Trials...........and tribulations

[MrIFan]

Try reading them BEFORE riding the bike

It was trying to read them WHILST riding the bike that caused the problems

 

[MrIFan]

Blimey!! Just had a quick look to see if either was still available. May have to dig mine out to sell..... http://www.alibris.co.uk/booksearch...clean+to+the+finish&cm_sp=works*listing*title

 

[MrIFan]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Bo...1652/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294420181&sr=1-1

 

[Popeye]

Oddly enough, I've got two copies of Clean To the Finish and even more oddly, I got Mick Andrews to sign one of them

He still lives not far from you in Elton - top guy. I called round to see him a short while ago, he was sat in the lounge watching the Moto GP with the carb off his James in bits all over the coffee table.

A legend

 

[MrIFan]

Used to practice in his old quarry just out of Elton many years ago on my 320 Majesty. Watched a few trials there more recently. Do you know if he's still got it?
Now a few are getting into the old trials bikes again it would be a great place to hire for a days riding

 

[Noddy]

Got this signed 1980 edition.

 

[Noddy]

And one of these 1984. Had a Trials one as well but

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Got all of the above, plus Honda - the 4 stroke finale and Mick Andrews book of trials...........worth about £100 each

All my trials books must add up to £7-£800.................can't believe the prices

 

[Popeye]

Used to practice in his old quarry just out of Elton many years ago on my 320 Majesty. Watched a few trials there more recently. Do you know if he's still got it?
Now a few are getting into the old trials bikes again it would be a great place to hire for a days riding

You used to be able to pick the key for the gate up from Micks Mum in the village, but I'm pretty sure she passed away a while back.

Mick sold most of the land at the back of his house off to the Mansfield Maun Trials Club and I'm pretty sure the quarry went the same way, albeit to a different club. I'll see if i can find out any more from him.

It was a great little venue, good selection of terrain and plenty of scope for some really good traditional sections.

There's alwats Hawks Nest - a bit worn out now but still a good venue for a days practicing

 

[The Reverend]

Easy to see why this guy is quite literally at the top of his game right now. Magnificent control and balls of steel..

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[TheJoker]

Easy to see why this guy is quite literally at the top of his game right now. Magnificent control and balls of steel..

Gravity defying!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Easy to see why this guy is quite literally at the top of his game right now. Magnificent control and balls of steel..

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I have a similar type of bike, but alas no balls to do that sort of thing

When it goes wrong.......................same night, different rider

 

[lebowski]

Went to Sheffield for the first time and it was superb, well worth the visit.

The first round showed just fallible these guys can be, even Bou was making 'silly' mistakes. We even wondered if the whole thing was a set-up! Once they got going though..... Incredible.



Sat there for the best part of 4 hours totally engrossed. Bou is an alien, he is so precise..... leaping 10 foot, turning in the air and landing on a sixpence (50 cents?) True genius.

Shame we Brits aren't quite there yet, perhaps we need to spend more time in Spain, practising year round with these guys. Dabill shows flashes of brilliance, but he's not quite there yet.

Jack Challoner certainly showed some promise however, he was certainly 'up for it' and if he keeps improving could well be a challenger in the Worlds.

Check out Jack Challoner's crash in the same section as above.

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As was explained on the night, he doesn't quite hit the edge of the skip to get his front wheel to drop...

Bou however.... just does it differently....

All in all a top nights entertainment, if you get a chance to go next year, do it!

BTW The French round of the World outdoor is in Brittany, in May, after Saturday night, we're going!

 

[lebowski]

When it goes wrong.......................same night, different rider

That was Bou's minder playing catch, Fuji's minder was in hospital getting his wrist plastered after an earlier game went wrong!

 

[shedracer]

Jacks certainly got the potential, he's only 20, just needs a bit more experience indoor. Doug had a real bad debut on the GasGas, James did not too bad on his new Beta. Big disappointment for me was the no show of Jeroni on the new OSSA, was really looking forward to see how it went.

 

[Popeye]

Although immensley clever modern day trials at the highest level is all about the back wheel and jumping from one huge boulder to the next.

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The indoor scene is the only way trials can be televised and people charged to watch it.

For me, it's all too far from the roots of the sport. I used to watch the likes of Steve Saunders and John Lampkin, super smoth riders with the most precise and delicate touch on the throttle, finding grip where others just spun out.

Ultimately it's not really a spectator sport, but some of the best guys to watch now are the top guys from 10 - 15 years ago riding old twinshock Spanish bikes under the old non-stop rules.

A couple of guys worth watching at this years centenary SSDT will be Amos Bilbao and Eddie Lejune

 

[The Reverend]

Although immensley clever modern day trials at the highest level is all about the back wheel and jumping from one huge boulder to the next.

The indoor scene is the only way trials can be televised and people charged to watch it.

For me, it's all too far from the roots of the sport. I used to watch the likes of Steve Saunders and John Lampkin, super smoth riders with the most precise and delicate touch on the throttle, finding grip where others just spun out.

Ultimately it's not really a spectator sport, but some of the best guys to watch now are the top guys from 10 - 15 years ago riding old twinshock Spanish bikes under the old non-stop rules.

A couple of guys worth watching at this years centenary SSDT will be Amos Bilbao and Eddie Lejune

I agree entirely with you on all points except the spectator sport thing. It's a brilliant spectator sport when billed as such, which these days is indoor arena stuff, but I was brought up on a diet of Peter Purves and the Kickstart competition series and it lit a flame for me.

It's being allowed to degenerate into a circus because we ourselves don't invest in some silly wobbling with the family that often, perhaps?

It's only when you watch top class trials such as the SSDT or indeed the pre-65 the weekend before, that you get a taste of reality & it's fantastic.

Long may THAT continue..

 

[lebowski]

I think the sport is pretty much been split into two now. What Bou et al does is so far removed from what we mortals can achieve, but is still enjoyable all the same.

If the world rounds changed to 'no stop' perhaps that would alter things, but then wouldn't that just bring it's own problems of what constitutes 'stopping'?

Probably best to just enjoy both 'sides' of the sport and carry on turning up on a Sunday trying to get over that slippery as hell little branch, without feeling too inadequate...

 

[MasterDabber]

I agree entirely with you on all points except the spectator sport thing. It's a brilliant spectator sport when billed as such, which these days is indoor arena stuff,

Agreed... in Cahors in southwest France they have the Trial Urbain in late August... it's in the streets of the city and the place is packed. The sections are laid out in the streets and even on barges in the river. It's a great day out (usually in the hot sun) and it attracts all the big names... we've been the last two years and have seen, amongst others...Bou, Cabestany, Raga, Fuji Gas, Lampkin, Wigg, Challoner, Haslam

 

[Popeye]

I think that side of the sport has simply evolved into stunt riding and has become a money spinning circus that can take to the road and pitch up where there's a paying audience to be had.

Nothing wrong with that at all - but I'm not really sure it's trials riding anymore

Rocks and mud are where it's at