Just got back from an hour “off the clock” at Valmont Bike Park.
What a great little adventure—and a test of the new 2.3 Specialized Renegade.
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Hey there Lee
I am a mediumly ordinary MTb rider, who does not get out often enough. I have bought Mastering Mountain Bike Skills edition2, and it is a great book, however I really do not to get to session stuff much which would imprint skills into my old brain. And so often ” just riding” gets in the way of actual learning.
Recently a couple of pump tracks have been built where I live ( In Wellington, NZ ) and they are of course just ideal for sessioning and skills. I am just starting to ride awkwardly on them.
My question is this: might is be worthwhile getting a BMX bike for the purpose of fun and skill acquisition?
I have a peferectly excellent MTB (an Ibis Mojo) however in a way having a completely different bike would make riding a pump track an event, and I would be more likely to session it and not be tempted by the nearby MTB trails?
I do not want to build a hard tail MTB as the Mojo is just fine for all the trails, and in some ways a HT is an unbalanced beast compared with a fully rigid BMX or a fully sprung MTB ?
Your BMX book does look enticing!
cheers
Rob
Wellington, NZ
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I still want to report the complete story about last weekend’s building adventure in Oak Creek, CO, but I’m pinned with software design plus coaching.
Rather than keep us all waiting, here’s a video of the build and break-in ride:
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Last weekend James Hall and I built a sweet pump track in Oak Creek, CO near Steamboat Springs.
Pumptopia v1 is like Kidtopia, but with a camel on the main straight and jump options down the middle. The design is an evolution of the tracks I been building all year. So far, it’s the best all-around, public-use track I’ve designed. So far.
Full story and video coming soon.
Click for big.
Forgive me. I know you must get besieged with questions. The area I would most like to build in, and that I believe the city would support because it is just across from the Sheriff Department and ambulance garage, and it is just behind the current skate park, is wooded. Is it possible to build a small track in a wooded area? Am I out of my mind for even thinking of doing that?
Jonathan
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I’ve been coaching at Valmont Bike Park a lot, and I’m becoming compulsive about my pump-track warmup routine.
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The track is fresh and the riders are not, but this first-ride video shows how the Kidtopia pump track fits and flows.
We built this last week in Boulder County.
Check out the video >>
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I’m offering six public clinics at Valmont Bike Park in August. This is an awesome, cost effective way to dial in your skills.
Classes are limited to six riders each. Cost is $90 and includes the opportunity to purchase the book Mastering Mountain Bike Skills or Pro BMX Skills for a discounted $20.
We will cover the core skills, then we’ll focus on whatever the group wants (and is ready for). Expect to dial in position, braking, cornering and pumping. If all goes well, we’ll do some dropping and jumping too.
Valmont is an amazing place to ride and learn. Come on out. Let’s rip it!
ALL CLASSES ARE SOLD OUT.
I’ll post when September dates are set. Email me to get on the mailing list.
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Mom calls it Kidtopia, Dad calls it Dadtopia. We are building a trampoline and pump track at a house in Longmont, CO. This track is the real deal: long and turny with lots of options.
Day 5 and the track is done. I say this every time, but this is the best track ever. Fast, flow and tricky, with lots of options.
More photos on Lee Likes Bikes @ Facebook (See Facebook box at upper left of this page.)
I am beat, but I couldn’t sleep last night — obsessing about riding (and improving on) this track. |
Lee,
The local pump track here was built with bad dirt and it has a lot of gravel in it. As the dirt erodes away the track fills up with gravel and it becomes tough to ride. Do you have any advice on how to help this situation? I have thought about taking a push broom and trying to sweep the gravel off. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Travis
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