There is a cobblers in Barnard Castle (near Morrisons supermarket) who reglue a pair for about £30 but it does not always last. If you have their soles fitted it costs about another £30 but they are much more likely to stay stuck on. Their soles are like a rough walking boot and a bit softer than typical trials boot soles.
I have never used Altberg but I used to hear good things about them (MX and walking boots - not heard of anyone using them for a long time). I think a resole for a pair is about £60 to £90
Thanks for that - might try the cobblers in barney
to be honest if I can get another year it's worth it
the front of the sole has come apart on my gaernes (they are a year old and had very little use) - I think I've caught the very front on a rock and ripped the stitching.
ive tried local cobbler but he said he couldn't do anything ?
I'm in north east but don't mind posting if anyone can help
I had a bad motocross accident which makes it difficult to kick with right foot . I've had a few betas which were ideal, but I find it easier now with right kick bikes to get off the bike and kick with left foot. Not much of an inconvenience as you think !
The idea of having an Elite Youth (only for the best A and a few B riders) and a separate Youth A class in the Acklams series, we hope will result in a greater number of A class riders competing.
When the A class was only available over the Expert route in the Keedwell BTC series, there was nowhere for the less able A class riders to go for a championship. We know of many A class riders who were simply not good enough to ride the Keedwell rounds (even though some did), but now there is a championship for them which hopefully will bring them on so that as they reach their last year in A class they can move up to Elite Youth.
All sports need stepping stones to progress and with this change we hope to provide the stepping stone that has been missing for the past few years.
Completely agree with the logic and the rationale that my son can have a championship where he wouldn't score 5555555335555533 etc
There are many very capable A class riders who need a youth championship
This year an A class youth had to ride with British experts, no other choice.
Next year there is an A class and B class youth on the same day. Elite A or B I would imagine would choose to ride with the BTC. Hopefully an A and B in youths class will be sufficiently tough for good centre youths leaving the elite to battle it out on a tougher course ( to bring them on).
Hopefully this will have increased youth class entries
My son is a good centre rider about to go to A class. At this point I would not put him in BTC experts, but would consider in an A class youth championship
I think people are seeing it's not about teaching people to be better at trials (that's what trials schools are for ) it's about the whole event, what goes on, help with lines etc - making it a good first time experience.
It doesn't need to be every week, to be honest one (or two) events per month will be enough - if we can get a few riders at each one, and if most carry on trailing that's up to 30 new riders??
Unfotunatley I'm at the national Kia round that day but have said to Glen would love to help at the next one , which I hope there will be a next one soon !
Ok I've spoken to other members of Seaton Delaval tonight as we have a trial in the 17th September at Wards Hill Near Rothbury. I'll get it in the calendar tomorrow.
We'll put on an adult conducted course, see what happens and feedback to this thread. It's a very easy course to get round, it's almost flat between the two groups of sections. We'll do a full lap conducted then let riders either practice on the sections they prefer or do two more laps to get a result.
A couple of more experienced riders will provide advice and guidance to the group.
Hi Glen
Great idea and many thanks for leading the initiative !
Unfortunately we are a the next Kia round in Llangollen that day - but if its a success and more planned I am more than happy to give up a ride to help
look forward to the feedback - I hope its a success
@totty79 the part of that post I like is @on it pointing out that if you make the easy course easier again then the sections will be less difficult than actually getting to the sections.
I think @john b s idea of an adult conducted course can help here. I've helped a couple of new starters in their 40s and it's much harder to learn later in life as we are much more risk averse.
But if we think in terms of a ski school then the conducted course will also develop as a social group which provides encouragement. It then becomes a separate group in the trial and people move to the easy route when comfortable.
What venues did you ride first @totty79 ? Was it an easy / beginner trial or a centre trial with an easy course ? Two different things called the same which doesn't help either.
I really think the conducted beginners conducted would help. 4 or 5 experienced riders, set the sections out as you go, everyone walks them then rides them ........( the same as the kids do, but don't tell anyone) ride with the kids and happy days.....
Just needs some organisation - I'm not a good rider but an experienced rider. I'm at at least 2 trials a month in north east so would throw my hat in the ring ....I'm sure other experienced riders would enjoy it......
i agree with Glen, the social aspect of all beginners together would also be good.
food for thought ...... If we can get 20 riders a year to take it up..... And continue.... Then maybe entries will rise
As new starter who "wanted to enjoy it and go to work the next day" the easy route did not work for me..... And I think that's the missing point, new starters aren't usually kids who dream of becoming a world champion and practise accordingly, they're people in their 30/40s who now have enough spare cash to buy a bike and limited time to ride it.
For me 4 attempts caused multiple minor injuries and expensive bike repairs, I did manage to finish 3 times with 90 to 120 scores but with several weeks of pain/discomfort. After 3 years of occasional practice I probably could now do an easy route, but we can't really expect every new starter to do that can we?
There are two easy solutions, lower the difficulty or put on beginner trials - and I'm pleased to see there are now beginner trials in the region.
Agree completely with the above, but instead of yet another route (easy easy, dead easy, they have been called lots of things) - take the stigma of conducted route being for kids and call it beginners, There is then a level of tuition from more experienced riders (not necessarily experts), half a dozen sections, everyone rides them together, say 6 times, results available straight after the trial, - and I think it would bring people on no end. As I said, I've been there, 147 in my first trial etc - I would have done a beginners conducted route.
At National level you are catering for the <3% who are competing to win - and setting out accordingly. I know I've found this with my son - he's not a bad rider, great on a twinshock - but against the top riders in his class on a modern bike - he would 5 everything. I've thought on youth there should definitely be an elite class and a national class....and would probably keep more youths in trials and encourage more into riding nationals (great experience, it has been for Chris on Twinshocks). Are National Trials the lifeblood though ? I don't think so - encourage the club riders
2 - New Starters
To be honest I disagree that someone who practices regular cannot do an easy route (Talking NE only !) - I know my first trial (After many years of MX) I lost 147 - its was all about getting used to trials - which is massively different to any other motorcycle sport. I got used to it and went from shockingly bad to bad .....but loved it !!
Could you do conducted and invite adults as their first introduction ? If they find it far too easy, then the easy route should be fine. Would adults ride in a beginners class on conducted ? I would have.
Finding those to organise conducted ? I would help out as I'm sure many others would (my son no longer needs me to ride with him , in fact he doesn't want me to ride with him !!) - get a dozen or so volunteers, you only need 4-5 to run a conducted trial, but needs some centre co-ordination (who ??) to ring round and get a few for each trial
3 - Route marking
Please - just leave as is. Easy is easy, clubman is a challenge and Expert is tougher. Accept people will ride easy for the rest of their life and drop single figures - but hey, this isn't a world championship. A few years ago I won easy route trials (honestly !!) - did I move up - no. I wanted to enjoy it and go to work the next day. Did it stop competitive youths moving up as they wanted to win ? no - they want the challenge. Unfortunately experiences comes with time and you know what trials are tough, what are not so bad, what are gully's, what are rocks, etc etc ......and simply pick and choose......but unfortunately easy might be easy and easy might be tough ! To be honest all those in NE Centre who mark out are experienced enough - leave it to them (they don't get paid for it !!)
I know a lot of questions and not many answers, but only my thoughts..
regarding promoting trials to the wider public, I'm not sure ... It's a niche sport at the end of the day . It's not a spectator sport at club level - but it's a great sport !
how many times have people said "it's a Bit like kickstart with peter purvis !"
I do appreciate there is a point where it's fonancially unsustainable for clubs to put a trial on (and a ball ache when 30 riders turn up !)
magic answer I don't know - lets just hope this great sport keeps going !
i honestly just think it's the time of year ! People on holiday, having other stuff to do and In the north east combined with lots of available trials (Wednesday saturday sunday ) means lots of choice.
As a north East trailler with my son I don't think there isuch wrong. Youth entries at £5 and adult between £10-£15 - come on .... Try a days sport in any discipline for that !!
Regarding getting youths into the sport the problem is simple - kids grow up quick and move onto the main trial leaving a gap for conducted trials. I helped in 2010 for a year or so while my son did conducted - and that group of kids moved on (and most still riding) and need to be replaced. We did have a gap but I'm glad to see conducted trials back on. Richmond have a great asset in Ted who has run conducted trials for years - the culture is there that they do great kids trials.
There is also now a tremendous choice of trials - we have done the kia rounds for the last 2 years and they are great value - so we will miss about 8 north east trials because of it.
in summary I would say don't panic (at least in North East ) I do understand it's frustrating for organisers to put a trial on for 25 riders but I know that's the minority of trials - we will all too soon be sick of the queuing at the 120+ rider club trials later in the year !
to be honest we don't practice - there are so many trials it's better just to enter and ride. (And the north east centre is so cheap for youths to enter)
This is a rare weekend we aren't riding (I'm away with work !) - but Chris (my son) is riding butsfield tomorrow night
if you want to pm me happy to have a chat sometime to help you get started.
Any club would be ok - doesn't restrict you at all, just go along to a trial and speak to the organisers (look for the car with the signing on queue about 10.30 am !!)
Get started - it brings the kids on great
My son is on my profile pic from about 5 years ago on his ty80 - he's now far better than I will ever be, has some great friends, we ride in North east and also national twinshocks (for him not me !!)
Im in Chester le street if you want a chat about it any time
Boot repair
in Trials Gear
Posted
Thanks for that - might try the cobblers in barney
to be honest if I can get another year it's worth it
cheers
john