PMK Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 I knew that trials for regular folks would be a challenge. I have no intentions to give up and from reading others advice agree the learnig curve is pretty steep. Best part is the new challenge to just learn the basic moves such as trackstands. (One video suggested practice of trackstands until you can hold the move for 2 minutes, so I have ways to go) I practice the simple stuff as much as possible, trying to ride each night in front of the house. Practice, practice, practice. Also, many thanks to those with skills that have posted not only ride videos but tutotial videos all around the internet. Not that I plan to model myself after another rider, simply watching others accomplish the move and explain the basic skills of accomplishing the move is much appreciated. PK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Get some pallets in your back garden. Easiest way to practice rolling up stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waybe2014 Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 I understand this completely. I've not been riding long and don't get on the bike much so progress is slow but one day it will just click. However I find track stands really hard because they are so boring to practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Trackstand 101. Find a slight incline, use purely the power of your pedals/legs. Try to reduce the hopping about you do everytime you practice. Then try it on the flat with brakes. You'll find it miles easier to learn that way. If you ride to the shop on your bike, try to do it without putting your feet down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_t Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) You don't always have to be on your trials bike to practice. If you do mountain biking or similar with mates practice track stands and general hopping about whilst waiting for others, fixing punctues etc. I think learning a locked trackstand first is easier Im a bit of a novice too and it is bloody difficult but also very rewarding Edited January 9, 2015 by peter_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJ. Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 It's not as hard as it first seems mate! As soon as you learn the basics everything else just comes naturally. The bigger your balls the the better you'll get mate. Stick at it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Get some pallets in your back garden. Easiest way to practice rolling up stuff In time I will get some pallets. I do plan to build a small playground in the backyard. Currently looking for a large diameter wire spool to plank. Plan to learn / practice getting over the planked curved shape. Not rolling over it but working various techniques of getting over it on the rear or front wheel. Probably build it with skinnys leading up and down it also. I understand this completely. I've not been riding long and don't get on the bike much so progress is slow but one day it will just click. However I find track stands really hard because they are so boring to practice. A bit boring but rewarding and needed. Trackstand 101. Find a slight incline, use purely the power of your pedals/legs. Try to reduce the hopping about you do everytime you practice. Then try it on the flat with brakes. You'll find it miles easier to learn that way. If you ride to the shop on your bike, try to do it without putting your feet down I did see a video mentioning to learn on a slight incline. Currently I have been practicing on flat ground with the front brake. You don't always have to be on your trials bike to practice. If you do mountain biking or similar with mates practice track stands and general hopping about whilst waiting for others, fixing punctues etc. I think learning a locked trackstand first is easier Im a bit of a novice too and it is bloody difficult but also very rewarding Agree, when on the mtb I practice as much as possible during a ride. Noticed that having taken up mtb in 1990, rode full rigid back then first on a Rockhopper and then on a rigid Alpinestars seemed I had a lot better set of trials skills. Younger also. With full suspension since 1994, my skills have changed to favor that type bike. A recent group ride at night did see the trials practice paying off on slow nasty root sections. It's not as hard as it first seems mate! As soon as you learn the basics everything else just comes naturally. The bigger your balls the the better you'll get mate. Stick at it!! I agree. As for the bigger balls, well, age is a factor in my case also. Plan to stick with it. PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psiron Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Try track stands on a plank about 5-6ft long 10-12 inches wide. When you feel confident try not using your brakes. when you feel good on one plank get a second one now you've got something to aim for, try side hoping and rocking on the two planks, as you get stronger widen the gap between the planks, then try pedal punches and then later peddle kicks. At least with planks its quick and easy to set up, and fairly safe, you will progress very quickly and your moves will be much more precise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Try track stands on a plank about 5-6ft long 10-12 inches wide. When you feel confident try not using your brakes. when you feel good on one plank get a second one now you've got something to aim for, try side hoping and rocking on the two planks, as you get stronger widen the gap between the planks, then try pedal punches and then later peddle kicks. At least with planks its quick and easy to set up, and fairly safe, you will progress very quickly and your moves will be much more precise. That's an excellent idea. Most of my practice is trackstands for now. Out front on the sidewalk. While not the 10 to 12 inch wide you suggested, for ease of trying this I'll snag the ramp for the dirt bikes out of the van and see how something slightly narower works tonight. Having a street trials bike with 24" wheels, still coming to terms with the front to rear balance, Working also on manuals, and finding as of the moment I have a difficul time floating the front wheel compared to my 26 mtb. Each time out I try more while still focusing on just simple basic stuff. I still feel like a total hack, and no doubt am, but slowly I see improvements and keep at it. PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 What sort of angle are you running your bars are? If you're finding pulling up for manuals and bunnyhops tricky, it might be worth rolling them back a touch and seeing how that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) What sort of angle are you running your bars are? If you're finding pulling up for manuals and bunnyhops tricky, it might be worth rolling them back a touch and seeing how that helps. Honestly, when I first built it up, I had them back just a bit more than now. I was not really trying anything more than trackstands then and it seemed rolling them forward helped a bit. I am not talking drastic change. Currently the bars are set with the stem to second bend about vertical. About as shown in the photo, maybe just a bit more forward but tough to say exactly since the photo is a slight angle. Hopefully get out again tonight and can roll them back. PK Edited January 13, 2015 by PMK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reece91 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I found this to be quite an interesting read, as a beginner myself this may be very helpful down the line. http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/technique-essential-trials-skills-23776/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC12345678910 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Guaranteed manual progress - Find a flat car park, pedal twice round, knees bent, arse over the back hub, point your toes to the sky and pull on the bars with that bodyweight. Now cover the back brake (but only use it in the face of gravelrash) and seat shag it for all you've got! EDIT: I'd also put the bars a 1 or 2deg forward of vertical, so the backsweep merges into upsweep. I always line my nose up with the centre of front hub axle, then move the bars forward to suit comfort - sits the front wheel higher and gets the bike sitting on the better back wheel doing the trials stuff. Way more controllable for manuals this way too. Edited January 13, 2015 by CC12345678910 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Utilized the piece of 2x8 plank to practice more techniques. I would say this is a good method to gain more focus. Maybe to be expected, after a bit of time on the narrow plank, and I did not focus 100% on trackstands on that plank, trackstands on open flat ground seem easier and maintained for a longer duration. In regards to repositioning the bars and accomplishing manuals, that did not happen as of yet. Thanks for the ideas. PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 It's not a switch you flick and suddenly you'll be able to do them - it just means your bike setup is slightly more suited to doing them so will often feel better to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 It's not a switch you flick and suddenly you'll be able to do them - it just means your bike setup is slightly more suited to doing them so will often feel better to do. Totally cool with understanding that. Riding a street trials bike is new to me. As far as setup on these machines it is all new also. Like every other two wheeled vehicle I have dealt with, and as you mentioned, proper setup is not flipping a switch and magically being good at it. On your advise and others about moving the bars, I'll probably spend one practice session testing different bar angles. With practice and a more dialed in setup, I hope I'll sort it out in time. I'm patient and having fun. Also, I fully understand it is not totally about the bike making the rider. Still a hack at this stuff, but see my own slight improvements each ride. It's all good. PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 It's not a switch you flick and suddenly you'll be able to do them - it just means your bike setup is slightly more suited to doing them so will often feel better to do. Want to add, on a similar subject, I asked about seat angles, and why people run them tilted. All the answers were good. Seemed some preferred flat while others had very scientific reasons for the tilt they run. Learning basic moves, and this was simple setup change that will no doubt be changed with experience and better skills. I found that running the seat flat and at the max height for the seatpost has allowed me to "save" a trackstand by using my leg to stop or limit the lean as it happens. Maybe this is good or maybe not for starting out. Honestly, as I practice more I use this safety net less and less. Setup is important it seems, probably slightly different for each person. PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 In all honesty, I'd recommend lowering your seat. The main reason is that it's just a bad habit to get into, basically - if you don't have that there as an option to help you save a trackstand, you'll be forced to learn to use your body weight and how you move your bike around rather than being able to use your seat to 'save' you. It's a much better way of learning as it's more of an applicable skill to take on board, if that makes sense? For almost all other moves having a high seat is a disadvantage, so trying to learn things with your bike in a more optimum setup for riding in general is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMK Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) In all honesty, I'd recommend lowering your seat. The main reason is that it's just a bad habit to get into, basically - if you don't have that there as an option to help you save a trackstand, you'll be forced to learn to use your body weight and how you move your bike around rather than being able to use your seat to 'save' you. It's a much better way of learning as it's more of an applicable skill to take on board, if that makes sense? For almost all other moves having a high seat is a disadvantage, so trying to learn things with your bike in a more optimum setup for riding in general is the way to go. I don't disagree, guessing in a few weeks. Currently using the crutch, but noticing I use it much less each ride. Honestly, the seat is still very low, maybe two inches above the rear tire tread, so it's not mtb high by any means and mainly used to save a step off or fall over. Thanks PK Edited January 14, 2015 by PMK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paperclip Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Chode @ Thinkbikes has some online how to video's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Spode you mean mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Can someone explain to me what trials is as it's been so long I think I've forgotten! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HippY Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Can someone explain to me what trials is as it's been so long I think I've forgotten! it is basically you are building 4 expensive and weird bike over the period of 3 years, while practicing in your limited freetime a few moves, go to middle of nowhere, get wet and swim in the mud, while watching people from 3-93 years old to wreck you in riding, going on forums, talking about cars, computers and rant about ladies.... I think this sums up for me pretty well as for @PMK, what I found is that trials is more about a concentration sport rather than strength. of course, you need strength, but with technique and concentration you can get further than with pure power( exceptitons are there, Daemon Watson ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paperclip Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I was sure its "Andrew Chode Miller" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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