Ali C

loved it!

on bladed spokes I'd hold them straight but it's not as important with plain or double butted ones. I just find flexing the wheel at the end usually fixes it (if you get a new wheel you can hear "pinging" noises on the first ride, this is the spokes twisting back into position) Stressing the wheel is basically putting the dents/impressions into the rim and hub.....if you ever see an old hub you'll see the spokes have dug in quite a bit. You need to do this when building the wheel otherwise the dents will happen when riding and the spokes will come lose. Most people will flext wheel wheel in their arms or on the floor, this can work on light weight wheels but for trials use with stiffer wheels and bigger overall forces during riding I find they need a more extreme stress, I usually put the wheel on the floor and physically stand on each pair of spokes twice, that usually stops any lose spoke issues.

Personally I get the wheel tru with medium spoke tension (looser spokes won't have as much effect and you'll have to do it all again once they tighten up anyway) and get the dish right at the same time (with Adam's one arm, flip the wheel technique), then when it's tru to a fairly good standard I then check the up and down (egg) truness (if the wheel isn't straight this can be a pain in the arse which is why I get it tru first). Then I stress the spokes and tighten to pretty much the finished tension, then I check the tension meter, mainly to check they're all even tension rather than the actual tightness and then stress again to make sure the spokes aren't twisted....check the truness again and that's a job done.

more for the mountainbikers out there but I made this:

I think they type of bike has a lot to do with these kinds of imbalances/injuries. He rides quite an extreme bike (it sure felt it when I rode it) with a very high bb and very low bars (tilted forwards). That bike puts you in a very compromised position for your back and as a result, legs and even arms and shoulders. My opinion is that if you did want to try trials (which I do recommend) then perhaps a more relaxed/less extreme bike would be best, something more bmx or mountain bike style would see your body in a more upright neutral position and take a lot of stress off the back and knees. I'm probably gonna regret saying this but I've never had any issues with my knees or back but I have always ridden bikes with fairly tame geometry (I hate the feel of modern comp bikes and I'm sure my body would suffer if I rode them for long). Get yourself a streety style trials bike or even a modified small mtb frame and give trials a go, it IS hard but it IS rewarding and excellent for building muscle in the upper back and arms.

wheelie to wheelswap! ohlala

Had my first ride on my Orange Four up Ben Lomond with Ross McArthur yesterday. It was quite the break in for the bike (and me....it was my first ever Munro climb), it was mostly pushing on the way up as it was so rocky, I was getting a little nervous that I needed a bigger bike for the way down....it was pretty steep! Other than quite a bit of arm pump from going directly into a steep rocky downhill with non bedded in brakes and cold arms I enjoyed it so much! I'm amazed how well the bike rode, I've never felt grip like it and once the brakes bedded in I just felt in total control! Anyway, here's a pic Ross took....Scotland is so beautiful!

I'm all for constructive criticism! I totally see where you're coming from, I had been tempted to stop doing it so yeah, I might just have them without from now on

REALLY good! Loved the footjam stuff (the halfcab up to footjam was sweet), the wallride up the gap was ace and the backwards skid was unexpected....I tip my hat to thee

Got myself one of these sprung bike things. It's an Orange Four in Medium built with a selection of parts from sponsors, I'm pleased with how it looks, I've always had a strong connection with Orange (i lived 8 miles from them and did work experience there twice) so to have one like this is a dream come true! Just need to get it muddy as hell now!

I couldn't adjust between the two which is why I stopped riding my comp bike.

a couple, one or two shenanigans as well

just a heads up....it's a MTB video rather than on his Inspired......still very good though and plenty of "tricks" too!

they're the same lever

that's just an odd habit I have. I like to hold deathgrip where possible so often I have to reach for the brake mid move. I normally cover the brake for up-to-fronts though, it's tricky to get the finger out fast enough.

so good

I followed back, not sure what the others will do though

On the flip side, my GF went to uni only because she thought that's what she had to do and didn't really know what she wanted to do there. Now she's 29 and gone down a completely different route in life not at all connected with her uni course and has had to re-train all over again which has left her with a massive uni fee and loans taken for re-training that has meant she's had to move back in with her mum, can't afford a car/holidays/presents and generally sucks. I left school before my exams so I've no qualifications at all (other than an art diploma), I wish I could go back and tell the younger me not to stress, I've followed my passion and not let negative people stop me, I've no debts, I'm independent and earning money.....things will work out in the end! It is true it's WHO you know though so I agree with the networking comments but I think that can be done with or without going to uni.

The thing to remember is non of us know what we are doing really. My mum didn't know what she wanted to do until she was 40.......there's always time.

that's the same frame and the same year model I learned trials on and competed with for my first year, except mine was an 18" and completely stock (cantilever brakes and all). Still got the frame in my dad's shed.

that is the latest

a Vlog of doing a comp would be a brilliant idea, not sure how that's slipped my mind, one for next year I think

haha, I'm gonna go and call out comp riders in my next vlog then I'm actually not going to do that btw, can't hate something I spent 12 years doing even if it has changed somewhat.

I was enjoying the live coverage but had to cut it short as I was riding in a show, I'd have liked to have seen Jack get the win, so stoked for him Andrei did a good job, I laughed at that comment but was a little annoyed when he remarked that this was real trials, all trials is real trials.

I think with the right parts the colour will look really cool, I've never been a fan of matching forks either, I prefer it when the fork colour is the same as the bars, it balances better in my eyes.