Trials Training And Technique

anybody else get a cold clutch finger when riding? my front brake finger doesn't have the same problem! ive been trying to think of a something to keep my finger warm? or and exercise for that finger? maybe involve the girlfriend! lol

I'm starting to get very frustrated by what seems to be my lack of being able to concentrate at trials. My general riding is ok, but I am still making the same basic mistakes every trial, missing flags and stalling the bike being the main problems. Yesterday, I stalled the bike in the same section at exactly the same place, twice. In other trials, it's the same, or missing gates, and it's starting to drive me crazy. Is there any tips out there that I can learn from, as it's not like a newbie, three years I've been at this now.

Hi, I was wondering if you guys could give me an idea of the correct posture on a trials bike. Obviously, your going to be more bent over and cramped on the bike if your 6 feet tall than if your 5 feet 6. But yet I never see any raised bars on trials bike. I have a Cota and am 6 feet tall. I recently finished a long trial with an rally between zones which was about 36 kms between the sections. I was dead from being bent over so long. Any Hints, tips on the desired posture?

I was working on this yesterday, but when doing a back to back comparison of covered vs ball of foot on the peg I looped it again (when not covered). I was riding a hill with rocks on it at Warden Law, they're spaced awkwardly so you have to keep the front up. I can't get past half way with the brake covered but I've twice made it to the top without covering. I've also previously bust my ribs on it. The problems when covering the brake seem to be absorbing the rear wheel impact and also keeping in a straight line. The problem when not covering the brake is easier to understand, when I get it wrong on the throttle I can't save it and it tends to hurt. Downhill rear bra…

Dont know about you guys, but heat stress kills me and my trials stamina, performance. Being originally from cold, rainy Scotland and now living in the really hot, dry, southwest USA the heat just saps my energy and subsequently brings on muscle cramps that are totally painful, subsequently causing me to cramp out of the trial. I have listened to many a person telling me to eat bananas, salt, magnesium, drink more water, drink pickle juice, take an Aspirin before the trial etc etc. Nothing worked. I had a doctor check my electrolytes and all was well. I tried numerous off the shelf products all claiming to stop the cramps, nothing worked. I have taken high doses o…

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…

Hi all I have recently bought a trials bicycle to practise balance and improve my fitness. This will be a good laugh to anyone watching, as I'm old, fat and clueless! Still, got to start somewhere. Can anyone recommend any good videos/articles relating to bike trials. In particular, training and techniques. Thanks in advance

So today I went out on the bike for the first real time. And tbh it scared me senseless ... I was just doing figure 8s and I was fine riding circles, could balance no probse but I then used 2nd gear and a few more revs to move off .. front lurched up and I felt totally out of control after nearly coming off the back. Properly had the shakes after and couldn't get back on it. Now I'm worried I've made a mistake trying it .. can anyone help / share their advice or experience? Did you all start the same ? Steve

I'm curious about what the top riders do as far as diet is concerned when training for competition. Do they follow a very regimented program all week long, 365 days a year, do they only eat certain foods a couple of days before a meet, and then eat whatever they want in the days that follow? Personally I find that my stamina is one of the biggest factors that cost me points as I go through a competition, because I loose form and can't execute techniques all through the day that I could do the first two laps, etc.. So I'm interested in learning some things I can try to maybe improve from a diet perspective of training. Please be as specific as you can if you don't mind…

I m novice to the sport with only 10hrs or so on my New Gas gas contact 250. Could anyone tell me the difference between the double blip and Zap. I have watched several videos of both and seems the exact same technique. what's the difference?? which one clears higher obstacles? Also, as a beginner, I m struggling with the right finger on the front Brake. should I cover it at all times? even during wheelies? I cover the clutch at all times but left hand does not require wrist motion... any tips on that?? Thanks a lot everyone

Anyone make their own flags or markers for practice? I made a set of flags a while back using straight pieces of coat hanger wire for the pole and some colored tape for the flag. They looked and worked great but I didn't really like the idea of falling on one and impaling myself on one. So am looking for ideas for some floor markers rather than flags, something like football practice cones but a little smaller. Whatever I use needs to be bright colored and robust enough to take bikes riding over them and people falling or standing on them. Something quick cheap and easy would be handy too, I don't mind getting down the hardware store and knocking something up. Any ideas…

Do you ride with a finger covering each lever all the time? Or only when you actually need to? I reckon that ideally you'd have them covered all the time so your not changing grip. What's best?

Hi all again, As the title says.... everytime I ride my wrists and forearms ache like mad, I mean really bad, is this normal or am I a retard?

Hey guys, Here's my first post.... I was thinking about getting back into trials but I would like to find a bike that can ride around at 50km/h (or 80) as well. I don't know if this exists, or if it is physically possible. My 280 pro was perfect on trails and trials, but I couldn't ride top gear for more than a minute. I know the bikes aren't meant for that, but can any of the bikes do that? How about the Scorpa Long ride? I don't really want a seat but I'll deal with it if I have to! Thanks for any ideas you guys have. Jay

Hi guys I was playing on my tires today and realised that a J Zap needs a little runup to get right so I watched a vid I had of Brent le riche that I took with my phone at the last trial and analysed what he was doing. He wacked the throttle, loaded the suspension and then aggressively unweighted and dumped the clutch. Im kind of getting it right just not as graceful as Brent. It works and if I could balance like he does, I would need almost no runup. I need to lean back a bit more and try to hold preasure on the bars. Does this technique have a name? Its not a jzap or double blip, I know that much. Ps: excuse the zippy shorts and no shirt but its dam hot here at mid d…

i only have one place to practise thats at croft woods darlington ???????????????

Hi I have got to a point where all the obstacles where I ride are either very easy for me or to big but I also have very limited choice apart from a big mound of dirt and a few rocks I have been trying to learn double blip I can get a small amount of rear wheel lift but it just goes straight up and down no forward movement so I either get over small rocks or clatter inti them with bash plate if bigger I have watched many videos and still can't master the techniques any help and advice would be great

Evening folks, Looking for a bit of advice and I couldn't see this previously asked. I was out practicing tonight, previously I have been clearing single obstacles by ridding slowly up to them, putting my weight over the rear and applying throttle so as to raise the front. However, I would like to be able to bring the front up from stationary...in other words go from having the clutch pulled in to realising it with throttle on such that the bike immediately raises the front without moving much further forward. Apologises if that doesn't make too much sense... Any advice would be much appreciated, I'm still new to this; about a month owning the bike! Cheers, Charlie.

Having trouble with downhills... Do you pull the clutch in and just use brakes? Or leave the clutch out and use engine braking? I've been getting conflicting advice from different people, not sure what to do. I find I tend to stall the bike down hill with the clutch out, but my friends say keeping the clutch in will make it more likely to lock up the rear wheel...

Any advice on controlling bike down steepish narrow slopes and banks? I seem to flap abit when atemping these and usually make a complete clown of myself and slide off, which brake to use and body position would be a help to start I guess, also bar and lever position( beta rev 3)would help too. CHEERS GUYS