F-Stop Junkie Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I realise this is something that I bang on about quite a bit, but I've just looked though the new MBUK, and I'm really worrying where trials is going wrong in terms of getting coverage.Ok, going on memory here, the most recent bits of press trials has received are the Beleay/Hermance feature, the indoor ride stuff from the Doneys, and then the Animal stuff and HipHop every month. Even Chris Akrigg's appearances through Nick Larsen have been for his non-trials riding rather than hopping through rocks and street stuff.I appreciate that Nick Larsen and Animal have good relationships with MBUK, and it's great that they - with Chris and Martyn - get some coverage for trials. Without them, and without Martyn being heavily involved with MBUK we probably wouldn't have anything.What interest and infuriates me in equal measures, is why trials is given so little coverage as a sport in it's own right. Take this month's MBUK - The slopestyle article could be a discussion amongst Martyn, Ben Savage, Chris Akrigg and Chris Doney about the future of trials. Have a review of a new bike - say the Koxxboxx. Training for trials. Reviews of new trials bits. Grouptest of trials bikes. Profile of new, upcoming rider(s). A review of riding areas (instead of the trail guide)... Even this month's HipHop is a quarter street moves (which have been in the mag in the last few months anyway). I appreciate there's a trials/street crossover involved, but at what point is it/isn't it trials?Having spoken with a number of other magazine editors over the years, including one indepth quite recently, a lot see trials as too derivative. It bears so little relation to mountain biking at large that it's ignored, where as anyone doing a decent on an XC ride can then identify with DHers and free riders. They see themselves when they watch Kranked or Roam, just as we identify with CLS or Danny Holroyd when we watch a trials video. We seem to have reached a point where trials bikes and riding is so extreme, so specialised, that it's barely cycling, and magazine editors worry about why they'd include trials when their readers won't down their OS maps or full face lids to try backwheeling a gap. When I started (1994) riders like Libor Karas and Hans Rey - as well as Jez Avery and Paul Hudson - got so much coverage because it was different and special. Rob Warner used to do features on how to get over logs on a rigid bike with a Girvin Rockring, and wheelies and endos were common place in MBUK. Then after the MBUK trials boom of 2001, new staff came to MBUK and the focus moved onto other things. Until Martyn got more involved recently, I was worried trials would leave MBUK completely and move just into the novelty realm to a point where only Internet Geeks would discuss it.Just kidding.So what can be done? Do we need more people promoting themselves and the sport, rather than waiting for the media to pick up on what we're doing? I know a lot of people will say "I don't want more coverage, I get everything I need from TF and I like it being small", but with more coverage comes more riders, more parts, more bike development, more sponsors, more money, bigger events and so on... Imagine having a Bike Battle every year!Thoughts?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walleee Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I do sometimes think the same as you have, but then I go back to when I used to ride, and we were on XC bike's with rigid fork's, I tried to get a Mission Jumpin' jack ordered for xmas one year and couldn't, ended up with a giant boulder alu team. I had to have a custom bash ring made, to bolt to my crank which I had hack sawed away the largest chain ring, and bolted the bash to the middle ring.Threw on some blue GT fork's, a set of riser bars and went riding 'trials.' This was around the time the MBUK article came out with the guy's riding a quarry on the IOW, that article did it for me, some of those bikes were gorgeous, I remember a heavy tools in particular. Then I got a mission trials pro, one of the very first frames mission brought out, and one I'd love to get hold of today. Even then, that frame was really a dirt jump frame, and was built up using a classic CNC billet type stem, bars that came on the very first spesilised P3, and some random red raleigh forks, along with D521 rims and deore hubs. At the time D521's were THE rim to have.Skip forward 3-4 years and I get back into bike's, monty is no longer unobtainable, Koxx are available, I had NEVER heard of them when I rode before, not to mention Deng and all the choice he has brought.Considering that trials as a sport is still very much in its infancy, I think thing's are progressing at a fair good rate. but the scene over here in Ireland is really dire, you guys don't realise how lucky you are having comps around the country, If we had one for the entire of ireland, I'd be doing my absolute best to get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 This isn't a nostalgia thread, it's asking why there isn't more trials coverage in the mainstream. Has trials moved so far away from normal people that don't see themselves as being able to do it, or even see any relevance to their riding?Why isn't trials featured as the sport it is throughout all cycling, instead of brushed aside by most of the media? Is it a lack of cheerleaders, of marketing people - except Animal really - moving it forward?Perhaps the only motivated people in trials focus on their own area, because it's their livelyhood and it doesn't give them time - or it's outside their expertise - to do other marketing work which helps trials as a whole, not just their interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Bit of a wild idea, but do you think Magazine advertising has anything to do with the massive DH coverage and limited trials coverage? Theres an advert on almost every page for bike shops, and a full page for tarty. Tarty is THE only 100% trials shop advertised. The others are for 'normal' bike shops or DH suppliers.Theres always some tour of a factory that makes Santa Cruz frames or whatever, its advertising at its best! And to be honest, me thinks MBUK require a few peices of paper with the queens head on for some factory tour...otherwise its just free advertising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walleee Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Sorry, I didn't put my point across properly, to sum it up I was getting at the fact that trials is not only a minority sport, but fairly new aswell.I was responding mainly to your last paragraph about how with media coverage the scene will 'progress' as to how to get more coverage? I havn't a clue im afraid.Regarding anzo's post, i'd say the article's featured in mags will generally bear some resembalance to the advertising, no point putting an ad in a magazine for roadies as a MTB shop. In the same way, a shop that specilises in DH, won't advertise in a trials orientated mag. If there were more trials shops, perhaps the revenue generated from their ad's would be sufficient to make a small magazine or newsletter, but still, that's not reaching out to non-riders..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future orange 660 Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 compared to a few years ago... its massive!its growing at an extreme rate. things dont happen evernight though. people see riders..start riding...the process multiplies itself. it is getting bigger. without the publicity of other sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Just to throw another idea into the pot...Is trials unmarketable? Its pretty geeky in its true form, which is possibly why the whole gap/sidehop/drop riding is found on the internet/TV more readily.I feel BMX and DH has a cool image, trials is just geeky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Just to throw another idea into the pot...Is trials unmarketable? Its pretty geeky in its true form, Isn't trials very similar to freerunning in terms of being impressive, astounding, and heavily technique based? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walleee Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Isn't trials very similar to freerunning in terms of being impressive, astounding, and heavily technique based?Except for the £1000 bike mummy has to buy rather than £40 trainers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixed Pants™ Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) I've only read the first post... But to comment, if it becomes more main stream perhaps bikes will become a lot cheaper as they can make more at once. Would be good if that did happen because quite frankly, trials parts and bikes are way too over priced for my liking.Although i'd like it o become more mainstream, part of me doesn't want it to be, as we'll get kids (say from 7-12) riding about on trials bikes and using it as a form of transport, and not as a trials bike.Also, they'll be a lot of shite makes such as apollo, magna, shogun (oh, they already have) diamond back (again, they already have) and the typical Halfords brands producing shite trials bikes that's gonna devalue the sport and just make it seem shit.I'd like something in the middle, such as golf (bad example) but like, you need special clubs to play the sport (not just a shit putter and a shit 9 iron), not played by many but it still a popular sport that gets onto TV etc... Edited December 21, 2006 by Fat Pants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I've only read the first post... But to comment, if it becomes more main stream perhaps bikes will become a lot cheaper as they can make more at once. Would be good if that did happen because quite frankly, trials parts and bikes are way too over priced for my liking.Ever seen the price of a decent DH rig? You could by a brand new car for the price of most of those bikes. Trials is CHEAP. Even cross country bikes break into the £1000 barrier.I think the unmarketable comment is fair, but its not just a cycling problem. Look at how motorcycles fails to motocross and GP and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Look at how motorcycles fails to motocross and GP and all that.If you go to a motorcycle event, it's amazing to me how many bikers attend, because it's a way of life. Plus bikers seem interested in all things motorcycle. They'll watch MotoGP, attend the world Trials champs, meet up at biker pubs and so on. If it has a motorcycle in it, then they're interested, they don't (generally) ignore one bit, and only like others...What I'd like in cycling is more general acceptance of different disciplines by everyone. I'm not a roadie, but I enjoy watching the Tour de France, and can appreciate the effort. Plus I enjoy XC rides in the hills, and trials. It's all cycling, and I'm a cyclist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Evil1 Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 why there isn't more trials coverage in the mainstream. Errrm one of the main reasons i think, is no one is trying to?I know trials is getting bigger and bigger, but thats just in the trials world really.No one is really pushing it to be in ( example) the x games or major things like that.And with the recent boom of trials/ street, there seem to be soo many divids, you cant just be a trials rider anymore. You get put into categorys, Your either a comp rider or a new skool street rider, or an old skool street rider etc, which doesnt help.Also, on the mbuk side of things, it isnt " moving with the times" it still sticks with martyn, chris etc ( not a complaint) So people who look in mbuk just see, their view of trials, or their style.I probably have made no sense at all, and i dont know if i have gotten my point across the right way hahaBut oh well Hope it makes some sense, and i dont seem a complete n00b Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 If you go to a motorcycle event, it's amazing to me how many bikers attend, because it's a way of life. Plus bikers seem interested in all things motorcycle. They'll watch MotoGP, attend the world Trials champs, meet up at biker pubs and so on. If it has a motorcycle in it, then they're interested, they don't (generally) ignore one bit, and only like others...Not exactly the point I was getting at, I refered more to coverage. Its on Eurosport and M&M and that pretty much it. Like us, expect we get zero TV coverage.Motorcycle trials is starting to come out of the 'gentlemens sport of the 1900's' and into the more 'extreme' sport as they call it. Mainly thanks to publications such as Out Of Section and Jason Finn, however to call this trials is an understatment, its just stunts and shit on what happens to be a trials bike.Coverage could be put down to variations in riding, for example BMX...so many ways of riding...flat land, skateparks, street ect. Trials, natural or street.How to DH riders rate MBUK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelistic Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Except for the £1000 bike mummy has to buy rather than £40 trainers.I think the cost puts a lot of people off, along with the (perceived?) difficulty of most of the techniques.Also the thing that put me off getting a trials specific bike is the fact that they are not much use for any other type of riding than trials. A freeride-lite bike can be used for transport, XC, DH,FR and a bit of trials.A trials bike is not much easier than running and so it's purpose is different to your average bike.I don't think trials is premoted as something that can be done on any bike because most riders know the benifits of trials specific bikes whereas to a non-trials rider a trials bike looks weird (low gears and no seat).Trials is not really part of mainstream MTBking and is very expensive for a 'street sport'.I hope this makes sense Edited December 21, 2006 by Rebelistic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Stop Junkie Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I think there's also a big gap between what the beginner sees CLS doing, and what they can expect to do themselves. I think I could get a bike down a world class DH course, not quickly, but I could do it. Could I walk - let alone get a bike - across an Elite trials section? Probably not.Mind you, kids on skateboards dream of doing 900s out a 30ft half pipe, doesn't stop them learning to olly. At least they are using the same equipment as Tony Hawk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixed Pants™ Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) I think if we really want the publicity someone needs to get off their arse that isn't on a seat and go to the BBC or write into blue peter or something.Bubsy not me!Seems all mouth no trousers, stop chatting about it and do something? Can we all have a think and think of any relatives in the media industry and see if we can contact them for some coverage? Edited December 21, 2006 by Fat Pants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Bleech Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 What interest and infuriates me in equal measures, is why trials is given so little coverage as a sport in it's own right. Trials has become to specialist and extreme for normal mtb mags, but it isn’t big enough for a specific mag to be viable. trials is between a rock and a hardplace Trials also features in MotoTrials mags, but those are often very comp orrientated and goes through the results and are quite boring to read. This isn’t a rant against comps before anyone starts…I would like to see a free internet zine, like section 7 but with more stuff! Pretty much with all this in…Take this month's MBUK - The slopestyle article could be a discussion amongst Martyn, Ben Savage, Chris Akrigg and Chris Doney about the future of trials. Have a review of a new bike - say the Koxxboxx. Training for trials. Reviews of new trials bits. Grouptest of trials bikes. Profile of new, upcoming rider(s). A review of riding areas (instead of the trail guide)... Even this month's HipHop is a quarter street moves (which have been in the mag in the last few months anyway). I appreciate there's a trials/street crossover involved, but at what point is it/isn't it trials?Also I would enjoy reading about roadtrips and articles where that kinda have a personality (see ride, dirt and dig for this )Could always do a ‘zine, like a music one but on trials! That could be cool too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walleee Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I think there's also a big gap between what the beginner sees CLS doing, and what they can expect to do themselves. I think I could get a bike down a world class DH course, not quickly, but I could do it. Could I walk - let alone get a bike - across an Elite trials section? Probably not.Mind you, kids on skateboards dream of doing 900s out a 30ft half pipe, doesn't stop them learning to olly. At least they are using the same equipment as Tony Hawk...And the majority of football player's will not end up in man utd, but because it's a fairly cheap sport they take it up, i'd imagine a skateboard would cost no more than £250 for a really good one? I don't really know but I'd say cost is a fairly big factor, that and like you say, it's percieved difficulty..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 I think if we really want the publicity someone needs to get off their arse that isn't on a seat and go to the BBC or write into blue peter or something.Bubsy not me!Seems all mouth no trousers, stop chatting about it and do something? Can we all have a think and think of any relatives in the media industry and see if we can contact them for some coverage?By that comment I can guess that you've never actually tried to contact the BBC. Honestly, its like trying to contact the dead.Secondly, it wont work at simple as that, theres 10s of thousands of people wanting TV broadcasts that simply wont get them...the only people willing to put trials on TV is Blue Peter...and that happened not long ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixed Pants™ Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Roll on more of it then.Make it a monthly thing on blue peter?I know my ideas aren't great and it's easier said than done but i'm just throwing ideas into the pot. Also, if we really want coverage we need to act. Edited December 21, 2006 by Fat Pants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 That reminds me actually, riding near a resturant/bar once, and a very drunk, very attractive young woman came out asking for our numbers as she worked for MTV and was interested in doing an extreme sports article.She never rang though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzo Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Make it a monthly thing on blue peter?Haha, brings back memories of the presenter that tried it...straight over the handlebars I think the only way to solve this is more public events! Get onto Red Bull for another bike battle, that was probably the best promotional tool to ever happen in trials, and the best one thats likely to happen.I'd imagine Red Bull and MBUK would have a pretty close relationship with guaranteed coverage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abe Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 when the world round was held at addingham moorside, they had like a big event here in skipton,I couldn't make it. But I expected there to be loads more riders popping up in skipton.but there has been nothing at all. couldn't believe it.Theres no riders at my school and the only other riders there are here are at uni most of the time now.Its deteriating a bit here in Skipton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fixed Pants™ Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Also, there aren't enough riders in the UK to promote it, theres only every about 15 MAX in any given area.There used to be about 15 (am i right Nick?) riders around here, now there's 3 left, me Nick, and Nicks friend Ben, really annoying as i don't get to ride with them two much, Nicks at uni (currently home) and Ben's always drunk the night before Shame how posts have died off Edited December 21, 2006 by Fat Pants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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