jimmyl Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 I rode last year for my 6th time after an 11 year absence and was a little aprehensive but felt the section easier than when I rode in the 90's and where spot on. I am over 40 and managed 1st class award just Time was tighter than I had recalled. Comparing 2006 to 2007 I have noticed the following marks lost 2007 2006 Winner 21 14 2nd 35 24 3rd 35 30 5Oth 193 174 130th 400 357 A couple of riders to compare Birks 220 186 D Cklinkard 384 344 J Page 427 377 So I think 2007 maybe was a little harder than 2006 but not a quantum leap, it would be a shame to make things any harder but as said in other posts this is the SSDT and too easy would change that. I would not want different sections as there is always the chance of beating one of the starts on a particular section if they have a slack dab. I think the format of 10 cleanable sections, 10 2 or 3 able section, 5 sections where 3 is a good ride and 5 toughies per day based upon ability of a good centre rider is about spot on. Avoiding marking out the big steps as the top boys fly them and the club rider has big crashes. Long, slippy and tricky works for me. Funds permitting I will be entering 2008 based upon my experience in 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 I have to admit, I think having optional expert sections is a bad idea. It's a single route trial - everyone has always ridden the same route. I really think it should stay that way. I wonder whether there is some potential in only being able to ask for a 6 or a 7? I do think it's naff that somebody can opt out of as many sections as they want and still get the same as the lower end of the entry who struggled through, turned their bike upside down, dragged it out and then found themselves 10 minutes behind the other bloke. And I'm not saying it's wrong to ask to miss the odd section (for the correct adjustment to your score) if there is sufficient reason, but I'd imagine annoying if you don't get an entry and you watch some bloke go round as a motorised spectator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 If the battlers are finding it to hard of a slog, get fitter or don"t enter. This is the point Mike is making I think. If you stop the people entering who make up the bulk of the entry, then the trial is non viable financially. Some very fit riders were still exhausted at the end of the trial. I think the trial should stay one route for all and the suggestion I made to ensure the top 2% are scored correctly is to get a winner which the rider is certain that they have won on merit alone. I agree it would be hard to administer but in reality there where probably 5 riders out of the full entry that could have won and out of that there were 2 riders likely to win of which one of them did. Modifying the points scored seems a viable way to do it also. I'm open to any ideas me I think the format of 10 cleanable sections, 10 2 or 3 able section, 5 sections where 3 is a good ride and 5 toughies per day based upon ability of a good centre rider is about spot on. Avoiding marking out the big steps as the top boys fly them and the club rider has big crashes. Long, slippy and tricky works for me. This comment makes sense and the reference to the BIG steps is very valid. The good riders do make them look easy when the rest of us are thinking how many bones am I gonna break trying this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabill Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 A lot of very interesting comments on severity of the trial and observing, coming from Lochaber and an avid watcher of the 6 days since school and then rider (although not very good) this trial needs the James Dabbils, Graham Jarvis and Gary Macdonalds. Personally i dont think it is getting harder i think the older we get the less time we are spending on our machines, and like any other sport if you aint putting the time in you aint getting the rewards. I spent Tuesday all day hauling bikes out at the top of Forest Gate and sadly enough it was enjoyable, when not riding it is still nice to be involved. I helped observe at trotters on Friday and by the way Dan Thorpes was a five it wasnt even dubious, hopefully along with the top riders the good national rider, good clubmen and poor clubmen will continue to come year after year. This is what makes the Scottish such a variety of abilities, and it is also great as a club rider to ride next to some of the big names of the past and hopefully the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 woa dont go changing.. Jimmyl's point is sound,, the figures bear him out, please dont ever have a dual route differnt marking(6's and 7's) etc just ease some sections not so much the ones that take from the top lads its the ones that could be eased for clubmen to give a chance of a 3 instead of a five taht would make all the difference , and to those lads asking for 5's i say good on you. have a ride do the full six days ride within your capabilities make up the numbers HL needs your cash every year, i'm sure she'd much prefer that the seven empty places were filled with '5 askers' than thin air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 woa dont go changing..Jimmyl's point is sound,, the figures bear him out, please dont ever have a dual route differnt marking(6's and 7's) etc That's fair enough - it was only a discussion point and to those lads asking for 5's i say good on you. have a ride do the full six days ride within your capabilities make up the numbers HL needs your cash every year, i'm sure she'd much prefer that the seven empty places were filled with '5 askers' than thin air. Was it not over subscribed this year? We're not talking about the seven empty spaces. They can happen anyway with late cancellations. We're talking about the people who couldn't get in and there place was taken by a virtual spectator. If you can't attempt 90-95% of the sections, step aside, and let a trials rider get an entry. If it wasn't oversubscribed then I don't have a gripe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cota kid Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 I can't understand why any rider would ask for a 5 on a section....... Ask for a clean first, then a 1, 2 or 3 and lastly 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highland lassie Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 Was it not over subscribed this year? We're not talking about the seven empty spaces. They can happen anyway with late cancellations. We're talking about the people who couldn't get in and there place was taken by a virtual spectator. If you can't attempt 90-95% of the sections, step aside, and let a trials rider get an entry. If it wasn't oversubscribed then I don't have a gripe. It was vastly over-subscribed this year, and that's what's so annoying about the whole thing. There were just short of TWO HUNDRED entrants who were turned down - that's a whole load of people that would have loved to ride. The problem was, as Bikespace says, that most of the reserve entries came up in the last two or three weeks before the trial - that's nowhere near enough notice for reserve riders to get their bikes prepped and road-registered, and themselves bike-fit for six days of heavy riding - never mind the complications of organising time off work and finding the money to make the trip. We have a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehill Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 Firstly its great to hear feedback. - as you can imagine we spend months organising this event and appreciate the views of riders and spectators so we can put on an even better event next year. I made a point of speaking to as many riders and observers as possible throughout the week and Mikes comments that he thought the sections too hard interest me. Some riders did say they were too hard for them but that they thought that they were getting too old/unfit; they all added that the SSDT has to be a challenge and that is why it retains its appeal. Mike has said in this very column a few weeks ago that some of the older entrants should hang up their boots and make space for the younger riders coming up, could it be that the riders he refers to as not coming back have realised that their time has come? Remember that for every rider reaching their late 40s there are others coming to take their place. I am the first to admit that the severity of the sections has increased over the past 4 years, however we plan a mix of sections so that the clubman at the lower end of the results can have some good rides but we also get a result at the end of the day. Tuesday saw three riders clean the whole day and another three come home on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabill Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 Spot on Mark sections are not too difficult as i said i think when we reach 40 we spend less time on the bike and still hope to have a dood day, cant happen mate. There is nothing that need s changed and for those who feel it is time to give up come for the weeks holiday and help out in some capacity, it really is very enjoyable. Bmk Lochaber MCC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 (edited) Suggestion: How about a marking system like Open Free (YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE). I'm Picking up from what Kinell said about asking for a 5. I can't quite remember all the details of the Open Free marking if anyone does, and if you have any thoughts what do you think? Edited May 14, 2007 by spud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted May 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 In case you miss it, the Clerk of the Course for the SSDT has started this topic looking for input and feedback to shape the event. It's a fantastic opportunity to have your say. Personally, I had a great week as always, but then I have it easy compared to the poor sods riding it! I do try whenever possible to take "feet up" photos and struggled a bit this year to achieve that where I don't recall being in that position before. Maybe that's just because the word was out it was hard and I was seeing problems where none existed. I don't know. For me, it was a fantastic week. High points: The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. Low points: Not being able to take photos at Lagnaha beause of the weather. That bloody deer corpse at the top of Inversanda. Jeezus. The muppets who continue to ride illegally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 For me, it was a fantastic week.High points: The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. Maybe everyone was lucky you were not in your kilt..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montman Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. The barmaid in the Cruachan. We need photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilco Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 (edited) Well talking about trial's as a whole.When i was a kid my old man told me the only time im allowed to shout out five is if i had to retire from the trial because the bike died on me,and that's how i continue. It seem's to be all to easy to shout out the big 5 no matter what trial it is,and that just ain't what trial's is about in my book. Now looking at how the youngster's are riding trial's today,there taking on section's like us old one's never seen or even consider doing when we was young,so in a nutshell the ssdt is going to become alot harder anyway in year's to come to cater for the youngster's skill's. Don't let's forget the youngster's are the future of the ssdt. As for the older rider's starting to find this trial getting to hard just think yourself's lucky that you've had the chance to ride it 1 or more time's. It's a wicked trial so let's keep it that way. Edited May 15, 2007 by bilco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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