Crackpot Trial Last Sunday.

[john.b]

Could n't ride the Richmond trial at Crackpot last sunday due to work, however noticed in the results on their website that there did n't appear to be the clubman class as usual. Any reason for this as this is normally a fantastic trial for the clubman.

[perce]

AG only put the Clubman course on, proves that everyone can ride one sensible course & still find a winner amongst the good lads.

[john.b]

Cheers Perce.

[ikb]

Only the Clubman course!!!

It was a bit harder than normal (for me anyway)

[cota kid]

A lot harder for me and plenty others judging by the number of retirements.

[perce]

last years results & this:-

http://richmondmotorclub.com/cms/showartic...p?articleID=130

http://richmondmotorclub.com/cms/showartic...hp?articleID=85

Majority of clubmen have lost very similar marks to last year but a lot of the lads who go to many centre events & get used & abused on the hard route get a whole lot more enjoyable day.

Sad fact is far too many clubmen aren't fit enough to ride round the loop never mind the sections. There's at least 5 of the retirements holding Scott entries, Sunday's route was just a steady ride out, they'll be buggered well before the first petrol check come Scott day.

Add in the fact it's one hell of a lot easier time marking out, lot less work for the 'few'

I'd like to add it wasn't me, family commitments kept me away, it probably would have been harder if I'd had a hand. Ask the B class lads at our National!

[john.b]

Perce, when you say clubmen, are you refering to the typical green course rider?

[neveready]

how would it compare to the easier route at the 3day..

[perce]

It's a Centre event so just like our 3 day it's pitched to give a challenge to those that ride the green route. From the feedback of those who either struggle on the hard route or do well at on the green route AG got it spot on.

The land we have use of for this event has probably some of the best natural trials hazards in the country, why waste it flag dancing? One of these years we'll put on a single lap of 50, I can think of where most of the sections will be without trying.

[neveready]

Is the 3day heading towards a single course.. not to many dual sections this year compared to previous years..????

[cota kid]

It's a Centre event so just like our 3 day it's pitched to give a challenge to those that ride the green route. From the feedback of those who either struggle on the hard route or do well at on the green route AG got it spot on.

The land we have use of for this event has probably some of the best natural trials hazards in the country, why waste it flag dancing? One of these years we'll put on a single lap of 50, I can think of where most of the sections will be without trying.

So the trial was spot on for struggling experts or accomplished green route riders, it kind of excludes a great number of average clubman riders.

I did find the sections tough and I did find the going difficult but it never usually stops me, on Sunday I quite simply did not enjoy the trial. I do as ever always appreciate the efforts of those involved in organising the event and the observers, regardless of whether or not I enjoy it.

[perce]

Is the 3day heading towards a single course.. not to many dual sections this year compared to previous years..????

We simply didn't bother putting the hard version of many of the sections in on our day, they were mostly the clubmen sections we'd used before. The fact there was no yellow flags seemed to intimidate some. We had to do a fairly late route change on the Sunday route which didn't help what we'd planned & then add in half a dozen sessions sorting out the A/B national. We probably missed a trick or two & didn't put enough Clubman ride throughs in.

Don't know what we'll do next year, marking one route is a hell of a lot easier though. The only thing that has been discussed is the swapping of Friday & Sunday routes. Earlier star Friday with the long day & then the shorter day on the Sunday so we can get the results & everything tidied up sooner.

[perce]

So the trial was spot on for struggling experts or accomplished green route riders, it kind of excludes a great number of average clubman riders.

RMC only has two Experts in the Yorkshire Centre AFAIK, Expert stutus or Intermediate status for that matter are hard earned. Most of the lads that ride the hard route are Clubmen just like you & me.

I've never really understood what a Clubman is nevermind an average one.

[john.b]

Cota, this is how trials used to be, I remember my second trial as a 15 year old riding a Honda Tl125 riding the same sections as Nigel Birkett and Rob Edwards. No alternative routes back then, I think I fived every section apart from the last one on the first lap Second lap I managed five threes and was thrilled to finish. Did it improve my riding, NO, I'm now 44 and still crap

Apologies Perce did n't mean to open a debate about the severity of the trial.

[perce]

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QUOTE(John.B @ Sep 26 2006, 11:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Apologies Perce did n't mean to open a debate about the severity of the trial.

That's not a problem, I think open debate on Trials is good. Don't know if one route for all is the answer but I do think there is a problem in general in Yorkshire Centre Events. There's a hard route that is done by only a few, even fewer of those will enjoy it but no one ever wants to upset the organisers so it always goes unsaid. Then there's usually an easy route that quite often is a bit of flag dancing. For those in the middle there's most often nowt. I got sick trying to half kill myself on sections that frightened the **** out of me years ago, also can't be a***d to spend 2 hours each way in van for a trial that gives me as good a work out as riding round the garden for couple of hours.

This w/e was an effort to give a good ride out for as many as possible & a sensible challenge with no tight turns or mega steps, an old fashioned trial.

I asked a well know journalist at the 3 day if he'd rather ponce round clean all day or have one cracking ride up a real section, I don't think he gave me a straight answer, can you?