Riding experience, careers and lifestyles!

[the]

If I could have planned my life out I would have gotten into trials riding when I was 15, not when I was 25. That's mainly because at the age I am now, as much as I know I'll enjoy learning to ride trials and it's a new challenge, I'd love to have 10 years under my belt. That said though I do have 20 odd years of general riding under my belt thanks to my Father and I feel I am a more than competant cyclist. What age did you start to focus on trials riding and how far do you think you've come since then?

I'm also intrigued as to what everyone does for a living and how it inhibits upon your riding time. I'm an operations analyst in a German bank, working in central London. This involves working 12 hour shifts and often overnight. It does however open up the opportunity to ride London in the middle of the night duing my "lunch break." It also gifts me sporadic days off between shifts that I can utilise for one of my various hobbies and passions.

Sadly, adult life has gotten the better of me what with work, bills and all the responsibilities of running a household. I do strive however to make as much time for myself as possible, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy what I have now. The only really bummer is that I ride alone, (something I hope this forum might be able to change.) None of my friends are into riding particularly and the ones that are ride fixies.

So... tell me about yourselves?

[Jake.]

I started when I was 14, I didn't take it seriously until around July last year... 17 now.

Must be horrible having to ride in the middle of the night during the lunch break (peaceful I suppose), how often do you get to ride in the sun?

[the]

It's actually really well lit at night and it's so quiet that you don't get in anyone's way! Surprisingly I'm not a vampire and get the correct amount of vitamin D, haha!! I tend to do a 3 on 3 off shift pattern.

[FamilyBiker]

riding bicycles since i was 4,started dj and street/park with 23,got into trials with 30.

33 now,but i dont think thats important,you´re as old as you feel like!

i know,old people say that haha

[Otacon]

Been riding trials since 2002, which made me 12 when i started, rode untill end of 2010. The stopped. Now literally just getting back into it at 22.

For me with 8 years experience, ill tell you what ive enjoyed more that anything when it comes to Trials. Its not about the progression, the amount of time i have to ride. It was all about the people, the relationships ive built with people through trials is scary, the laughs, the adventures ive had is something ill never forget man.

However, i used to ride alot on my own, i'd stick some headphones in and go out. It helps to perfect your own style and focus on what your doing wrong as all your thinking about is your riding.

Just keep doing what your doing man and enjoy it, live it, love it !

Danny.

[the]

riding bicycles since i was 4,started dj and street/park with 23,got into trials with 30.

33 now,but i dont think thats important,you´re as old as you feel like!

i know,old people say that haha

Completely agree. As long as you're enjoying yourself right!

Been riding trials since 2002, which made me 12 when i started, rode untill end of 2010. The stopped. Now literally just getting back into it at 22.

For me with 8 years experience, ill tell you what ive enjoyed more that anything when it comes to Trials. Its not about the progression, the amount of time i have to ride. It was all about the people, the relationships ive built with people through trials is scary, the laughs, the adventures ive had is something ill never forget man.

However, i used to ride alot on my own, i'd stick some headphones in and go out. It helps to perfect your own style and focus on what your doing wrong as all your thinking about is your riding.

Just keep doing what your doing man and enjoy it, live it, love it !

Danny.

Yeah I enjoy the alone time to a degree. It lets me practise etc. so that if/when I start to ride with a group of people I will feel comfortable and not feel like the prize bellend they're all secretly laughing at!

[Blake]

I started trials when I was 14, and I'm 16 now, 17 in july

Riding is great, pretty much all I do apart from college and see GF.

[Ash-Kennard]

I started trials after being crap at dirt jumping at age 12, i'm now 22, so a decade on I can say I have learnt a lot over the years and made many great friends. Progress wise, I was at my highest riding ability at 16, but college got in the way then, I am now at uni, and again I rarely get to ride, and there are also very few riders that come out to play. which sucks. when I was around 14-16 there was a solid group of riders that would be out virtually daily, so I feel that having other riders around you will progress you much quicker than riding alone. Most of what I do now a days is technical, awkward lines, refining the skills I already have.

One thing I do regret was never getting onto the competition scene properly, but I guess there is still time, hopefully after uni is over I will able to afford to travel to them, and have weekends back so time to actually train.

Good luck in your trials endeavour. It is never too late to start, just try to make so big rides this year and meet some locals, you will progress much quicker

Cheers, ash

[weebryan]

Started biking at 16 doing xc and got a full sus with 24" at 18 and started dh and working as welder

22 i met my wife and just started trials, 25 moved into flat got married, 27 had a baby girl

31 this year wife works at weekends part time so no child care needed, so i have daughter to watch at weekends and working fixing diesel engines during week so nacked after it

So.... not much biking last 6-7 years even though iv been riding trials for years still not progressed much lucky if im out couple times a month but when i do i still feel like i really enjoy it

Its the only sport ive stuck at over the years used to play for teams in football, cricket???? basketball then started biking never looked back hopefully when daughters at school and wife is working during week, free me up at weekends to ride again and hopefully injury free lol getting to that age now they dont go away

[JD™]

Started when I was about 12, similar to Ash in that I was at my best by the time I was 15/16 and then life started getting in the way. Been riding really sporadically again since October 2010 but am probably no better now (at age 26) than I was on the first day back. That doesn't bother me though, because I have a great laugh with great friends on the few occasions a year I get to ride with anyone.

[bing]

Started proper riding trials when I was 22, had an old school merlin. It was only when I got to 29 that I could afford a proper trials bike, and had the money to buy the parts I wanted. I wanted to do comps. This was the year I finally found a bike I was happy with, with all the parts on that I wanted, and started to do well in comps, winning a medal. Then I had a big crash and smashed the inside of my foot into 5 pieces, so now I'm sidelined for probably most of this year. Has it dented my hunger? Hell no. I'm 31 now, can't walk yet, but ill be back. Ill be at radfest, having a laugh with the rest of you, maybe have a little pedal round on my soon to be acquired zoot. Ill have another go at comps next year

[shercofray]

Started when I was about 14; but it was more just practice as I was concentrating on motorbike trials. Stopped motorbikes when I was 18, now 20 and training as an accountant and working 8.30 - 5 5 days a week. Now concentrate on trials a lot more and ride on an evening after work and get out one day at the weekend. Met some awesome people and had some pretty cool adventures all over really. Buying a house next year so it will be interesting to see whether that changes things.

[dann2707]

Odd one for me as things kinda changed last summer.

Had an Onza comp that I built up to spec that I loved, and was progressing pretty fast on it. Went to Radfest which was an amazing experience and loved every min of riding. But after realising I was pretty deep into my Uni overdraft and didn't intend on getting a summer job I decided to sell up as I knew I'd get quite a lot of money for it if I split, which I did. I had money now (slash was outta the draft) but no bike haha.

Then I got a Rockman Manus for pretty cheap off a friend but I couldn't get on with it, dual disc just wasn't for me and it really impacted the way I rode, I just didn't find it fun anymore This added with the fact that Uni was getting a lot harder, had to actually spend time on work to get good grades now. Mix this with in having a long distance relationship where I wouldn't have free weekends anyway and could only ride during the week (When I would have been doing work) meant that riding was pretty non existent. But I enjoy what i'm doing now, work hard now, play later

Wish i'd have kept my comp. I'm looking for something for the summer though, keep scouting eBay for a super bargain like what Ben got for £98!

[Wrayvon]

Hmm started riding in 2000 ish, probably got to my peak at the age of 16/17 (so about 5 years of riding). Pretty much stopped riding then until I was 21/22. Now I'm riding again but nowhere near the level I was at 16/17 (I'm 24 now). Ah well still enjoy it

[forteh]

I was first introduced to bike trials in 95 or there about when I was mostly riding BMX, I first started riding "streety trials" in 97 at my first year of uni - I bought a kona fire mountain and used that. After switching frames about a few times I ended up riding trials on my santacruz chameleon.

I rode the chameleon till 2003/4 when I bought my zoo boa off my mate. That eventually cracked and got replaced with a hifi in 2007, which in turn got replaced with the triton in 2008 and I'm still riding it now.

Technically I've only properly ridden trials as an adult with a mortgage etc. so have always been on the down slope with injury time so have never pushed myself to dangerous limits, I'm 34 today and whilst I don't get the time to ride as much as I used to I still enjoy it, both riding solo and in a small group. I'm a mechanical engineer and work conventional 8:30-4:30 so work doesn't impact on riding time too much, family on the other hand does!

[JD™]

I was first introduced to bike trials in 95 or there about when I was mostly riding BMX, I first started riding "streety trials" in 97 at my first year of uni - I bought a kona fire mountain and used that. After switching frames about a few times I ended up riding trials on my santacruz chameleon.

I rode the chameleon till 2003/4 when I bought my zoo boa off my mate. That eventually cracked and got replaced with a hifi in 2007, which in turn got replaced with the triton in 2008 and I'm still riding it now.

Technically I've only properly ridden trials as an adult with a mortgage etc. so have always been on the down slope with injury time so have never pushed myself to dangerous limits, I'm 34 today and whilst I don't get the time to ride as much as I used to I still enjoy it, both riding solo and in a small group. I'm a mechanical engineer and work conventional 8:30-4:30 so work doesn't impact on riding time too much, family on the other hand does!

Happy birthday sir

[dann2707]

Youngest looking 34 year old ever! Happy Birthday mate

[the]

It seems like an awful lot of you did loads of riding when you were younger (14-17) then stopped for various educational reasons and slowly got back into it. Pretty much what I'm doing and it makes me feel less foolish!!

[forteh]

Happy birthday sir

Youngest looking 34 year old ever! Happy Birthday mate

Thanks guys, I look 13 if I shave

It seems like an awful lot of you did loads of riding when you were younger (14-17) then stopped for various educational reasons and slowly got back into it. Pretty much what I'm doing and it makes me feel less foolish!!

I was just starting to mess around with mountainbikes when I was 14, two decades ago now, blimey

[bing]

Thanks guys, I look 13 if I shave

I was just starting to mess around with mountainbikes when I was 14, two decades ago now, blimey

You coming to radfest again this year dude?

[SamKidney]

Started riding DJ/Street and a dabble in DH when I was about 10-11 through meeting new mates when my dad moved to Lincolnshire.
Rode that mix for around 4-5 years, until I got involved in the the relatively strong trials following Barton had around 3-4 years ago.

Hooked ever since, in a big way.
It was one of the other things that altered my choice in further education. With 6th form there was a shit tonne of coursework I was doing on evenings and weekends, which I hated anyway but more so for stopping me riding...

Also shaped me into the person I was before. I was hugely shy as a younger person, to the point Id speak to no stranger at all really. My confidence was through the floor, and I kept myself to myself. Through riding, not just trials, I've met new people by default which was easier in that we had a common interest we could relate to and it made speaking to new people easier. It made me see that speaking to new people was nothing to be worried about, and now I generally dont give a flying toss as to what people think of me/say to me
Shaped me physically as a person too.

I'd always been a larger person, my peak being as I started secondary school, which also knocked my confidence. Riding slimmed me right down in just under a year I think, and gave me that confidence boost. When I started trials I began to gain muscle and size again, which although isnt huge in comparison to others out there, was something I never thought I'd manage to do.

So yeah, it brought me out of my shell in essence.

I've just been taken on as an apprentice in auto mechanics with my uncle, so I'm working 4-5 days a week 8am until 5pm, so fortunately I do get the time to ride on an evening.
Depending on whether I work the Friday or not, I often have a free day extra to ride in too, so in that sense I'm very fortunate.

Too many frames, numerous bikes and 3 years later and I'm still hooked on trials, and I can't see me giving up anytime soon

[dann2707]

Shaped me physically as a person too.

So I keep seeing on Instagram with those tensing selfies you cheeky bast.

[SamKidney]

So I keep seeing on Instagram with those tensing selfies you cheeky bast.

You love it

[persistant_itch]

I have ridden bikes since i was 6, got into DH and Dj when i was 12, and started to compete a bit in DH and got local sponsors, then had a series of quite bad injuries, the worst of which was a multi break on my left arm, both bones, wrist and 2 fingers. After the surgery i was told that all physical sport was a no go as any more damage could result in me losing my arm.

Was off bikes for 7 years until i was 22, decided to just go for it get a DJ bike again, but the lack of a real scene in Ireland and areas to ride put me off. So this year at 24 after being a fan of trials for maybe 5 or 6 years i bought an inspired. I ride alone as theres no one into that kind of riding near me, which to be honest, i find hard.I'm an extremely competitive person and i know that i'd push my boundaries further with someone else riding with me.

Im in college at the minute studying economics and the property market (valuations and investments) and that takes up most of my time, plus my girlfriend, so i ride mainly at night or on days off.

My biggest problem is the niggling fear of the consequences of a bad spill, but im starting to get past it.

My main ambition is to make a decent edit of my riding, something to be proud of and to show my mates and that, but mostly i just love being on my bike!

Haha quite the novel i just wrote! Sorry!

[the]

I have ridden bikes since i was 6, got into DH and Dj when i was 12, and started to compete a bit in DH and got local sponsors, then had a series of quite bad injuries, the worst of which was a multi break on my left arm, both bones, wrist and 2 fingers. After the surgery i was told that all physical sport was a no go as any more damage could result in me losing my arm.

Was off bikes for 7 years until i was 22, decided to just go for it get a DJ bike again, but the lack of a real scene in Ireland and areas to ride put me off. So this year at 24 after being a fan of trials for maybe 5 or 6 years i bought an inspired. I ride alone as theres no one into that kind of riding near me, which to be honest, i find hard.I'm an extremely competitive person and i know that i'd push my boundaries further with someone else riding with me.

Im in college at the minute studying economics and the property market (valuations and investments) and that takes up most of my time, plus my girlfriend, so i ride mainly at night or on days off.

My biggest problem is the niggling fear of the consequences of a bad spill, but im starting to get past it.

My main ambition is to make a decent edit of my riding, something to be proud of and to show my mates and that, but mostly i just love being on my bike!

Haha quite the novel i just wrote! Sorry!

I've had my right arm rebuilt and my right hand rebuilt from various sporting injuries. I too ride alone and it does suck but at the same time it's nice to just have that personal time y'know. Have you tried looking on here for riders near you? I posted a topic and have made contact with a London based rider who I plan on going for a ride with at some point!