Ali C

Another vote for making your own, I made some with nothing more than a hacksaw, vice, drill and tap. i tried a few designs and even 3D printed some other ideas until I found one that seemed to work really well. The shape wasn’t ideal to machine though so Euan Beadon helped adjust the design slightly and then machined a batch for me (thanks Euan!), annoyingly even though everything worked well in the 3D print there were some clearance issues with the alloy ones, a spacer under the post would fix it but I haven’t gotten round to doing that yet.

Shimano calipers definitely seem to be some of the weakest out there, Magura, Hope and Hayes are stronger.

I use the original V1 and have had zero issues 👍🏻

I'll be there, might have a new bike to try out too

Welcome! Not a bad bike to start on and you're never too old to benefit from starting trials. So obviously there are other brakes that are more popular for trials (disc for street, hydro rim for comps) but a well set up V-brake can compete (and sometimes be better (my brake of choice for comps is a V-Brake)) with the best. The first thing I notice is you're using standard pads on a smooth rim. This is great for modulation and is quiet but will reduce bite. You have two options that will really help get the bite you're looking for: 1) Upgrade the pads to something with more grip on smooth rims. Many brands make suitable pads and they are often the same thing just repackaged. https://www.tartybikes.co.uk/vbrake_pads/jitsie_vpads/c84p10009.html?pos=500&search_params=YTo4OntzOjg6ImluX3N0b2NrIjtpOjA7czoxMjoiY2F0ZWdvcnlfaWRzIjthOjE6e2k6MDtzOjI6Ijg0Ijt9czoxNjoiY2F0ZWdvcnlfcmVjdXJzZSI7YjoxO3M6ODoia2V5d29yZHMiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjk6ImJyYW5kX2lkcyI7TjtzOjQ6Im1vZGUiO3M6MzoiYWxsIjtzOjQ6InNvcnQiO3M6OToicHJpY2VfYXNjIjtzOjEwOiJjb3VudHJ5X2lkIjtzOjE6IjEiO30%3D Those pads on a clean rim will have a LOT more bite but at the cost of being pretty noisy and poor wet weather performance. 2) Upgrade the pads AND grid the rim. This will have a similar effect as above but will work in all weather conditions. The pads will be a harder compound so have an added bonus of making the brake firmer. https://www.tartybikes.co.uk/vbrake_pads/tnn_engineering_lgv/c84p11243.html?pos=895&search_params=YTo4OntzOjg6ImluX3N0b2NrIjtpOjA7czoxMjoiY2F0ZWdvcnlfaWRzIjthOjE6e2k6MDtzOjI6Ijg0Ijt9czoxNjoiY2F0ZWdvcnlfcmVjdXJzZSI7YjoxO3M6ODoia2V5d29yZHMiO3M6MDoiIjtzOjk6ImJyYW5kX2lkcyI7TjtzOjQ6Im1vZGUiO3M6MzoiYWxsIjtzOjQ6InNvcnQiO3M6OToicHJpY2VfYXNjIjtzOjEwOiJjb3VudHJ5X2lkIjtzOjE6IjEiO30%3D There is more cost and labour involved as you will have to grind the rim to give a rough texture (video here... ) but this will give the most reliable bite and overall performance but again will be pretty noisy. The other things that would help would be a brake booster to stop the arms splaying out and to make sure you have the best cable possible...I recommend the Shimano SP5 outer from Tartybikes with a squoosh of GT85 through it https://www.tartybikes.co.uk/disc_brake_spares/shimano_sp51_outer_cable/c110p11637.html?pos=1600&search_params=YTo4OntzOjg6ImluX3N0b2NrIjtpOjA7czoxMjoiY2F0ZWdvcnlfaWRzIjthOjE6e2k6MDtzOjM6IjU5NyI7fXM6MTY6ImNhdGVnb3J5X3JlY3Vyc2UiO2I6MTtzOjg6ImtleXdvcmRzIjtzOjA6IiI7czo5OiJicmFuZF9pZHMiO047czo0OiJtb2RlIjtzOjM6ImFsbCI7czo0OiJzb3J0IjtzOjk6InByaWNlX2FzYyI7czoxMDoiY291bnRyeV9pZCI7czoxOiIxIjt9 Any or all of those should make a big difference

ripping on the sidewall? I stopped using Cushcore after my Conti tyre got cut on the sidewall. I feel the Cushcore pushed on the sidewall too much and either weakened them or made them more pronounced and more likely to make contact with objects. Since switching to a Rimpact insert I haven't had any issues

I disagree. It's common for the cups on internal headsets to also have a chamfer, I'm 99% sure that frame just takes a standard 1 1/8th internal headset

Definitely an internal headset (push in cups). I can see how the angled shape might be confusing but integrated headsets are fairly rare in trials and this is an old frame brought out before integrated was as common in the MTB world.

That’s a great review thank you! Glad you enjoyed it, we certainly had fun :)

With how easily they break I'll keep on calling it plastic

Glad to see you wanting to get into trials and get a dedicated bike! Firstly, yes things can be confusing with trials parts as often they can be standards specific to trials and nothing else (19" rims, front freewheels, rim brakes, snail cams etc) but as you're finding the trials community is happy to help...I'd also recommend Tartybikes for both parts and for answering questions as they have great knowledge and will bend over backwards to help. I also find them to be the best supplier of spokes and spoke length calculations. As for the frame you've bought, that's an older Onza T-pro from the mid 2000s therefore it has a lot of the older standards. I can confirm it is meant for a straight 1 1/8th fork (but can't confirm whether a tapered one would fit with a Hope "H" lower cup as that's dependant on the inner diameter of the headtube and whether it is wide enough to clear the wider taper of a fork...best just to source a 1 18th fork to be safe). I believe the rear end is 116mm to be run with snail cams. The "standard" gear ratio to be run on that bike is 18T in the front and 12T in the rear. When you say you've bought a HS33 without a lever, what are your plans? You mention you like Shimano or Formula levers so I'm not sure if you are planning to run these on the HS33 cylinders but if so I will jump in and say they're not compatible! Hs33 levers have a much bigger piston compared with disc brake levers (14mm compared with 9mm) so a disc lever will push much less fluid and be extremely spongy. You will need to run a HS33 lever or a trials specific brand instead...fortunately the trials specific ones aren't made of plastic. As for a carbon front hub, it's possible you could get away with running something super light but also bare in mind that new riders are often some of the most harsh on bike parts as they haven't found the finesse that comes with years of practice, it's likely you will be landing drops a bit heavy to begin with or even crashing/letting the bike drop etc. I've leave it up to you if that's something you want to go ahead with. The last thing I'll say just now is that you should prepare for the finished bike to feel REALLY weird! I often advise riders coming from a MTB or road background to go for a bigger wheel size as it'll feel less alien. In fact, I usually advise people to not even get a trials bike as their first bike, building up or adapting a small framed MTB or DJ bike is an excellent way to get into trials. I've been riding trials for 25 years and I can't stand riding 20" trials bikes as they just feel so odd! But that's just me and plenty of people have built 20" bikes as their first trials bike with no issues so don't let me put you off your build, it's just something to consider if the bike feels a bit too alien once it's done.

Tubeless and inserts

Some will know that I sold my MX5 (sad) to get a van…well today I picked up my new whip…a 2015 Renault Trafic. Being honest it wasn’t really my first choice of van as I thought the Transit Custom was much better looking but after dozens and dozens of comments from people on social media I ended up going for the Renault due to supposedly having better fuel efficiency and engine reliability. I also heard the Transits are extremely easy to break into which isn’t ideal if I’m potentially going to have bikes in the back. I’ve only driven it a few miles home but it seems really nice, bought from a local family owned business (guy used to race Downhill he said) and comes with a years warranty which gives some peace of mind. I also got insured with Brentacre who will cover me no matter what camper mods I end up doing for no extra cost.

I always avoid using disc brake cleaning products on my brakes…any time I’ve ever used them it’s ruined the bite. If this was me I’d get a blowtorch and burn off whatever is on the pads and then give the rotor a little blast too (not too much though, just to evaporate whatever might be on it). I’ve done this with some pretty contaminated pads and had them completely transformed. If that doesn’t work then get new pads and don’t use anything other than clean water

sold my MX5 I loved that car but not having something more practical is holding me back plus I fear with me not keeping it covered I'm just letting it rust. Sad to see it go though

Seems to be a small surge in the UK too, a few people I know had it recently too. I Hope you recover quickly! I'm still expecting to get it at some point. I was at a show yesterday literally shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of other people plus kids giving high fives and stuff...if I'm ever going to catch it it's at something like this!

Security was right, it's all a ploy and the cat is actually a cute thief!

I’ve taken a good look at the brake, I can’t see any leaks anywhere, I wonder if I just glazed the pads? Shame the A2 pads aren’t as popular aftermarket

nope your free brakes were purely down to you I can agree with your thoughts on the A2 though, I recently built a new bike with an A2 on the rear and I'm well impressed! Being totally honest I may either have a weeping seal or some other reason for fluid to have got on the pads though as after a day of comps it seems to be contaminated, I've not taken it apart to look yet but after the faultless reliability of my A4s it'll be a shame if these don't quite match up. I'm pleased they helped you out though and I'm confident they'll get anyone sorted if you find the right person...I know there's been a few people leaving/arriving at Hayes so if you don't get help it might just have landed on the wrong desk at the wrong time so stick with it and I'm sure it'll end up fine

Totally, I’m not sure what the thoughts are between Bmx racers and street guys but there was certainly a lot of hate towards street riders when that became a thing

How old is the bike/chain and what chain is it? It could be as simple as it being a relatively new chain that’s just stretching. I think people underestimate how much chains stretch especially some of the ones comp riders use (the KMC Kool chain stretches loads!). If it is just the chain it will eventually calm down and need fewer adjustments but sone chains are stiffer than others and personally I’ve found the KMC Z1eHX to be the stiffest/least stretchy chain I’ve ever used. Of course it could be something slipping but the chain could be something that a lot of people over look

From memory there was a real split in the community with half living what Danny was going and half hating it. The half that hated it would complain that he wasn’t really a trials rider and he was just doing Bmx and it was giving people the wrong impression on what trials is. I also think there was a lot of jealousy from people who wanted success but never got it. After Danny’s video I noticed a lot of riders try to recreate his approach and make their own “epic” videos (some even using the same song I think) just like people tried to copy Martyn’s Road Bike Party video. I’m part of the half that liked what he was doing. He’s a unique rider and extremely humble and kinda fell into success after putting in the work to become the rider he is. I know some other riders who’d stab you in the back trying to get the same success so it was great to see it happen to someone so organically.

I wonder how much input Fabio had/was given to the build? Some odd choices and personally I’d be pretty adamant for my signature bike to be as practical as possible. It makes me suspect he was limited with the spec choice if he did have input

I had to tighten mine three times since it was built, once the next day, another a week later and one more about a month later…since then I’ve not touched it but I have mostly been riding the fat bike these last few weeks. I did ride hard whilst filming on the Hex yesterday and it was perfect, no tension needed before or after

I fitted Danny's bashguard and it went on with no bodging needed, just rotated 180