Pump track celebration for Bolney children

Children and families from Bolney joined Team GB Olympian Kyle Evans during the Easter school holidays to celebrate the opening of a new BMX pump track.

Pro BMX Rider Kyle Evans demonstrated the best way to ride the new track, met with the youngsters and provided valuable advice. A live DJ kept the tunes flowing during the afternoon and ran DJ workshops so young people could have a go for themselves. Sussex Clubs for Young People provided arts activities and Bolney based bike repair shop Charlie’s Pedal Shed was there to offer free safety checks for bikes and scooters.

We opened the new bike track at the start of February, and it is already proving popular with local riders. It has been designed and built by pump track experts Clark and Kent, the same company who built the London 2012 Olympic Games BMX Supercross Track.

For those unfamiliar with BMX riding, a pump track is made up of bumpy track, known as rollers and banked turns called berms. Riders use pumping up and down body movements to generate forward momentum, and the track maximises that momentum so they can navigate the course with only a small amount of pedalling required.

The new Bolney Pump Track is 80 metres long and is surfaced with tarmac to create a smooth ride and ensure children are able to use it all year round. The course has been specifically designed so that it can be used by riders of all ability levels. A young novice rider with no experience still has the same excitement and user experience as someone who has been riding for years.