Anyone dabble with trials, even a bit?

reanimation

Retrobike Rider
Feedback
View
I like a variety and wondered if any of you did a bit of trials, not neccessarily serious stuff. What kind of bike is a good base, doesnt have to be an actual trials bike does it? dunno if I have room or need for one! :LOL: In the 90's it was guys using regular MTB's such as Zaskars, what about now? The whole scene has diversified itself, 24", 26", 20", geared and SS! SS makes sense as does 24" from a technical point of view. but getting about from place to place and terrain in one silly little gear on small frame and no seat could get tiring! :oops: :D

Any of you converted a bike? or dabbled, any top tips?
 
Used to do a lil' trial when I was young (er ;) ). Just on my regular bike with the seat down.
The modern 26" trial bikes (Monty, Koxx etc) are a whole different league, specific for trials alone.
A dropper post on my modern bike helps a lot.
Think trial is a good way to learn skills and balance and does help you a lot on the trails, friend of mine is a Trial pro and, like most, his normal bike handling skills are beyond believe.

Bitd:

file_zps309c4280.jpg



now (but without the dropper I now use)

file-55.jpg
 
I never did...my balance is shocking! I never really had the patience either.

A few of my mates did...one used a 13inch Hardrock, Kujo tyres, maguras and a pimp Ti bash guard that his dad made for him (he worked for Maclaren). Othe guys just used regular bikes and ditched the middle and outer chain rings. Only one of them had a proper trials bike.
 
After wanting one for years, I finally bought a 20" trials bike to play with (£80 off ebay). It's a Larf, and SO much easier to learn on. I am still crap though...

Seat down, flat pedals, small frame, big squishy tyres. Any bike is fine, but having had a go on a 26" trials bike, they REAAAAALY are much more suited to the task.

The main thing is brakes. You need very, very strong brakes. Maguras or good discs are critical IMO.
 
Great. Nice pics and examples. Impressive skills on the pics. I'm following Danny Mac and Inspired bikes and stuff and yeah proper skilled riding like any good riding is quite amazing, like a leaping frog or cat or monkey or something! Brilliant to watch though it loooooks easy.
Riding in the early 90's I among many on here who were lucky to dabble all bits of biking, with loads of crossover inluence, a lot of which we see now at a pro level thats a million miles out of our widest dreams. Never did anything focused myself but it was good to Learn track stands, wheel hops wheelies and ther bits of pieces, balancing and hopping etc. it helped with the bikes getting lighter.
I do like he Inspired bikes and as muh as it looks familiar I don't think my chromo DMR will double as a trials but could try though I'm a tad more inspired now to play on a cheaper trils bike... Hmm haha

Anyone done motorbike trials? My dad had a few Yamaha Ty 250s never saw him do trials more playing with crosser chaps on the local lumps n bumps at Denholme.
 
I used to compete many moons ago , bmbf series , competed against the young will cogger , mark miles , two guys called Martin and Martyn ????

Had a bunny hop contest against jez avery on my monty at an event in Lichfield , got to 43" and could not go any more.

My list of trials bikes:

1991 talera
1992 avalanche
1992 Karakoram - spare wheelie bike
1994 monty b219ch
1993 zaskar le
1994 ibex team issue prototype
1994 cannondale m800 beast of the east
Then a few years off ..........moved to nottingham then started riding again
2003 barracuda piece of rubbish
2005 monty urban trial
2006 onza trex
2007 onza trex comp prototype ( only 3 ever made )
2008 onza 20" prototype

Then got back into xc..........

I have pictures of most of the bikes except the zaskar , ibex which I am gutted about.

I got the onza bikes as my mate works for them still today so I know about some of the sexy
Nos bits of kit still left in the warehouse :)

My current build is a zaskar which has the hans rey influence about it and is getting there build coming soon.

Trials is something that's plyable to the trails , the balance and weight shift helps when tackling trails , such as the follow the dog and monkey run where I live . Plus you never get too old for the track stand , wheelie, back hop etc

I was there in the early days of bikes with small frame and low seats , now it's mental just look at the new
Gt trials built for kenny belay , fantastic bike !

That's my bit

Ant
 
Funny you mention Kenny Belay, I met him last year at the CC World Cup in Houffalize, had him and my Trial riding friend Patrick Smit ( http://www.smittrial.nl ) in front of me on one of the downhill sections ..... AMAZING! ....... had to push to my absolute max just to see them "cruising" and jumping down in front of me ....... dissapearing out of my eyesight ....... without even trying hard. Respect!
 
I've dabbled on and off for years ; never been terribly good but that won't stop me trying :) Have had a total of 3 trials bikes ; 2 of them home-brewed from small MTB frames and finally now a proper dedicated trials frame ( coming soon to a thread near you ) . I will be honest ; a proper setup does make things easier but the rider makes a LOT more difference than the bike so as others have said ; just get out there and go for it.
*Edit : On the subject of braking ; 20" mods go better with discs than 24" or 26" ; too much "give" in a big wheel for hub brakes to be truly effective is the reason I think so Magura is still king for bigger wheels. That said ; street trials riders prefer discs for the better modulation on stoppies/G-turns etc.
 
Great to see so much interest and activity in trials. I really like the crossover with Street riding or creative field riding and trials. like a combo of BMX/Free ride with that trials precision , care and superhero-like amazing movement! As said too the skills crossover into any biking especially mountain biking.

Looking at the fleet, I had built my 24" DMR Rhythm, mostly cos I had the wheels, and i's sort of 'Big BMX'! but I did buy a second Avid BB5 185mm disc brake for the front just in case I did anything technical on it. Head angle is 72degrees, rigid forks and frame is actually under 6lbs so not a heavy weight as suck but its a weighty but nimble fun bike. Otherwise again the Trailstar Geared frame is weighty but the small size is confortable/throwable! Or I might get summat ready made...
 
I swapped a Alloy Apollo (Au brand )26" trials bike with HS33's (his) for a carton of Corona's (mine) if that counts....

Still sitting in the corner of bike shed 1...
 
Back
Top