mickwren

When I first started doing results as a Trials Secretary I used to make a stencil which I fixed to a drum on a Gestetner machine full of horrible purple ink and I too had Eric Adcock on the phone wanting a report for MCN so things have come a long way. Anyone who doesn't know what a Gestetner machine was it came just after carving in stone

I too am very impressed by such systems but am also a little concerned about the current obsession with instant results. As many of you know I do the results for the Lakes 2 Day and am really proud that myself and a couple of helpers can produce results for 180 riders over 2 days and 80 sections within a few minutes of the last card being handed in.The problem is when we get to club and regional level when one club official has spent all day taking the entries, possibly even helped to mark out and then they are expected to magically produce results before tea time and if they don't they are then subject to dogs abuse on social media, this is not good. Riders are very keen to praise these electronic systems which I repeat are absolutely brilliant but they come at a cost. They are also happy to praise continental federations and organisers for using such systems but would be quick to berate the ACU or clubs if the entries went up by a couple of quid to pay for such like, it's a question of balance

Well you don't know so please don't guess. We have chosen a team that we are happy with and have every confidence in

I still don't know who he is, I don't need to now who he is, I have no issue with whatever he might have done for trials I have no doubt he will have done loads, my issue is, and always will be people's immediate response of assuming the ACU will have got it wrong again because they always do because they're so far out of touch etc etc. People need to be nominated by their Centre to become part of this group and as a matter of interest the suggestion that we should look into this slight change came from one of the members of this group. Most of the time we get criticised for holding back youth riders but this is a genuine attempt to give them what they have asked for. We also know that what suits some will cause problems for others, that's why we always try to design regulations that will permit riders to do something without forcing them into something where they are out of their depth

Yep no arguments there , certainly no hero biscuit or reward of any kind, simply trying to demonstrate the lengths we go to to promote the sport, therefore why would we try to deliberately sabotage it

No info on the subject yet you still choose to criticise.

A week gone Thursday I drove from the Lake District to Rugby to collect equipment for the Bob Macgregor round of the British Trials Championship. On the Friday I then drove to the said event and spent the weekend there. This last Thursday I got up at 5 am to drive to Rugby again to return the equipment and attend a Trials and Enduro Committee meeting . A total of over 1000 miles and 5 days away from home. Next Thursday I will again drive to Rugby for a meeting at 4.30 in the afternoon which will mean it will be probably midnight when I get home, and why do I do this ???? Apparently it's so that I can play an active role in killing off Youth Trials, not to mention the massive power trip and the VIP lifestyle , Have you driven the length of the M6 recently ?. Apparently our debate about the youth classes wasn't very well thought out, I would suggest they were a little better thought out than the response of someone hiding behind a keyboard and a nick name. For anyone who might be interested, The T&E Committee are blessed with so many experts who are keen to make us aware of our errors and with this in mind our Chairman came up with the idea of forming a Trials Working Group. The idea being that each centre, of which there are over 20, could nominate one representative to attend a couple of meetings a year to keep us informed about views from the grass roots and add their experience to continue and promote our sport. We initially got 3 volunteers, this has since grown by a couple but it just proves the point that plenty can drive a keyboard but are not prepared to do anything positive. On his other point I personally have been aware for years that kids ride round doing wheelies, stoppies, etc etc and that's why I don't believe in the no stop rules

This series has a promoter

Lakes MTA are totally overwhelmed by the amount of entries we have received for this year's Trial. Anyone who finds they are no longer able to ride please let Jake Gowan know asap so we can give somebody else a ride. Thanks

It's part of the fun. I once pushed in front of Mart at the Loch Lomond 2day. Such a rare occasion I can still remember it, and I can picture the section

Quite simply the BEST one is the one that suits YOU, not what your mates tell you, not what magazine reviews tell you, not what forum bandits tell you but what you feel right with

I've just spotted on my profile that I have no warning points ???? I'll have to try harder

At least Guy Martin is a biker. OK yes he has been given priority over some who have probably been trying to get in for years and I understand their frustration but it's good for the event even if it is already oversubscribed and maybe doesn't need a higher profile. As I say at least he is one of ours not like major road racing type events etc where the grids are full of free loading "celebs" from Coronation Street or tennis. In motorcycling we need to learn to look after our own rather than beat up those who do good for our sport

I went on Saturday last year and am doing the same again this year. It was my first time at the Pre 65 Scottish. AS you arrive in Kinlochleven, because of the odd and even numbering you will find bikes and riders travelling in all sorts of random directions and if you just want to see bikes and riders it's dead easy. If you want to see somebody or something more specific then you need to get a programme and do a bit of planning Can't claim to be an expert on this but it worked for me

Hi I don't have specific details of this event yet but most European rounds of the WTC are fairly open events and you can pay when you arrive, having said that many are actually free as the whole event is sponsored by the town or the region or a leading local company. There is always a selection of trade stands so you should be able to buy riding gear of several makes Hope this helps

You don't ge an ACU Licence for Trials you need aTrials Registration which costs £10 then instead of having a licence you pay a levy each time you ride

Good point Andy, I'm cutting the plywood as we speak Might advertise a Golf Sale on the back

Lakes 2 Day entry is now oversubscribed, Many thanks to the over 200 who have sent entries. Unfortunately we are unable to accept so many but we are doing what we can to ensure as many as possible get a ride. For this reason if anyone finds they are unable to ride would you please let either Jake Gowan or me know as soon as possible so that we can fill the vacancy. Numbers and start times will be announced soon Ta

Jon Bliss knew he was taking the p*** when he built the bike. He deliberately went out to create something that looks even on a dark night like NOTHING ever sold

My money's on Rob Crawford

Regs for this wonderful event are now ready and can be found in the Trials Central Calendar

left arm at a jaunty angle

As for ACU input or support or even review and analyse.. I don't think they give a monkeys TBH. Look at other countries all have their federation with them, supporting them (financially, with trucks, minders, mechanics) and making their life easier. Spanish, French and Italian all out in force with their brightest and best. Had a good chat with the Italians who were in our hotel. Great bunch, great set up, great team mentality and most importantly great support for the riders. Do the ACU do ANYTHING like this? I don't think any of our riders get anything other than a few ££ here and there. I see from other posts that Mr Day asks if other contributors are looking for an argument, perhaps he should turn his brain on before starting up his keyboard. Perhaps he might like to have a word with grass roots riders in Spain, Italy, France etc where their hard earned cash goes into paying for all this excellent support that their top level riders receive. The phrase " pay peanuts you get monkeys" comes to mind and if mr day was half as well informed as he claims to be he would know that licences and insurance prices are astronomical in these countries. OK so I might be biassed but at least I know what I'm talking about. The ACU Trials and Enduro committee do a phenomenal job in supporting the sport at all levels and making it easily accessable for everybody from 4 years old to somebody on a 90 year old bike at a very reasonable price. Example if an FIM licence is priced at 200 Euros the ACU will charge the rider £200 with the difference in exchange rate being the administration fee but in the countries who have fancy trucks etc at world round the licence will cost 3 or 4 times the amount charged to the federation by the FIM. Furthermore when at World rounds the Spanish, Italian etc riders are represented by full time employees of the federation, ACU riders are represented by people who give up their time for the sport they love. Mr Day states how much he paid for his weekend at Penrith and I accept it's not cheap but I spent a whole week there and then on the following Friday I got up at 3.30 in the morning to go to France for another 4 days out of my life, and before he makes any bright remarks about my million pound expenses I would reccommend he asks any of the riders out there If they get value for money from me. For the record, I don't like the rules, I have absolute sympathy with observers, it's very easy to pick on a few examples of less than accurate observing, I am extremely concerned about the atmosphere at world trials this year, I am extremely concerned about the future of trials especially at World level and I support all the British riders who live in vans etc to follow their dream. So if Mr Day wants to express his frustration with the state of World level Trials, the rules, the cost etc etc please feel free, but make stupid ill advised comments about the ACU's commitment or knowledge and he will get an argument from me every time

100% agree with Perce. The right sections for the right event and the right riders riding in the right status of events. Problem is every Tom , Dick and Harry thinks that every Trial should be for them to ride in. Used to be you built up to riding in National events, now everyone expects the level to be so low my Granny could ride it, and she's been dead 25 years. Nobody will ever convince me that going to no stop rules has made any event better. The mentality of setting out more suitable sections is helping no end. In the British Championship the atmosphere is better, not because of the rules but because we are all working together rather than pulling in opposite directions. My honest opinion is that Trials has almost lost the sport aspect. The vast majority don't have the ability or the desire to compete, they just want to get out there and ride their bikes but that doesn't mean we should be called elitist when we try to put on events for the ones who do want to achieve something. In answer to the initial post it should have been 5. Quick point in any protest or appeal in ACU events video evidence is not allowed for the very reason that it can be misconstrued as several have in this topic Daft bugger I might be but that doesn't make me wrong, it doesn't mean I don't understand and it doesn't mean I am incapable of listening to other points of view even if they are as misguided as Copemech

I love the way people come on here and list about 10 different reasons why no stop doesn't work, yet still insist it's the best system