Sorry for delay been offline since last Friday and had to make do with 3G (or lack of) on my work phone with no 'personal' contacts in.
I did text a friend in South Midland centre to ask an Ossa dealer in Cambridge but they never got back to him, so they're crossed instantly off the list
Anyway, cheers for that guys, sounds like a serious piece of kit
So am guessing that's arpound £6800 for one of these? that about right?
Best part of £1000 above the new Raga rep if so and thats a LOT of money.
Guess I'm going to need to make a journey to try one...
I rode a 2011 Racing and it was very nice. Not had a go on 2012 but can be sure its pretty special
I guess it depends on the new Raga costs v's Racing costs.
In terms of major performance differences between the 2 there is not normally to much difference as the Racing gets a lot of the Raga upgrades - Keihin carb, Reiger shock (Raga rep has 3 way adjustment v's 2 on the Racing), Magnesium crankcases etc outside of this its usually cosmetics differentiating them with the Raga being totally different to look at and the Racing looking like a pricked up Pro.
However the 2012 Racing has the Marzocchi forks and Formula brakes - which have had some issues. Where as the Raga has the new Tech forks and possibly AJP brakes (Raga's new bike was running AJP)
These will be fitted on the new Raga Replica due next month (see TC front page) and I would assume that this means that they will be on the 2013 models also (although I dont know this) as they normally follow many of the Raga Replica changes
As for thoughts - dont know why they've done this. Marzocchis seem fine, however I say that having not ridden a new Jota Gas or Sherco who also use Tech forks.
Maybe Marzocchi put pricing up, maybe GG feel the Tech are better - guess we'll need to wait for an official announcement for why.
Once again I think it will be Bou's year and a good ride from Raga to win on Saturday, but you have to be consistent to beat Mr Bou and Raga's result on Sunday put Bou leading the championship and maybe thats the way it will stay!!!!
Agree. Raga has the ability, the bike, the team and the backing to win the WTC, but consistency will cost him as we've seen already after 2 events.
He's already 6 points down on Bou after finishing 5th on day 2.
I think to mount a real charge you'd need to be 1st, 2nd or worst case 3rd in every trial to stay in touching distance of Bou.
Raga had his best year (IMO) last year in WTC and won a fair few events - the Dougie Lampkin effect I expect. Raga needs more of this to mount a challenge.
Yea I saw this on a spanish site (wont name on here just in case its frowned upon)
these are used by Sherco and Jotagas I believe. Are they any good?
Am guessing by the amount of views but minimal replies on this subject that no one knows anything about the new Raga Rep except new forks and the now obligatory hefty price increase
The various comments regarding the BTC being out of step with the WTC is a statement of fact. However its not like it is a completely different set of rules, just that one key (and obviously important) rule is different. But it is a difference that everyone is familiar with, that we will all have ridden at one point or another, and is more accessable to more riders, proven by entry numbers last week.
Is everyone aware of what the Spanish TC tried for the last couple of years, i.e. using the Open Free method of scoring. Lets be thankful the ACU decision makers didn;t decide to give that one a go!! Can you imagine???!! (I know they have now decided to change back to more standard rules btw)
I REALLY need to stop agreeing with Dabster but the numbers were not good last week as it was the new amazing, exciting 'no stop' rules. They were good because they knew the sections would be easier and more rideable + it was the first round of a championship on known sections.
Surely its plain for even the most avid old codger no stop rule lover in the ACU to see that the above could have been acheived in a much easier and simpler way -
MAKE THE SECTIONS EASIER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS!! (for Dabill / Brown et al to be dropping more in a BTC than a WTC is ridiculous and the clubs should have been pulled up by the ACU about this long ago)
No need to implement stupid rules that the top riders hate
No need for observers interpretation or view of rider stopping or not
No need to p*ss about with any of it
The ACU only need to issue a simple instruction to orgainsing clubs - 'make the sections easier'
The ACU then only need to issue a simple statement to the riding community - 'the sections will be easier'
This on its own would attract a far higher entry list than previous years and involve far less guess work from the organisers - so basically easier for EVERYONE
If a rider can clean 99% of the sections and finish 3rd somethings very very wrong.
Cue the 'it was the first round, no one was sure' comments. I'm sorry but thats no excuse from a BTC orgainsing club or the ACU. Had it been left as it was with simple 'make it easier' instructions, the guess work would have been largely eliminated.
If the winner drops 35-40 marks then the odd slack dab, 3 or even 5 would not be as mission critical and disastrous.
Having 3 of the top British riders (that I've spoken with or seen comments from) so massively ANTI no stop is a horrible advertisement for the BTC, the ACU and British trials as a whole. And you can guarantee the ACU will not have the balls that the Spanish had and admit they were wrong.
I think you'll find this is nothing to do with stop / no stop as I clearly stated and is ALL to do with observer inconsistencies as I clearly stated.
I also clearly stated that it was either a 0 or a 5 so do don't get caught up in the fact that I do personally do not agree with no stop rules.
I have ridden the Wallace many times and it mostly supports the no stop rules.
In my eyes Wiggy cleaned the section - not based on the fact that he did/didn't stop and definitely not based on my dislike of no stop but based on the fact that I and many others witnessed that several other riders were given a 0 when they clearly stopped.
So based on that, I feel I'm right in saying that it DID cost him the trial.
Had everyone got 5 when they stopped and he got 2 then yes he'd be lucky to 'get away' with 2
The simple fact is (again as I CLEARLY stated) observer inconsistencies cost him the trial. stop or not he didn't drop 2, based on the observers scoring of other riders he dropped a 0 on that section.
That being said the trial was, as always excellent and great fun with just about the right severity.
The reason it would have helped Wiggy is down to the fact the observer obviously decided he was running 'stop = 1' rules and 'deemed' Alexz to have stopped twice.
There is no other explanation.
Again just highlights how poorly thought out the no stop rules are
As title says really and without wanting to start the whole 'stop allowed' V's 'no stop' thing again.
I was at the Wallace yesterday and saw Alexz in the section where he was docked 2 points.
He either dropped a 0 or he dropped a 5, he didn't drop 2.
The observer in question couldn't even explain where Wiggy had dropped his 2 points and was giving riders who actually stopped a 0....
Ultimately this ridiculous marking cost Wiggy the trial as he actually stayed clean all day.
Now taking away 'stop' or 'no stop' the BIGGEST issue here is observer consistency.
'No stop' rules allows for observer interpretation to be almost as bigger factor as rider ability and this is fundamentally wrong. It allows a rider who clumsily and unskilfully foots his/her way through a section to potentially beat a much more skilled opponent who cleans the section but was 'deemed' to have stopped by the observer.
If we must run under these pathetic rules (and yes I'm FULLY aware that the S3 champs has been no stop for a while) it is down to the organisers to ensure that each and every observer fully understands the rules and how to implement them.
As it stands the S3 champs is not a priority for Wiggy this year, however these boys like to win and a win is still a win, and this could easily replicate itself in a BTC event for Dibs, Brown, Wigg etc.
'Stop' allowed virtually eliminates this inconsistency.
Got to be honest and say you could probably send Bou out first having not seen the sections tell him he can't walk the sections and he'd still win indoors.
Agree re: dull.
It's hardly dull is it?? Yes same man wins but it's mind blowing to watch!
Yep, for Browny taking the risk (post tsunami) of doing Japan, it boosted him up to 7th in the WTC and demoted Dibs to 8th.
Obviously calculated by Dibs though as it was very clear that 7th and 8th was going to be tight and missing 2 full points scoring rounds was going to guarantee Browny getting 7th and the supposedly more lucrative X Trial series.
Think you've both MASSIVELY missed the point here with your ranting.....
I didn't criticise anyone.
I merely wrote what I'd seen, that no stop didn't work on that trial and said that most comments were 'pro stop allowed'
I also asked for someone clearly more knowledgeable and with superior foresight the question - how no stop will 'boost our sport' as the miracle cure the ACU, importers and some clubs think it will?
Great mentality though guys. You keep it up, moan at anyone below 40 who merely points out whats being discussed and who with an opinion and I'll just quit the sport shall I?
Maybe that's the problem. It's being 'discussed' which is clearly NOT the way to do things at the ACU or club level
Ossa Factory
in OSSA
Posted
Sorry for delay been offline since last Friday and had to make do with 3G (or lack of) on my work phone with no 'personal' contacts in.
I did text a friend in South Midland centre to ask an Ossa dealer in Cambridge but they never got back to him, so they're crossed instantly off the list
Anyway, cheers for that guys, sounds like a serious piece of kit
So am guessing that's arpound £6800 for one of these? that about right?
Best part of £1000 above the new Raga rep if so and thats a LOT of money.
Guess I'm going to need to make a journey to try one...