Why Are There So Few Trials Clubs

[Lilley]

I had the opportunity recently to talk with Gemma Abant about the trials school they have in Sabadell. They have a local training park where the kids come and ride every weekend and then once a month they might head out to the mountains for a trip away and some time riding natural terrain. I thought this was a pretty good idea, encouraging the kids to practice locally and then giving them the opportunity to travel further afield for better locations.

It would be hard work but maybe if you could recruit a talented/ knowledgeable local rider as a coach and a couple of old learner bikes you could get some local youngsters riding. You wouldn't need to run competitions or events but you could perhaps still create "a club".

I am president of a trials club in Australia and our club was started by an ex moto trials rider Richard Kent who wanted somewhere for his son to ride push bike trials. It was Richard's hardwork that made our club happen and since then others have taken over the mantle. Unfortunately the lessons from this is that if you want somewhere for the kids to ride you may need to be the one to take the lead. I know one of my big motivations this year is the fact that my 5 year old son has taken an interest in riding comps and has even has even had a little go at our last 2 events.

One other thing we are going to try this year is to get kids from the MTB community involved. I do the commentary for the local 6 hour XC races and at at every event their are half a dozen kids playing around on little 20" mountain bikes and BMXs. We often run little mini loop XC races for them and I think they would all love to ride a modified version of a trials course. So this year I plan to set a small fun trials event for them and try and motivate some more participants that way.

I guess this rambling post was my way of saying that sometimes you need to take the initiative a build something new, it might only ever be small but it can be very rewarding.

[Alex Berman]

Perhaps the age groups influence as well. I havent been long in the trials scene. But what I can see is that a lot of older people (mid 20s/approaching their 30s) quit trials. And if you look at the uci top riders, there are some old riders but they are 32/33 or perhaps 1 rider which is 34. I just dont understand, in DH there are many/more older riders, like steve peat is 37 and he is top 15 in the world. And I guess DH is as dangerous and as physical as trials. So maybe younger riders are not interested in comps and clubs.

[kevind]

The Scottish club I started last year and ran a first ever championship was hopefully a start of a long running club that will see it grow I hope. This year so far I have five members and two of these are my boys. I know they will all join at the first comp? I grew up doing and organising trials and enduros and my boys are not to interested in moto trials yet! (ty80 yamaha and Beta 50 auto in the garage if anyones interested!)I bought an old monty and it just went from there, no comps or clubs so I just started one.It doesnt take alot of work if you keep it simple and it is only a extra day to set up, but we just camp and the boys get to practice all day Saturday. (not in the sections)

We live in changing times and a tenner for an entry will be less than two pints or a bugger king shortly.

Travel, get organised and share cars/ vans and it cuts costs, we did it back then, as I was an apprentice and didnt have much money.

Outside cost, it must be one of the cheapest bike sports.

Venues. It is hard to find organise new venues, but, I should have three new venues this year and will not use one again from last, as the riders didnt like it.

Sections, I left moto trials because, you go to great venues and ride the same sections year on year and I look around and think why not move them around. We had to use Bon Macgregor three times last year (short time venue change) and I managed to not use the same section twice. (or they was severly changed). There will be a limit to how many times you can do that, but then I will just rotate venues and find new ones.

Street verses comp. There is nothing anyone can do about this. People do there own thing or follow the Danny trend at the moment that is what humans do. Things cycle around (pun intended) and in a few years riders will get bored of street and go to something else, it may be comp it maybe something else. Look at Spain or Italy to see how big comps are in there country at the moment. (Toni Bow scene)

The comp scene ( this is only my opinion and that of some one who is new to the game) has a problem at the moment. The videos on YT show the worlds and the massive ALL ARTIFICIAL sections and the dads/ kids think I cant ride that.(That is also where the worlds need to go and what they are doing to get TV coverage is brilliant. TV coverage means more riders. Maybe not in this country as it just seems to be no sport on telly) When was the last time you watched a video of a club trial! be truthfull? I like watching the top guys as well as my two endlessly on YT or the forums. There is a knowledge to get out there that you can compete with a little skill and have fun. I get the biggest smile at my comps from the Primary riders achieving something, THAT MAKES THE ORGANISING TIME WORTH WHILE FOR ME.

I dont have the time or the ability to promote the club as well as I would like, but I will make every attempt to keep it going and hopefully making it fun for all. But I do have a min entry level to break even and we were close a few times last year.

Bad points.

Dads who spend loads on a bike for their kids and then refuse to take seven Sundays off a year from drinking/football to help their kids get to a comp. I drove 1283 miles and worked 73 hours the week before the first British comp. I got in at 10pm Friday unloaded and loaded the van, sorted out the bikes and drove 260 miles on Saturday to Bracken, Back up the road Sunday night and then away 6am Monday. Not looking for a medal here but, I only have my kids for a short while and then they will be off doing street (joke) or something else or maybe they enjoy the comp scene so much they may even stick at it. I make the weekend as fun as I can for them and the comp is, do as well as you can for your ability. The day the dont want to ride then they stop.

Moaning, turn up and just enjoy it SIMPLES. If you just want to moan and complain all day just stay at home and watch Eastenders omnibus as you can relate to that much better. I dont mean the didnt ride well day we all have them. ( Neil at the British/tyke should be the club official that does the second pre trial breifing!! That would get everybody smiling.

There will always be the organisers/ the riders and the talkers. I have been in the bike scene for 36 years and it never changes or will. It will be the few who just do and that to me is okay. I dont want thanks or anything else because as I have already said the riders enjoying and acheiving at a comp is enough for me. You are only here once and for a short time, personally I want to get as much out of it as pos and I am at a point in my life where I am able to give something back to the bike scene I got so much out off.My boys have a childhood they will take on in life that will be fun and at the end of the day will help them in life in many more ways than just riding. SIMPLES

At the end of the day none of the above matters as I will do what I think is fun for me and my boys.

[Mark W]

Street verses comp. There is nothing anyone can do about this. People do there own thing or follow the Danny trend at the moment that is what humans do. Things cycle around (pun intended) and in a few years riders will get bored of street and go to something else, it may be comp it maybe something else.

In fairness, the 'Danny trend' riders are only going to be a small percentage of all the riders out there not doing comps and are also the ones least likely to 'get bored' and start riding comps. The general, non-comp riding trials scene is way, way bigger than the 'Danny trend', as it has been for the past 12 years or so I've been riding trials. They're the ones who are most likely to convert to riding comps if anyone.