Beginners Training Now Offered

[spode@thinkbikes]

thinkbikes.com and tartybikes.co.uk have teamed together to offer trials training sessions, with an added bonus!

Now, I'm sure many of you are better riders than we are, but to those of you who are beginners or who haven't even started trials yet, a bit of instruction from riders with ten years riding experience each can really accelerate your progress and stop you from learning bad habits at an early stage.

The cost is £195 + fuel expenses, for a minimum of 2 hours training for up to 20 people. We come directly to you! So if you and 19 other friends group together a tenner each, you're well on your way to a decent session. EVERY person who does the training gets a voucher redeemable at tartybikes.co.uk for 10% off the cost of a complete bike. On a £400 bike, that's a £40 saving - well worth paying a tenner for.

The vouchers are valid for a year and have no financially redeemable value - although they are transferrable, so by all means sell them on! A complete bike means exactly that, either an off the shelf bike, or a custom built complete bike - a bike without pedals is not a complete bike.

So if you think you're going to buy a complete bike sometime within the next year and you know a few people who are thinking the same - why not club together to cover the costs of the training so you all get the vouchers? Even if four riders clubbed together at a cost of £50 each and you buy a £1500 bike - you'll still end up saving £100 extra overall!

The full details can be seen here:

http://www.thinkbikes.com/training/

And remember, you can still earn a £50 tartybikes.co.uk voucher if you refer us for a demo - http://www.thinkbikes.com/refer/

[Fixed Pants™]

Wow, nice one. Spode, are you the man behind all the ideas? Some good ones you've got recently, thinkbikes is really looking up now.

I'd probably do this but there's only 3 riders in this area, and for miles, and the other 2 are brilliant, so looks like it's out for me.

[Ash-Kennard]

thats a mint idea.

[Krisboats]

That is a good idea, the only downside i can see though is that the £195 charge isn't very appealing. I would have thought it would be better to have a set price per person as gathering 20 riders together, plus their bikes is going to be so tricky.. especially for only 2 hours training.

I'd be suprised if a group of 20 riders booked so the cost would be more than a tenner per person. Why not set it at like £20 a lesson per person?

[Adam-Griffin]

Brilliant idea i might ber intrested lol

Adam

[spode@thinkbikes]

That is a good idea, the only downside i can see though is that the £195 charge isn't very appealing. I would have thought it would be better to have a set price per person as gathering 20 riders together, plus their bikes is going to be so tricky.. especially for only 2 hours training.

I'd be suprised if a group of 20 riders booked so the cost would be more than a tenner per person. Why not set it at like £20 a lesson per person?

Because it's not worth our time turning up somewhere for £20 And if it's just one rider, they can always just turn up to a group ride that we'll be at and I'd be happy to help them out

It's 20 people at most. Getting 10 isn't that hard, and that's £20 each, which isn't that bad really. You can learn a lot in two hours. And honestly, if everyone was making progress - we'd happily stay longer. We just have to quote a minimum really to cover ourselves.

I see it doing quite well at schools. I'm sure pretty much any school has 20 people in it interested in learning to handle their bikes better. You can run it in their school playgrounds when it's over.

It's just one more way to try and promote the sport

Wow, nice one. Spode, are you the man behind all the ideas? Some good ones you've got recently, thinkbikes is really looking up now.

Fo Shizzle.

[hill_393]

Because it's not worth our time turning up somewhere for £20 And if it's just one rider, they can always just turn up to a group ride that we'll be at and I'd be happy to help them out

It's 20 people at most. Getting 10 isn't that hard, and that's £20 each, which isn't that bad really. You can learn a lot in two hours. And honestly, if everyone was making progress - we'd happily stay longer. We just have to quote a minimum really to cover ourselves.

I see it doing quite well at schools. I'm sure pretty much any school has 20 people in it interested in learning to handle their bikes better. You can run it in their school playgrounds when it's over.

The Cycling Perficancy Test is something that is held in most schools, and with an offer like Think Bikes are promoting, you have a niche market. Think Bikes are thinking outside the box, making the sport grow an develop. The idea is to help general bike handling skills, and with that term it can appeal to any discipline, because trials can filter down. XC can use the handling, DH can use the ability to move the bike quickly, so on and so forth.

The idea is something that has never to my knowledge been tried, and if can help the sport grow and develop, then I hope this is a big success.

Darren

www.thinkbikes.com

[Tommy d]

Seems like a good idea, hope it goes well.

[Krisboats]

Because it's not worth our time turning up somewhere for £20 And if it's just one rider, they can always just turn up to a group ride that we'll be at and I'd be happy to help them out

It's 20 people at most. Getting 10 isn't that hard, and that's £20 each, which isn't that bad really. You can learn a lot in two hours. And honestly, if everyone was making progress - we'd happily stay longer. We just have to quote a minimum really to cover ourselves.

I see it doing quite well at schools. I'm sure pretty much any school has 20 people in it interested in learning to handle their bikes better. You can run it in their school playgrounds when it's over.

It's just one more way to try and promote the sport

Fo Shizzle.

Ah right, i thought you'd be hosting it somewhere and expecting people to turn up and pay you £195... if your going to them i can see the reason for the cost.

[JT!]

I think it's a really good idea, but i just don't think people would be interested, i just can't see it happening.

[BenLeacock™]

Seems like a good idea, i just had a thought...

why doesnt some one make a thread in rides/locations to orginize one of these big rides cause if people are just starting riding, there is a chance that they wont no other riders, so if there is a set location through trials-forum, then surely it will be better for the new rider to find other riders and easyer to spread the cost?

only a idea

[spode@thinkbikes]

Seems like a good idea, i just had a thought...

why doesnt some one make a thread in rides/locations to orginize one of these big rides cause if people are just starting riding, there is a chance that they wont no other riders, so if there is a set location through trials-forum, then surely it will be better for the new rider to find other riders and easyer to spread the cost?

only a idea

Yeah, not a bad idea. We will be having a trials area built in Penshurst, which we could use as an area for regular training.

I've got more ideas on the matter, this is just the first stage.

[Waynio]

its a good idea, but you need a "background" for this to take off.

with my BIU licence been taken away from me, im going to do this next year, but will be doing it through Tyke Trial, therefore will appeal to riders who attend competitions and such forth.

The thing is, you need the terrain and the insurance to run events and training session like this. hence why doing it through a Bike Trial club is an idea.

Im going to do it through tykes as there is a membership of over 100 people and it appeals specifically to trials riders.

i think the main plan and idea like this needs, is "places" to go that others cant, if you get 30 riders turn up who are not paying how do you control it? im hoping to use Addingham Moorside, but iv still got all the talks to do with tyke trial and other companies i can advertise for through this.

Wayne.

[spode@thinkbikes]

its a good idea, but you need a "background" for this to take off.

with my BIU licence been taken away from me, im going to do this next year, but will be doing it through Tyke Trial, therefore will appeal to riders who attend competitions and such forth.

The thing is, you need the terrain and the insurance to run events and training session like this. hence why doing it through a Bike Trial club is an idea.

Im going to do it through tykes as there is a membership of over 100 people and it appeals specifically to trials riders.

i think the main plan and idea like this needs, is "places" to go that others cant, if you get 30 riders turn up who are not paying how do you control it? im hoping to use Addingham Moorside, but iv still got all the talks to do with tyke trial and other companies i can advertise for through this.

Wayne.

All great points Wayne. We are insured for this, and we have enough portable kit that we don't need a central place to do it from. It's pitched in a completely different way to how you're trying to do it - neither of which is the "correct" way of doing it.

Every idea has to evolve, and I've already had feedback that is directing me towards some changes. I felt getting something up and going (as we get a lot of interest in this sort of thing, post demos) was the most important thing to do. Plus with the 10% discount, it was bringing something else to the community.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Spode

[hill_393]

From an outside view, its fantastic to see 2 great riders, one known through great comp results, and the other through demo riding pushing hard to evolve the sport. I've been riding trials for over I think 12 years now, and have seen the sport grow beyond all original expectations. Gone are the days of XC bikes turned into trials bikes. It's now a big player in the Cycle Industry, and I can almost certainly guarantee every time I go to a major city, I see trials riders. This proves he popularity, and the different ideas of 2 completly different riders both have incredible potential for success, and I wish you both nothing but the very best!. It's forward thinkers like this that allow trials to grow.

Good Luck Guys

Darren

[Waynio]

Yei read your website and stuff looked at your pictures and stuff.

looks good, hope things go well for you dude.

Wayne.

[Mr Rankin]

great stuff both of you, it takes a lot of patience!lol

pat yourselves on the back

xxx

[Captain Scarlet]

As already stated in this thread, schools!

Get the kids interested, combine this with a demonstration and mention on safety, this could be the best way to promote trials.

Think like Late primary school - high school students, obviously the bikes/show could be adapted to the ages of the children.

And remember that Tarty and thinkbikes are large trials companies and could possibly sell through this.

I remember at primary school actually, a guy came in and demonstrated musical instruments (mainly of the brass variety), and let kids have a go of them etc, then if you was interested you could tell your parents and then come into the school with them and go about buying an instrument, and a lot of parents splashed out on their kids, despite the price.

A beginner bike is hardly a break in the bank, and it can serve two purposes, a general bike or one to do their new found hobby on.

As well as the fact how trials is a relatively safe sport, and by the amount of riders who wear helmets, even if they are beginners or pro's.

Think of dads who would be interested in buying their son/daughter a trials bike, as they have most probably watched motorbike trials themselves and would see it as a cheaper alternative.

Plus its a school, if one child's parents allow him to buy a bike, another child might mention to his parents how his friend was allowed a bike.

I think its brilliant and could give a real good message and thought for children.

[spode@thinkbikes]

As already stated in this thread, schools!

Get the kids interested, combine this with a demonstration and mention on safety, this could be the best way to promote trials.

Think like Late primary school - high school students, obviously the bikes/show could be adapted to the ages of the children.

And remember that Tarty and thinkbikes are large trials companies and could possibly sell through this.

I remember at primary school actually, a guy came in and demonstrated musical instruments (mainly of the brass variety), and let kids have a go of them etc, then if you was interested you could tell your parents and then come into the school with them and go about buying an instrument, and a lot of parents splashed out on their kids, despite the price.

A beginner bike is hardly a break in the bank, and it can serve two purposes, a general bike or one to do their new found hobby on.

As well as the fact how trials is a relatively safe sport, and by the amount of riders who wear helmets, even if they are beginners or pro's.

Think of dads who would be interested in buying their son/daughter a trials bike, as they have most probably watched motorbike trials themselves and would see it as a cheaper alternative.

Plus its a school, if one child's parents allow him to buy a bike, another child might mention to his parents how his friend was allowed a bike.

I think its brilliant and could give a real good message and thought for children.

Spot on

And Mr Rankin - don't think you're getting away scott free - may be throwing some cash your way to get your involvement too

[StuartD]

I like the idea a lot as Im just starting out, but I dont think theres enough around me to do it

[nafan]

Awsome idea, I think this will really help get people into trials! Just needs big advertisement at a demo or something similar

Nathan

[Mr Rankin]

And Mr Rankin - don't think you're getting away scott free - may be throwing some cash your way to get your involvement too

mmmmmmmmmmm cash!

[gianttrials]

i do believe that this has already been done before by a couple of pro riders some years ago, but still a good idea for helping the sport grow (what about insurance costs though)

[spode@thinkbikes]

i do believe that this has already been done before by a couple of pro riders some years ago, but still a good idea for helping the sport grow (what about insurance costs though)

It may well have been. Does that mean we can't?

Our insurance for the demos costs enough and covers this too - which is why a lot of people doing demo's don't buy it... (naughty)

[philking]

Sounds great Glad to see you trying to push trials in a different way to who can sidehop biggest!

I am hoping to come to these training days so i can chase the kids with pegs on my face. (tf needs a pegs on my face smilie).