Hi all thought I’d add my opinion to this thread. I am a clubman rider in NE&NY centres and usually come around mid table most weeks. I have been going to trials on and off for last four years. And had a trials bike for the last 10 ish years. Currently 25
I think there are a couple of issues that come to mind, some people have already mentioned some of them.
1. Knowing what’s on and in enough time to plan for it. I must go to 5or6 different websites to see what’s trials are on in the next month or so (which has taken me a few years and word of mouth to find some of them). Some club will only us their own websites some spring them on Facebook a week before and other use trial central. If all clubs would use one platform to put all the trials on with plenty of notice ( a couple of month or so). It would be far easier to plan but also highlight clashes far easier so clubs can rearrange.
2. Clear instructions on location. I have been lost a few times trying to find a new venue to me.
3. Different difficulties with the same course name. E.g. Clubman at Richmond is loads harder that butsfield. Which is not a problem as long as you know but if your new to the sport it could put you off. It needs some kind of severity rating based on venue and club that is homologated from time to time.
4. By mail entry and paying by cheque is old hat ( I have never had a cheque book) however this is usually only the ‘big event’ trials and where there’s a will there’s a way.
5. Short 4 lap 10 section trials are all well and good for practice and a ride out. But they can get a little boring and if they do happen to have a big turn out, really slow with lots of queuing especially if it have a double section in. This can and has puts people off as no one wants to sit for 10 minutes at each section. This just need some careful section planning and maybe a staggered start. But larger lap trials are better where possibiable.
6. Marking out. For new comers 3 routes can be difficult to work out especially if it hasn’t been flagged considerately. But I think 3 courses is a good idea to accommodate every one. Also where the easy can be a wider version of the clubman(Weardale do this well) it should be so the easy can pick the harder lines if they want. Also some sections should be ‘optional’ so people can try something harder or skip it to save them self.
7. Lack of cheap/free, local practice grounds. Young people just aren’t going to get into the sport if they can’t ride some where legally to get use to the bike etc.
Well that’s my thoughts on it anyway.
