Burning in a pump track, the fun way
Superior Bike Park is just about dialed. Time to chase details and burn a couple hundred laps on the main pump track.
Setup
Captain America with the Fox 831 fork locked out, the bars slammed as low as they go, a short seat post and Specialized Rhythm Lite tires.
• The Fox 831 is such a great fork for this application. I locked it out and set the blow-off threshold medium-hard. This yields almost as much pump as a rigid fork, yet it absorbs mistakes and settles into the corners. Rad.
• The lower bars feel great in braaap mode. They’ll probably feel too low for seated pedaling.
• The X-Fusion Hilo 100 is working great, but I feel limited by the seat. A cut-off cheapo post got the seat an inch lower, and that’s all I needed to feel free baby, free.
• I’ve been rocking the trusty Eskars on trails, but I wanted to try the Rhythm Lites. These tires are made for dirt jumping and pump tracking — and they rip! Very fast. Very non-squirmy. Good hookup in clean berms. Great braaap sound.
This experimental Stumpjumper HT EVO-R is turning out to be a lovely machine.
 The Captain knows those flags are marking a sweet pump track. I lowered his bars and seat for today’s adventure. |
Yesterday’s protocol
• 10 laps one way.
• Rest for a minute or so. Long enough to chat or let someone take a few laps.
• 10 laps the other way.
• Repeat for 100 laps.
Riding time: 24 minutes.
Today’s protocol
• 50 laps one way, switching lead feet when I felt like it.
• Rest for a good while.
• 50 laps the other way, switching lead feet so the lead foot was on the inside of each turn. This was fun, and it felt fast.
Despite the 50-lap sets, my riding time was 24:30 — only 30 seconds longer than the 10-lap sets. I think I was getting smoother as I got more tired.
My effort level was right around lactate threshold. What a fun way to build base. And burn in the track. It’s all about burning in the track.
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The keys to endurance pump tracking: balance, vision, line choice and a sweet bike |
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Lee,
So, do you think that by riding pump-tracks I can build a solid base for a further training (just like riding base-miles on a roadie)? That sounds good!
Definitely.
Hey Lee,
I spent a couple of hours out at Superior mid day- wow!!!! Totally fun! Ran the Flowtrail 20+ times both directions, the last step-up makes you work for it! Ran 25+ laps on the pumptrack (yeah, i know, i’m a lightwieght), the turns are dialed. Everyone must come on out- THE BEST TRACK IN THE STATE!!!! No contest.
Bill
Thanks Bill!
Like I told the Town, no one is gonna get dangerous air on that step-up unless he (or she) is very good and very strong.
We’ve been hitting the flow line backward: The step-down to camel is super sweet.
In other news:
Today I rolled 100 pump track laps nonstop. I did a figure eight to switch direction every 25 laps. The headwind was killer. By the end, my lower back was aching, and my hands were numb. The mission was smooth and effective, but it was not glorious.
Time: 25:30
I’ll second what Bill said …the pump track is AWESOME! Love the S line and the 180 is siiick! Thank you Town of Superior and a huge THANKS to Lee, Jared, & Nick for all of their hard work! You guys killed it last week and it really shows. Great work!