hey im new to trials, i had a little mx bike, for a a few weeks, then i got a gas gas 250 contact, i rode it for the 1st time last nite and did pretty well, just how do you lift the front wheel what gear. do you do it with the clutch or just the accelearator? thanks

Have trackstand down yet?

Assuming that you have, 1st gear do fine. ([edited: 2nd gear is best for training.])

The weight shifting is very important in trials. Have always your weight on your feet not on hands.

For fornt wheel lifting you should try both, clutch and thortle lifting.

For thortle ups use your weight to compress your forks and when susp. rebounds follow the rebound movement w/ your body and blib thorthle.

Don

Edited August 3, 200422 yr by Da Make

I would suggest you stick to clutchless lifting of the front wheel. Using the clutch can ofter lead to wheel spin in a section and is just not needed. If you compress the front a little and then pull your weight back at the same time a feeding in a little throttle the front WILL lift. If you want to lift the front up for a step or obsticle rather than a full blown wheelie you need very little throttle. Just get used to using your weight and a little blip to get it up.

I disagree with the above comment about using second. All us more experianced riders who started out using second are constantly being told by better riders that we should be in first and once your used to second it's difficult to get back down to riding in first. All modern trials bikes are perfectly suitable to first gear riding in most sections. Only when you start taking on big climbs or using advanced techniques do you really need to go up the box.

Since your just starting out the best advice is to set up a simple section and ride it until you can clean it every time then make it more difficult by moving on to a different section or just moving the markers in a bit to tighten it up. Practice practice practice its the only way.

im ok at the trakstand, not great tho. i have a bit of balance as i have done bke trials and other aspects of bikeing. so if i am feeling i am going to flip do i just grad the clutch?

Grab the clutch will work if your wheel's not climbing to fast. If it is then a dab of rear brake will bring it back down. Practice riding wheelie covering the rear brake if it all starts to go wrong bring it back down with a quick brake. I find it very hard to wheelie with my foot covering the brake but keep trying.

agree wih bigfoot first gear most of the time, much more control than 2nd .

youll be suprised at what you can get up, even fair sized steps !

One thing about the clutch you should always be aware of!! it's the best safety device on a trials bike.

Even when just riding along trails keeping you finger on the clutch is a must until you get to the point that you no longer think about it, anytime you get into trouble one little squeeze and the power is stopped from going to the back wheel.

Bigfoot points out that riders will use too much clutch when riding a section and spoil their ride, when all that is needed is throttle control, he is correct but it's all part of the learning process.

Set your bars and controls in a position that you feel is comfortable for you and not what the star riders are doing, and practice all you can, nothing will improve your riding as much as time on the bike.

Have fun.

riders will  use too much clutch when riding a section and spoil their ride, when all that is needed is throttle control

Guilty m'lud......I've seen myself using it as a 2nd throttle quite a bit too much!

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

There!

Ian.

You should see the scars on the knuckles of my left hand where my old man used to whack me if I touched the throttle..

Guilty m'lud......I've seen myself using it as a 2nd throttle quite a bit too much!

I must not use the clutch as a throttle.

I remember getting a bollocking off Martin Lampkin for that at the last Dougie day

TFT, why does yer bike have the throttle on the left?

Ishy, I wasn't trying to say forget the clutch just that you shouldn't over use it. I always have it covered but don't use it unless I have to and like you say there is no quicker way to stop drive than grabbing the thing when it starts going wrong.

Colly, practice letting the bike slow right down to a near stop without using the clutch. You'll be amazed at how a trials engine will pick up again on throttle from what you thought was a stall speed. Once you get confidence in not stalling you will use it in section and gain a good advantage.

...practice letting the bike slow right down to a near stop without using the clutch. You'll be amazed at how a trials engine will pick up again on throttle from what you thought was a stall speed. Once you get confidence in not stalling you will use it in section and gain a good advantage.

Yes, I fully agree.

thanks for all the help. next time i go out, i am going to try and practise to lift my wheel, i had it on the drive yesterday with the engine dead and was practising endoing the back wheel round and the front wheel etc