What Bike? (Sorry, You Must Have Had So Many Of These)

[Jimbob 2705]

Hi Guys,

I have always been into Bicycles. About 3 years ago (I am 13 years old) I started riding my MTB around my parents farm, jumping of small walls which were only about a foot or so. I live in the UK.

In the last year or so, I have been getting more confident. I like to do jumps (I set up a mountain board jump at started at the top of the drive which is basically a hill, I got about 3 foot high air and jumped about 5 foot). I then started to practice wheelies, then once I got a bit more confident, wheelieing off small ledges (only about a foot).

I haven't done that much in the last 6 months as I normally do because of a few reasons:

1) It gets dark a lot sooner in the winter so when I get home it is dark.

2) I have been playing a lot of rugby.

3) I don't have a suitable bike. I find a MTB to heavy for the sort of things I want to do.

I made the mistake of buying a BMX about 6 months ago, I'm not into doing tricks at all. I like jumps and more technical stuff. I like having a suspension as it always feels so harsh when driving off a little wall or anything like that. I have noticed that trials bikes don't have a suspension, or do they?

I was thinking a Trials Bike would be more suitable for the sort of things I want to do? I will be riding it around a farm, which is mostly concrete. I will hopefully be jumping off walls, going over and around obstacles, jumps, wheelies, that sort of thing.

Will a Trials Bike be suitable? Also, what would be a suitable beginners bike? I don't want to spend to much, but then I don't want a crap bike. What is the minimum price I should look to spend on a trials bike?

Any advice/help would be very much appreciated

Thanks,

James

I hope I haven't bored you all to death, sorry if I have though. Hopefully you know what it feels like not knowing anything about the sport you want to do!

[trials owns]

i recon go on ebay, suits anyone's price range and can pick up a trials bike for £100, i started on a onza t bird, not a bad begginer bike for what you will be doing

[Jimbob 2705]

i recon go on ebay, suits anyone's price range and can pick up a trials bike for £100, i started on a onza t bird, not a bad begginer bike for what you will be doing

Thanks for replying.

I don't want to buy a crap bike. I would rather spend extra money to buy a better bike, but I don't wan't to spend too much.

£100 would be perfect, but somehow I think the bike wouldn't be very good for that sort of money?

Is there a particular make/model I should be looking at?

Keep the suggestions coming please Lads.

Thanks,

James

[trials owns]

Thanks for replying.

I don't want to buy a crap bike. I would rather spend extra money to buy a better bike, but I don't wan't to spend too much.

£100 would be perfect, but somehow I think the bike wouldn't be very good for that sort of money?

Is there a particular make/model I should be looking at?

Keep the suggestions coming please Lads.

Thanks,

James

yep onza is always a good starting point, most people start on them because they are strong and good, be carefull not to get one to old as the bearings and everything will be gone, thats if you get a second hand bike

Edited April 26, 2010 by trials owns

[Jimbob 2705]

yep onza is always a good starting point, most people start on them because they are strong and good, be carefull not to get one to old as the bearings and everything will be gone, thats if you get a second hand bike

Thanks for the advice.

How can I tell if it is too old? Is there an easy way to tell if the bearing and everything else has gone?

Thanks,

James

[Tux07]

check local listings on ebay, ask for a viewing, you can check bearing by giving everything a good waggle if there is play walk away

the 20" trials bike are super cheap (in a sense) but are easy for parts

26" can be a bitch as they usually have more on em to go wrong i.e. gears etc etc

but as the others say onza are really good, my friend paul averill used to ride for them an thanks to him i got into this fine sport.

good luck finding one

[Jimbob 2705]

check local listings on ebay, ask for a viewing, you can check bearing by giving everything a good waggle if there is play walk away

the 20" trials bike are super cheap (in a sense) but are easy for parts

26" can be a bitch as they usually have more on em to go wrong i.e. gears etc etc

but as the others say onza are really good, my friend paul averill used to ride for them an thanks to him i got into this fine sport.

good luck finding one

Looks like I am after a 20" Onza then.

Is there a particular model I should be looking at?

Here is the 2009/2010 range: http://www.onza.com/v2/products/2010/

I will be buying used but I thought some of you might be able to tell me a few models which I should look at.

Thanks,

James

[trials owns]

Looks like I am after a 20" Onza then.

Is there a particular model I should be looking at?

Here is the 2009/2010 range: http://www.onza.com/v2/products/2010/

I will be buying used but I thought some of you might be able to tell me a few models which I should look at.

Thanks,

James

i would go for something like a onza t bird, onza bird, onza rip, onza t pro

[Jimbob 2705]

i would go for something like a onza t bird, onza bird, onza rip, onza t pro

Thanks, I will have a look for those models on eBay.

James

[Tux07]

i would go for something like a onza t bird, onza bird, onza rip, onza t pro

i agree fully with this, the diamondback 20" ones are reasonable too, although most found the head angle very tight

do any of your friends have trials bikes or do your local shops sell them if so askfor a test-ride see what suits you the get a bike that is similar

[Jimbob 2705]

i agree fully with this, the diamondback 20" ones are reasonable too, although most found the head angle very tight

do any of your friends have trials bikes or do your local shops sell them if so askfor a test-ride see what suits you the get a bike that is similar

None of my friends have trials bikes. I will have to pop into a shop sometime to see.

Thanks for that suggestion.

James

[Hannah Shucksmith]

If you head over to TartyBikes and click on the 'Tartybikes' Guide to: Bikes' link (located in the little grey box) there's a nice overview of what size bikes suit different riders. You'll find the majority of new riders purchase an Onza due to the low prices (as an unexperienced rider you'll be bashing the bike about a lot etc) and upgrade to a bike with a better specification once their riding ability has progressed. It's worthwhile posting your budget, as well - that'll give us a better idea of what to recommend! Oh, and bare in mind that BMX and trials riding are quite different! Well, unless you're Macaskill...

Edited April 27, 2010 by Hannah Shucksmith

[Simpson]

My advise for you is to invest and buy 2nd hand, you can pick up bikes which will have cost £1100ish to build for about £400 in pretty good nick, there are 2 main advantages to this;

- The bike will be a lot nicer for you, it won't need upgrading or money thrown at it, just only bits replaced if you break them, a good bike will encourage you to ride more and so your progression will be more rapid.

- If you get bored, the bike will be worth almost the same value that you brought it for!

[Tux07]

My advise for you is to invest and buy 2nd hand, you can pick up bikes which will have cost £1100ish to build for about £400 in pretty good nick, there are 2 main advantages to this;

- The bike will be a lot nicer for you, it won't need upgrading or money thrown at it, just only bits replaced if you break them, a good bike will encourage you to ride more and so your progression will be more rapid.

- If you get bored, the bike will be worth almost the same value that you brought it for!

did you have to mention this lol, we spend so much only to lose it all on a sale, it's so gutting even more so when you see xc bikes that you wouldn't give a kid to their paper round on make more money.

i'm renaming trials to open wallet surgery

Edited April 28, 2010 by Tux07

[Desmond Derv]

Hi, I find this usefull as I am to getting my first bike soon, I went into my local shop (they sell onza bikes) and also looked on all the tartybikes videos, the onza rip (cheapest onza comes in red and White or blue and White) is ok but is 20" wheels both sides where as the onza bird (black with red graphics) has a 19" back wheel which is wider and better for beginner balance etc and is less likley to pinchpuncture (so I heard) there both under £400 which I think is good but as every one said eBay is a good option for a deal.

(all the bikes I seen are 2010 model)

[waduc]

I'd go for a 24" Onza Zoot

[t-comp-kierz]

I would lokk out for a second hand onza t-pro very good bikes and quite cheap

[Jimbob 2705]

Hi Guys,

I have fixed the puncture on my MTB. It is a Trek 3700. There is a picture of it below.

It doesn't have a front brake as I took it off as the front wheel is buckled so when it went round it kept moving/touching the brakes.

I quickly just took it out and found a small step (about the size of a pavement ledge) and just slowly drove into it, back brake on and lifted the front wheel. It came up suprisingly easy. I could balance for about 3 seconds but then the front would go down. What should I do to stop it going down?

I also really like the front suspension as I can use it to take the shock not just using my body.

I want to be able to balance on my backwheel so I can jump from a ledge to a ledge, or just drop off and land on the back wheel. Is this possible with my MTB?

Would this be suitable as a trials bike? If it helps, I could get a video of me 'attempting' to do the above, that way you might be able tell if it is suitable or not.

Thanks,

James

Also, I'm not too keen on the big wheels. But I don't think there is another option. Or is there?

Edited April 28, 2010 by Jimbob 2705

[Tux07]

Hi Guys,

I have fixed the puncture on my MTB. It is a Trek 3700. There is a picture of it below.

It doesn't have a front brake as I took it off as the front wheel is buckled so when it went round it kept moving/touching the brakes.

I quickly just took it out and found a small step (about the size of a pavement ledge) and just slowly drove into it, back brake on and lifted the front wheel. It came up suprisingly easy. I could balance for about 3 seconds but then the front would go down. What should I do to stop it going down?

I also really like the front suspension as I can use it to take the shock not just using my body.

I want to be able to balance on my backwheel so I can jump from a ledge to a ledge, or just drop off and land on the back wheel. Is this possible with my MTB?

Would this be suitable as a trials bike? If it helps, I could get a video of me 'attempting' to do the above, that way you might be able tell if it is suitable or not.

Thanks,

James

Also, I'm not too keen on the big wheels. But I don't think there is another option. Or is there?

the great thing about trials is you can practically do it on anything,

there is video's of danny holroyd doing it on a 18" xc rigid bike, chris akrigg on a fixie brakeless and a lad on pinkbike doing it on an all mountain full susser,

quickest way to get your trek ready would front brake an lose the two bigger rings on the crank leavin the granny ring and shorten your chain (if you grind he teeth off the middle ring you can use it a a make shift bash ring, although it may bend quite easily)

then just ride and practice whilst you save up for a rig

Edited April 29, 2010 by Tux07

[saracen1989]

the great thing about trials is you can practically do it on anything,

there is video's of danny holroyd doing it on a 18" xc rigid bike, chris akrigg on a fixie brakeless and a lad on pinkbike doing it on an all mountain full susser,

quickest way to get your trek ready would front brake an lose the two bigger rings on the crank leavin the granny ring and shorten your chain (if you grind he teeth off the middle ring you can use it a a make shift bash ring, although it may bend quite easily)

then just ride and practice whilst you save up for a rig

Any onza is a good start aslong as it isint the square tubeing version wich look old more th ne thing

my self if i was in ur shoes ide try maybe the onza rip or the Tpro

regards rob

[onzaicejack]

Get a onza t-comp or a t-pro because they are really good bikes to learn on andcome with hydrolic brakes.

[hugo bashall]

hi,

i started trials about a year ago. i live in the country so do alot of natural/farm riding. i bought a second hand onza t-bird for 140. it has been amazing for a beginers bike. i am now looking to upgrade as i find the sprocket size is too large so the gearing is too low for bigger pedal ups ect. i think that onza 20'' is definatly the way to go, but if you can buy localy so you can have a go on the bike you want to buy.

best of luck

hugo...

[Jimbob 2705]

Major thread revive here!

Would a Onza T-Mag be suitable?

Same as this : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Onza-T-Mag-08_W0QQitemZ290420449629QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=4a5d46341240a0aad4e2d8b2ff1b9fd8 (Possibly an older model but with the same frame, tensile freewheel, tensiles, etc

Thanks

James

Edited June 13, 2010 by Jimbob 2705