Thanks for all the relevant contributions to this post.. This topic is something that has for a long while intrigued me and obviously no one has sussed it yet and done anything about it so it must be elusive.... ?

Kind of like trials riding itself. It is little wonder that we have an interest in this topic it is one of those things that is harder than it looks and you can always be improving on.

I still think the largest issue is people can't relate to it and it looks to hard to even give it a try... kind of like riding a unicycle. I tried a unicycle and never "got it" for some it becomes more of a frustration than a rewarding experience. I have had good enduro riders try my bike and just feel strange on it too small too light just not what they are used to and obstacles they could power over are just a frustration without the proper trials riding skills to tackle them on a trials bike. I guess it is fair to say it isn't a sport for everyone at that may very well be a good thing. I am not sure what I would do if 100 riders showed up to one of the events here, I'm afraid it may take some of the fun out of it (although our hare scrambles have gone from 20 people showing up 4 years ago to 110 this year so you just never know).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwRJ5IoKTmg

Another thing I would like to mention is the downside of a more popular sport. Mountainbiking also suffers a bit from this effect.

More trial riders have a larger impact on the environment and on the general population.

Agreed. Trials has probably profited from being a low key sport, out of sight of the general public, in fact for me this has always added to its charm.

Only this week a TC member posted to say how happy he was to ride his bike on any piece of private land he fancied without bothering to seek permission. There is a point where attracting more people to trials will increase this sort of dangerous and irresponsible behaviour, such that trials themselves will suffer.

Edited October 13, 201411 yr by cleanorbust

Ive just seen the Toni Bou world record attempt for a step video. He makes it look dull as dishwater even though I completely understand how difficult it is to ride up something that big.

Camera position is wrong, theres no atmosphere to it no build up no failed attempts. Bou extreme jump is much more impressive.

Trials is never going to compete with the American freestyle bloke who jumped up the arc de triumphe replica in vegas and then back down. That as a spectacle was fantastic and I still can't remember his name and I haven't bought an mx bike either !

Edited October 16, 201411 yr by baldilocks

You are talking about this - Robbie Maddison - The thing is, as much as I admire the skills of the elite trials riders, I am more Impressed by the feat of Robbie in this video. Now that's what you call a drop off !

Edited October 16, 201411 yr by atomant

Having read this thread my own thoughts on the best way to publicise trials is back to the days of Kick Start, i am sure it was watched by plenty people and it must have sparked a interest in trials for many.

If all the powers that be were involved in the UK were to put a package together and preposed it to a tv channel you never know some might take it on.

Edited October 16, 201411 yr by johnmartin247

Just had a quick look at the stats for kick start, it ran for over 12 years or 13 seasons in tv land, now we all know that if some thing has not got the viewing figures then it gets pulled, so there must have been public interest for it to run for as long as it did.

John.

Speaking of TV I thought that having the Smage brothers on America's Got Talent a few years ago would have really peaked peoples interest. We currently have no trials coverage on TV here in North America that I am aware of so it would be a tough road to introduce a weekly show like kickstart but that would be awesome .

http://youtu.be/Es6NNyUG0b4

just over 2000 views - but the show was very popular so it did get the sport into a lot of NA households

Again, is it really necessary to be the most spectacular motor sport, just to increase the interest in the sport? Not for me.

Trials has a nice mix of explosive jumps and ultimate bike control in tight corners and such.

I got interested in trials when Eddy Lejeune was at its best in the eighties and because of that, it got some tv coverage here in Belgium.

Not the most spectacular sport you'll find, even in those days, but good enough for me. ( also, the ones who ride trials, know how difficult the sport really is)

You are talking about this - Robbie Maddison - The thing is, as much as I admire the skills of the elite trials riders, I am more Impressed by the feat of Robbie in this video. Now that's what you call a drop off !

thanks atom yes that's the one. I nearly died when he jumped back off and I was only watching !

Trials could do with stopping the rear wheel hopping videos. Its difficult to do yes but its dull to watch, compared to mx videos or what Gerard Trubea can do on a monty its not impressive at all.

Trials could do with stopping the rear wheel hopping videos. Its difficult to do yes but its dull to watch, compared to mx videos or what Gerard Trubea can do on a monty its not impressive at all.

Not for everybody, that was the point I was trying to make. But don't get me wrong, if the FIM decides to go back to stop-allowed trials, you won't hear me complain, far from it.

Not for everybody, that was the point I was trying to make. But don't get me wrong, if the FIM decides to go back to stop-allowed trials, you won't hear me complain, far from it.

I thought they had .......

Touché

No-stop or stop allowed won't make much difference to their popularity outside trials though will it ? ....