pump track
{{Short description|Type of cycling circuit}}
A pump track is a purpose-built track for cycling. It has a circuit of rollers,{{efn|Rollers are small tabletops that give you extra speed by 'pumping' the jump.}} banked turns and features designed to be ridden completely by riders "pumping"—generating momentum by up and down body movements, instead of pedaling or pushing.[http://www.bermstyle.com/pump-tracks/ "Guide to Pump Tracks"], bermside.com It was originally designed for the mountain bike and BMX scene, and now, due to concrete and/or asphalt constructions, is also used for skateboarding, and accessible to wheelchairs. Pump tracks are relatively simple to use and cheap to construct, and cater to a wide variety of rider skill levels.
File:Pumptrack-Parcours am Schleifgraben (Welzbach) kurz vor Werbach 03.webm
History
Skateparks experienced a huge boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, most of them were designed to be used by experienced or professional riders, and thus resulted in some injuries.[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12426018] Many communities looked for a better, more accessible solution. The first new era pump track in the United States was built in 2004 at The Fix Bike Shop in Boulder, Colorado, by professional downhill bicyclist Steve Wentz.{{cite web|url=http://adventuresportsjournal.com/biking/pumpin-an-introduction-to-the-world-of-pump-tracks|title=Pumpin': An Introduction to the World of Pump Tracks|work=California Adventure Sports Journal|date=23 October 2009 |access-date=July 10, 2014}}
Track design
Most pump tracks link a series of rollers to steeply bermed corners that bring the riders back around. They used to be built mostly out of dirt; recently companies have started to use concrete or asphalt. Paved pump tracks also have the advantage that they can be ridden by skateboarders, in-line skaters, and foot-powered scooters.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O1kgTn585c https://www.youtube.com] Leavenworth Pump Track (in Washington). The size can vary from [https://pumptrack.com/pump-track/track/82-velosolutions-pump-track-schenkon-switzerland/ 50 m{{Sup|2}}] to over [https://pumptrack.com/pump-track/track/47-velosolutions-pump-track-grenchen-switzerland/ 8000 m{{Sup|2}}].[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfj7zBZFvpk&t=7s]
Bikes
File:Rower typu BMX marki Sunday.jpg
Since momentum, or speed, is gained by the rider pumping, such as on the down-slope of each roller, the best bikes to use have no suspension, which would absorb useful energy. Bikes usually have a rigid frame, such as BMX-style bikes, which most efficiently convert the rider's motions into forward thrust. Some bikes have been designed which are custom built for a pump track, with features such as an offset crank, which stabilizes the pedals, and lowers the rider's center of gravity.[https://www.pinkbike.com/news/specialized-stumppumper-concept-bike-2012.html https://www.pinkbike.com] Specialized Stumppumper Concept Bike - The Ultimate Pump Track Weapon.
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World Championship
In 2018, Velosolutions teamed up with Red Bull and organized a pump track world championship. 67 riders from BMX and MTB raced at a world final in Arkansas. David Graf and Christa von Niederhäusern, both from Switzerland, were crowned the first Red Bull Pump Track World Champions. The series continued in 2019, with 25 international stops.{{cite web |url=https://www.pinkbike.com/u/RedBullPumpTrackWorlds/blog/the-red-bull-pump-track-world-championship-is-back-with-great-news.html |title=Details Announced for 2019 Red Bull Pump Track World Championship |author=Red Bull Pump Track Worlds |website=Pinkbike |date=2024-10-11 |access-date=2024-10-16 }}
At the same time as the 2009 UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Canberra, Australia an unsanctioned Pump Track World Championships was held, possibly the first ever.{{clarification needed|date=October 2024}}{{Cite web|date=2009-09-02|title=World Championship XC Racing starts in Canberra—Plus: 4X, DH practice are underway and the impromptu Pump Track World Championships is in the books|url=https://www.bikemag.com/news/world-championships-xc-competitions-begin-in-canberra/|access-date=2020-06-17|website=BIKE Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Kramer|title=Pump Track World Championships|url=https://the-riotact.com/pump-track-world-championships/13505|access-date=2020-06-17|website=The RiotACT|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=PUMP TRACK WORLD CHAMPS|url=https://spokemagazine.com/content/2009/09/03/pump-track-world-champs|access-date=2020-06-17|website=Spoke Magazine|date=3 September 2009 |language=en-NZ}}
See also
External links
{{Commons category|Pump tracks}}