Down in Deepest Darkest Dorset there’s a great little bike shop called Torico cycles. A couple of years ago a number of us, headed by the shop owner Ben Day, started digging a little pump track next to the shop. This started to grow sporadically with numerous chaotic lines providing a jumpy but not very flowy track. Over the winter Ben got a digger in and flattened it, and then re-built it in a more thought-out way. It’s been a week since the digger came in and it’s starting to compact nicely, but could do with a good bit of rain to enable the final shaping and tidying up – but it’s pretty much there.
At Wideopen we love pumptracks because you can use them to hone your skills, and they’re a great place to spend an evening with a BBQ and just hoon about with your mates. Chris Roberts (NPS 4X organiser) has noticed this and started the DMR pump track challenge – check it out! The track should be rideable in the next couple of weeks, and it’s definitely worth a trip if you’re local. It’s also just 4 miles from UK Bike Park, so if you’re in the area…!
It’s a really mint track; tight, technical and really boosts your skills. There are 4 straights, each leading into the next in a continuous loop – but good luck having the stamina for more than three loops in any one go! Most of us tend to ride pump tracks on hardtails, but Rob Wareham proved that a Lapierre DH rig can be just as effective! Hopefully we’ll get some BBQ and pump track sessions going over the summer – Keep your eyes peeled to wideopen and check out Torico Performance Bikes on facebook to be kept updated, we’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready to ride!
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Pump track party on the 29th of april is going to have a live band playing Ska punk and funk, free BBQ and some pump track comps. Check out the facebook group torico performance bikes or let us know you are attending here http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103213326431328#!/event.php?eid=103213326431328
be great to know some numbers of people attending so we can get enough burgers!
I will send Dave some more photos of the track as it gets ridden and smashed into shape!
Sounds mint! I happen to know it’s the first round of the Euro 4X that weekend so I won’t be able to make it – but everyone else who isn’t invited to the royal wedding, I recommend you get down to the track. Should be a good laugh!