Why Do You Love To Ride Trials?

[ding_dong]

I am wighting an essay about something I love so, its goin to be trials, but I need some ideas of what to wight.

so I was hoping some of you guys and girls could help me out?

As this is for my english course work could you please put a little detail, or ideas that I could wight about?

Thanks.

Ding

[Max Quinn]

Dunno how much of a help it is to you but theres a whole 4 page thread on bmx forum of 'what does bmx mean to you'. Obviously BMX but the same kinda things.

I posted one on the last page aswell. The link is here.

Max.

[Luke Drewery]

I ride trials because it is fun, that is above all the other reasons. It keeps me fit by building up my strength and burning fat, the usual good things that come from sport. I have met loads of people from riding, both in my home town and in other areas too. It has built my confidence, and gives me something to do. I also enjoy fixing things, so bike repairs naturally appeal to me. I have learnt so much from riding trials, about mentality, fitness, making friends, fixing bikes, the list goes on. I also get a good feeling from looking back at when I first started and realising how much I have improved, and new goals pop up all the time. When I accomplish one, I notice another line I want to pull. I can prove to myself that I can do things and feel good when I do them. Overall, it has become a doorway to many things that I didint know about before I rode.

[Walleee]

Unless your set that essayby your teacher which I doubt you are, i'd do something differant. Half of what you write isn't going to be understood by the examiner.

Also, if your asking, that's another indication that you havn't got enough to write about. If i remember correctly english essays back in the day were all about showing a balanced point of view, in a clear and concise manner.

Is this for any coursework or something or is it just a gay exercise set by your teacher?

you might have a lot to talk about regarding trials, but writing is a differant matter, another thing you need to consider is your audience, what are they going to find interesting in your essay, if its nothing, then they wont be motivated to read it and as such wont be as happy as if you had wrote something interesting. Given, you dont know the examiner in a proper exam situation, but that's all part of the 'test'

[Waynio]

alot of people i know are doing essays on trials, funnily enuff bucky's girlfriend has done an assignment on "Trials" too. weird i know but its appealing to a larger audience now, alot more girls are getting involved with it aswell as lads in their last year and in 6th form doing it.

Waynio.......................

[nafan]

I widh I could do english essays about trials riding instead of the crap we're doing at the minute like;

"A view from the brigde" by Arthur Miller

And shakespeare, what a load of crap, honestly!

Anyway I ride trials because I love the feeling of accomplishment (a good word, might get you a few marks ) and because I love seeing other people do things

Nathan

[Dai the Socket]

I like how trials has brought a whole new community and circle of friends. If I hadn't of ridden trials I wouldn't know lots of people I really like and get on with

Hitting a perfect line and knowing you've tried your hardest, and pulled it off, is an amazing feeling. Just incredible. I hadn't felt anything like it until recently.

That's one of the problems I'm having to think twice about stopping riding. Stuff conflicts. I've been thinking about how much I love trials, and my bike recently!

[ding_dong]

Thanks alot guys, keep 'em coming.

[Ollie Histon]

Well, trials is brilliant, there is just something about it which makes it so much more addictive than football. You keep getting better so rappidly, your skills impresss people tonnes, you're out gettin fit, accomplishing new goals everytime you ride, making new mates around the country sometimes, you can even connect it with other skills, like media when making videos. There is just one problem..... it costs a flipping bomb!

[Simpson]

I love to ride my bike, there are many different disciplines in the 1 scene, there is; BMX, downhill, cross country, trials, dirt jumping and road racing” Personally I have been through a range of these, BMX, dirt jumping and cross country but at the moment my obsession is trials riding.

When riding my trials bike people are quick to cast you as a trouble maker to disturb the peace, but personally I think completely the opposite way. Trouble makers hang round on street corners drinking alcohol and smoking dope.

Trails riding is all about the balance of the bike on mostly the back wheel. Very few trials bikes have saddles as they are in the way and the bikes are designed purely for the ride. Riding down to a spot over 4 miles is absolute hell and most bikes are only a single speed, (no gears). While on the back wheel the rider uses control of the pedals and mostly hydraulic brake systems to edge the bike forward using a lot of upper and lower body strength. The hopping and edging forward can be used to drop of walls as high as sixteen foot, or going to back wheel up 10 foot.

Trials riders share their passions on a online forum called trials-forum.co.uk here people buy and sell components, chat about available upgrades and help each other out with easy advise. People are also available to display their skills by videos and pictures described. Trials forum is stopped from getting clogged up by using a new members section were newly added members must qualify by demonstration keenness and interest in the sport this stops the forum getting abused and people getting conned e.g. selling faulty parts or taking money and not selling the goods.

For me trials is my release, when riding you don’t have to think about anything, all stress and anxiety runs out of your body and is replaced by focus and adrenaline. It’s a way to enjoy your spare time without getting into “too” much trouble.

Ricky Appleton had this to say, “Before I took up riding people were trying to get me into a whole new culture or violence and abuse, although trials was quite expensive as an original start it can be done a lot cheaper than many people may think you can spend £200 on a cheap trials bike which will get you off to a good start, but friends bikes have cost in excess of £1700! Of course trials riding isn't floor less there are always people trying to spoil the good name of the sport and abuse the system, but the MAJORITY of people who ride are great people and we have a super time while out riding.”

We nearly got beaten up while on a ride in Basildon just because the kids didn’t like what we were doing! We will keep riding because we love it so much! Minimal damage is done to any place we ride and afterwards no-one would have realised we had been there, we won’t knick your purse, vandalise your house or affect you in anyway! Lots of members of the public like what we are doing and often come up, ask what we are doing with the most common questions being

about the sport, why we don’t ride with saddles, what brake systems we run e.g. when on a big ride it London it is not un-common to get a huge about the sport, why we don’t ride with saddles, what brake systems we run e.g. when on a big ride it London it is not un-common to get a huge group of Chinese tourists surrounding us round, (which is nice but can really put you off.)

People have a lot of interest in the sport and many are eager to get in (riders range from 7 to 30 years old). The trials scene is expanding massively and many riders are coming from different disciplines, (such as BMX’ing) I original made the switch from BMX to trials because BMX’ers don’t; ride very often and all of my friends had moved on to wonderfully comfortable things….. Sofas.

But that all seemed a bit boring and looked for something new and growing that I could get straight into, although the disciplines are totally different I soon gelled in. Since joining I made loads of friends and the social scene is a lot bigger, people were very friendly and always looked to help me out.

I don’t think that trials is a nuisance. There are no parks which specialise in the trials scene as it is still only a fairly small scene and doesn’t get much attention. Some components have to be imported from as far out as America and its not the type of parts that you local bike shop will have!

Of course some people push the law and themselves and sometimes mistakes and accidents are made. But it is only the remote few.

So PLEASE when you next see a team out riding try to think about what they are trying to have a good, honest good time and don’t ridicule or try to stop them having their own fun.

Michael Simpson 11-MGB-03 2256

DONT COPY IT STRAIGHT IN THOUGH IT GOT ME A B I THINK

[Jez]

Sense of improvement and accomplishment does it for me. Nailing a huge move and thinking "f*ck, yeah!", that's what it's all about, and like someone said, looking back and realising how far you've come. It's the same with everything that I enjoy, be it playing guitar or even my job, I jsut love getting better at stuff and becoming abnormally skilled. To be able to do stuff that others can't. Plus there's the added side effects of it keeping you in shape and people being amazed that you can get yer bike up something that high...I remember thinking one day that I could get my bike up stuff that I couldn't jump up on foot. It brought a smile to my face. The other great thing is riding with someone who's *really* good and egging them on - when they do something huge there's this massive mutual respect thing that everyone has. They might not be the world's nicest guy, but by god they can ride. I've always been one for bucking the trend as well, so being as it's something that not many people did back when I started riding, it kinda made you one of a select bunch of skilled people. And like someone else posted further up, I like mechanical stuff - my dad's a mechanical engineer, and I guess some of it rubbed off on me; I used to kid myself that I hated spending hours trying to get my V-brakes perfectly aligned, or bleeding my maguras or fitting a new chain...then one day I realised I actually enjoyed it, as perverse as that sounds I think I have a thing about troubleshooting, which is why I enjoy my job.

Plus, there's nothing quite like watching a video you've just recorded and seeing how impressive something you did looks...

[nafan]

Another thing I love about trials is when you go somewhere and meet loads of riders who you don't know for sh*t and end up being real good mates by the end of the day...

For example I rode with some guys at cromer carnival and met this guy called Adrian from sherringham, and we're still in touch, in fact he rang me the other day and asked if I wanted to go to a big ride in Sherringham, however I was unfortunately 70 miles away at home...

Nathan...

[Mr Motivator]

Dont do it on trials, or any sport for that matter. You just end up in a bottomless pit.

Try something else for the essay.

Coming from personal experiece anyway.

[PaRtZ]

Bacon makes me look sexy...

Oh trials right..

[sentimental]

I ride trials because it keeps me fit, active, allows me to socialise with others similar to myself but mostly because I believe the very nature of trials reflects the sort of person I am:

Abnormal, crazy, lightweight (11 stone ), original and against all forms of a 'normal life'

I found football boring, rugby brutal, tennis wimpish, cricket slow, snooker lazy and swimming too relaxing. I needed a sport which was a great adrenaline rush whilst at the same time give me a great feeling towards my social life. Downhill is another choice for me, but its a wee bit pricey at the mo

The are two reasons why I ride; either to 'train' or learn new moves/heights or when its a 'ride'. On the 'rides' I go out 80% JUST to socialise. I feel really comfortable with the rest of the guys here in north wales, and even when theres people I don't ride with often like the lee + adam (merseytrial), the yorkshire lads etc. I still feel a sense of friendship Its like I can be friends with any trials rider I meet. [/sentimental]

I know thats not true though because I found out today that there are 2 chavs trying to take up trials in my school. Haha

[The Foamoi Refresher]

havent read all the replies, but heres my answer to your question, this is what i would do

look at how different people look at trials, bikes, sport, ethics, the people, the passion

i see trials as many different things, one of them is an art form, it is an artistic sport if your into a particular style of riding. i like no hops, just very fluid moves, done to perfection, nick g is good at this. total controll is the most important thing to me, landing that gap to manual perfectly, and then flipping the cranks on the edge of that 5 foot wall, and then landing smoothly. it is just pure art. you get that euphoric feeling that you have accompished something, and when you have it on camera, even better, cos you get to show the rest of the world what you have achieved

talk about how trials bikes began, first riders, to what it has evolved to. why has it evolved, and how the trials scene has grown dramatically. look at how many riders used to be in the spotlight, the two marts, and now, thanks to trials forum, we all know each other, meeting for rides, riding our bikes, its about being in this community, and we all help each other. but there ae highs and lows too, when certain riders quit, we have lost thier input into trials, they could have made things go that little further, wasting thier tallent. braking bike parts, braking bones, the fear of riding, going that much bigger, pushing your boundries,

'the obstacles are just in my way, and i just want to get past them' the pyscological effects of riding a bike. its addictive, im addicted to riding my bike, if i get real stressed out, i go for a ride, theraputic, its my way out, being in a world of my own, just playing with tricks

is it ethicle for us to be riding on these placs we do, people get pissed off, they dont see it how we do, they see it as mindless vandlism, destroying what tax-payers put money into, they dont see it as sport, just hooligans. or passers by going WOW! look at that

the riders, the whole sence of comunity again, being there for each other, lending your mates bike bits so they can ride, cus they aint got no money, or no parts, trials-riders are good people generally. th passion, of being on two wheels, perfect balance, just being free to go where ever my bike takes me.

those are just some of the issues that i would use, only really a rough plan, but i hope it helps

oh yeah, and i do it for fun, thats the most important part, you need to enjoy it to experience it fully

luisio

Edited January 5, 2006 by The Foamoi Refresher

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

when you nail that line you've been looking at for ages

its just beautifull

and the very tight scene , dont see anything like it in any other stuff

luis , you make far too much sense , sound like someone i'd love to meet on a ride

Edited January 5, 2006 by Charel

[Onza T-pro Rob]

I love to ride trials because its different to all the other mountain bike sports, its alot more impressive in my opinion. I love it when people watch me and think WOW!! even if i just did a simple trial hop because i can't do much, the other day some 10 or 12 year olds were impressed with me and my mate and my mate can't trial hop yet (he will learn soon though ).

I love it when trials gets a crowd going.

Rob.

[Krisboats]

I widh I could do english essays about trials riding instead of the crap we're doing at the minute like;

"A view from the brigde" by Arthur Miller

And shakespeare, what a load of crap, honestly!

Anyway I ride trials because I love the feeling of accomplishment (a good word, might get you a few marks ) and because I love seeing other people do things

Nathan

Shakespeare definately knew his shit!

I love riding because its f**kin awesome to look back and see how you've managed to ride over the most unimaginable thing in the world. Like a gap from a roof to a phone box to a rail then to another rail and back onto the safe floor. If you look at the items on their own and think how can i ride them , its just puzzling. I mean, its a roof and a phonebox and a rail. How should it be possible to ride them? Thats what fascinates me.

plus all the other stuff like keeping me fit and it being fun and relaxing and a way to escape life for a bit.

[MesaMan]

It sets me free

[Koxx_TryAll]

While reading this lovely post I was thinking "Wait, this is an essay for you, about your opinion, but you're asking other people for their's meaning it's not why you love trials, it's why trials forum loves trials." So think about that, read over this, but think long and hard about why YOU like it, not why these misfits that I love so dearly do

[modrider666]

Ermm,

Where do i start ,

Firstly i love the sport itself, Its impressive to do. And feels good when you nail a gap etc.

But, I also do it for the Atmosphere.

When everyone goes to a ride and your with a bunch of really cool people that enjoy the sport as much as you do.

Its great

[ding_dong]

While reading this lovely post I was thinking "Wait, this is an essay for you, about your opinion, but you're asking other people for their's meaning it's not why you love trials, it's why trials forum loves trials." So think about that, read over this, but think long and hard about why YOU like it, not why these misfits that I love so dearly do

I know that this is why the forum loves to ride trials. Its just, I can talk about why I love it, but i find it hard to put it into words, and i have already done this essay, and i am re-drafting it, and my teacher said that i need to include a little more. I couldn't think what else to put, so i thought that I would ask for the help of you guys, oh and btw you have been a very good and very big help.

I have not re-drafted the essay yet so still feel free to add more.

Once again thanks.

Ding.

[Walleee]

I know that this is why the forum loves to ride trials. Its just, I can talk about why I love it, but i find it hard to put it into words, and i have already done this essay, and i am re-drafting it, and my teacher said that i need to include a little more. I couldn't think what else to put, so i thought that I would ask for the help of you guys, oh and btw you have been a very good and very big help.

I have not re-drafted the essay yet so still feel free to add more.

Once again thanks.

Ding.

Bummer, I guess your stuck with it, so my advice about doing it on something else and the fact that trials is boring to write about isn't of much use.

Post up what you have allready and well see what we have to work with...

[ding_dong]

Well.....the thing is, when I had to right the essay my stupid computer had broken down, so i had to hand right the whole 5 pages! And as if 5 pages is not enough, he wants more!!!

so I will post up my final thing, when I type it all up, it will be 5 or less pages because I have fairly big hand wighing .

So I will post up before i hand it in, and see what you guys think??

Ding.

[The Foamoi Refresher]

Bummer, I guess your stuck with it, so my advice about doing it on something else and the fact that trials is boring to write about isn't of much use.

Post up what you have allready and well see what we have to work with...

trials is NOT boring to write about at all, you just have to enjoy writing to be able to do it, i love writing, i could write you the whole essay, and you could get an A*, but then it would be my essay. if you wana do it on trials, go for it, its a great topic, saying its not a good thing to write about, just means you cant really love it that much, or explain how you feel in words

writing is fun,

luis