8 Bikes from Red Bull Pump Track Leavenworth 2019
From clapped out beaters to full carbon race weapons, run what ya brung was the theme at the Leavenworth stop of the Red Bull Pump Track World Championship tour. With no restrictions on wheel size, drivetrains, or number of brakes, all you needed to race was a bike, a helmet, and knee pads.
We took a closer look at eight of the bikes that caught our eye.
Keagan Nelson's Chase RSP 1.0
Keagan's is a builder for Velosolutions, and he was crazy fast on his battle-scarred Chase RSP 1.0 this weekend. Keagan has no sponsors and his bike is pretty worked—dude is fast, someone hook him up!
Patina.
Keagan Nelson will build your pump track and then school you on it.
The BC8 sticker is a tribute to Brogan Cobert, his friend's son who tragically passed away.
More patina.
Kialani Hines' Pivot Point
We checked Kialani's bike out in more detail earlier this year, but it was looking fresh and clean in Leavenworth.
Kialani is on Pivot this year.
A whole lot of matchy matchy blue, Shimano brake and drivetrain.
ODI AG-2 grips, Deity cockpit.
Marzocchi Z1 and flat pedals.
Eric Altendorf's Haro Carbon
At 58 years old, Eric was the oldest competitor of the weekend. He started riding two years ago and has just moved up to the intermediate class in BMX. He didn't qualify for finals in Leavenworth, but he's an absolute badass in our book.
He's riding a Haro Carbon Pro, with a Renthal bar setup that he says fits him perfectly. He admitted to "borrowing" some of his bike's parts from his wife and daughter.
Tioga saddle, downcountry af.
Eric Altendorf.
The pedals are from his wife's MTB, while the frame and wheels are from his daughter, who was also racing.
Carson Storch's Custom Rocky Mountain Slope Bike
We've seen this bike before, but Carson's made some changes in the off season. He was out throwing miniflips and signing autographs for relentless young fans, but he put in some solid times and was the only person on a full suspension to qualify for the knockout heats.
Carson switched to Hutchinson this year and has been liking their 26" Python 2 tires on dirt, but they probably didn't roll that fast here on concrete.
Such a racerboi.
Suntour Duair shock with 10000.99 PSI in it.
He's running a Trickstuff Trixer gyro again, and it actually felt like it had pretty good braking power. No word if it's been updated from the previous version.
Josh Gibb's Intense Tazer
Josh is usually on a Norco, but they apparently didn't have a pump track bike for him yet, so he dusted off his old Intense. I'm 99% sure it's a 2011-ish Tazer (someone please correct me!). He's running AG-2 grips, and Onyx hubs laced up to FSA rims.
Another downcountry enthusiast. Mike Levy should take up pump track racing.
Josh had the 5th fastest qualifying time.
Chainslap on a singlespeed does happen, apparently.
His DVO Diamond fork was lowered to 90mm and set up crazy stiff.
Payton Ridenour's Haro Citizen Carbon
Hailing from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Payton is the #1 ranked female amateur BMX racer in the USA. At 16 years old she was absolutely crushing this track, and it's crazy to think of how fast she'll be in a few years' time.
Haro Citizen Carbon.
Payton Ridenour.
Strength for 91 bar ends to show support for Sam Willoughby, a quadriplegic Australian BMX racer who broke his neck in 2016.
2020 Cliq prototype cranks.
Onyx Helix front hub takes drillium to the next level.
Tommy Zula's Airborne Skyhawk
The Dayton, Ohio local grew up racing BMX, but has fallen in love with mountain bikes. He stuck with the big wheels this weekend on his Airborne Skyhawk, with a 6061 alloy frame, internal front triangle cable routing, slotted dropouts and disc brake tabs, 26" wheels, etc.
Duo Martinez grips, with a guard against smashing his thumb on his lever.
Still not sure if Tommy is actually a flat earther.
If you race pump track you have to use Onyx hubs, it's the law.
Bubba Warren's Evil Faction
Another bike we've seen before, but Austin "Bubba" Warren has made a few changes. Most importantly, with pedalling allowed in the flying starts that the Red Bull Pump Track series has adopted, he's switched back to an Onyx singlespeed setup instead of the custom drivetrain-free 135mm hub he had in Rotorua.
Onyx singlespeed hub in Hubba Bubba pink. So sick.
Bubba knows.
As last year's winner, Bubba came into Leavenworth with the #1 plate.
Read the full photo report here.
Mentions: @redbullbike @velosolutionsglobal @pivotcycles @evil-bikes @AirborneBicycles @RockyMountainBicycles @intensecyclesusa
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Did they rebuild the skate park yet?
b.
Happy to be wrong here, let me know!
Sam is currently considered a paraplegic, even though he can stand and walk with braces.
-George Vick
Videographer @ USA BMX
Assistant Editor of Pull Magazine
Got it! Tazer.
"Pure" mountain biking isn't that accessible. I for one am stoked to see more people getting on bikes, and the skills people develop on pumptracks translate really well to the trail... Less gatekeeping, more riding!
I’m all for for some man made features on good trails however perfectly manicured pump tracks or slopestyle runs are dull to me.
I’m not telling people what to ride, so don’t put words in my mouth, but this is is the opposite of mountain biking. That’s not gatekeeping, that’s me saying PB must not have had any real riding to talk about today.
MTB is one of the least natural things ever. Yes it can be enjoyed in nature. That's about it with the connection.
Dying from an infection when you're 30 is natural. Natural ≠ good.