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beatabeta

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Everything posted by beatabeta
 
 
  1. So just been looking on Facebook and Steve Saunders has posted sating the no stop trial he was as yesterday was ridiculous, too hard, impossible to ride as no stop, confusing, off putting for kids who will ultimately be driven away from the sport. Nearly every response on there was slagging off no stop and wanting 'stop allowed' rules. Now I don't want to generalise (again) but most of the people of Facebook will be younger than 40 (I appreciate Steve is not below 40) which again tells you who is dictating the rules of our sport - old boys who cannot do or appreciate modern riding. It was (we are told) the importers who whole heartedly backed this rule change as a 'boost to the sport' well now you 1 importer saying it didn't work. Now, I can already hear old minds saying 'but its going to take time for the CoC to get these trials right' Well in my opinion you don't have time now, you've p*ssed about, changed the rules, Make it right! Just say at every trial across the country 1 kid or clubman or novice or inter or expert rider gets totally annoyed at the scoring and confusion and fed up at the results. He/she has another trial, same annoyance. How long before he/she calls it a day and packs up trials????? They then tell friends they're not riding anymore, the people who they ride around with may start to discuss if they're enjoying the rules etc and so on and on. Possibly a bit extreme that every 2 trials ran by every club across the country a rider would quit trials but time is not a luxury that you people who change our sport have... I still cannot see where/how changing the rules is going to encourage new riders. Please will someone with superior knowledge to me explain the thought process behind people with less money to spend wanting to spend more and more money on a bike to ride in a sport confused by rules set by its old fashioned dictators!
  2. beatabeta

    fuel

    Just leave it in there TBH. If you're going to start it once a week it will be fine, although I'd recommend actually leaving it running for a fair bit of time to warm up and ideally you should look to ride it around a little as this will heat all the engine / gearbox oil and fluids, keep the clutch working, the suspension moving and smooth and the tryes round (they'll probably deflate and go square on the section of tyre its sat on if left that long) If you cant do that then I'd say at least pump the tyres up and if possible between starting it, wrap it up in an old blanket etc - show it some TLC while it sleeps
  3. Spain reverting to WTC rules as far as I'm aware for 2012 and thats why they are going. Dabill said thats why he's off on Facebook
  4. You are correct, I do not help out at my clubs and the main reason for that is time - I work full time and have a wife and young family of 3 children which restricts my practice time to zero and my trials to maybe 2 per month (if I'm lucky) As and when my kids are that bit older I will be more than happy to help out at meetings, organising trials etc etc but at the minute I (and no doubt most younger riders who are probably in support of 'stop allowed') simply do not have the time. Having re-read my comments around the ACU I will retract my 'tw@ts at the ACU' comment, this was out of order and not necessary, so I apologise for the comment. I do however feel that the ACU were wrong in making the decision to put BTC no stop based on what the actual riders of the BTC want. Surely (and shoot me down if I'm wrong) they could just say to the organising club 'simplify the sections' When Dabill et al are dropping more in a BTC round than they do in a WTC round then its clear the BTC is set way too hard, so make them easier - the riders are all there so ask them. Dont ignore them, change the rules and then say to the organisers 'make it easier' just say 'make it easier' I also FULLY understand that without the people (old or not) involved in running the clubs and the trials whether they be organiser, CoC or observers there would be no club, and no club means no trial. However again there seems a very secret squirrel attitude at a lot of clubs whereby if you're not at the meetings (for whatever reason) you're not involved in the running of the club, and that, in my eyes is wrong. Anything that changes the way a club or a trial is ran should be, at the very least, made available to all members to discuss and have their say whether they are able to attend the meeting or not. I NEVER argue with obvservers, never criticise a club for a trial being too hard / too easy - if I'm not helping lay out a trial I am not in a position to criticise those that have given up their valuable time to do so - and always thank organisers and anyone involved in organising and running a trial. And as mentioned above, as and when time allows I will want to be an active member of the club at meetings, organising trials etc - although by then I'll be deemed one of the grumpy old b*ggers running the club With regards to ACU not renewing my license 1) they already have and 2) I am more than entitled to my opinion of the ACU and how it is ran. I also know for 100% certain that many people involved in trials disagree with lots of things that the ACU implement and impose on our sport. In my eyes they put very little into the sport in terms of promoting the BTC and most importantly supporting its best riders. As far as 'reviving a flatliner' I think you can easily and quickly mark that as a HUGE fail. Already Dabill and Brown have said they wont ride BTC, so we're down our 2 best riders - how does that help attract spectators?? 'come and watch this BTC round the best riders dont do it, but come anyway' I also feel that the BTC should be the elite riders whether that be 6, 8, 10 riders etc and having expert B etc is the best way as you can challenge the elite (without going OTT) and also have a VERY keenly contested sub championship for top level club and national riders. The reason the BTC is dead is (IMO) down to 1) the events being to hard - which has nothing to do with stop or no stop rules 2) horrendous promotion of the series and events by the ACU 3) the cost and the recession.
  5. I may be wrong and to be honest I haven't read all the posts but read a big chunk.] It seems to me that those who want no stop are either over the age (generally but not always) of wanting to learn to hop etc or are from areas where the the venues and terrain will easily accomodate a no stop trial e.g Yorkshire, Derbyshire etc. I have done a lot of my riding this year in the South Midland Centre where venues are 1) at a premium and hard to get and 2) do not especially lend themsleves to nice long flowing no stop style of sections There are lots of tight, twisty, technical sections laid out (at expert level) in order to take some marks of riders. I rode specifically in these events and venues as I wanted to improve my technical riding and really feel that centre's like South Midlands will struggle to adopt no stop rules. As I understand it they (south mids centre) have not yet done anything to implement this either and my hope is that at a club or a centre level that the clubs have the openness and honesty to 1) inform the riders, officials, members etc that a vote will be happening 2) enforce that vote whichever way it goes. To do what the ACU (and seemingly other clubs have) done and just change the rules without discussing with the riders is just ridiculous. Also, following on with what Alexz said about the likes of Nadal (tennis) Messi (football) and other mega stars you want to aspire to being that good but reality dictates that most wont get there anywhere near yet you dont see the FA saying 'you cant do this anymore in the premier league' or the WTA saying 'you can only serve at under 70mph' none of this BS puts people off in exactly the same way that 'stop allowed' wont put anybody off riding. The reasons people are not riding as much or not riding at all or not starting the sport are simple 1: THERE IS A GREAT BIG WORLD WIDE MONSTER RECESSION 2: LIVING IN GENERAL COSTS A LOT MORE 3: FUEL COSTS A LOT LOT MORE (OVER 50% INCREASE IN PAST FEW YEARS) 4: BIKES COST A LOT MORE (50% INCREASE I THINK SINCE 2008) All - and I mean literally ALL the tw@ts at the ACU have acheived in this daft rule change is driving the top 2 riders in Britain (Dabill and Brown) to go and compete elsewhere in 2012 for national championships and p*ssing off the rest of the BTC riders like Alexz and Jack etc etc. So well done, to the out of touch ACU and the older riders who run clubs who will successfully ruin the BTC and potentially stop lots of younger riders from wanting to continue in the sport.... Massive round of applause for their inability to see anything What happens when these clowns call it a day who will step in then? no one! there'll be no one under the age of 40 left
  6. For my money I'd say definitely (although I'm nowhere near Scotland ) as places to practice legally are always hard to find. As far as suggestions go, you'd maybe need to look at the financial in terms of fees you could charge and how many people theoretically you would get there, especially during the week when I expect such a 'venue' would be mainly empty. Trials riders will always want to ride somewhere, especially somewhere designated and legal.
  7. EXACTLY.......... This is the mentality that could ultimately ruin clubs. Set out for 'no stop' but allow 'stop' SO simple its scary, everyones happy and everyone rides without argument
  8. Great to see Browny doing the whole lot. Great experience and as Tesco keeps telling us 'every little helps' whether its experience or money or both as in this case. Gutted for Challoner he was the revelation of the 2011 X Trials. As I said at the time was such a weird and ultimately wrong decision for Dibs not going to Japan. It effectively wrote of his X-Trial hopes and funds for 2012 as well as ruining his 2011 WTC campaign.
  9. The main point I'm trying to make is - You can set the sections out for non stop - keep the non stop brigade happy - but why not allow people to stop if they want to??? Who loses out here? no one at all Surely you can lay a section/trial out with 'no stop' in mind but allow those that want to, to stop. Sorry but this seems so simple that its overlooked. And in response to the possible 'stopping and trick riding will benefit those that can and hinder those that cant' response 1: not if the section is laid out with no stop in mind and 2: not always the case, how many times have you seen people stop or trick ride and either lose points whilst hopping or lose all momentum & traction and end up dropping a 5 or multiple dabs/pushing theyre way out ?? Also, the best riders will just adapt their riding whilst pushing and pushing the rules (and the observers) until they're doing 'stop allowed' again - we've seen it all before and I'll bet you we see it again. You'll also see the best (or the local) riders getting away with a stop and the lesser riders getting penalised for a stop. Again, who loses out here if it's a 'stop allowed' trial? no one at all. Those that will lose out would be decent low/mid range Inter/Expert riders and about 90% of up and coming youth riders. Think a lot also depends on terrain and venue - in the north (and I assume the S.E centre) you will always have terrain/venues more suited to flowing 'no stop' trials. Where I ride, mainly in Midland and South Midland Centres you'd struggle to get anywhere near as many venues where you can lay out that sort of trial. Sorry to rant on but I really struggle to see why people want trials to be 'no stop' unless I'm correct in my previous statement that it is predominantly the older generation harking for the days of old. If you can give people a trial set with no stop in mind but giving riders the option to stop if they wish, do it... Going sideways whilst stationary and backwards would still be a 5 so no one gains or loses out IMO.
  10. Another great way to stop all the top British riders riding in the BTC and going overseas again. Absolute joke we should run trials the same way that the governing body, the FIM do : stop permitted. People wont stop riding trials because they are allowed to stop will they? People may well stop riding if they are given a 5 because they were deemed to have stopped 3,4,5,6,7 times per trial and clock up a huge tally of points. Going no stop will just lead to more and more arguments from riders claiming that they didn't stop and rowing with observers. This is turn will slow trials down, causing more queueing and ultimately lead to the observer deciding not to give up the valuable time or the rider deciding not to ride or both - where's the benefit there?? Leaving trials as 'stop permitted' eradicates ALL arguements. You dont have to stop but you can if you like WHY O WHY make it harder for observers?? I cannot see ANY logic, point or benefit to going 'no stop'. It confuses the observers, it p*sses of riders and causes more headaches than solutions for CoC Sometimes I am so baffled by the clowns that seem to run our sport at centre and club level and it's all because predominantly (not always, but mainly) it is ran by the older generation who look back to the fantasy days of 'proper trials on proper bikes' and possibly cannot trick ride a trials bike. Lets be honest those days WILL NOT come back, everything - bikes, riders, gear, technique - has moved forwards, so we are they intent on moving it backwards??? I can hear the arguements of 'well the younger riders should get more involved' and I bet you'd find most younger riders would if the didn't have long work and family commitments as priority number 1. I know for sure that if I could, I would but I simply cannot for another 10-15 years. All this does is complicate, confuse and put off riders, observers and officials. As someone wrote before 'in football they play with a round ball' they do, and they also adapt the rules to modernise the game and keep up with improvements to peoples fitness, technique and equipment. So why is UK trials intent on moving it all back 30 or 40 years?? Surely if you want to do this style of riding you ride pre-65 or twin shock events etc.
  11. Waaaaaay too harsh IMO, I'd take a '1' for stopping but if trials go '5' for stopping that'd be the end for me and probably a lot of younger riders I know.
  12. All down to maintenence IMO. My Gasser is nearly 5 years old and has no rusty spokes, nipples, bolts etc etc. 10 extra minutes after cleaning (literally 10 minutes max) some blue paper/old tea towel, some WD40, allen keys and spanners and everything is ship shape and perfect. So in answer and IMO - yes, 10 minutes extra for the reduced weight is 100% worth it.
  13. Can I ask a potenially dumb question re: non stop? Is there a defined a 'stop whilst balanced equals X' rule?? Reason for asking is that I thought a 'stop whilst balanced = 1 point' However I have had the misfortune of riding further north and had 'a stop whilst balanced = 5' Now this could have been 'my southern accent + grumpy and wet old northern observer + stop whilst balanced = 5' I dont mind riding no stop trials IF a 'stop = 1 point' but if a 'stop = 5' I'd hate it. Is this defined anywhere in the rules or is this again up to the organising club?? What seems to be needed is either at ACU, local centre or organising club level a defined set of rules to be given to the observers, communicated to the riders before event start and be made available for riders to see at each trial.
  14. maybe they're lining up Toni Bou 'if' Montesa pull out.....
  15. Yea but if Montesa pull out then Toni needs a new ride
  16. Got to agree with most here. Dont think I could ever leave my bike outside. Surely worth finding a friend locally with a secure garage. If not a friend who is not local where you can store your bike till you move. Also, you'd be totally uninsured outside so even if they couldn't nick it, whats to stop mindless yoofs smashing it up or setting fire to it? Not worth risk for 1 night let alone ongoing IMO
  17. I would have thought that in a 2 year contract it probably has a break in it ie: 1 year with an option for a second. I think Beta might have expected a bit more from Dibs last season and for him to challenge the established top 5. Please note: I'm not for a second knocking or critisising Dibs, just trying to view it from a top factory point of view. Also, dont see Fajardo as very happy at all with the way Ossa has progressed through 2012 which (to my mind) makes sense that they may swap around. As for Sherco in the UK, god knows... Maybe Sherco might take on a Dibs (if he leave Beta) @ andat : thanks, I have one. grow up
  18. Must be near merry go round time for top riders. Any news / feelings / rumours on who's going where?? For my money I don't see any major changes except Fajardo back to Beta. Dabill to move on, maybe to Ossa (would give a top UK rider presence in BTC) possibly Gubian to move to another bike, maybe Sherco And the most obvious Wiggy to Gas Gas
  19. On a similar note (and would have made a massive 7 riders) I assume the reason Alexz wasn't riding was due to contract issues with Sherco. Will this be the case for the last BTC event as well and any other events in his contract?
  20. Re: 'Racing' models, they normailly hit around March time I think and in 250/280/300 variants but for some VERY odd reason we dont get the 250 in the UK (despite 250 being the biggest selling model) and only get 280 and 300 Re: Raga naming, it confuses me also! They always used to be named for the year they were released, the confusion was normally that the Raga model would feature many of the upgrade / new products that were subsequently featured on the following years Pro models eg: 2011 Raga has the new suspension linkage, chain guard etc that are now featured on the 2012 pro model
  21. Do you know what? I honestly hasn't thought that far ahead in terms of needing spare Parts etc. I guess I'd not look to keep a bike so long that I'd need bits like that. Ive had bikes 4 years though and never needed anything other than the odd lever. I also had no idea around time and shipping differences to the good old USA and figured if we had the 12 models, everyone would... So maybe I should eat the humble pie, hold out a hand and say 'ooops sorry' wasn't intending to come across all 'in the know' : ) I was actually thinking more 'jeez, do I want to be the Formula guinea pig' rather than 'what happens when I need a spare' I had struggled to see the value in a Raga rep so asked at the French world round, that was how I discovered the Reiger's value as well as the perceived value of some of the other bling bits. Anyway, holding out an olive branch in apology now. Good luck with the 12 models when you get them, they look great (even with the AJP's) and seemingly ride great too.
  22. This is a rather odd reply..primarily around the AJP's 1: The std 2012 do not have the Reiger shock on the rear it is a Sachs (Reiger is apparently
  23. No idea as yet, however my experience with Formula brakes has been VERY positive. They are O.E on my mountain bike and I swapped them with Shimano Deore XT as I thought the Shimano's would be better. The XT's lasted 1 ride before I swapped back to Formula. If the trials brakes are this good, all will be good
 
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