hillary

It's not weight the X-Lite is about, it's about it's extra grippability. I love it.

I think the X-Lite is a brilliant tyre; the X11 is good but the price difference generally is only a few pounds and I think it's worth it.

I've been wearing knee pads for both enduro and trials since 1990. There's loads on the market but the pair I wear are from Tackla (a Finnish ice hockey wear company)that I've used all that time. Wouldn't be without them.

The recommendation from the ACU has always been blue on the left and red on the right for the main route, i.e. the one that the majority of riders in the trial would ride. Variations should then be by a different coloured flag in pairs, i.e.two yellows, or two whites. Lancs County use plastic 25mm D strip available from your local window company - the stuff they use to finish off window fitting when they have damaged the plaster. It costs around £2 for a 5 metre length which you cut down to 10 x 50cm pegs, then spray the tops red, blue, yellow or whatever colour you need. They last for years.

Fabulous, absolutely fabulous.

The Normandale sponsored ACU Traditional Trials Championship, held over 10 rounds nationally includes a class for air-cooled monos.

I've been trials secretary for Lancs County for the past 15 years, but for New Year's Day I also set out the trial for the first time for many a long year. Not complaining, it's my choice. Sunday Dec 28, walk round venue with three helpers and bags of sticks marking out ten sections. Monday Dec 29 Laminate section begins and ends and signs for the trial. Wednesday Dec 31 Walk round venue checking sections, making a few changes and putting up last of flags between sections. Thursday Jan 1 Panic! Heavy overnight rain, thawing ground and rain at the start, talk to landowner who agrees trial can go-ahead. Take 83 entries whilst helpers do their best to park all the vans in a limited space. Ask treasurer to find 10 observers, which she does. Ride trial. Assist in clearing up course. Pay landowner and caterer. Get home, wash bike, have a shower, with assistance of wife put together a results sheet which is on the club website by 7.20pm. Monday Jan 5 count money, fill in forms for ACU and produce a trial balance sheet, put pictures from trial onto website Tuesday Jan 6 empty bags containing section pegs, wash them, clean off begins and ends and wash observers boards and ready them for next trial, deliver cash and paperwork to treasurer. And I'm not complaining as I'm happy to do it. But its totally voluntary and there's no expenses to assist with fuel etc. And I've only set out the one trial, the other club members who set out the other events through the year are equally enthusiastic, so I think the £17 pound entry fee is simply peanuts for what every rider gets out of it.

I'm a regular contributor to TC and wrote the Centrally Speaking column for many years so lots of folks will know who I am. The point I'm getting to is that just two years ago I had a triple heart by-pass on December 20, 2012, was out of hospital on December 24, went to the Kendal Classic Club luncheon party on December 28, was secretary for the Lancs County trial on January 1 and walked round half the course, was back at work on January 31 and rode trials again from March 14, finishing 4th in the Clubman that day and third two days later. Needless to say I'm still around, riding, observing, organising and occasionally writing. As folks say, it's all in the mind to a great extent. I did 22 trials last year, plus a load of observing or stewarding and rode my road bike loads of times, so it can be done and I feel spot on.

Living in Blackpool, the club likely to be of most use to you is Lancs County MCC which operates around the Carnforth/Caton/Bentham area. However, as a beginner, the best place to start is by taking part in a Sunday or Wednesday evening trial when this club has a easy clubman route. They have a trial on New Year's Day at Ingleton but whilst the course planned for that day is fairly easy, it's a one route trial and the suggestion is that you visit this trial on Thursday and have a look at what they offer. Some of the sections you would be able to do, but some would probably be a bit difficult but even so bear in mind this trial is aimed at all classes from 14 year old riders up to those in their late sixties. They will all be capable riders and there's no easy way to become such a rider. So the suggestion is to have a look at this trial, start time is 11am, then plan to have a go in their February event which is on the 22nd. Speak with folks, get an idea of what is on offer with them and other clubs and take it from there. It's not an easy learning curve, but it's enjoyable and it doesn't matter to anyone, except perhaps yourself, how good or bad you are. Nobody else cares but all will offer suggestions.

I would plump for Chris Sutton but it's only a guess.

AS a multiple world champion why lower yourself to the lowest of the low TV rubbish. In fact why would ANYBODY lower themselves to this unadulterated ******** - for once in my life, written words fail me.

Never heard of such a problem in the UK. Is the tank fuelled near to the top, if so, when warm, fuel expands and the only way out is through the breather. is this the problem?

I've just had a quick look at your speedtracktales site which looks good. I attended the1971, 1978, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86 87, 88 (in which I rode), 89, 90, 91 95, 96 and 2000 ISDEs and have a number of pictures tucked away in my loft. I was the reporter for Trials and Motocross News at these events and all my black and white pics were left with TMX and I believe them to have been lost when the TMX office was moved, however, the pictures that I do have are all in colour as TMX rarely used colour in those days, hence the reason I still have them. Naturally, whilst much of these events has slipped my memory, I can still recall some significant off-piste bits. You need to contact me by e-mail at rapley47@outlook.com.

Carol Nash do mine.

Pain is temporary, glory is forever!

Matthew Peacock, 2011 - my best guess.

Just to let you know the latest. The Lancs County Angela Redford Normandale round is definitely going ahead, to date I have just over 70 entries and the entry list will be published on Trials Central and lancscountymcc.co.uk websites probably Wednesday evening. And I'll even accept later entries. With regard to the Westmorland and Bootle situation, this is how it is. Lancs County have tried for three years to get Westmorland to run on the Sunday following our trial on a Saturday. That is difficult for us as a club as we really struggle to find 20 observers on a Saturday. This year it was all set up but then Westmorland had their infamous falling out and chucked the trial back at the ACU who allocated it to Bootle. Bootle made no effort to advertise their newly allocated Normandale round either locally on local club sites, nor on Trials Central, and as a result didn't get enough entries to make it viable. It's a fact that these days you have to work hard to get enough entries to run a major trial, especially on a summer Saturday and whilst I'm not going to blow my own trumpet, those who wanted to know about the Lancs County event will have had no trouble finding out. It's been plugged here on TC, in TMX and on the Lancs County site. And those folk who have rung or e-mailed me know that I've been enthusiastic to receive their entries - and continue to be. But on the other hand, riders don't help themselves. Ten days ago we didn't have enough entries to make it viable, but I know from being the secretary for the past 13 years that you just have to wait for entries to come in. I'm as guilty as everybody else; I don't want to make a decision about the forthcoming weekend until about the Monday beforehand, so I accept that's the case and have held back (brrrr, that's my mobile with another phone entry request - no kidding, it's genuine) as long as is practical, so look out for the entry list from Wednesday evening or maybe even Thursday..

Right, then my next best guess is the big waterfall behind the pub in Kilnsey village midway between Grassington and Kettlewell, definitely Bazza country and I guess he was covering the Allan Jefferies trial.

Can't be certain but could be Wye Valley Traders, section Tremorithic.

Stuff them with newspaper overnight. The paper absorbs most of the moisture, remove it in the morning and repeat . In 36 hours the boots will be dry and because you are not using any heat to dry them, the leather remains supple.

Sorry, can't help, have just looked at all my pics and you're missing. Surely Andy has you on file?

Just to update all on this subject even though the event is still several months away, the actual decision is that any rider under the age of 35 who choses to ride a Pre 65 style machine will automatically be included in the Twinshock class.

Sorry to have offended anyone and I agree about getting younger blood onto older bikes, but that's not the point with regard to the Nostalgia Trial which is a unique event on a nostalgic weekend. The trial was first held nearly 20 years ago purely with the aim of reuniting older riders who would have known each other in the past and was not aimed at bringing in young blood. Sorry if you don't agree with that point, but that was the aim. Over the years younger riders have ridden and whilst there was no objection to them taking part, some of the older riders (at whom the trial was aimed) have taken umbrage and no longer enter. So whilst younger riders will not be barred, the aim will be to fill the entry with older riders and if there is then entry space younger riders can be accommodated.

Yes, there definitely is an age limit. Officially it's a adult only trial but the clue is in the title. It's a NOSTALGIA trial, therefore it's an opportunity to not just ride a good trial but also to chew the fat with other older riders about the past, therefore we do not have youths riding and whilst we don't discourage young adults, if it is over-subscribed then we would weed out younger riders in preference to older guys. Not being unpleasant you understand but it is an event for those with some extensive riding experience behind them. Hope this helps.

Saw him relatively recently, but can't remember where. May have been Scotland or last year's Travers.