Travelling Distances On A Trials Bike

[Woodyrich]

Hi there.

If you have read my previous thread you will know that I am basically looking to buy a trials bike soon.

But the question follows

I live roughly a 30 min ride from Swansea town where all the activity is and then the same distance to get home, is it a realistic idea to cycle that distance on a bike with no gears and a very awkward sitting position? This is coming from somebody who has never ridden a trials bike before.

(I would most definitely need a bike with a seat to rest in between power bursts)

My buses refuse bikes, and I live in the middle of nowhere so no trains dare to come near my neighbourhood.

Thanks

[liam n]

Hi there.

If you have read my previous thread you will know that I am basically looking to buy a trials bike soon.

But the question follows

I live roughly a 30 min ride from Swansea town where all the activity is and then the same distance to get home, is it a realistic idea to cycle that distance on a bike with no gears and a very awkward sitting position? This is coming from somebody who has never ridden a trials bike before.

(I would most definitely need a bike with a seat to rest in between power bursts)

My buses refuse bikes, and I live in the middle of nowhere so no trains dare to come near my neighbourhood.

Thanks

should be fine atleast yuo'll get exercise

[trials owns]

should be fine, i pedalled my trials bike 7 miles yesterday seaton to axminster, took about 1 hour but was very tiring.

Edited September 6, 2010 by trials owns

[iridebikes500]

buy the trials bike, grit your teeth and get on with it.

At least when you get there you can have fun. Oh and don't bother sitting down on a trials bike and try to peddle, you will look like a retard, and it is uncomfortable and tiring.

[Joshtp]

I live IN Swansea, and find pedeling my T-Pro mod bike around knackering... LOL, i wouldnt want to do a 60m round trip on my proper XC bike, i would never do it on my trials bike.

[Woodyrich]

Alright

What's the gear like to pedal by the way? (Harder/Easier than lets say an average BMX)

Thanks for the replies

[Woodyrich]

I live IN Swansea, and find pedeling my T-Pro mod bike around knackering... LOL, i wouldnt want to do a 60m round trip on my proper XC bike, i would never do it on my trials bike.

I manage to do the journey on a BMX a few times a week which is also hard to pedal sitting down, I don't really pedal sitting down at all if I'm honest.. I just do a power burst then sit and rest while I just roll for a while then repeat

It is quite knackering but after a 5 min rest at the end I'm ready to get back up

I'm just curious whether a trials bike is harder or easier to pedal than a BMX

[Miles Mallinson]

im planning to make a tag along trailer for my trials bike to put on the back of my full sus, like this one so i can take my trials bike longer distances

My link

[tim r32]

If you're looking to ride a distance then I'd definitely get a bike with a saddle - I didn't and I find it really tiring to pedal it any distance, plus I have to fight my instinct to just sit down when coasting, (I've come close a few times!)

What doesn't help is the fat rear tyre running at a low pressure. Perhaps if you take a small pump with you then you can pump it up to 30psi for travelling, let it down when you get there, and pump it up for the trip back. That should help it to roll better (plus if you get a pinch puncture you're sorted if you take some patches with you).

One other thing that'd help is to avoid a fixed rear hub/crank freewheel and non-jockey wheeled tensioner. I didn't, and I can really feel the drag from the chain passing over the plastic block on my 74 Kingz tensioner when coasting. I'm tempted to replace it with a regular 'wheel' tensioner, but it's another £30 the missus won't let me spend.

If it takes 30 mins on a regular bike then it'll be a fair old way on a trials bike, but if you've got no choice (i.e. don't drive and don't have mates with cars) then it is possible with some effort.

Good luck with getting the bike.

[iridebikes500]

Alright

What's the gear like to pedal by the way? (Harder/Easier than lets say an average BMX)

Thanks for the replies

A trials bike gear is much lower than the 'average BMX', The lower gear allows the bike to pick up speed quickly.

Basically put, trials bikes aren't made for travelling distances (whatever trialsy bike you have) due to all the wrong geometry and gearing. They are made for having fun when you reach the destination.

[Jumpnj86]

you I also just started riding a trial bike and I just push pedal like I'm on a scooter or skateboard alot faster than pedaling it works well I ride two miles each way like that looks Funny but wutev it works

[BlueSmokeyJoe]

Cant imagine a 30min commute on a trials bike would be much fun!

[Little Yoshi]

How far is it in miles? I do 10 mile quiet oftern and thats going up and back down a hill thats about 1000 feet high.

[Ben John - Hynes]

I live roughly a 30 min ride from Swansea town where all the activity is and then the same distance to get home, is it a realistic idea to cycle that distance on a bike with no gears and a very awkward sitting position?

I do that every time I ride Birmingham. I live just outside the centre by 3 miles and it takes half an hour at a nice relaxed pace. It's easily doable, especially if you have music/ipod/radio.

[Otacon]

I do that every time I ride Birmingham. I live just outside the centre by 3 miles and it takes half an hour at a nice relaxed pace. It's easily doable, especially if you have music/ipod/radio.

I hate that ride so much, only bad thing about sleeping yours that is <3

[Matt Vandart]

Hi there.

If you have read my previous thread you will know that I am basically looking to buy a trials bike soon.

But the question follows

I live roughly a 30 min ride from Swansea town where all the activity is and then the same distance to get home, is it a realistic idea to cycle that distance on a bike with no gears and a very awkward sitting position? This is coming from somebody who has never ridden a trials bike before.

(I would most definitely need a bike with a seat to rest in between power bursts)

My buses refuse bikes, and I live in the middle of nowhere so no trains dare to come near my neighbourhood.

Thanks

Dude get a stock, the ride from Bishopston to Swansea will be a piece o piss on a stock, also Mayals hill aint that bad on a stock, I've done it a few times but on a mod its walking time.

The cycle track on the sea front is more of a drag on a mod cos you are pedaling like f**k and getting no where fast although there is loads of stuff to ride on the way.

I often ride anything up to 16 miles and back on my trials bike to ride shit and I find the flat is harder work than up hills.

[mr_malcolm]

I tend to ride about 40 mins to a train station from where I live on a trials bike you get over it pretty quickly and learn to deal with it.

[ding_dong]

as someone mentioned having sum form of ipod/music to listen to on theway seems to make it go alot quicker

[chris4stars]

30 mins on a regular bike.....easy enough to average 12-15 mph on that so im guessing youre anywhere from 5-7 miles away from the activity?

hmmmm....initial thoughts are yes as everyones said, its possible, but as a beginner its not ideal to have something that off putting from the offset, you may not have had a chance to build up the same passion for it as everyone else!