What Pump Tracks Really Do For The Riding Community

Jan 31, 2025
by Holly Duncan  
Photographer Joe Wakefield https jbwphotos.ca

PUMPTRACKS

A groundbreaking space where future senders are born, where riders of all levels and ages come to hang, learn, and rediscover the simple joy of being on two wheels.





No chairlifts, no lineups, no $8,000 rigs, and no excuses. Pumptracks are the unsung heroes of the biking scene, turning empty lots and forgotten corners into breeding grounds for bike skills. They're a masterclass in bike handling, balance, and technique - it's just you, the track, and a mission to keep your wheels turning without a single pedal stroke.

Mountain biking’s constant evolution has brought us skills parks, and pump tracks in particular have an endless flow of rollers, berms, and sneaky line options. The concept originally came from BMX racing in the 1970s, where riders used the wavy curves to generate speed and it has since evolved into a training ground for most styles of riding, like downhill, enduro, and even gravel. The outside loop is sometimes the most forgiving and where both beginner and intermediate riders will mostly stick to lapping, whereas advanced riders might decide to take on endless inside line options. This type of riding sharpens your reaction time and teaches split-second decicions that translates over as a useful trail riding skill.


Inglewood Pumptrack Opening Day Photo Credit SShelesky


THE INGLEWOOD PUMPTRACK
LA's very first pumptrack

Inglewood Pumptrack Opening Day Photo Credit SShelesky


The Inglewood pumptrack is like Disneyland for bikes, brought to life in late 2023 by the Grow Cycling team with the incredible backing of over 10,000 supporters. Born out of pure love for the sport, it’s a welcoming space where riders of all levels can come together and ride.

Riders have two courses to choose from: the Woodlands Track, a smaller, beginner/intermediate-friendly loop; and the World Championship Track, made up of large rollers and berms. Its mirrored design allows two riders to start at opposite ends and lap at the same time or race head-to-head.




Spots like Inglewood contribute to the bigger picture of mountain biking, making the sport more inclusive and accessible. By creating spaces that are accessible, they’re helping to grow the sport from the ground up, literally. Pumptracks naturally become gathering spots, hubs of activity where people connect, share advice, and cheer each other on. These connections build a sense of belonging, encouraging more people to stay involved in the sport long-term. And with organizations like Grow Cycling, there’s a clear push to ensure these spaces aren’t just fun but also meaningful by bridging gaps, creating opportunities, and spreading the stoke.


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The pumptrack will double as a stage for future competitions and events that'll bring the pros out to play. It will give riders a chance to see world-class talent up close, catching glimpses of inside lines being ridden you didn’t even know were possible. The Grow Cycling crew know it’s not only about the laps, they're also actively connecting with the community by giving a space to progress, be seen and have a damn good time doing it!


Second Saturdays Race Series Photo credit Andrew Krasowski
Second Saturdays Race Series

bigquotes"You can take this thing that you love, the bike, that you ride with your brother around the neighborhood and you can turn it into a career. You can be a professional athlete, you can travel the world, you can be a designer, you can be an engineer, you can do anything that you want to do through the bike because that was the idea that inspired this whole thing - that a bike can change the world."

- Eliot Jackson, Founder Grow Cycling

Inglewood Pumptrack Opening Day Photo Credit SShelesky


COMMUNITY BUILDING

Riders of all levels are welcomed in a space for personal growth and empowerment. You’ll witness kids hitting rollers for the first time (who then become inspired to check out surrounding trails), parents giving it a go, and the occasional rider being humbled by how much they’ve been skipping the gym... speaking from personal experience of course.

Aside from being a hangout spot, there's also weekly jam sessions, physical school education programs, competitions and events that turn a simple loop into a cornerstone for many. It's safe to say pumptracks are a vital community component.


Photographer Joe Wakefield https jbwphotos.ca

Photographer Joe Wakefield https jbwphotos.ca


PUMP FOR PEACE

Pump for Peace is a global non-profit association initiated by Velosolutions. It wants to give kids in underprivileged communities access to cycling and action sports through pump tracks. Pump for Peace introduces them to a healthy and respectful lifestyle and believes that this, ultimately, will change the world.




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FIND YOUR LOCAL PUMPTRACK

If you're wondering how to look for pumptracks, you can use the Trailforks Skill Parks Directory (filtered by Pumptracks) and search tracks nearby, by region or from the map. Most tracks are accessible year-round in many locations, so when winter shuts down your go-to riding spot and you want to burn some energy, try mixing it up and give it a go - it'll only result in you being more dialled on the bike for when the dirt thaws.

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PUMPTRACKS ACROSS THE GLOBE

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Hafjell Pumptrack - Hafjell, Norway

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Big Rock Quarry Pumptrack - Arkansas, United States

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Pumptrack - Sentier du Moulin

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Tushino Pumptrack - Moscow, Russia

Massa Vecchia revamped and reimagined. Photo Dominik Bosshard
Massa Vecchia Pumptrack - Massa Vecchia, Italy

Pump Track
Ride Coromandel Pumptrack - Coromandel, New Zealand

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Pump for Peace Pumptrack - Entebbe, Uganda

Skelton Green Pumptrack
Skelton Green Pumptrack - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom

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Baťove traily Pumptrack - Partizánske, Slovakia

Midland Pump Track
Midland Pumptrack - Australia

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Thierachern Pumptrack - Bezirk Thun, Switzerland

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Pump For Peace Pumptrack - Kathmandu, Nepal

Sunset riding
Rancho Cacachilas Pumptrack - La Paz, México


So next time the trails are closed or you’re looking to switch it up, go for a few laps around your local track! You never know, you might even leave with a new trick, a new buddy, or at the very least, a new appreciation for the sport.




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