Trials Training And Technique

Hi guys I thought I would start my own thread, hopefully where I can get some advice on "my" techniques. Im not very good....yet....but im working hard at it. Ive been riding for just over 2 months and try to ride for a hour everyday in my little obstacle course. What has improved dramatically is my ballance and throttle/clutch control. I still battle to use my rear brake and dont use it as much as I should....im guessing? ? Im slowly starting to hop the back wheel higher when doing that zap thing. Ive only started noticing now how much practice helps. Ive been frustrated up to now but today everything kinda clicked and I felt I rode good. I have a route marked out th…

Ok we all should recognise that we need to be wearing a helmet to protect your melon when you come off. But I wonder how many people wear knee protectors or back protectors whilst riding. As trails is generally a low speed sport do we really need this type of protection. I have seen a few people wearing such protection and I was wondering if A, it is really required and B, where are they getting it from........MX stuff I wonder? I would imagine it restricts movement?

Throwing together a series of vids on basic trials techniques for the club I joined a few months back, to repay them for helping a noob out so much. Keen on feedback to make sure the information is accurate. Keeping them fairly general but bits will be specific to Australia e.g. we don't have the non-stop rule yet. Available as text files from the club site here. GENERAL TRIALS INFORMATION Setting up your trials bike How to walk a section Pre-competition mechanical inspection & other pre-ride check lists How to spot for another trials rider Building man made obstacles & a practice course BASIC TRIALS TECHNIQUES Balancing on a trials bike Full lock turns and piv…

Lance Armstong and Michael Phelps are apparently 6% or less....but they don't have to physically handle a 150 pound piece of high-torque machinery over the toughest terrain that any motorized vehicle traverses, like trials riders routinely do. What percent body-fat are Dougie, Bou, Raga, Fuji, etc.? Or better yet, what % would they ideally LIKE to be? At 46 years-old, what body-fat percentage would be the very very best for me, trials-wise? Is it closer to the body-fat percentage of Iggy Pop on free heroin day, or documentary-maker Michael Moore on free Hot Fudge Sunday day? I'm tracking my body fat percentage occasionally (I'm not really looking at my WEIGHT, per se, a…

I'm starting a weight-lifting program, and even though I'll never be a Dougie Lampkin I'm just wondering how much a typical world/national level trials (or enduro/motocross) rider can "bench press". The one where you lie on your back and push the barbell up at a right angle to your body, with both arms. Also, how much can YOU bench press? I'm a bit embarassed at my own bench press figure, so let's just say that it has plenty of room FOR IMPROVEMENT (that's, uh, a good thing, right?) Some athlete by the name of "Tiger Woods" can reportedly bench 300 lbs. Tiger is what, some sort of massive sumo wrestler or something? Probably some massive NFL lineman or "Strong-man co…

I've had bikes for many years and regularly MTB, BUT... None of that has helped prepare me for trials!! Just bought and rebuilt the suspension (forks, swingarm and linkage bearings) so giving it a first outing. It's quite a unique riding technique isn't it! After watching a few you tube vids, here is my first attempt in the garden! Any comments, tips, criticisms from all you experienced guys welcomed!

Recently watched the 2016 SSDT vid and Dan Thorpe mentioned he rode most sections in 2'nd gear. Riding last year I attempted most in 1st and struggled to maintain momentum and my line. Not too many similar sections here in California, but have been working hard on it and attempt them mostly in 1st. For those who have ridden similar sections what are your thoughts or tips? I ride a Vertigo 300 with a 38 rear and almost always are using the 3rd map. Much appreciated in advance.

Hi guys I can make it over a single free standing drum but im not sure if the technique is right. Im trying the double blip thing, first one puts front tire on drum, second one I throw weight forward to pull back onto drum. I do try to bounce the rear wheel up just befor the second blip to help. Have I got the basics right? I am riding the bash plate over the drum and it doesnt feel graceful, more like just powering the bike over. Keep in mind im brand new to trials and have only been riding for about a month (2weeks of that has been waiting for torn ligaments in the ankle to heel).

Since a group of us have gone nuts with trials riding the past year, it's also dramatically changed the way we ride our dirt bikes as we apply the trials techniques to the bigger heavier bikes. As a result, we've slowed down a lot, get less injuries. do far less damage to the environment and (hopefully) have become better riders as a result! If anyone is interested, we've been posting these vids and articles. we've started a website about cross training techniques as well here. BEFORE YOU START Protective gear Setting up your suspension BASIC CROSS TRAINING TECHNIQUES Braking Feathering and dropping the clutch Riding across a camber…

Folks, Apologies if this has been dealt with before but I'm new to trials. My 10 year old son and 14yr old nephew are riding beta's in junior divisions at the moment. We've had a few instances of bikes getting stuck on full revs ( for a number of reasons, (dropping,caught cables etc.)On a few occasions the engine kill button doesn't work ( I presume because the engine is so hot at that stage. Can anybody tell me what is the best method of stopping the engine when this happens ? Some suggestions we've heard are "turn the bike upside down", "Rip the carb off asap" or "block the exhaust with your hand and choke the engine" Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

Hi all, Hoping you can help with a bit of technique,I’ve been practicing the jap zap over some barrels and these tyres. I can’t seem to get the lift I need which is stopping my momentum to get over. its a 300cc and I’ve been trying in second and third gear. any help would be appreciated,thanks

Hi, I've somehow manged to get tendonitis in my left wrist from using the clutch on my trials bike and I'm getting desperate for ideas on how to cure it. I think it started about 2 months ago from a mild sprain and now , about half way in at a trial I suddenly can't pull the clutch in anymore without sever pain in my wrist. I've tried resting it for over 2 weeks and it didn't seem to help. I also had quite an amusing time at the doctors trying to explain that it only hurts when I use my index finger and why I couldn't use my other fingers to help pull the clutch in. I'm pretty sure it's the tendon running from my index finger thats inflammed from overuse, so a form of re…

Have you had any 'a-ha' moments when riding, like you've figured out something big? I've had a few in my two years of riding - I'm at clubman level now, so I thought I would share and hope others can share similar discoveries that made a big difference to their riding. 1. Unweighting the bike. It dawned on me that these bikes can go over just about everything, it's pulling us fat lugs over the obstacles that upset the bike. Unlike MX where you charge at everything, trials is generally about either getting your body over an obstacle and then pulling your bike with you, or letting the bike get onto something by unweighting yourself from it and then once it's on there, p…

Hello Guys, I got a couple of dummy questions here as a relative rookie... as winter is here and can't get out I'm trying to practice some static balance on my trials bike. As such the bike is off and on flat ground. I haven't been able to find much detailed techniques to improve balance on such conditions... so I have a couple of findings from my own and some questions... if you can please provide sound feedback on it, I'd appreciate it! Findings 1. Start with the handlebar straight - apparently at some point people develops a preferred site to lock the handle bar... in my case, starting with it in the middle/straight position helps me correct unbalance as per item…

Hi, sorry the title should say 'trail' Debating whether or not to swap my road bike for a road legal enduro or trail bike. I went to a trial today and it was way too hard for me, mainly because of the terrain getting between sections. Steep muddy hills, 5 mile lap, very steep drops too. I lack aggression in my riding if that makes sense, I want to get comfortable with throwing the bike around and learn to use momentum more. I don't want to wear the trials bike out hence maybe getting something more suitable for longer distances. I have no intentions of giving up, though I don't have much talent or hope I want to keep learning. I know people say getting a trials bike …

Well, went to my fourth trial today, it's the 2nd one I've managed to complete all 4 laps. Score still probably hopelessly high, but it's all good fun. I decided to go on the middle route as it was an Easy/ dead easy trial and the bottom route wasn't enough of a challenge. I did manage to crash several times, in places no else seemed to be crashing! What gives? But I'd rather challenge myself and get a high score rather than do something easy and clear it. I was nervous for the first two laps, started getting angry at myself on the last two and became a bit more aggressive, which helped loads as I forgot about being afraid. I also went quicker between sections, which wa…

Was thinking a bit about the physics of trials- in a laymen's sense. Is it possible that a heavier rider may have an advantage over a lighter rider, all other things being equal? The heavier rider gets more traction presumably, and has a greater weight to bike weight ratio. Perhaps the heavier rider has more control in the sense that the heavy rider is less prone to being influenced by the bikes actions. Over a rocky creek for example the bike is reacting to the terrain, can a 200 lb. rider influence the bike to do what he wants more than a 150 lb. rider of equal skill. Does the extra weight make the bike have less "say" in its trajectory and give the rider more control? …

new to trials and in the small amount of practice I have done, I have never been 100% sure which gear to choose. at the bottom of a steep climb, there is a tendency to take a runup and use momentum to carry you throgh, you can obviously select a low gear and use the torque and traction to get you up ... or something in between, but how do you know? is it better to do the slower/more controlled or rush up as fast as possible, potentially running out of revvs near the top?

When watching people who can get over rocks, double blipping they make it look so slow and their body doing the work and not so much the power of the bike.also how theres a split second they leave the front wheel on the rock it looks like it aids them to keep the front wheel up when ontop of the rock. For me it all happens so fast but Ive been practicing today and the way im doing it i blip once to get front wheel on rock then touch back break to slow the bike after you raised the wheel then go again with another blip and push up with my body. I feel more controlled and it doesnt seem everything is happening to fast. Is this the correct way using a slight bit of rear brak…

Hi guys! I would like to learn how to balance stationary bike with front wheel straight and sleeping engine. I should add it is on the smooth concrete floor. I have tried plenty of variations like keeping the weight back, middle, front, low and high, moving bum/knees sideways, crouching wide or touching bike with inner legs while weighting quickly on the pegs when doing all of this. I see some progress but not enough to see what is working and what is not. Can please somebody tell me what to do? Also, I cannot figure up the leg stretching - which side is which and what is it combined with. Brain balance implant chip wanted! Maplin?