Train Using Poor Components?

[PaRtZ]

Supposing I was a competition entering person, should I train with poor components, so when it comes to competition time, i put the good shizzle on my bike and ride with the experiance of bad components. For example using slippy fingers to train in, then try-alls for the comp?

I say this cos I've just been at Ogwen and Its really slippy and I had my slippy finger tyres on. Ive learnt quite a lot just from today about how I should be landing and jumping off each rock without sliding into weirs.....:'(

Hopefully you understand, just like to know your thoughts

[Ash-Kennard]

always use the good components because then you know what they/you are truely capible of. And if they a good components i doubt they would break either, giving you confidence

[Luke Drewery]

I use good components because of safety, pimpness and confidence. If you buy crap hubs, rims, chain, bars etc then they will break much easier and therefore cause you unessecary grief. I use the best components I can afford, and have built my bike up better and better over time.

[PaRtZ]

If you buy crap hubs, rims, chain, bars etc then they will break much easier and therefore cause you unessecary grief

However I will hopefully learn how NOT to break them? if you get me

[TheMunn]

I think it would be better to use the good components all the time as you will know how the bike will ride, changing the parts may make the bike feel off so you won't be able to ride is as well.

[Sam Nichols]

Dont use crap components, use heavy cmoponents.

It's called gravity training and some road riders/xc riders swear by it. Basically if your bike is heavy you have to train hard and get stronger to achieve similar results to your competition spec... If you then train beyond this it's even better. When you put the light stuff back on you will be sooo much better than you were before.

Same applies to trials. Train with a heavy bike and work hard to achieve same gap distances and ups etc then when you go light you will find the same stuff easier and the harder stuff less daunting.

Make sense?

[PaRtZ]

Make sense?

Perfect :'(

[Ash-Kennard]

Dont use crap components, use heavy cmoponents.

It's called gravity training and some road riders/xc riders swear by it. Basically if your bike is heavy you have to train hard and get stronger to achieve similar results to your competition spec... If you then train beyond this it's even better. When you put the light stuff back on you will be sooo much better than you were before.

Same applies to trials. Train with a heavy bike and work hard to achieve same gap distances and ups etc then when you go light you will find the same stuff easier and the harder stuff less daunting.

Make sense?

yeah, im thinking of strapping lead weights to my frame so i can build my muscles up!lamo

[Luke Drewery]

Dont use crap components, use heavy cmoponents.

It's called gravity training and some road riders/xc riders swear by it. Basically if your bike is heavy you have to train hard and get stronger to achieve similar results to your competition spec... If you then train beyond this it's even better. When you put the light stuff back on you will be sooo much better than you were before.

Same applies to trials. Train with a heavy bike and work hard to achieve same gap distances and ups etc then when you go light you will find the same stuff easier and the harder stuff less daunting.

Make sense?

I can see the theory, but I bet it would be really frustrating because even small ups will seem impossible, every time you try one it will be bang onto your bashguard, try it again, same etc. if your really good anyway ie elite level then I can see the point of it. My t-rex is heavy anyway, when I get my new frame/components I should ride a lot better. (Y)

[the_ferret]

the boy speaks the truth! lol (above me)

but using the components you run will allow you to know how it runs.

if i change bikes i have to get used to it now most of the time i barely use rear brake for sidehops ect i can sit on balance point cleanly before i lunge up

so. use the components you will run so there like an extension of your body

oggy

[Janson]

if you insist on adding weights to the bike, before you do, take a 1 week break from riding. when you get back on you won't notice the difference (Y) (apart from that you will get tired quicker)

[shovel]

i think you should run your bike the same all the time, theres not really much point needing to faf about with changing components over before comps

with tyres its different though, you could keep a set of new tyres and use them for comps as they would have tonnes of grip although not really much point as it means buying an extra set of tyres (Y)

Edited November 27, 2005 by shovel

[JT!]

I wouldn't bother.

But if your really wanting to do it, just starp weights to your bike, rather than chaning components, as your bike wont feel different, just lighter.

[mat hudson]

use lead strips instead of rimtape, lead washers, instead of pumping your tyres with air, use water (Y) . murcury in the brakes. wrap every tube in lead, secure with zipties.

shuld have added about 50punds onto your bike :lol:

[Sam Nichols]

This is all getting a bit too jeyoby for my liking.

Just ride man, dont think of it as 'training' because that makes it feel as though you HAVE to ride... and whats the fun in that?

Riding should be about fun and fun through progression. Not forced and uncomfortable.

[Davetrials]

having a light bike is SOOOOOOO 2003, no one gives ashit anymore, cos of the strenth issue.

[Mark W]

Why 'train' anyway? You ride trials 'cos you like riding trials, so why make that experience worse by not using the best components you can afford? A bike that's got decent bits on it that's kept in a half-decent working order will always feel better to ride than a bike that's got shit components on that's totally not looked after, so why would you potentially make your bike feel worse?

I really don't get why people call riding 'training' - like all those videos last summer of "Training" videos which was just people riding natural. Why call it training? How can you train to ride trials? You ARE riding trials if you're, y'know, riding trials? A spade IS a spade...

Meh.

But nah, don't do it. Not only would you be putting yourself in more risk, but it'd also cost you more (having to have 2 sets of everything), and you'd have to get used to the feel of the different sets of parts anyway.

Just ride to have fun instead of keeping inside your max. heartrate for a 30 minute burst of doing 3 reps of rock sections or whatever...

[JIX]

So people who are training to run a marathon are just running are they? You can train to do anything.

Just because you dont call something training doesnt mean it dont exist. When I go riding I can either just go out and have a laugh messing about. Or I can go out with a specific set aim, i.e to improve my fitness, or to improve my sidehop technique. I might go into the woods and make sections all day. I would describe this as training. You are riding of course and it is fun, but training is a good description.

[Mark W]

So people who are training to run a marathon are just running are they? You can train to do anything.

No, but if people are going out running to prepare for a marathon, it's just running. "Training" would typically suggest shuttle runs, etc., which is why I don't get why people call going out riding natural to be 'training'? That's what I was getting at.

Simply riding will improve your fitness levels, or at least not lower them. Equally, whenever you ride you'll be setting yourself goals to try and do something? Even 'going out and having fun' you're still setting yourself targets like "I will hop up that wall, then I will manual there" or whatever. It's all just riding.

All it was was that I'd just read Andrei Burton's interview in MBUK (why did I buy it?!), and it was all about how he doesn't ride trials, he trains. All winter, apparently, he's training. Just kinda pissed me off, in a way. Just sounds like it's sucking all the enjoyment and spontinaeity (how the f**k...) out of trials.

[spode@thinkbikes]

I think this concept is a similar to swimming with your clothes on. Once you take them off, you can go a lot faster. It's basically resistance training. It works for road riders, but I don't think it would work for trials.

So much of trials is about movement of weight. You'd end up developing a different technique because of the weight proportions.

AFA the whole training thing. I have days when I go out to practice a specific trick. I'd probably call that practice rather than training. But I also have days where I just stick to stuff I know. There is defintely a difference between those two days, even though they are of course both riding trials.

What do I know? As I always say, a spode's a spode.

[Dai the Socket]

I know Ali C and Waddy use not so good parts, eg Hope rear wheel set-up.

then change it for his Competition wheel (King) on Comp's.

Seems to work for him..

Makes sure his expensive shit doesn't f**k up too..

[JIX]

I dont particularly say Im going training. But for example. I much prefer rolling stuff to static stuff, and I hate sidehops. But I will make myself do them because I enjoy learning, and sidehops are an essential trials move. Its just a figure of speech.

And dont you think people like Andrei, who are very good and really want to push themselves, do train. People like the coustelliers and kenny and vince actually train??

[Ali C]

I know Ali C and Waddy use not so good parts, eg Hope rear wheel set-up.

then change it for his Competition wheel (King) on Comp's.

Seems to work for him..

Makes sure his expensive shit doesn't f**k up too..

lol, news to me (Y)

I like to use the same stuff I would do in a comp. I need to know exactly how my bike reacts so I know how close I am to its limits (eg how my brakes feel, when my hub engages, what my tyres feel like, how much grip my pedals have etc)

I do however have spairs that I put on for comps, like new tyres (to suit conditions) and change pads to also suit conditions....but they are normally the same as what I normally use, but just newer.

Also, Iolo, wad and myself do go out to "train", we will go to some rocks and mark out sections and time each other. we will also go out on the street and set targets and try and beat them.

Doing the section training REALLY helps for comps, most people when out riding riding just do a couple of moves then rest, that wont help much at comps when you need to flat out for 2 mins, so training for comps like that is a big help.

most of the time however we just ride as normal (Y)

[Waddy]

i ride everyday with a set of warn out creepy crawlers,and have a new set of koxx tyers for competitions, i have different pads for different conditions aswell but thats as far as i go

i don't run different hubs or anything like that :P

most of the time however we just ride as normal (Y)

just u wait till iolo gets back ali (Y) he sead hes goin to get us out every day rain or shine :) lol

cheers

sam

[Ali C]

sounds good to me (Y) although I think the weather will shock him. I have just got back from a week in lanzarote and the weather here is awefull!! after a few months in spain he will be used to nice light warm dry days (Y)