Philphine

i know it's kinda frowned upon, but i'll probaly post the same thing in mountain bikes to see if i get anything different.

i recently found out one of the local public parks has a pump track (shawnee park if you're in louisville, ky. kinda on the edge of the park near the baseball field). i truthfully only just read about them a bit after seeing it. i'm thinking i want to try it at least once, mainly from the memory of riding around skateparks (on a skateboard though) a lifetime ago.

i guess i could just load the truck up with bikes that are possibly good for it and try it, but i'm wondering what might be best. i have available to try a few cheapish mountain bikes, but wondering if suspension would absorb some of the "pump". i think i can cobble up a non suspension 26" bike if so. also a 24" bmx bike i saw in a pawn shop a little after i saw the track (tony hawk), that was cheap enough to pick up (put it on layaway so i don't actually have it yet), and also a few 20" bmx bikes that were picked up more for parts, but i think i could cobble up a decent bike to try it.

i'll add also i'm about 5'11", 190ish lbs, and really the last decade or so my main bikes have been stretch cruisers. the other bikes are usually picked up cheap for future stretch projects or parts.

thanks for any thought on it.

cbrstar

IMHO pump tracks are more designed for full suspension MTB's hence the pumping motion to create momentum. To me it sounds like you need more a bike that fits your lifestyle needs being fitness and transportation.

24'' BMX are great for cruising and decent for jumping but difficult to do tricks even basic ones like bunny hops. So this is your bike if you are looking for something bigger that will get you across town and still feel like a BMX.

20" Well these are the do all for tricks and jumps and the essence of BMX. But modern geometry on 20" BMX bikes sucks for using it for transportation and cruising. For one it's really difficult to sit down on the seat. But If you want to learn how to bunny hop and do rail grinds pick this one.

Personally I hate to admit it but a 26'' MTB Dirt Jumper with shocks might be the best of both worlds for you.

Philphine

Thanks, but in this case I'm Thinking a bike more or less specifically for this purpose. From the couple responses I've got it looks likes I'll make something out of a non suspension mountain bike, with maybe a sprung fork.

fietsbob

Seems the Olympics BMX was a Sprint pump track, nobody sat down, ..