pears

Hi, This really depends on what youre going to be using your bike for. If you are going to still primarily be riding organised trials, then i think that the brackets you can buy, or even ones you can make that hang off the rear mudguard, just get in the way. All that i do is get a sticker made up with the correct reg.number on it that is as big as what you can stick onto the end of your mudguard (typically about 3" - 4" square-ish). I then get an actual proper sized bike plate made up, and cable tie it to my backpack. As long as you have a rearward facing plate, that is attached to the bike (which you are), you should be fine...... Even the most small minded, power crazed Bobby would struggle to prove that you might not have to be attached to the bike, to be riding it!!

Okay, this sounds a bit random, but has ALWAYS worked for me, with no damage to the crush tube (spacer), hub or bearings. You need a 1 pence coin, and maybe an 8mm bolt or similar. If you place the wheel flat on the ground but slightly raised off the ground on blocks or similar, then place the penny directly over the bearing facing you, ( the penny should only just be bigger than the bearing hole size for this to work) then using your 8mm bolt or similar diameter bar etc. hit the penny in the centre using a decent hammer. This should bend the penny in the middle making it fit through the bearing (as the diameter is slightly reduced due to the concaving created by the initial blow) If you continue to hammer the penny down, it will make contact with the crush tube (as this has a slightly smaller diameter than the bearing) and should then begin to push the bottom bearing out from the inside. This has always worked for me, and never damages anything due to the soft properties of the penny coin. On the plus side, it only costs 1p. And if you're really tight you can hang onto the same penny and reuse, as it is already the perfect size!!!

I know i have'nt got the answer to the reason why Midland Centre trials are so poorly attended lateley, but i offer you my opinion anyway. I think that people have become far more choosey about when and where they ride, for a number of different reasons - be they family, work commitments, the cost of getting to/from and entering events, event dates clashing, and even the choice of venue can be a sticking point for some i'm sure. Take your trial at Shatterford for example; it was run on a Saturday, with another Midland Centre trial (road-based), being run on the Sunday. Now I appreciate that you cannot always avoid clashes, but it has to be said (speaking as a rider who preferred to ride the Kings Norton trial on the Sunday), my first thought when i saw the date clash was - that's a shame, i would have gone to the Stourbridge trial, had it not been the day before another Centre level trial. My reasons for this was primarily work commitment Saturday morning, and family commitments requiring me to be at home at least part of the weekend (in this case Saturday afternoon). Also it has to be said, that a few people feel that Shatterford, as a venue, has become over-used, and can be difficult to ride in wet conditions. With all that said, I myself rode last Sunday at the Kings Norton road trial, and was more than disappointed to see an entry of only 24 I think. This trial normally stands out as a great trial, and to see so few competitors is very demoralising, especially for the organisers i'm sure, who have to put no less effort into organising a trial of this size, no matter what size the entry. I have no idea what kept the majority away, except for maybe another event (Sammy Miller Round at Devon) which may have tempted some away, the only other thing to my mind is the cost, mainly in registering and insuring a bike for the road. Whatever the reasons may be, I for one hate to see the decline of numbers, because the more trials that get run at a financial loss, will surely see more clubs refusing to take the gamble, which can only lead to fewer trials. In which case we all lose out!! I for one, am always grateful to clubs/organisers/observers etc for taking the time out of their own busy lives to make it possible for the rest of us to participate in the sport we love - basically without them, we would have no trials to speak of. So, before its too late, why not have more communication between clubs, regarding dates/venues etc. so as to avoid costly clashes for both parties, and also anyone who knows someone who has a bike but can't be bothered cos he ain't got a van, offer them a lift, and share the costs a bit!! It still has to be the cheapest form of motorsport available at around £15 per event!! We all need to make more effort - or we will all lose out!