ishy

Entries close this Friday, how many do you think have entered for the 100th ? I'm think 450.

Back then those pushing for better riders and more spectacular events for spectators had nothing but good intentions, same goes for today, people with a lot of time and effort invested in promoting the sport. At some point we have to stop making the same mistakes, and take trials for what it is, the poor man's motorsport, trying to mold the sport for profit isn't doing it any good.

A while back in order to try and produce more national caliber riders our club started making the sections a lot tougher, it didn't take long to find out it was the wrong move and it scared many riders away, the damage was done and those entry numbers have never been the same again.

Not just a well written letter, it makes a lot of sense, I hope other well known riders and importers think this also and back Dan up, more rider participation benefits all in the long run.

I would like to read it, any links ?

Your tax dollars at work probably cost thousands to give him a ticket for a broken tail light.

Well OTF, didn't show me the secret hand shake or tell me how old a bike I would need, unobtainium or just rusty looking. I started the topic to try and find out the appeal of Classic trials wondering if the style of event or bike could apply to getting more riders interested in the sport of trials.

Sorry I didn't know it was closed shop, invertation only, modern trials dies off due to no bugger wanting to die trying it, and classic trials die off when the current crop of riders does. Eee tha's a sad lot.

This is more along the line I was thinking, I do think you stand a better chance of attracting the average man on the street with this type of event than pushing the "Xtrial" angle, but I don't think many would want to start by building and repairing old iron, not all are OTF's out tinkering in the garden shed, I would say the majority would sooner flash the plastic and go ride. Nothing like a new machine to get people jazzed about riding, but they take the new machine along to an event or go see one and think I'll kill myself trying that, many posted how easy the sections looked in the vidoes of events in the eighties, me thinks many on here would struggle to do them today on a modern machine never mind the boats they rode then.

My question is why is classic trials seemingly growing when modern trials isn't, is the old machinery the draw or the sections and rules ? and the name Classic trials, if you rode a modern bike or an old bike wouldn't it still be a Classic trial?

That reminds me of a tale when we used to ride the wetherby sat night club trials. I went out one afternoon to help two lads set a trial out, I forgot their names but they were two brothers who had a building yard in Summerbridge, two right characters wi flat caps. Anyway I lands at the trial site and picked up a bag of flags and off we went to mark out the first section in a beck hole, I was looking at the rocks in the beck and how we could wind our way up and over all the rocks when one of em said, don

I was thinking of taking up rowing but even that looks too Extreme. http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/kayak-waterfall-descent-record/1jr23dn1d?q=Extreme+sports&rel=msn&from=en-us_msnhp&form=msnhed&gt1=42007

Today

Viewing some of the topics and old video

Tha does talk some shi7e at times fat lad, look at some of the video of recent SSDT sections they too look level, and we both know that isn't the case, I don't know the first year they used witches or trotters burn's, but I do know many have cleaned them moons ago on twin shock iron, and a lot better than itermediate riders on the latest trick bikes are sliding down them on their ass to this day. Anybody have a video of the Bainbridge world round early eighties, I think Johnboy was riding his first world round, I can remember those sections were bloody tough.

For the first time or two setting out a trial is a bit hit or miss, but once you have done a few, you soon pick up what the local riders can and can't do. I hear people say we should put an Enduro bike class and some try it, by setting a few easy ride through sections they test with an Enduro bike, one or two Enduro riders show up once and are then never seen again, why ?. I think because they put the sections on a half mile loop strewn with rocks that makes it no fun at all riding a big bike, this type of rider needs to have fun if you want them to return again, I think if you make the loop more Enduro friendly, with some section just climbs that are part of the loop they can then display some of the skills they brought with them from Enduro, the trials bikes handle the course no problem and it

Video of the sections doesn't show how steep some of the section are, but for the most part they are se out for the club rider. Riding the event for the first time is the hardest because you don't know what to expect, the course between the sections seems to go on for ever just because you don't know where you are going. You can work on your bike any time it's in your possession and not in a time control. The best way to keep on time is watch the numbers close to you, if you can't comfortably keep up with the between the sections, make you time up at the section and don't waste too much time watching other riders ride the section. Riding too fast can waste more time fixing flats and breakages, the bike has to last all week, take care of it and ride within your capability. If your entry is accepted all the information you need regarding rules and regulations are mailed to you. Your daily route card has everything regarding time, delay, groups of sections and how many sections at each group clearly marked. The event program has expected arrival of first rider at each section, you can work app. out how long it should take you to be at any point on the course. Having ridden a few times I have it down to keep going steady all day, A. B. C. D. E.F etc,for each group in turn, don't leave the group until you see the end of hill card, every group has one at the end of the last section of that group. Don't snivel about being cold and wet until after the event, you may think it can't get any worse, but it can I have seen people who have gone up as a spectator, got a late entry due to a no show, rode the event for the first time and had a blast all week, and others who thought they were all prepared and just couldn't cope at all with it, it's not everyones cup of tea, but unless you have a go at it, you will never know.

Yup! his enviroment changed a bit quicker than most.

T. Rex became extinct because there were too many changes in his environment. Most trials events run world wide each weekend are club events supposedly aimed at giving the average guy an enjoyable day out on their trials bike. In an attempt to improve the sport by starting at the top, more rules, classes, section styles, time limits and difficulty were applied in differing permutations to try and attract more spectators, sponsorship and riders. The results of all the changes in the 30 + years I have been involved in the sport seem to have been negative growth. The billions sold big M company aren

It's a well known fact!! the only thing the British are good at putting together is tea bag and water, we will never do well in the UK until all manufacturing is sourced to china. Why do the Spanish out build and outride us at our own game ? if the Spanish were to design a new Cricket bat, modify the rules a bit so they can have a siesta mid day, would they give us a good ass kicking at that too. I don't think they need to worry at all about competition from the Tetley tea folk, we can shoot down our own product before they even get chance to have a go. "Eee look at that new T'ossa Grommet, don't know sweet f a about it but we better get one on order lad" " aye it looks a lot lighter than the ****eeeeeeeee that fella down the road is building".

Looks like they answered the heat question.

I think it's a sign of the times, getting voluteers to spend the time and effort to host an event at any level in this sport is a lot harder than it used to be. Trying to cater for every age shape and gender that walks the planet has taken it's toll on the poor old trials marshall. No person can complain about a schedule if they arn't putting one on, I havn't heared anything about this years NATC meeting but I bet there was a fair bit off arm twisting to get the rounds they got.

I had this one mate who was going to send me the history of the Scott video,don't know what happened to it, must of got left at a bake sale or summat.

Ever since the wife went senile, all she does it stand and look through the window all day, if it snows I'll let her in.