help me design a mtb skills course

[qclabrat]

a few years ago I attempted to put in a small short track behind my house, not much in terms of building but more about raking out a path for a quarter mile loop amongst some shared land I have. My immediate neighbors were cool about it and didn't give me any grief, but its pretty boring going around in circles like NASCAR or Formula. So this Fall, I'd like to put in a small skills park in the back, I have roughly a half acre to work with but will likely keep it to a quarter acre due to resources.

First of all, I have a small budget, maybe $500. Most of my wood will come from parts of a deck I tore out, an old playset, old fencing and lots of downed trees. Sandy hit the back area pretty good and I've got more than enough natural timber to work with. I'm guessing most of the cost will go into hardware to tie the pieces together. Originally I was just thinking something similar to this:

But after reading @walter thread, thinking it may be more fun to build a small pump track along with some skill features. I have zero dirt to work with, m backyard is like the rocky sections of Chimney Rock, so all I got is wood and rocks. Here's a few ideas which look promising, though I realize some are not real pump tracks:

Since I have lots of natural materials, I and the Mrs would like it to blend in to the landscape like this:

Give me some pointers so I don't end up with something like this:

 

[Paul H]

If @liong71er was there.... he would be done in 2 days!

 

[Gnick]

wow that will be COOL! im staying tuned to watch progress. I've set up some skinnys in my back yard with some cinder blocks along with some stepups. also have a small kicker ramp, but that pump track would be awesome. need a bmx though.

 

[qclabrat]

after some quick calculations, a pump track will require too much wood and probably best done with plywood, which isn't the best for outdoors
I'd like to have a flowy section, but guess it will be more about tech afterall

shooting for something like this:

optimistic about project, but will likely look more like this, but hey they have a wall ride

 

[gmb3]

For a backyard, pumptrack is the best way to go in my opinion. I think you won't get bored of it as quickly and it can be a helluva workout. It also takes a while to get the track built perfectly. Once you master a skinny/skills feature it could get boring (but i suppose then you could just change it up). I also like the idea of incorporating as many of the natural features as possible. That's how i like to build trails. Not sure how much it costs, but you can get dirt delivered to your house to build a small pump track. And sometimes you can find people giving away "free fill" but that's usually not good dirt. If there's any construction going on in your neighborhood, start chatting up a dump truck driver.

 

[walter]

See if you can dig up the "berms jumps and flow" thread. I believe someone in that thread had a pump track in their backyard

 

[rick81721]

after some quick calculations, a pump track will require too much wood and probably best done with plywood, which isn't the best for outdoors
I'd like to have a flowy section, but guess it will be more about tech afterall

shooting for something like this:

optimistic about project, but will likely look more like this, but hey they have a wall ride

Don't forget beds of nails on either side of the high skinnies as further incentive to not fall off!

 

[Bike N Gear]

"If you build it. they will come."

 

[qclabrat]

For a backyard, pumptrack is the best way to go in my opinion. I think you won't get bored of it as quickly and it can be a helluva workout. It also takes a while to get the track built perfectly. Once you master a skinny/skills feature it could get boring (but i suppose then you could just change it up). I also like the idea of incorporating as many of the natural features as possible. That's how i like to build trails. Not sure how much it costs, but you can get dirt delivered to your house to build a small pump track. And sometimes you can find people giving away "free fill" but that's usually not good dirt. If there's any construction going on in your neighborhood, start chatting up a dump truck driver.

I can get fill dirt pretty easily but the real challenge is getting it into the backyard. Live on a hill so my property is canted and bermed all along the back when we raked out the backyard to get a flat piece. Would take an army to get the dirt back there by wheel barrow. It was even though getting gravel by a shed to the back for a deer fence project I'm doing now. I'll get pictures up in a few weeks.

One quick question, how smooth does the surface need to be for a pump track and can is be less than 2 feet wide in most sections?

 

[Patrick]

Roof Drop!

Think I'll have a bunch of scrap 2x10x10' shortly. I have some large log disks. And occasionally have some time to help.

 

[qclabrat]

See if you can dig up the "berms jumps and flow" thread. I believe someone in that thread had a pump track in their backyard

found the thread but not the backyard setup you mentioned
Funny to see some familiar names close to ten years ago, even Phil Kmetz wuz here at some point
I feel really missed out as a kid riding road bikes than BMX as I surf through those threads

 

[gmb3]

One quick question, how smooth does the surface need to be for a pump track and can is be less than 2 feet wide in most sections?

Typically, dirt pump tracks are very smooth for better pump and flow, because to pack it as hard as you need to it basically makes it smooth and because most dirt builders are super OCD/anal about aesthetics. 2 feet wide seems sufficient to me. Berms are the hardest thing to build and get right and take more dirt than you would ever think you'd need just FYI.

 

[qclabrat]

Typically, dirt pump tracks are very smooth for better pump and flow, because to pack it as hard as you need to it basically makes it smooth and because most dirt builders are super OCD/anal about aesthetics. 2 feet wide seems sufficient to me. Berms are the hardest thing to build and get right and take more dirt than you would ever think you'd need just FYI.

I've got a long rock berm which stretches across the back, I'm hoping to use it to contour one side of the track. That could help to simply building a base, I'm thinking. Let take some pics of my backyard for a better perspective.

 

[Dean S]

I've been working on a pump track in a scrubby section of my yard for a couple years now. So far, its a loop about 200' long w/ some crossovers, a double & tabletop jump, all rollable. Super fun/challenging for me and my 4 year old can rail everything on his balance bike.
My take aways are:
You dont really need to truck in dirt; dig from the riding line; use your pit dirt to build up rollers, berms.
Build drainage in your pits, a simple ditch or hole off to one side that is deeper than the riding line works great and gives more dirt to build up.
Don't use the top 6" or so of spongy top soil, it wont pack. I throw mine in the compost pile.
A good heavy mattock to chop through soil & roots is nice.
A garden rake is great for shaping, moving dirt and sifting out rocks & roots.
I built a dirt screen... some 1/2" hardware cloth framed in wood. I screen the dirt when it is really rocky, rooty. Screened dirt makes a nice smooth top layer. My soil has a thin layer of clay I save for the top layer.
Spacing is really important. Space between features needs to increase w/ increased wheel size & speed. I ride a 24" bmx, my pumps are all spaced between 11-14'. 16-20' for jumpable stuff.
7-8' gaps are fun to jump, not much risk.
2' wide works okay for pumps. 4'-5"wide around jumpable stuff is nice.
My area isn't that wide. 180 berms are hard to build right and ride fast. 90 pump 90 is way better
Build some jumpable stuff or it will get boring.
Build things that challenge you or it will get boring.
This: http://forums.mtbr.com/urban-dj-park/dj-pump-track-plans-402237.html

 

[qclabrat]

Roof Drop!

Think I'll have a bunch of scrap 2x10x10' shortly. I have some large log disks. And occasionally have some time to help.

hmm, have to keep this on the lowdown, all my wife knows is that I'm building a walkway in the back so that I can access the fence area. I'd like to eventually landscape it a bit. This gal has a real sharp setup, but with dirt and seemingly warmer climate

 

[qclabrat]

I've been working on a pump track in a scrubby section of my yard for a couple years now. So far, its a loop about 200' long w/ some crossovers, a double & tabletop jump, all rollable. Super fun/challenging for me and my 4 year old can rail everything on his balance bike.
My take aways are:
You dont really need to truck in dirt; dig from the riding line; use your pit dirt to build up rollers, berms.
Build drainage in your pits, a simple ditch or hole off to one side that is deeper than the riding line works great and gives more dirt to build up.
Don't use the top 6" or so of spongy top soil, it wont pack. I throw mine in the compost pile.
A good heavy mattock to chop through soil & roots is nice.
A garden rake is great for shaping, moving dirt and sifting out rocks & roots.
I built a dirt screen... some 1/2" hardware cloth framed in wood. I screen the dirt when it is really rocky, rooty. Screened dirt makes a nice smooth top layer. My soil has a thin layer of clay I save for the top layer.
Spacing is really important. Space between features needs to increase w/ increased wheel size & speed. I ride a 24" bmx, my pumps are all spaced between 11-14'. 16-20' for jumpable stuff.
7-8' gaps are fun to jump, not much risk.
2' wide works okay for pumps. 4'-5"wide around jumpable stuff is nice.
My area isn't that wide. 180 berms are hard to build right and ride fast. 90 pump 90 is way better
Build some jumpable stuff or it will get boring.
Build things that challenge you or it will get boring.
This: http://forums.mtbr.com/urban-dj-park/dj-pump-track-plans-402237.html

How much space does your 200 ft of track take up? Need pics pronto

 

[qclabrat]

lots of rocks and zero dirt. will have gates on both ends to the track doesn't need to be contained inside. Though going out will require more money in materials. Will likely keep inside for phase one. It gets wider towards the bottom and need to measure the pitch. As I assume the track should be designed on a flat plane?

 

[stb222]

Have one of these for sale, if you are interested.

 

[soundz]

/thread

 

[qclabrat]

/thread

Actually there is an old Ford pickup in the woods on my neighbors property
Don't laugh, I'm planning to add it to my track
There's still lots of metal and glass in the woods, was told before our homes were built it used to be a deadend street where people would dump garbage