Backyard Pumptrack Re-build!

Spring re-build of my backyard pumptrack, with help from my kids! After a winter of snow and rain, we took our tools, shovels, and rake to tune up and fix our backyard pumptrack. This is a great DIY project, my favorite kind of home improvement, and fun to teach building skills to the kids too.
For the full tour of the yard, check out my backyard tour video!
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[@binkzera2777]

Your kids ride better than me :) Nice to see some basic trail building principles, I probably won’t be allowed to tear up my yard though.

[@PorterMTB]

Haha they have special opportunities to ride a lot here. Glad to help on the trailbuilding, hopefully you find somewhere to make something cool!

[@aidanmarks6848]

Awesome.. I wish my parents would let me build that in my yard!

[@hunterwright386]

Aidan Marks ah same

[@PorterMTB]

It's every kid's dream, that's for sure!

[@ROSE-by5su]

Porter MTB my kids will be lucky to have me in the future

[@shanemcconnell1500]

Haha 😂 mine do. Not

[@ob1instrumentals77]

Oh man what a good combo, if one of them like riding more and one like to build more, you should almost make a video where the older brother gets to build a feature for the younger one to ride! Looks like you guys are having a blast!

[@eli.braun9894]

This is the most wholesome video I’ve seen in a while

[@PorterMTB]

That's what I'm going for, good for kids and adults!!

[@emptybagofchips2063]

jacka gaming yes wholesome but try bob ross

[@tom.allez2134]

That’s so cool how you spend time with your kids doing what you all love. Awesome stuff. Totally enjoyed the video!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, it's so much fun doing stuff with the kids!

[@JeffLenoskyTrailBoss]

Time lapse is the key to KZbin views. Great video!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks Jeff! The timelapses were definitely key to this video, my favorite part might be the sped up packing of the berm with the audio!

[@jacobbesley984]

Those kids are crazy good! Lucky to have a dad like you!

[@ronsanderson99]

Nothing better than watching kids having fun!!

[@mulletmoore5811]

This is my exact dream when I become a dad

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome! Trying to create an awesome childhood for my kids!

[@northernairmtb4183]

Same

[@mulletmoore5811]

Porter MTB awesome, your doing a perfect job

[@scottpink2013]

For sure the coolest dad ever. So awesome to see kids and parents engaged in riding together!! Absolutely awesome!!!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, I'm trying! It's such a great way to spend time with my kids.

[@havenoutdoors584]

Kids are ripping the pump track! They look super smooth!

[@PorterMTB]

They are having so much fun!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Great stuff Eric! Love that you get your sons involved in the track maintenance. They're little rippers too. 🤘

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! They are having so much fun out there, wish I had it growing up!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@@PorterMTB Same here. All we had was plywood and bricks in an alley full of broken glass. 😄

[@lunathecatahoulaleoparddog5241]

Great video , keep up the great work. Almost at 15k subs.

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! Working hard on it, subs over 16k now!

[@arthurleighton7166]

wow those boys have some serious skill i wish i had the freedom to excel like that

[@flowflo9449]

Just built one myself! Love it🔥

[@PorterMTB]

Nice, I'd love to check it out!

[@flowflo9449]

@@PorterMTB could be difficult im from austria😂🇦🇹🇦🇹🇦🇹

[@LOVE-62]

Well done sir, what a great backyard for those little studs to learn from Dad👍🏻

[@GeorgeLoch]

Excellent dad time! Those boys have skills...unsurprisingly.

[@themacfam2571]

This must be so fun

[@Billy-mo2os]

So Cool! Cant belive its already almost spring tho.

[@motionstudio77]

Great job Eric & kids, keep it up!!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, I'm working on it!

[@KylesAdventures1994]

Looks awesome. Cant wait to get my jump line going at my house.

[@brycewalsh1773]

Just started my own pump track build stoked to see this come out right now

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome, hopefully it helps you! Stoked to see what you make!

[@tuckr]

want this in my backyard, just noticed this was uploaded on my birthday

[@lukemaguire1084]

Milo and Owen are so young yet so good

[@lucasenglish4195]

So sick man! Keep it up!

[@raymondmichielini6021]

Dream backyard and the kids definitely have skills

[@fredpagett7176]

Love videos like these

[@PorterMTB]

Awesome! I'll make more!

[@greysondillard6695]

Lit dude! Can’t wait to see you ride it more.

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! Lots more backyard content coming this year!

[@mihec9236]

Your kids are very good🤘

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, they have a lot of fun out there!

[@ilikeyai]

Awesome your kids are great at riding and your backyard is amazing

[@carmeloruiz5784]

That's rad

[@blakes6417]

I’m just a mountain biker, but your kids can shred pump tracks better than I could

[@PorterMTB]

They are pretty lucky to have one in their backyard!

[@maxhoffmann6647]

Elbows are the new thing

[@ShutUpandRideMTB]

Those mountains in the background looks like the Uintas in Utah off the 15. Also, great video, I love to see mountain bike trail building. Also, butt quack.

[@PorterMTB]

Haha great joke. Yes I'm in Utah, between the Wasatch and Uinta mountains.

[@MM-nf9zp]

Coolest dads ever- Eric Porter an Cam McCaul

[@Dirt.carver]

Looking forward to seeing more :D

[@matrixracing8268]

Eric You Make The Best Trails!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks!

[@corilewis5215]

...sick spot.

[@Childhoodnostalgia_20]

I got inspired so I built a pump track in my backyard

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome, nice work!

[@jacksonseawright1372]

I liked the chicken in the back of the time lapse walking Around

[@PorterMTB]

Me too, pretty funny!

[@nicki3305]

😂😂

[@DirtyTeethMTB]

Good work! Thanks for spreading the stoke !

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! I'll keep the stoke high!

[@jc_mtb3156]

Sick that’s so cool

[@harrisonroberts6298]

Nice video I have had trouble with my berms this will help in the future

[@PorterMTB]

Lots of trial and error to get them figured out, hope this helps!

[@willshawyer7280]

That looks so sick! Wish I could ride there

[@PorterMTB]

I wish I could have everyone here to ride!

[@willshawyer7280]

You should do a giveaway prize and the winners get to spend a day with you and seths bike hacks and they get to try out both of the parks. I think that would be pretty cool and a cool experience to anyone watching you two

[@boxz2498]

Idk y, but I really like your videos

[@smashyrashy]

The coolest thing my dad built me was a treehouse and i don't think we have ever fist bumped i'm jealous

[@PorterMTB]

I still haven't built them a treehouse, but it's on the to-do list, the kids really want one!

[@chrislukes9037]

@@PorterMTB Should be a lookout over the whole yard, on a post right in the center of the action -- the crow's nest! (Doesn't seem like you have a ton of larger trees, at least in the backyard.)

[@ryan-ci3fz]

My dad built me a room outside and he fist bumps me in the stomach all the time! My dads girlfriend is also pretty cool.

[@smashyrashy]

@@ryan-ci3fz my wife's boyfriend also does that to me! Hes awesome he even lets me stay up late on weekends.

[@ryan-ci3fz]

I always find water balloons in my dads room once his girlfriend comes over once it had slime in it! Does your wife’s boyfriend leave you slime filled water balloons?

[@dustinsmart8561]

Sweet!!! Cant wait to come help🤘

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah for sure, I'll need it!

[@kfivemtb]

killer back yard! looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you! :)

[@PorterMTB]

Oh yeah, lots of work. Next is the jumps, and building medium size jumps for the kids, and moving the waterslides too, gonna be busy!

[@markm4503]

Nice wholesome entertainment! Post more often!

[@PorterMTB]

Should be posting weekly now!

[@43Productions]

Love it! Nice work Eric! Stoked to get over there!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! See you soon, hopefully this all blows over quickly!

[@TheCaptainsCog]

Livin the dream my man!

[@PorterMTB]

Definitely, hard to believe!

[@jacob_bmx4917]

That's true flat track is also fun

[@niccolo_defendi_cho]

Love the vids

[@thomashardbattle4287]

Skill. My trail building is shovel dirt into piles

[@PorterMTB]

Hey that's a start! Some people never build anything!

[@thomashardbattle4287]

@@PorterMTB ye fair point

[@evandehart4211]

Is it just me or is this channel underrated! This has always been so sick to me! Keep it up.

[@PorterMTB]

Glad you're liking it, I'm going to keep it up with weekly vids, so hopefully it'll grow! Share it with your friends!

[@tomhart3558]

Well your not getting bored in quarantine

[@RoboTed_]

your you-tube is underrated

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, hopefully it keeps growing!

[@austinc2387]

Sick video👍

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks!! 🤙🤙

[@thetalkingfly]

EP, Great vid. Good info and good vibes. Cheers, SO

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks Steve! Hope to see you soon!

[@oliverwenke8979]

Looks sick shred on🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@PorterMTB]

Will do! Plenty more backyard content to come!

[@oliverwenke8979]

Can’t wait looks the dream

[@jimsec7344]

His oldest son has a nice BMX

[@michaelboer-panak4107]

Cool

[@PorterMTB]

🤙🤙

[@wenksta10]

Long live colonel sanders 😁 💪

[@PorterMTB]

Still going hard!!

[@freddieworkman5254]

3:01 Why does it sound like your mining rock in Terraria 😂😂

[@bosketmediu3005]

I thought of HowToBasic throwing eggs

[@bceditor]

Nice vid Eric and timely! My kids and I are out doing the same thing. Although the grass overgrowth removal is brutal... let it go too long unattended last season.

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! Stoked to have time at home now to hang with the family, get the backyard dialed, and edit some videos! I'm gonna be in weed hell in another month or so, my backyard goes crazy with them.

[@bceditor]

Porter MTB haha yeah I’m trying to stay ahead of the weed curve this year. Might do it thanks to covid! And holy crap your kids got big. I guess mine did too...

[@matthewrichards881]

You have to upload more

[@PorterMTB]

Oh yeah, it's on now! It'll be weekly moving forward!

[@RoxaVen04]

Screw jumps i wanna do this

[@pridestopper]

Looks like the young buck could use a new bike!

[@PorterMTB]

Actually the orange 18" Milo is riding is Owen's bike, but they like to ride their older bikes sometimes too, that white and red Redline Owen is on is super light, so it's fun for him.

[@J_Harker]

halleighlouyah a new video !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[@PorterMTB]

I know, it's been a while! Should be on the weekly schedule now!

[@Woolly_Jumper]

Hi Eric, good to be getting back to the basics. A mate of mine Carl Moriaty mentioned that he had once ridden this sweet set up where it dropped in from the house - must be yours I reckon.

[@PorterMTB]

Hey! Yeah Carl is a good friend, he's definitely been here a few times.

[@Woolly_Jumper]

@@PorterMTB I've been trying to get hold of him to see if he locked down in London or if he decided to come back to Nz. We go to lockdown midnight Wednesday. Luckily we have a big backyard like you guys with a few jumps and such, but I'm staying out of the air for now and have decided to start working on a pump track with my boys, cheers for the inspiration. Stay safe and sane.

[@TwoMan.]

Hey man!

[@PorterMTB]

What's up!

[@noawestfall9284]

epic

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks!

[@DualDesertEagle]

I sure hope I'll own a property that's big enough for this kinda stuff someday...

[@PorterMTB]

Keep saving and trying, it'll happen!

[@DualDesertEagle]

@@PorterMTB That's a hard thing to do in Germany these days.

[@By-Design]

There is a jump line/pumptrack in my town that I think maybe the city built a few years ago, but time and weather have taken their toll on them. I've decided to start rebuilding them myself, mainly just digging out fist size boulders that have become exposed, but honestly I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Mind if I send you a video and see if you can give me any pointers on where to start?

[@BikeLifewithRob]

Man, I was just thinking about getting chickens...and then you said raccoons ended them. Looking forward to doing the same refresher on my backyard track! Cool little shredders.

[@PorterMTB]

I still highly recommend them, but man we struggled this winter with the raccoons. I've just had to make it high security, they even ripped through chicken wire to get into the coop. Never had a problem for years, then once they find it you're in trouble. The eggs are awesome though!

[@BikeLifewithRob]

@@PorterMTB What are you doing to make it so they can't get in?

[@PorterMTB]

Bike Life with Rob heavier gauge wire fencing, put strong latches on doors, sealed all the cracks small enough so they can’t squeeze through

[@nicki3305]

Our chickens mess up all of our small jumps

[@PorterMTB]

Nicki Kantor haha ours have dug holes in berms as well

[@TheMidnightModder]

I'm jealous but I have no idea where to start making backyard trails. Do you have or know of any good videos or articles on trail building?

[@k9kayaks]

Ugh sorry about the chickens couple years ago a fox got to mine when they were free ranging

[@train155elegantgames9]

Millo is a drink in Australia

[@davidosoriotattoo]

Great build man. Sorry to be intrusive but this is the first time I see Th is channel. Aproximadamente how big is your property? Reason I ask I’ve been looking and planning to get a property to do the same thing. Want some backyard jumps. But have no idea how much from I’d need

[@alexanderdahmer8741]

Damn your kids are better than me

[@nickdenton2103]

Those bikes look a little small for your boys. 😂

[@Woolly_Jumper]

Your right they do look a bit small, but actually is a really good way for kids to pick up skills more quickly if they don't have to much bike to throw around and are feeling more confident. Going against my recommendation my seven year old just got a Mini Rocker recently, but now he is throwing mean whips all over the pump track and he will more easily be able to transfer his new trick to his bigger bike.

[@PorterMTB]

Agreed on both sides, they actually switch around quite a bit between bmx, mtb, and various sizes of each, and they have fun on all of them! The bigger orange bike Milo is riding is actually Owen's 18", and Milo has his own 20" he wasn't riding that day. I do make them save up their own money from chores to buy their own bikes as well, so they know how to earn things!

[@35rryan]

Rocky soil fixed all of my matenince issues

[@henryparent1621]

Anyone know what milos bmx bike is called?

[@NathanW69]

This is sick, do you reckon this will fit in an apartment?? XD

[@bigbenjo9944]

Any suggestion for a mtb under £500

[@chrislukes9037]

How many (adult) man-hours would you estimate are required just for basic "return to normal" annual spring maintenance of the dirt features in your full yard? Not talking improvements, re-working, and additions you might do, just resurfacing and erosion recovery. These type of videos give an idea of techniques and process, but I find myself wondering what the time investment really adds up to. Might be helpful for folks that might be considering the balance of dirt vs. wooden features in a potential build.

[@PorterMTB]

Tough call, this was probably around 30 hours total work to get the pumptrack rideable and looking good, jumps will be a bit more because it's a lot of dirt to move. A huge timesaver for jumps is building wooden lips like I've done, so they are always perfect and ready to go, they only need to be resheeted and painted every 3-4 years.

[@hansonlife9465]

Hey there, we just got 5 trucks of dirt dumped in our yard. I'm planning to make a pump track for the kiddos. I know it can vary, but what is the approximate radius on your berms? Also distance between rollers? Thanks so much!

[@Matthew-fz3sr]

Berms around 8' radius seem to be best as they are easy to maintain or generate speed, but variations is what keeps it entertaining. The measurement that I use for interval is height in inches +.25 to .5 to distance in feet. 12" rollers separated by 10' ish. Set a plum line so that you can work up and down from a solid center line or you can find that your track is slightly uphill or down. Also the plum line allows you to stay with a consistent roll and not create flat spots that suck speed. Just a sidebar the berms in my pump track are dictated by the space that I have and in turn I have berms that are as small as 5' radius and as large a 9' radius. For large berms you can also place a pump in the middle of the radius to generate speed from. The track is 5yrs old and each year it gets small modifications but not an overhaul. Make sure that you think out the main structure but don't worry about the small stuff as you can sculpt new idea in a few hours.

[@hansonlife9465]

@@Matthew-fz3sr Dude. Thank you! I really appreciate the time you took to walk through all this!

[@hansonlife9465]

@@Matthew-fz3sr ​ Matthew Hey dude, if you get a sec, take a look at my thoughts so far. The only piece of your advice I'm not sure how to follow is that of setting up a level line to keep track level. I can do the level line part, I just had a fair slope and don't want to dig or use to much dirt to keep it all level, is that a deal breaker? At about 3:00 min mark (if you want to skip and save time) of the video below, I explain my layout and ask a few questions. let me know if you have more thoughts. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZSVaJiGg86Cg9U or it is on a pink bike forum as well: www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=219098&pagenum=1#commentid6828573

[@Matthew-fz3sr]

@@hansonlife9465 Do you mean that the grade is not level? What is the slope, rise over run? A great way to get rid of rise is don't get distracted with the ground around the rollers just take time to dig down the trough/ bottom between the ridges of the rollers. You might have one trough 12" below grade and another 12" above grade and then some rollers my only be a few inches above grade and others may be a a few feet if the slope demands it. I helped a buddy build a track in his extremely sloped yard, 3' rise over 10' run and we made it across grade with one end that had a rising pump line that got you back on top of the grade before you pumped across grade on a slight descent. The elevation gain in the rising pump line is mitigated by making changes to the frequency and amplitude of the rollers. If you are able to build it so that you crossover normal direction and turn it from clockwise to counterclockwise all the sudden that line goes from work to the super fast blast line.

[@jjonesmtb]

Eric, thinking about getting a diamondback for my 10 year old. Wanting 27.5 wheel size. Full squish would be nice because we live in Eagle mountain, and he likes the rocks and drops. I don’t want to break the bank. Any recommendations?

[@PorterMTB]

It's tough to get the affordable part, plus a 27.5 that'll fit a 10 year old. Mine is on a Clutch, which is the only Level Link bike in a XS frame size, which fits him great, but it's not cheap. www.diamondback.com/clutch-1-d42 The most affordable 27.5" wheel full suspension is the Atroz, but I think he would be better off with a hardtail because it will be lighter with better parts at the same price, and be more durable because it's a hardtail. It'll also teach him to be smoother. Let him know that I didn't get a full suspension bike till I was 19 years old, and things worked out fine for me!

[@jjonesmtb]

Porter MTB I have been thinking more and more about going the hard tail route for him. My hesitation has been that he has been destroying bikes already. But those have been small specialized hot rocks. Pretty sure on a larger bike, things should hold up longer. Which hard tail is gonna be most affordable but still be a quality bike?

[@zzdubbaseball1735]

I am starting to build a pump track

[@PorterMTB]

Nice! Hope it turned out good!

[@brandonodland8638]

Ok I love in minnesota and I went to a bike park and met this kid a couple years ago and him and his dad were both really good and the kids name was milo did u used to love in mn

[@jeffreychilson8487]

Hey I’m here in Washington and I really like bmx riding and stunting and I was thinking about making my own track, what kind of dirt did you use to make the track

[@PorterMTB]

If you can find sifted fill dirt, that should work. It's nice to not have rocks in the dirt, and hopefully it's not too much clay or too much organic, so that it packs nicely and handles water well.

[@jeffreychilson8487]

Porter MTB thank you so much that really helps

[@ROSE-by5su]

Do you think one of them will be a freerider and one of them will be a racer like Matt jones and his twin brother and Van and Bassteenburgen i dont know if i spelled it right

[@Childchick-wv8yo]

I e same bike as milo lol

[@wynnfosse2796]

is the pumptrack hand built or machine

[@PorterMTB]

Originally the dirt was put in place by machine, but all the shaping was done by hand.

[@tomsanger6249]

Love this but why do the colours look really washed out?

[@marcosterrobarivero7633]

What program do you edit on ?

[@PorterMTB]

I use Premier Pro.

[@marcosterrobarivero7633]

Porter MTB thank you !!! 🤘

[@jonandreasnkleholm3395]

Hey! Porter i have seen ur backyard from Seth channel love it but ur bike makes much noise can u pls fix that

[@jacob_bmx4917]

My parents let me build but in our woods you get one shovel full and then a rock

[@PorterMTB]

At least they let you build!

[@alexziebarth4234]

you should learn trials because you got seths trails bike

[@PorterMTB]

It's gonna happen!

[@alexziebarth4234]

@@PorterMTB OMG you actualy replied!!!

[@ridewest57]

Does kernel sanders have ptsd?

[@PorterMTB]

Haha I think Colonel Sanders probably gave the raccoons PTSD, she's like the Chuck Norris of chickens.