ACU Discussion

This section of the forums has been set up to allow users POSITIVE interaction with the ACU and to collect that interaction in one place so it is easy to find and so that posts do not get buried amongst other topics in the UK Trials Talk forum (plus it makes it easier for Dicko to find stuff for his editorial) ACU-bashing will not be permitted. If you have nothing constructive to say then say nothing at all. Criticism of things you may feel are wrong is fine, but it must be constructive criticism with appropriate suggestions as to how things could be changed/improved. Both John Collins and Mick Wren of the ACU Trials and Enduro Committee read and post on these forums. …

We are struggling with the additional requirements stipulated by the MSA for the Colmore Cup on 3rd March. The £2.75 per rider isn't a problem, we've put the entry fee up to cover this. Producing a map and sending it with the completed paperwork has been easy. (I know I did this.) Checking that the route doesn't follow/cross any footpaths, restricted byways etc is a little harder, but has now been completed. But.... how on earth can we send a letter to every houshold within 100m of the 28 mile route? It's almost impossible withthe man power we have available. More worrying still is our LDT later in the year, this is 75 miles round. What are other clubs doing?

Following some discussion on another thread recently, concerning the severity of Clubmans championship rounds, are these events limited to one single route or can organising clubs include a non championship B route if they wish? As is the case with many big events, the Colmore Cup suffers from the vast range of riders abilities. Whilst the top 10 or so find it a fairly pleasant ride around, there are a good number who find the going more of a challenge. There are almost certainly a number of riders (genuine club level clubmen and ladies) who would also like to ride in these events but feel they are too hard. Single lap road trials such as the Colmore are a lot of work…

The new online licence or trials registration system is now available from the ACU. When you join a club, the Membership Secretary will give you a unique number to prove that you have joined a club. Go online HERE and you can bring up your details using your licence number. Check and amend as necessary your personal information and put your unique number in the space provided. Pay by debit card and your licence will automatically be updated and you will be instantly emailed to confirm the payment recieved. Riders joining the our club will find their unique number next to their name on their 2012 club membership card. Brilliant! Completed mine in less than two minute…

Changes to 2011 Trials Standing Regulations Section/ Route Marking It is recommended that routes be marked as follows: - Route A - Principle Route - Blue ( left) Red ( right) Route B - Yellow both sides Route C - White both sides Any further routes to be marked in a colour chosen by the Organiser In the above, the letters denote the severity of the sections in descending order ie Route A would be hardest, Route B next hardest and so on. Routes may be marked in their entirety in the colours shown, or the Organiser may mark appropriate diversions in these colours. Ideally, the coloured section of markers should be in the shape of an arrow, with the point toward t…

Hello all Just a thought about marking out really with the traditional Red on you right blue on your left and green and yellow flags. I’ve always found this odd when FIM sections are so much easier to read being one colour for your route arrowed to go between them and even have a no entry ⛔️ on the back. I ride clubman and 50/50 so have to change between red/blue green/yellow if required mid route which makes it even more difficult to get it right. As for using yellow and green flags so many people find it hard to see these colours on the ground blending into it. so is it not easier to change to FIM type marking being a white square with a c…

The fact that the ACU Trials Forum is cancelled through lack of attendance is more than a little disappointing

Whilst John Collins was explaining how the ACU coffers are spent in This thread, he suggested pulling this off into another thread. I made the below comment

Does anyone know how much the ACU have raised their trials fees by for 2015 ? I have seen clubs raising entry fees by £2 to cover this years increase.

It been bad enough having to ride the British Champs under these rubbish rules but now all trials are going to sufferer the same fate! I guess we will see a total demise of the number of riders just like in the British Champs which at the moment isn't even worth the organisers running the entrys are that low. Maybe the only hope is if all the clubs go back to the full no stop rules, that's if there allowed?

I have heard a rumour that the Observing rules for the 2007 British Trials Championship are going to revert back to the old FIM rules, i.e. stop for a 1 etc. Is this true? If so, I personally think that this would be a backward step for the Championship. This was the only opportunity for our top Adults and rising youth stars to hone there skills before venturing into Europe and beyond. Can anyone shed any light on this? John ??

John Dickinson wrote in TMX that there was no interest in the ACU Trials Forum because people believe that the ACU Trials and Enduro Committee don't take any notice of what is said at these forums and just do what they want. I believe that nobody wanted to come to the forum because the vast majority of you are happy with the sport we help to promote. It was also sugested that we could hold the forum over the Tials Central web site rather than make everybody travel to Rugby. I am a member of the T&E Committee and I resent the opinion that we are a bunch of megalomaniacs who dont listen. I don't expect anyone to tell us they are happy with us,that never happens, but…

Was out marking sections for next weeks Ladies round today when the subject of next years A/B championship came around, and how living on an Island makes traveling to these event more expensive and time consuming than other competitors. For example last weekend my van clocked up 639 miles going to Scarbrough and back, they left there at 5pm after the trial, 7 hours later they only just got the midnight ferry arriving home about 2am in the morning, both lads were knackered and missed school on monday. Back in August we had to go to Northumberland another 800 mile round trip and late night home for the lads, as living on an Island August is the worst time to travel on th…

Could someone please give me an explanation on 'what marks the competitor would loose' in the following situation: The trial was being run under TSR22a method of marking rules. A competitor entered the section and halfway through slipped into a deep rut with his front wheel. He landed with the majority of his right leg on the ground. His legs were still astride the machine. The handlebar touched the ground. He was able to push himself up without taking his hands of the handlebars and continued to ride the section to the end cards. As an observer what mark would you have given him and give an explanation why/how you came to the decision.

How many clubs allow riders to compete without a licence NSC - 7.11 PRODUCTION OF COMPETITION LICENCE OR TRIALS REGISTRATION 1. All Entrants, Riders or Passengers shall carry their current Competition Licence or Trials Registration and must be prepared to produce either document when signing on at a meeting. 2. Any Rider or Passenger in possession of a current Competition Licence or Trials Registration but unable to produce it when signing on will be permitted to take part in the meeting but will be subject to a i ne, payable to the ACU Benevolent Fund. h e amount of the i ne will be found listed in the current edition of the ACU Handbook under

You are the clerk of course for a National Trial which is 2 laps of 25 sections. The method of marking is TSR22a. You have briefed all the observers and sent them on their way. The trial finishes and the results cards added up. You notice that one rider (we will call him rider

Given the New weight limit in the WTC and the 290cc limit on 2 strokes presumably to make Honda's, (I am not going to refer to them as Montesa's any more), more competitive what is the situation in the UK? Like many My Son has bought a 300CC bike with the idea of entering a few Nationals. Is it now Persona non grata or do we assume that any bike sold in the UK is OK for the BTC?

I recently rode a 'Stopping Allowed' trial, and was a bit peeved by having to wait whilst the previous riders juggled their bikes back and fro in the section. Each of these riders had to my idea of the rules gone backwards several times, but were conning the observer into thinking they were still moving. If the Observer had a Whistle, then the rider would know when to give up and leave the section. There were so many riders still attempting the section, after what I saw as their back wheel having gone backwards. Clubs should issue Whistles to all Observers at Stopping Allowed trials, so that there is no fudging of the rules.

With only a handful of riders in the world able to get the best from a modern trials bike, the recent change of rules to non stop may not be enough to make a real difference to the sport. If bikes were heavier this would limit their capabilities, but this is a difficult change to make, check and enforce. If bikes were less powerful it would make a difference, but again, next to impossible to put in place. If suspension was less effective it would be a big handycap but this is impossible to introduce. How about tyres? This is not my idea and I'm not saying it would work, I'm simply throwing it out for discussion (and yes I know this will be an emotive subject, even th…

Have I missed something or do we now not have a World Champion Trials Rider? I have just received the winter (2006) edition of the ACU magazine and to my surprise and many others I might add there is no mention of Alexz and or Sam and there outstanding achievement this year. Now I may be being somewhat biased as both come from my centre and I may be doing the ACU an injustice here as they may well have a plan to do a full double page spread on Alexz and Sam in the next issue. Whilst I fully support the ACU I do feel somewhat aggrieved when they fail to acknowledge such achievement. I could say more to which I might incriminate myself so for now will leave it at that.…