marg26

Some of this was part of the reason I was interested in if any trials riders used Strava for trials rides. I was curious about how more experienced trials riders spent their time riding - for example how much resting between attempts of lines, and the sort of intensity of effort put into it (ie how much it pushed their heart rate up if that data was available). I'm starting out trials approaching my mid forties and I'm not yet all that relaxed on the bike, I think it's still a bit of a fight against the bike/gravity/myself at times, which becomes very tiring. All these little moves I attempt can't be as tiring for an experienced rider, but that's getting a bit off-topic. Just to clarify what I said earlier about riding 6 days a week, I meant getting on a bike and riding, not just trials riding. Most weeks I'll only go out on the trials bike twice a week, sometimes 3 times and little bits here and there on a couple of commutes home. I won't do much more than that as my wrists will suffer, and over the past 3 months there can be a tight feeling along the clavicle after trials rides (lasted at least a week after the Bike Academy Weekender). I generally avoid riding trials two days in a row to help recovery. Part of the wrist problem might stem from bad landing technique, though that's slowly improving, but not having as much time for long XC/trail rides also helps. I've got some gymnastic rings which I use sporadically to do really basic stuff on, and my wrists usually feel pretty good after. I went to an indoor skate park last night with my Inspired Console. I'm not very experienced at that either, only the 2nd time I've been there. Only managed an hour before I felt absolutely blasted and went home. Spent 3/4 of the time dripping puddles around my bike. Concluded I must have been making hard work of it for it to feel that tiring.

Approaching my mid 40's and only had a (street) trials bike for almost a year, so can't offer any trials tips! Waited until early 40's to start a family, 2nd one coming up to a year old, and still a regular sleep disruptor, so I try not to get into too much fitness debt from overly intense riding. The distance I ride now has dropped quite significantly. I ride 5 days a week to work and back, only 4 miles each way, though do a few extra miles here and there, and can snatch a few quick basic trials practice sessions on lunch break or home run on the rigid MTB. Often ride six days a week, but only if I have some easy days where I put in as little effort as possible. I monitor my HR; on an easy day I aim to keep my HR on the way to work below 135, and on the way home, below 110. Max HR I've hit recently was 179, a month back.

Yeah everyone's doing wrong-bike-for-the-job vids... but he was so smooth going up those steps (@1:30), and up those rocky sections. My HR would be into the red doing attempting that.

Think 100mm is roughly the length it is now maybe slightly more. Just thought it seemed a bit unnecessary for a seatpost and saddle I only sit on when not riding. It's not a big deal. I watched the new Ben Travis bike build video and it reminded me about it.

A while back it occurred to me that most of the seat post used on my Console was redundant and I could saw most of it off but while window shopping on Tarty bikes I noticed they say a seatpost length less than 100mm invalidated the warranty on Inspired frames. Will my frame collapse if I saw the seatpost down?

Can Danny or Ali do that standing on handles bar thing though? Pretty impressive when he went down those few shallow steps doing it I thought. Also a few moments made me chuckle. I'm a beginner, bad at trials riding, so didn't really notice anything to criticise. Re: Monster - I've not been watching as many Sam Pilgrim videos over the past year, think he's churning them out too much. And I'm sad he doesn't go out on his trials bike much.

Most copyrighted music allows you to use it as long as you take a hit with the ads and aren't monetizing your channel. Never seen an ad thanks to adblockers.

Does that mean I can't suggest you mix it up and ask if brakeless-enduro could be a thing? You could ride up trees etc just to keep your speed in check.

I came across a bunch of Japanese trials how-to videos on youtube, and one about the importance of relaxing interested me where they use a wall to assist with relaxing in a trackstand, something I felt I needed to do more (as I expend more energy in trackstands than I think I should). But of course I didn't remember the video correctly by the time I got out to ride (as what happens with every instructional video I watch). Rather than ride parallel to the wall and then turn toward it into a trackstand, I've been practising (2 lunch times in a row and this evening) riding straight up to a wall or kerb at 90°, front wheel straight, and heaping loads of pressure onto my leading foot to keep front wheel against the wall. There's been a few occasions where I've succeeded in maintaining balance for longer than a couple of seconds. Not sure now after rewatching the video if it's something I should be doing or not! Not sure if it's helping me with balance, though I may have noticed some improvement to my fakies. Also succeeded in increasing the weird looks and comments from passers by.

Subtle isn't it

Got my day ticket now. Still not decided which day to go. Messaged them late night last week on FB but probably waffled on too much or something and they forgot - but probably will just go with whichever day turns out to be the more convenient.

Anyone in if I make a trials-forum Strava club? I just think Strava needs more trials rides on it, just so people see cycling isn't just about distance/ascent/descent/etc, and would be cool to see trials bikes/riding photos on there too.

I've been out practising trials for 9 months. Usually twice a week, roughly an hour each time. Sometimes more sometimes less. I also cycle to work daily which provides a little scope for additional practice (on a rigid MTB), but don't often have time. 1) I can't front wheel hop. 2) I can rear wheel hop, can do more than 15 hops if I really try. Find it difficult to stay on the spot. Have some control over moving forwards/backwards from an obstacle, but no precision, and can't hop onto things. 3) I can't manual. 4) I could track stand for more than a minute if I really wanted to (but I'd have to want to). Am a bit wobbly to start with, and towards the end (of a mintue). 5) Can just about pivot 180, in my natural direction, but barely past 90 in opposite direction (not practised enough). Frequently feel like I'm useless at trials and get quite negative about it like I shouldn't be out riding on a street trials bike. A trials bike can sometimes create expectations from observers, so having nowhere private to practice can be a bit frustrating at times. There's loads of videos on youtube from people who have started trials recently or others who've been riding longer to give you an idea of what's achievable or not. As said, it is really difficult, but frequently made to look so easy by the pros.

It can be a bit bewildering sometimes knowing where to start as there are so many moves and it seems not enough time & energy! I started out (late last year) wanting to ride street trials, and didn't really find pure trials that interesting, but practising the basic skills has given me much more appreciation for pure trials and curious as to how I'd find a pure trials bike (not that I'm considering buying one anytime soon). Manuals are definitely one of those trickier moves that I put off focusing on. I keep telling myself it will come from all that practice of rear wheel hops, but still haven't dedicated any time to practising them. In my mind rear hops are more an essential skill, whereas manuals are a bit more flamboyant. Any way thanks Mark, definitely some things I can think about while out riding to help decide what to focus on.

I've been wondering lately how much I should resist the easy escape route of pedalling away out of some attempt to do something when I feel it's starting to not go in the right direction? When I first started I used the momentum of just riding along a lot more, but I've moved to attempting the same manoeuvres without the aid of momentum. For instance getting the front wheel up on ledge, pausing to find balance/stability, then pivoting on it to bring the rear wheel up, or doing the same to get up a small set of shallow steps (combined with lucky timing). It can sometimes feel like I spend more time riding in circles back to the start point rather than committing to achieving the manoeuvre. A related question, due to practising the above slower/balance/control skills more (as well as rear wheel hops) I'm getting commitment issues on the more dynamic moves, such as bunny hopping up concrete ledges I've done without too much difficulty within the last few months, or fear of harsh landings dropping off higher (for me) ledges. But being a bit of a late starter (40+) at this, my arms can suffer. Suspect the answer is practice more, mix it up a bit, and warm up/down properly, etc, but thought I might as well post on the internet about it

I'm considering coming along to this for one day, just wondering if one of the days might be more suitable for a beginner to ride than another?

Margate. There's a several spots near me I ride, but also potential for riders into doing bigger stuff too. Any time from six just to give me a chance to get home and get sorted. Closest thing to natural round here would be the boulders used as wave breaks (and a small group of rocks near the train station). Let me know if still interested and I'll pm you my number and somewhere to park/meet. Doubtful that Margate would be considered amongst the best UK trials spots though.

Another video of beginner skills, this time on holiday on the MTB on natural stuff, so hard!

Ah was hoping I might get to ride with a real trials rider :-) but with work and that wouldn't be able to get over there. I know the bubble a bit, but not been there since getting into trials riding. I expect there's stuff on the sea front with boats and that with potential to look good on camera.

Whereabouts in Kent are you visiting? As far as Thanet?

Any of you signed up to storm Area 51 on 20th September?

Nothing exciting, still a beginner:

I find with Zee & standard Zee pads on my 24" Console I have to consciously grab the rear a little harder than the front. But that might just be a beginner getting used to needing lots of brake on the rear. Question: Trialtech Sport or EBC red?

The obvious things really: Ibuprofen after food. Avoid sleeping on belly. Plenty of rest, but also gentle neck/shoulder exercises to avoid stiffness, steering clear from extreme range of motion (pain will probably manage that for you). But probably better off seeing a professional and not taking the advice of some numpty like me on the internet ;-) Stuff like this: For warm ups, look at bodyweight warm ups, and, there's an exercise thread on here that introduced me to CARS exercise which I've found pretty useful for my wrists/elbows/shoulders (but the kind of stuff I'd be too embarrassed to do in public).

At least there isn't any slowmo roosting going on.