The best of pump tracks

I spotted a pump track video online via Michael Brooke’s Facebook feed, but he was tight lipped about it at the time and I forgot ot follow up on it. Progressive Pumptracks makes modular pump tracks from three different materials, wood, steel, and concrete. The wooden ones seem like they would have a short useful lifespan for a skateboard, even though they are covered with a composite surface. I can imagine the repetitive “thunk thunk” sounds at each seem would only get louder and slower after a season in the rain or snow. The concrete version looks pretty fun though, although technically still reconfigurable, in reality it seems like it would be really hard to move without a good forklift, maybe two.

It’s a pretty exciting idea until you realize that ARC is the company behind it. Actually, it’s still a pretty cool idea, just hard to swallow considering who makes them. A pump track is not really a “skatepark” but more like a skatespot. It looks super fun, and I love the idea of plopping these down on a disused tennis court. Videos and pics after the jump, plus a bonus video of an asphalt pump track someplace called Lake Hayes Estate.

– Thanks to Tim Jamison and Matthijs for the tips

Here are some offerings from Progressive Pumptracks, or ARC, or CRC, or PBR, or whoever they are calling themselves lately. The Progressive Pumptracks web site has links to 4 other entities that all appear to be shadow companies or brands falling under the ARC entity, whose reputation proceeds them. Yes, you can take that a variety of ways…

Hard not to pass on a chance to show the varied uses they advertise.

Most of their other videos are bike-centric.

http://youtu.be/bHoHhFSBKOM

http://youtu.be/wStRmUVCVN4

This one shows some of the assembly. There must be a big scooter scene in Spain.

This one looks like the steel version. Notice the rolling noise, like a thunderstorm or airport in the distance.

Here’s some bits of track used in something called the Zero Gravity Expo (Shouldn’t that be in outer space?) I suppose it’s useful for providing identical side by side courses in a racing situation.

This is the Lake Hayes Estate pump track in Queenstown New Zealand. I’m not sure who built it but it looks like a blast. Not the sort of thing you could probably lobby for successfully, although someone did. Imagine the stoke of stumbling upon this or having it in your city as an available spot. This is the best video out there. I’m not sure why they avoid the underpass. Video by Jagged Melon

This is the first one I saw, way more monotonous, but the reason for avoiding the overpass is readily apparent. Looks like it’s still dirt in the pipe for some reason.

I forgot to mention Pump up the Jams.