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Building
Dirt Jumps
Backyard Trails |
Bike Tips eZine
Building Dirt Jumps & Backyard Trails
Written by: Barry Page and Doug Morrison
© copyright 2003-2006
www.atbmx.com
If you have been riding for long at
all you have probably ridden what you thought was a
great spot, only to have it get torn down or closed. The
only solution to this problem is public trails or parks, but until then...we'll
be building dirt jumps and backyard trails.
Your own backyard is probably the
nearest you will come to the perfect riding spot. Sure, there will
be that superpark or camp that you went to, but this is
something you can ride everyday. There will be
problems here too, but nothing beats the freedom and
rewards of having your own dirt jumps and backyard trails.
The first thing you
will want to consider before digging up your yard, is whose
house is it anyway? If you rent then you may want to move on
to option B. If you or your parents own, then you're probably
okay. If it's your parents house, just let them know that
you will be spending a lot of time at home, so you are less
likely to get hurt or in trouble. If that doesn't work
you'll have to be creative.
You'll also want to take the pulse of your
neighbors. Do they have kids? Are they neat freaks? Is
parking a problem? Is anyone sick? Your jumps will cause
dust and parking problems, so be prepared to battle with
that. Take pride in your yard and jumps and that will go
along way with neighbors. Keep the noise down too.
Once you take care of that, you can worry about details
like room and size. Though you want as much room as
possible, a small yard can work fine. You'll want a driveway
or a takeoff ramp to gain speed. And, if you have a yard
that's 10' x 50', you have enough room for a nice 4 pak or
at least some rollers for a pump track.
If you have lots of room or you live in the country, you
are in business. You may have seen the yards of
pro-riders TJ Lavin, Fuzzy Hall, Brian Lopes or maybe John Cowan,
they have put some serious time and money into these works
of art. With some effort you can have a masterpiece like
these as well.
First, you'll want to sketch out a plan for your jumps.
This should be based on your skill level and who will be
riding there. Obviously if you are reading this you at least
have an interest in jumping and you should know your skill
level and limits.
So, remember to know your limits and work your way up. It doesn't take much to
build a jump and catch some air, how you build the jumps though will make all of the
difference.
Even if you can't build a full-on set
of doubles, you can most likely squeeze in some mellow
rollers for a pump track. Pump tracks have become real
popular with racers because they can help you perfect your
rhythm, and in turn save seconds off your time.
What to look for when building dirt jumps:
1. Good dirt
and lots of it, clay is best with less sand.
2. Room to
gain speed and build, hopefully in your yard.
3. A water supply to help shape and maintain the jumps.
What you will need:
1. A spade or round shovel to dig and move dirt.
2. A steel rake for cleaning and smoothing.
3. A flathead shovel to shape and pack the dirt.
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| Pictured from
left: Steel Rake, Spade Shovel, Flat Shovel, Tamper |
If your yard is flat you may have to
dig down if you don't have funds or a way to buy dirt. If
you can swing it, go ahead and order a few loads of dirt to
build your jumps up. Red clay works best and can usually be
had for around $80 per load.
Start by building one jump at a time.
A good height for your first set of jumps is 3'-4' high.
Using that same scenario, the landing should be around 4'-8'
apart from the launch. A basic rule of thumb is make the
distance twice the height.
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Pictured: First
set, approximately 3' high and 8' apart.
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Pictured: Shaping
the jump with a flat shovel.
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Pictured: Packing
the jump with a tamper.
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| Pictured:
Watering the jump with a nice even spray. |
After you get the basic shape, pack the
launch and landing with a flat shovel or tamper. Your launch
should be more rounded, like a transition on a skate ramp.
The landing is typically more banked or wedge like.
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Pictured: Launch,
rounded transition approximately 3' high.
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| Pictured:
Landing, wide and banked approximately 3' high. |
It's always a good idea to hit the
jump a few times before it's permanent to make sure the
spacing is right. Depending on your skill level, you
probably want your first set to be more like a tabletop for
learning.
Once you feel comfortable jumping and
landing smooth every time, work on landing front wheel every
time. Then you can move onto the second set. Be patient and
get the spacing right. It will be worth the wait.
The second set is where you can bust
your big tricks, so you'll want to get the height and
spacing right. Again, the height of the jumps will determine
the spacing. Generally speaking about 12'-18' between the
sets or tops of the landing and the next takeoff is ideal.
This should be a nice, smooth, almost rounded out section.
The second set should be slightly bigger, maybe 4'-6' in
height, based on your skill level. Build it like the first
set and test it to make sure it's right before continuing.
Dial your jumps in until there smooth.
Keep tweaking them and add on as you perfect your skills.
Before you know it, you'll have a nice set of trails that
you can ride whenever you want. Ride on!
Written by: Barry Page
© copyright 2005
www.atbmx.com
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ATBMX
Bike Tips!
Barry Page has been riding and racing
bikes competitively for over 25 years. He has also worked as
a mechanic, owned his own bike shop and worked in the
bicycle industry for 15 years plus. |
