How to Build a Foam Pit for a Mountain Bike

You can enhance your mountain biking experience by making your own foam pit. Foam pits are large, padded structures commonly used in motocross training. They are typically the size of small swimming pools and are filled with pieces of soft, low-density foam. It helps mountain bike riders practice high speed jumps, stunts, tricks, vaults, flips and spills safely. Foam pits are rectangular in shape and can be various sizes. Amateur mountain bikers can build a foam pit in their backyard to use to enhance their skills.

Things You'll Need

  • 50-foot tape measure
  • 100-foot chalk line
  • Cinder blocks
  • 1-foot wooden stakes
  • Net/mesh screens
  • 4-by-4, 2-by-8 inch wood/lumber
  • 4-by-8-foot, 1-inch thick plywood sheets
  • Wood and steel screws
  • Electric winch
  • Drill
  • Saw
  • Hammer
  • Sledgehammer
  • Tarp
  • Ruler square
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a flat, leveled rectangular area of 50 feet by 100 feet minimum in an open field. Mark it with a chalk line to build a foam pit. Mark the four corners of the chalked rectangular area with wooden stakes.

    • 2

      Use cinder blocks to build the foundation of the foam pit. Lay them on the ground across the dimensions of the pit and cover the area completely with blocks. It will ensure stability and help in water drainage by elevating the pit floor 6 inches above the ground.

    • 3

      Make a rectangle frame using 4-by-4-inch wooden blocks. Cover this frame with 1-inch thick plywood to make a surface. Make the four side walls using 4-by-8-foot, 1-inch thick plywood sheets. Nail the walls on all four sides at the bottom to the frame to secure them tightly.

    • 4

      Drill 5-inch diameter drainage holes every 3 feet in the floor using a drilling machine. Drill them between the support beams and not over them.

    • 5

      Cut the net screens into circles that are slightly bigger than the size of the drilled holes and place them in the holes.

    • 6

      Purchase a mattress or use junked mattresses and cut them into cubes to fill the pit with it. Do not shred the foam because it will reduce safety impacts.