PeterH

But the stuff Raga and Tony can do on a "gas bike" is even better than what Akkers can do on an e-bike... I'm playing devils advocate and partially kidding, but also not. (warning my own rant here) I'm so bored with videos of people doing things on the "wrong" bike. I'd rather see Akrigg back on a cross bike than an e-bike, I don't ever want to see an enduro bike trials video again, or a road bike one. Even watching street bikes ride rocks is meh at best. We have the right tools (and riders for the job) I'd rather see the best do the best than just more content that is mediocre. To me it goes back to how mountain bikes have redone every trick bmx has ever done and they hype it up as "worlds first" like it was the best thing ever, when some kid with no helmet and pads did it on a 35 pound steel bike with little wheels and no brakes a decade ago. Using the wrong bike isn't pushing the limits. It might be pushing a boundary, but its a dumb one. Ok I'm done now, I still think Akrigg is a favorite rider and that tire slide on the rock around the tree was awesome and really could be done on a pedal bike just the same.

Well he can take a long walk off a short pier if he is after mine. If you know what they are and how cool they are then you know how they are not easy to come by. I worked hard to get those on the bike because they are actually my second pair. The ones below were on one of Missy Giove's bikes I bought back in the day, but they are slowly disbonding and I have a long term project to dissolve the adhesive and re-glue them at some point, but yeah, lots of those things on the list. They look way better with the big logo though.

Sorry, but I am going to have to rant on the title of this one. Underbiking is such a stupid marketing term from the folks that insist you need a trail bike, a downcountry, an enduro, and all mountain and so on. And while I have as many bikes as digits on my hands and feet of many disciplines (though only one "modern" trail bike (a 5010) and a DH bike for the lifts) I think the term is just silly. I still rock my 98 Cannondale hardtail quite a bit and as videos from pros show a good rider can do lots on any bike. Would I take it on the double blacks at Whistler or the Hardline course? Of course not. Can it do a lot more than the industry trying to sell me newer faster lighter more more more says, you bet. Ride bikes! Ride what you got! Have a blast!

I kinda thought this one seemed a little AI or whatever, but took the bait anyways, now the other thread makes it pretty clear, not bad Skynet.

Hey there, here are my thoughts on this. 1. For a bike at first whatever you can get, if you are thinking you really want to get into this get a used trials bike, if you are just testing the waters you can play around on your mtb or any old hardtail. The specific bike will matter a lot less than the amount of time and effort you put into it (no matter what folks might tell/sell you). 2. Ride, then ride some more. Watch how to videos, video yourself and compare and ask people on here. But more than anything else ride. 3. Close your eyes and hit them. Seriously though try different speeds and using pedaling vs bunnyhops and different angles and all that. 4. Helmet for sure. Prob shin guards and gloves, but those are more of a personal thing. 5. If you are in the USA there is not much. What area are you in? There are a few local scenes and groups on facebook and such, but it is few and far between.

They really got their money's worth out of that pointy rock that took out Julian in the first section. I love how he bounced back and crushed the house in the next section, he definitely has big pedal ups dialed. I like seeing the same guys and knowing their individual style and strengths, there is a good rivalry at the moment (without Jack there).

I know I'm asking for trouble as an American debating this on a UK forum but I disagree. He is a ton of fun to watch and has the ability to seemingly do anything, but it just doesn't seem to come together when it really really counts. Much like Montalvo, so much fun to watch, always so dynamic and crazy front stuff, but took years to pull off the rainbow jersey, I feel it will be the same with Rolls. Will be interesting to see him on the 26" up against Jack, both move fast but I feel Carthy is way more robotic and gets the job done just perfect.

I could be wrong here, but I would think bmx wheels are actually better for this. Between the psi they can run and the ratio of tire height to wheel size. I think how in the auto world stupid big rims and rubber band tires are more likely to be destroyed or at least flatted by potholes and curbs and such (though it could also be the "skill" of drivers with that setup). Also its a speedy move and trials is not (I know street trials is a bit different).

And the ender in this made me pucker pretty hard, I mean it is like a front to rear gap, just way gnarlier

My personal opinion is it isn't any worse than a trials comp full of static hooks... In other news any time you think we can ride skinnys watch the opener of Williams latest:

I go back and forth between 20 and 26 all the time. Some times it is weeks or months almost only on one, sometimes it is every ride or two. I really like the way each have strengths and how I adapt to different styles. Sometimes the big bike feels like cheating getting up and over stuff, but I love the way I get so comfortable on the 20 and it just disappears beneath me, but I do have to focus on gaps a little bit more. Lots of the top guys have a preference and things are so dialed in now, but I love the old days when riders like Benito could podium on both. I think anything you do on different bikes makes you a better rider overall, but there are are times when you feel off at first switching, but it just build flexibility into your brain and muscle memory. As my garage will testify, more bikes and more options are a good thing.

Sure looks like it. Right through the center of the bead which makes me think poor weld quality/porosity. Its more common to see at the edge of the weld at the heat affected zone (HAZ).

I will echo some other stuff said here, I've got 25+ years of riding as well and I miss the old BIU days. I really DO like getting "partial credit" now, I think you should be rewarded if you make it 90% through a section and 5 vs someone that gets a 5 on the first obstacle. That said I don't like how if you dab on the flat ground (and we've all done it...) you can lose points for a crazy hard gate you made it through. To the joe public discussion that's what I love about the old days, to explain it all you had to say was this: They have to stay on their bike between the tape and get over crazy stuff from the start to the finish in under a certain amount of time. That was it. No A and B and C gates, no "why can't they use that obvious rock right next to the giant up, no why cant they just ride the flat ground from the start to finish. I get how making modern sections in open areas works for spectators/filming/logistics, but I miss good comps out in the woods/mountains (Buthiers, Itadori, Les Gets 2004 qualifiers, and so on)

A couple more semi recent ones as I am running this thread rather than being current on some other social platforms