Tom_C

I think that the System of a Down song "toxicity" worked pretty well for the Trialskings vid, its fast and goes well with that aggressive riding style, so maybe them for that style of riding. I'm not a big fan of hip hop but I really like The Roots and Dilated Peoples, so if you're smooth, or are doing relaxed moves then maybe that could work. I think watching BMX/ whatever vids can help to allow you to see what works as well. For example in the wethepeople vid E.T.C look out for Will Jacksons section and Tobias Wicke, awesome riding with suitable music. Also just listen to a wide range of music to help you gather an image what would work well with the video you want to make. P.S Sorry to be a geek lol, I haven't made a vid yet but when I do, I have the perfect song, not that I'm going to tell you what it is :( Tom :blink:

Thats quite a late start to a comp! If I can stay my mates in Cardiff then i might go. MTBs in a skatepark; PAH! ^_^" Tom

Ok, after my crap post again I'll try and be helpful: Micro Gearing: Some of you may have wandered why BMX chainrings, drivers have got smaller but still seem to be a decent ratio. Pretty simply, The best gear ratio for BMX is based around the original 44t on the sprocket ( chain ring) and a 16t frewheel on the back. 44 divided by 16 =2.75. After a while manufacturers realised that the same ratio could be achieved simply by reducing the size of the driver on the rear which in turn would shrink the appropiate sprocket size and lose a few links of the chain. Which gives us 36-13 the smallest ratio you can achieve with a simple freewheel (Oddyssey's new 13t one). The ratio remains almost at 2.75 (2.76 to be exact). Anyway if you want to lighten your wallet you can now buy decent cassette hubs from the likes of Profile, Oddyssey, Proper, Demolition etc. Theyve brought down the size of the driver through, 12t, 11t, 10t and now 9t. Giving you 33-12 (2.75 r), 30-11 (2.72), 28-10 (2.8-my current and favourite gearing) and the tiny 25-9 (2.77), with only Profile making 9t drivers for their own and Oddyssey hubs for around 60 quid. Brake Set-Up: BMX's do have decent brakes just a large amount of riders can't be arsed to spend money/time setting them up properly. Firstly a decent lever that you like (not essential), a DECENT outer and inner cable, Put shit loads of Finish Line, 2 in 1 general bike lubricant down the cable! I'm the only trials rider I know with a really smooth V brake just from dripping oil through the outer cable until it's dripping through the end! Secondly your going to need a decent rim surface, make sure your rim is clean, and if you can afford it, chrome rims work amazingly well or the new rip off Odyyssey Elektra black chrome surface (only 90 pounds!). Thirdly, Pads: Oddyssey 1x2 or 2x4 pads work well, similarly any decent V brake pads work well if your u brake has the right mount system. And finally make sure the actual brake is well lubed, not loose or tight, just right-so you can move the arms with your hands easily. I use an Oddyssey evolver which costs about 25 pounds and now comes in Red and Blue as well as Black. AD 990's are great as well. New Fly brake looks good, better if your brake mounts are on the chain stays. And the Revenge industries brake looks ok but expensive. Well if you read all that I'm impressed, alternatively look for Ride BMX mag UK tech articles in the mag or online somewhere-all you'll ever need to know about BMX bikes! Tom :rolleyes:

hmmm, trying to think of any problems I've had. Ordering: Always specify every tiny detail of the part you want, I got a few parts that came in wrong sizes. The best bikeshop i dealt with were CYCLONE from Essex, really friendly on the phone and pretty helpful whcih is what you want really for a mailorder shop. Just because it's light, doesn't mean it's any good. Oh and a big bitch about bmx: Ride mag, great magazine, really well put together, nice photos, write ups etc BUT, new parts, new product=light=must be good! Nice review, (see Ti spokes this months issue) Small, delusional kid writes into Ride asking how light can a BMX get, Get's verbally mouthed off! If you don't believe me then read through all the back issues and tell me when they've said "lite" is bad... And 'Rider Owned Products'; S & M , Federal, Standard good. ORCHID shoes cost more than Etnies look shite. Well sorry to moan, but hey. Tom

I know there is only a minority of Trials riders that use 24" wheels but I wanted to get a decent list off all the rims and tyres available as obviously there is only a relatively small choice compared to 26". Rims: Mavic-XY rim 31mm wide, 490gm, 36h, Good luck finding one, Arrow Racing-DHX, 749 gr, 37mm wide, small braking surface. Arrow Racing-XCL, 449gr, 27mm wide, 25.4 braking surface. Arrow Racing-FRX, 540gr, 27mm wide, think they're disc only. Halos- (any kind) Really heavy, strong rim, SAS, Freedom and Combat. AVOID Tioga-Factory DH, 545gr, eyeletted, 35mm (see Rich 4130's post about them) Sun-Rhyno Lite XL-500gr, welded and eyeletted, good rim+ Single Track rim-strong, sketchy on details.+ Sun Double Wide-ugly, 47mm wide, Very Heavy+ Sun Mammoth, again heavy and not that strong! DMR-Deevee rim, disc or non disc versions available, 32mm wide, strong, 640gr, pinned, eyeletted. Atomlab-Trailpimp- 810gr!, 34mm, 32 or 36h, 32mm braking surface, black Atomlab-GI Street; 787gr, 32mm, 36h, 24.5mm braking surface, black Atomlab-GI Dirt; 620gr, 32 or 36h, gun metal grey, Atomlab-Trailpimp DHR; 650gr, 32 or 36h, 29mm braking surface, black Alex DX32, Nice pinned rim, used for 24seven wheelsets. Planet X-BMF, wide rim, very strong, pinned. Tyres: Arrow Racing-Launch,24 x 2.35 850gm, Arrow Racing-Blitz, 24 x 2.35 750gm 60tpi mediumwall Halo-Choir Boy/Choir Boy Lite: 2.3 width, good rear tyre, 940gr, 17.99 DMR-Moto: Dirt/Street tyre, weak sidewalls, better ran at high pressures. 2.2 width,980gr (ish) DMR Moto Digger-Square profile, 2.3 width, quite light 800gr, 14.99 Tioga- New Blue Dragon, 4X tyre although looks promising, 2.1, 690gr Tioga-Comp 3; 2.1, 720gr. Tioga-Comp X tyre, 2.1, 66tpi, 14.99, Primo Dirt Monster-2.2, similar to Moto, BMX tradeoff tyre. Maxxis-High Roller, 2.5/ 2.70, sounds like a good rear tyre choice, 22-24.99 Maxxis-Maxx Daddy/Holy Roller, 1.85, 640 gr, cheap. IRC Kujo Tyre,2.35/ 3.0, heavy, strong sidewalls. Kenda Blue Groove Stick-E 24x2.50 Wire 1140g £26.99 Nokian Gazzaloddi, 2.6/3.0, 1400gr, 65tpi, nice square profile tyre, 33.99! Specialized-Roller Pro 2.5, quite light for size, v grippy Intense: Downhill FRO Sticky Rubber, 2.35. (FRO=For Race Only so don't expect them to last) Schwalbe-Al Mighty, 2.35, light, Kris Leeson likes these, Tubes: Nokian DH, thick as Fcuk, 350gr, about 6 quid. Raleigh/taiwanese cheap, light, does the job, cheap. Or you can use BMX tubes and just stretch them when putting the tube over the rim; worked for my front 26" wheel! Spokes: Billys- Halo spokes, 25p each Custom Riders do loads of spokes. Thanks to Rich4130 and everyone else for their help! Any other options please list them. Cheers, Tom

Great vid Jonny! Good choice of music as well. It's a shame that it takes such a sad occasion to bring so many riders together but I know DJ would have been proud of such a turnout! Too many different styles of riders to mention, brilliant send off for DJ, showing how many people cared about him. Tom

Bearing in mind alot of people don't have a clue what they're on about on here, they kind of get verbal diarrhoe. I think the English have a 'cool' style as I live here and have seen lot's of ace British riders strutting their stuff, and anyway when was the last time an american rider won the World Championship? Or is that set to change now the nazi's of trials have got Van S..? Tom :'(

Foampits: See Simon Tabrons helmet! "The hard way" bmx riders depending on foam pits to learn tricks and get them right before they do them on a proper ramp/ jump. Interesting debate. Bristol: SK8 and Ride, just changed to summat else. Newport/ S Wales: Sk8 Extreme, very good indoor skate park according to the legenday bmx'rs at salisbury. ( remember the names Josh Elkington and Mitch Yeates!) :-

JUst learn to not drag the brake for manuals, everwise youll never get over bout 30 metres on the flat! If its a light grind ( like mine) and you dont drag the brake unnecesarily then your pads last ages and you can ride in the wet: only advantage of a grind. Tom :-