Dear Mountain Bike Action: Your story on how to build a pump track (MBA, August 2010) got me off the fence, and so I’ve decided to build a pump track in the back- yard for me and the kids. I’m renting a BobCat, and even have lights for night riding. The only pump track riding I’ve done has been on a 29er. No fun. I’m looking for a pure PT bike and have a few questions. What are the pros and cons of geared and single-speed PT bikes. What wheel size should I consider with me being 6 feet tall. I know I’m going to dig it, so I want a bike that’s going to last and make PT riding fun and easy. I’m pumped!
—Warren from Michigan

Mountain Bike Action: Way to go, Warren. You will love having the track, and the kids will love you more for putting it in. The lights are a great idea, and don’t forget a sound system (be sure to invite the neighbors to ride the track).

There is no such thing as a pump-track bike. We have had everything from little kids on Strider bikes to 29er hardtail cross-country race bikes to 5-inch-travel trailbikes doing laps on the Mountain Bike Action pump track, and none of those riders were complaining. Still, if you are building your own track, we can tell you what will get you around it with the biggest smile. What works best are small-sized, aluminum-framed hardtails with beefy, short-travel forks. There is no advantage going with larger-sized frames, even for a guy your height. The smallest you can fit on without feeling cramped is best. Remember, you are always pumping with your arms and legs and you are never sitting down. Twenty-six-inch wheels are the optimal size. There is no need to build a bike from scratch, because what we have just described is a dirt jump bike.

The plus of having a geared dirt jump bike is its versatility. The kids can actually trail ride it, especially in the mountain-less regions of Michigan. The negative is, on the pump track, the derailleur is just one more thing to break, and there is no need for it. So if you are just going to use this bike for pumping, go single-speed.

We have done laps with a cruiser-class BMX bike equipped with 24-inch wheels and a rigid fork; it is the fastest way to get around our track, but it works you and is not as forgiving. Fastest? Yes. Most fun? No.


Less is more: The geared version of the Giant STP is a more all-round bike, but we like our single speed for pumping.

As far as a bike recommendation, that’s easy. We have ridden the wheels off a Giant STP SS. On our pump track nights, our little STP doesn’t rest. It goes from one rider to the next and gets tossed on the ground from time to time, but except for a little chain lube, we haven’t touched the thing. Its geometry, bar, tires, pedals and fork are perfect for pumping.

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