'd be best off with something that could also be a rear tyre for summer MTBing, rather than an almost totally slick tyre like a Hookworm. I'm not used to running tyres at tarmac pumptrack pressures, so I'm puzzled over tyre width - on a MTB I'm on 2.3-2.4 but they're in the low 20s, not 50+. Are those Kicker Sport 2.1 the best bet at only £20 each?
Just ride what you have. Like you said, if you enjoy it and actually do it you can buy a more suited bike.
“Just ride what you have”
I know that failing to read what’s been written is the essence of all forums but it is tiresome at times…
The new pumptrack is near work, not home. I commute on my Levo which as a 160mm 29 ebike wearing v knobbly tyres would be the most rubbish pumptrack bike ever. My other MTB is a singlespeed long slack 160mm 29” hardtail which is horrible to commute on due to being geared for climbing steep hills, not pedalling into town. And it has even slower stickier tyres than the Levo right now.
My other MTB is incomplete, hence the questions. I do have a Brompton at work but I’m not going to try to ride that on a pumptrack, it’s too bendy pedalling in straight lines let alone being pulled and pushed with max force…
Do any of your employees ride bikes? Get trade price on a couple of suitable bikes as a business expenses for active lunch breaks.
If you’re insistent on kitting out the bird and want something cheap the rock razors for £12.95 at Merlin could do a job possibly. Or they have rekon races for £14.95 each.
Will be reasonably fast for an mtb tyre - although really something like a Maxxis dth or Schwalbe Billy Bonkers is where it’s at but I think 27.5 is a problem.
Ah, what about these? They look like they’d be fast and they’re in your wheel size and £15.95 each. Never bought from that site that I’m aware of though.
On the brakes front if you haven’t bought any yet then Clarks M2 will do the job and are really cheap. Unles CRC / Ribble are knocking out any cheap lower end Shimano stuff.
Unless you really haven't got room for another bike I think you'd be much better off buying a second hand bike and selling it on for little to no loss if you don't use it. You are not going to get the full pumptrack experience on the Bird, it's too long and slack IMO. Don't buy some overweight 00's era DJ bike though as that will be equally crap.
Don’t buy some overweight 00’s era DJ bike though as that will be equally crap.
Strongly disagree. Weight doesn't really matter and the geo is spot on.
My cruiser bmx is about 28lbs and it feels absolutely rapid round a pump track. I’m sure something lighter would be even quicker still - but I’m just playing rather than any kid of racing.
Personally I’ve enjoyed the bmx but when I get paid bonus later this month I’m going to sell the bmx on for about £100 and get a dirt jump bike instead.
Strongly disagree. Weight doesn’t really matter and the geo is spot on.
Agree geo is king but in my experience having live through the era of massively overbuilt frames, forks bars etc I much prefer what I ride now even though the geo isn't that much different.
Finally got a pump track in Sutton last year...I found my 1984 mongoose bmx is the best bike for it...Great fun and surprising hard work considering your not really peddling.
I found on a nice dry day to get there early and you have the track all to yourself
I just wanted to show off my new DJ really, just need a silver seat clamp to finish it. Standard middle aged STW front brake present and correct although might lose it, don't think it served much purpose.
Second outing tomorrow, off to Newhaven pump track. Will be getting there early to avoid all the fast kids, going to be cold!
Newhaven pump track is outrageous. It makes our northern efforts look pathetic.
I shouldn't complain though. Pump tracks didn't exist when I was learning to ride. We used to ride miles and miles in search of small transitions and fly outs.
That Nukeproof looks sweet! Colour looks close to Renault Liquid Yellow which I’ve always loved.
Newhaven pump track is outrageous
The best in this country if I'm not mistaken.
Us northern monkeys have got Kidsgrove (Chinky Park). It's in Clark and Kent's backyard hence they made a special effort! Pendle (Barrowford/Mandy's) ain't bad either.
That kidsgrove pumptrack looks pretty good on that video 👌
It's one of Clark and Kent's best. Must of had a bigger budget! Budgetary restraints have prevented many from being what they should be. The Velo Solutions one nearest me is alright but it's a tiny track in a massive field, where there is more than enough room for something better!
Newhaven is great if you're really good on a bike, I can normally clear every jump pair on a pump track but the bigger line at Newhaven is beyond me, it's massive
Judging by the kids I've seen at pump tracks you need your older brother's knackered Apollo bike that's two sizes too big for you then you'll be tripling up all the gaps no problem whilst all the olds guys on there 3k MTBs stand around at the side and then cycle off home after 10 minutes because it's more difficult than it looks.
“The best in this country if I’m not mistaken.”
Surely nothing else in Newhaven’s history has received comparable praise?!!
Dave, your Nukeproof looks amazing!
I’ve only had a few brief goes on various pumptracks over the years but I’ve really liked them. It would be nice to progress to doubling (or tripling) things but the flow of pumping, its timing and physicality is something that is one of my better abilities (relative to my general mediocrity) on a MTB.
Goddammit @ribena no need to ruin my day with your accurate observations before it's even started!
I don’t recommend the Bird for pump track use, this is the result of me riding like I was young again on a bmx.
Might have been the speed, might have been the damp, might have been the tyres (definitely the tyres btw) might have been laying it too flat too low in the berm but I have a sneaky suspicion it was the Bird.
You can have fun on anything when riding a pump track but something shorter, stiffer and with fast rolling tyres will always be better.
FWIW I rode the pump track at FOD on my Primal hardtail with 29” wheels and 160mm forks, it was terrible, but rather than buy another bike I just didn’t ride it again so there’s other ways around the problem.
Sorry Chiefgrooveguru, there are currently 2 pumptrack bike threads running and I obviously got them mixed up as I have read and commented on both. I thought this was the one where the OP said they had a Bird hardtail that needed a few more bits to get up and running.
Edit - turns out I did comment on the correct thread after all. Just pump up your forks, flip the headset around and buy demons cheap Clarks or Shimano brakes.