onza1 Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hi I'm still recently new to this trials stuff and wondered how long it took you all to be reasonably good and get the basics. Also are there any young riders in the Stoke on Trent area Cheers geez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maladie Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hey there man, It took me a few weeks before i noticed any real improvements. I had the trackstand dialed in the first two weeks and began learning backhops in the third week. Couple of months after i got my bike and i could balance on the back wheel pretty well, do quite a few kickhops and get up small walls. Now, after riding for about a year (on and off though), i can straight to back, up to front, front to back and gap pretty well. I would say though, that it takes a good few years to get to a good standard of riding, and also to perfect your technique. Everyone rides with a slightly different style, some guys standing out more than others, and you just need to find that style and work on making it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onza1 Posted January 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 You learnt pretty quick then Cheers for te reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamKidney Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 my names sam Ive been riding for around 2 years now. I could already trackstand ect from my dirt jump back ground. Back hops were mastered within 3 weeks, and crank hops in the following month. From then i can just stand on the back wheel, with almost no correction hops. Up to back wheels were achieved after 3 months, and am continuing to get my technique perfect. Sidehops took longer to learn, and only began to get decent heights after my first year. They arent my strong point. Im capable of doing some fair sized gaps though, and not phased by big drop gaps. Biggest gap from one ledge to the other on the same height is about 6 to 7ish foot now, but havent measured my drop gaps which are bigger. Up to fronts are in progress and gaps to front are nearly dialed. As youve probably figured out im a bit of a TGS orientated rider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 It all depends on whether you ride alone, if you think about riding (yes, thinking about riding and moves will get you better) and generally if you're a quick learner. Nowadays with internet, lots of online guides, access to good parts and riding mates you'll probably get a good grasp of the basic moves and drivetrain/brake control after half a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey1991 Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 You learnt pretty quick then Cheers for te reply I would say that's pretty normal, i could track-stand pretty well within a week and could back-hop properly within 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Anscombe Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 DEPENDS HOW QUICK YOU LEARN REALLY AND WEATHER OR NOT YOU RIDE WITH OTHER PEOPLE thinking about moves and tecnique helps too id say somthing along the lines of 3-6 months you should have basic moves down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettoll Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) Get riding with others, that will help your progression as they can help you along. Took me a few weeks to get the balance right and learn how to back hop. Learn't how to gap hop in a few hours practising on some sqaured paving slabs in a shopping precinct near my house. From that, it took a while to get big and gain confidence. It helped riding with people who were better than me who could talk me through moves and demonstrate what they looked like close up. When I was 17 and I had my first proper trials bike I practised every day, even just the little back hops and kick hops on the slabs after college. It's the classic Martyn Ashton "practice practice practice". I have been riding trials on and off for 11 years and I can say hand on heart the times I ride 5/6 times a week I was riding better as the basic moves I didn't have to think about, I lost the fear doing the bigger moves as I was able to practise them more. Now im back at square 1 as I haven't ridden for well over a year and a half and im having to man up and build myself back up. So a bit of an essay there for you, but my advice: Practise as often as you can, even if its half an hour hopping up a curb by your houseRide with others and dont be ashamed that your a starter. Evveryone will try and help you improveWatch videos online to see how people do moves (body shapes, pedal positioning)Visit Trashzen as there are some helpful tips and how to's on there Hope this helps, Brett Edited January 17, 2011 by Brettoll 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Papasnap Maher Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Ive been riding 10-11-12 years..and im still shit lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Mallinson Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Some people just have a natural talent for it for those don't we just need to keep practicing. It took me about a week to learn back hops on a full suspension xc bike. Then I was just learning to roll obstacles like rocks and small walls, you don't have to hop on everything. Then the more complicated moves come in like pedal ups, pedal kicks, roll ups (zap taps) had them in a few months its all about rythem (what she said). If you just clear your mind of random things that might put you off you will get it I normally tried to ride three times perfectly to get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onza1 Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Cheers boys thanks for the replys, I am slowly progressing think it's due to the fact that me bikes always broke hopefully everything will be working like new by the end of the week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeperson45 Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) I don't believe in natural talent for bike sports, sure there's fitness and balance but those sort of things are improved with practise. Unlike running where people are born fast no ones born ready to ride a bike up a 50" wall. And you also shouldn't worry about how long things take, once you start thinking 'I'm not good enough for how long I've been riding...' that seems to launch a mindset about trials were it doesn't become so much about the fun or challenge of it but more about 'training'. Or that's just how I see it, for some people that might be where their motivation comes from. Edited January 17, 2011 by bikeperson45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Mallinson Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I don't believe in natural talent for bike sports, sure there's fitness and balance but those sort of things are improved with practise. Unlike running where people are born fast no ones born ready to ride a bike up a 50" wall. And you also shouldn't worry about how long things take, once you start thinking 'I'm not good enough for how long I've been riding...' that seems to launch a mindset about trials were it doesn't become so much about the fun or challenge of it but more about 'training'. Or that's just how I see it, for some people that might be where their motivation comes from. But there are people who are not scared to do most stuff, I have a friend who is just crazy if you tell him to try and backflip off a wall he will proberly try it people like that are the ones who are the first to break the bounderies of any sport. Its alright having the technique to do a drop or gap but you've got to have the balls to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeperson45 Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Depends if your counting the risk taking element as talent, but I assume when people try big stuff they'll measure the risk and that it's going to be slightly more likely than not that they'll make it. Like for Danny Mac's front flip drop, he'll have tried that on a foam pit or something and knew his success rate was good enough to be able to do it off Edinburgh castle. But yea, the best riders seem to have a good technique to balls ratio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onza1 Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) I think balls do have a lot to do with it, I've just been messing around in the back garden trying to do a side drop of a 3 ft wall it took me a few attempts to do it but once I did it felt great then I snapped my brake lever so theres another £20 I've gotta find it's expensive this trials stuff I'll be sad to see my rip go as I've spent that much on replacing parts it's about £450 worth of bike that's meant to be a cheap learner bike nevermind, wonder if any of you would like to see a newbie trials rider make a vid riding a phase and a rip? Edited January 17, 2011 by onza1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Its a gradational thing, its not like bam one day you wake up and you're a good rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Vandart Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Ive been riding 10-11-12 years..and im still shit lol. ????????????????? I did trials when I was young, about 22 years ago for a few years (wouldn't even call it trials these days) then did mototrials and then dipped my toe in and out of bike trialsmany times in the following years. Started back 2 yrs ago determined to nail it and I am still shite. My main regret is mostly missing the years 2000- 2008 looking back at vids and shit and talking to people it was a very fun time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saracenrobb Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 riding since 1998 so a while, now im 28, still not super great but still going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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