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Dan_Trials

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Posts posted by Dan_Trials

  1. So you're saying that rather than always aspiring to do better, we should notice other people at the same standard as ourselves and then suddenly become content?

    No. A person may do something and think it isn't much, and not get much motivation from it to keep going and keep improving. By seeing that someone else has done the same thing and been applauded for it, it helps them to see that any progress as small as it may be, is good progress. This would then give them more motivation and increase their enjoyment of trials riding. Being content and making a conscious decision not to try and improve is different to taking more satisfaction from what you have achieved so far than you might otherwise have done.

    You see, if I was shit at riding, I wouldn't feel any better about being shit if tons of other people were shit. Likewise, if people think I'm shit at riding, it makes no difference, because I do it 100% for my own enjoyment.

    It depends how you get your enjoyment I suppose. Whether it's from others saying that you are good or from self praise, if it keeps you happy then good.

    Looking around at others isn't always a good way to judge whether something is acceptable or not. That's why people think it's ok to dress like hipsters.

    Ok, thanks for that.

    • Like 1
  2. Because little Timmy might manage to hop up 2 pallets and then think "That's not much of an achievement, not worth telling any one about." Then he looks on here and sees that Joe did the same thing, but Joe told people about it and every one was like "Woah Joe that's freaking awesome mann!!" Then Timmy can think to him self "Actually, I am pretty proud of what I accomplished today, I am definitely going to keep riding trials."

    • Like 2
  3. Fun...dementally unobtainable yes but if the rubber duck was on less of an incline the seahorse should work with a 325 provided you have the right size spanner. Hope it works out for you!

  4. Also worth checking that your wheel is straight, as obviously an off-centre wheel (for whatever reason; could be a poor build or simply not sitting straight in the dropout) wil mean an uneven brake setup.

    How much room do you have on the other side? If you've got room there and it's not simply down to the wheel sitting funny then you can usually get away with just dishing the wheel over a tad too (Y)

    Yeah that's a good point, the BB and cranks might be fine, it could be some thing else that's off centre.

  5. If it's only clipping on one side and the other side has plenty of room then the BB might be off centre. Measure the BB shell width and see if there is a spacer between the shell and the drive side BB cup. To try and avoid any confusion it's worth noting that the drive side cup has a flange on it but the non drive side does not (in some cases it goes into the shell by a couple of mm) so ensure that it is not the flange you are mistaking for a spacer.

    adapt_spacer.jpg

    P.S. Ignore the 'chain guide' bit.

    • Like 1
  6. Thanks for the replies guys! I think I'm going to with what Rusevelt says and just try harder! Like I said at the beginning there's no goal to improve my riding other than to enjoy it more and I guess that enjoyment will be bigger the harder you have to work for it. If I did videos of how crap I am would that just annoy every one or could people give me advice on how to improve? I've never had anyone to ride with, there's a couple guys just getting into it now in the last month or so, that's kind of what got me to get back in to trials.

  7. How can you justify making a conscious bike/frame change on the basis of spending a single day of riding. The riders i mentioned above spent years perfecting their bike riding skills. If Martyn Ashton was sidehopping over 40ins on his old Ashton Justice bike and you can't sidehop a pallet on the same bike, what makes you seriously believe that the problem is the bike rather than your lame efforts to ride it?

    I didn't say I only rode it for one day, I said I spent a day having to re-learn things which I can do very easily on a different bike. Obviously I didn't expect to get on the bike and instantly be a side hopping god so yes I spent a while trying. I was of the understanding that a higher BB frame made life on the rear wheel a bit easier and I felt it wasn't happening for me. I think I understand what you are saying but in a different way (and maybe this is frustrating you slightly, as I feel your reply was loaded slightly towards causing an argument, which I'd like to avoid). Are you saying that I should just stick with the Giant and ride it till it breaks as this is what I'm used to and what I like? If it was good enough for Martin Hawyes and loads of other riders who are a lot better than me then it should be more than good enough for me right? Then once I have got a grip on reality and realised that you don't get handed everything on a plate and you have to work hard for it and you can't just buy your self a pile of skill, then maybe I should look at buying something else?

  8. why dont you try to find a frame not to high bb and not too long so you can 2 both styles , ( like the zoo pirhana short , the echo control sl short, or an ashton)

    Had an Ashton, didn't like it. Spent a whole day having to re-learn simple front wheel stuff and then couldn't even side hop one pallet. This why I think that rather than something mid range I should go to something more extreme.

  9. Hello Dan, UFFFF! It's difficult to advice, this is not as my topic that ask which frame fits to small guys, this is pure question of taste.

    Probably ride some bike with higher BB helps you to learn some movements faster, but I don't know If you'll get stuck when change again to TGS, probably not, the thing that you learn always stay there......

    IMO that you don't have to do now is buy a "pogo stick", something with 30 or 40 BB would be correct. Just to learn something but not to feel extremely difference with streety geos.

    Always IMO, of course... :wink:

    I agree with what you say there, this is what makes me think a bigger change of bike would have more effect. I am actually thinking of 50mm BB rise and to try never to touch the front wheel as I use my front wheel a lot right now. Then when I go back to low BB I would still have the ability to do front wheel stuff but also the experience of rear wheel techniques too.

    Before you get anymore deep thought provoking ideas about upgrading your ride to improve your abilities as a rider on natural, you might wanna look at a few more videos of the likes of Hawyes, Martyn Ashton, Chris Akrigg, Eddie Tongue, and see what these guys were doing on natural terrain on simular short wheelbased, low bb trials bikes.

    Changing your Giant to an Inspired Hex, is not gonna improve your natural riding abilties in Leaps and Bounds, when you still have to ride the damn thing and put in all the necessary hard work and commitment. The bike is just a tool in which you have to learn and adapt with the terrain you wanna ride over.

    I totally agree with everything you have said there. Unfortunately I have to change my frame, if I do the bigger stuff I will break it and I don't want to do that. The opportunity is there to replace it with something completely different or quite similar, I just can't decide which!

  10. I don't usually post threads asking silly personal taste questions like this but after spending the last few days going round in circles I need a bit of help. Right now I am riding a Giant Hawyes frame (square down tube) I am having lots of fun on small walls, ledges and steps spinning and flicking about and all that but as soon as I try and hop about on some rocks it all goes wrong. The bike suddenly feels really heavy and cumbersome. Now I don't plan on doing any competitions or trying to break any TGS records but I'd quite like to be able to progress more on the natural stuff. I am already planning on replacing the Giant as I'd rather not break it and I had all but settled on an Inspired Hex. I know that even as a mainly street based geometry it will have vast improvements over the Hawziee, and also the likes of Ali C have finished high up in the rankings in competition, but would an even bigger change help me more? This got me thinking about getting a more competition orientated frame with a view to progressing my riding on the natural stuff and then get something like a Hex when I feel the time is right. As I'm just after a taster right now my mathematics say that getting a second hand frame for sub £100 even if it only lasts a few months is cheaper than buying a new one for about £400 and losing £160 (40%) on a resale a week later. If I was to extend my budget to near £200 I see I can get a complete mod in usable condition with reasonable spec also. This would allow me to throw it about a bit more as it's lighter and smaller and also have a 26" built up at the same time. I know the sensible thing to do is to buy a high BB 26" frame and just get on with learning but I really think I'd miss the ability to roll about in the town and just play about on stuff. Sorry for my elongated ramblings and I hope those that have stuck it out to this point can pull me out of this mental merry-go-round and point me in the right direction. Thanks for reading!

  11. Yeah bat man comes by every now and then and he said if it doesn't turn this time it probably will next week so just keep an eye on what the radio station says about the tree cake should be nearly ready now.

    • Like 2
  12. It's a very personal thing and really you just have to try different set ups to see what you prefer. As a general guide:

    A well set up brake will always work better.

    A rim grind will improve wet weather performance.

    There are different pad compounds for a smooth or ground rim, wet or dry conditions in various combinations.

    The feel of the brake at the lever seems to have a mental effect on how well it is working at the wheel. One person can find a brake to be amazing and get on fine with it while another can find the same brake to be spongy and useless.

    Some bleed their's with water and/or antifreeze. Magura do their own fluid called Royal Blood. You can use LHM (Citroen suspension fluid) too.

    You can get 'brake boosters' to reduce frame flex (some frames have a built in booster).

    Bear in mind also that in trials you want a brake that is good at stopping the rear wheel turning backwards too.

    There is a rim grind tutorial video on TartyBikes and also in the product description for the pads it indicates what rim finish and weather the pad is best suited to.

    Hope this helps but at the end of the day you just need to try different things to see what you prefer.

  13. Water seems to activate it a bit better, so you apply some, wait a while, rinse off, repeat. Not always practical though as it makes a massive mess.

    Media blasting (usually) and chemical dips require a bare shell, yes.

    The big wheel on the grinder is good, but watch for snagging - it will eat through a panel! Also get a cup brush (the hard type), they seem to be better for the big flat panels. Also, you can cause heat on these panels too, so watch for that!

    It's a lot of work, and about 1/4 of the way in you will wonder why you though it was a good idea and then towards the end you will wonder if you will ever find any thing solid!

    Stick at it, if it gets too much have a break, but never give up.

  14. Yeah was just about to say, they don't always have to send the whole team with the rig and everything. They are a very versatile team and do what they can for people's requirements. Plus Danny Mac is home this weekend doing a demo in Skye on Saturday!

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