r2wtrials

Cheddar Gorge in Somerset... about 20 minutes from Bristol down the A38 Go up the gorge past the climbing and caving centre and around 2 corners... there is a gravel parking area that is free to park in and it is just above the road there.

RobMitch and I popped 15 minutes down the road to Cheddar again yesterday... Bit windy but at least dry. Full Gallery Here..

I am led to believe the new VTT2 won't be available until after the new year at the earliest, bit of a wait!! But what that does mean is that they are testing it properly, not just releasing something for fashions sake. Not a great fan on the new idea of lighter is better... would rather have a frame that lasts longer for the sake of a few hundred grams. I bet the new Meta will be strong and ride well.

Latest results i can find... http://www.biketrial-spain.com/graellaMundial2009.pdf Dave Kerr got 10th... nice one.

ideal mate... got tryall rage bars now as well... and some monty white ones if i get bored with the colour you may notice a change in tyre colour from this weekends ride

Got to say... not heard of any breakages on a Meta frame. They are just about to release a new version as well... http://www.metabike.com/trials_vtt2.html

Been a while since i put a piccy up... had a few changes so thought it was time for an update. Echo Pure frame... 05 or 06 you lot would know better! Gu fixed rear hub on tryall rim Echo cranks with trialtech half ring and Echo TR72 freewheel. Magura/DTswiss front hub on ditch witch rim Magura rear and Hope up front with Tryall disc Meta stem, Tryall Rage bars, Tryall clamp on grips Echo forks Tensile tensioner Phat pads cnc rear pads. Tryall 2 bolt booster, Adamant cnc rear lever blade on rear new style maggie with 74kingz tpa Continental Race King front, Maxxis highroller rear... got a larson and a rubber queen for spares! I have changed all sorts of things around to get a comfortable feel and and almost there... would like a disc specific front rim at some point, and i may spray it white and have some black pinstripe graphics or something like that soon. and RobMitch would sulk if i don't put his Simtra on as well Although i love the look of some of the new frames i would be kidding myself to believe that getting one would make me ride any better!!.. At least i am not worried about scratching this one. If i were to change it would probably be to something with horizontal drop-outs as tensioners are my pet hate!! I may go back to the 74kingz soon.... we will see.

may be worth just checking out http://www.cycleguard.co.uk/home.asp as they claim to cover comp bikes etc... But as said above, you have to make sure you follow the conditions in the small print with any insurance company or they will try and wriggle out of paying.

.. so where is the one of him on his Ashton/DB

Just walked past the TV and Martyn Ashton is on there doing some trials and talking to kids about designing a bike!!!! Beat the boss i think the program is called.

could swap for a Meta stem

06 or 07 Echo Pure... not actually sure what year it is! Now i have a slightly longer stem and Rage bars fitted this weekend it feels lovely. Only the rider holding it back

I remember them... i have an old vhs video of a British Round that the 2 martins and akrigg rode in and there was a guy on one of them. Weird looking thing, almost looks like a Beta moto frame with the engine missing

Get it re-faced, that way at least you are starting with it sitting square. Then if it rubs you can use shim washers. On a similar note, i have a try-all rotor and it is actually 3 mm or so over size. I had to use by bench grinder to get it to stop rubbing on my 180mm Hope set-up. It was hitting the top of the pad groove and not the pads... just make sure that isn't the case with yours.

It was in the 80's mind! They say all fashions come around time and time again... even the shit ones!!

hmmm... what's with the poncy jeans!! Last time i saw them was when i was in college near Brighton

Ryan Pekala joined 10 times British champion, and runner up in the world motorcycle trials championship, Steve Saunders for a demo right slap in the middle of Gloucester city centre today... a great day to show the public what trials was all about and hopefully make a few friends. On the last show of the day Steve and Ryan had a challenge match through some sections, which Ryan won by getting over the Ford Fiesta sideway for a single dab against Steve's 3 on his Beta. The public loved it and were amazed at what could be done on both types of machinery... and i even had a play on some tractor tyres when the crowd had thinned down a bit full gallery HERE

I think i may have a few years on most of you here so the first riders in my top group are old boys now!! The two Martins are what inspired me to try bike trial to keep fit for my motorcycle stuff back in the mid to late 90's, turns out now i meet and chat to them they are good blokes as well! My first big name event i ever saw was at the big Cheddar downhill here in somerset in around 99 or 2000, a rider who was sooooo smoooth that it was just unreal was Thibaut Marriaux... he was on a lovely white DBR at the time i think. Awesome then, and still shit hot now. Because of my motorcycle trials background i am not really into the street or tgs stuff, skillful as it is, so my favorite rider to actually see ride these days is Ben Savage. His section riding is brilliant to watch. On video it has to be TRA and László Hegedűs ... A mention also has to go for 2 guys i saw at the wessex trial and who just seemed to have a good time whilst riding brilliantly... Dave Ker and Tim Steadman, not saying they are the best riders but both an inspiration to be near when they are having a laugh.

anyone used the DMR's yet... spec looks very similar to others that are far more expensive. They just don't have the bullshit graphics all over then trying to justify a huge price tag. Still can't figure how our motorcycle fatbars are cheaper in some cases than the cycle stuff... they have to be much stronger!

no idea... handily missed out that bit on the video!! As some will remember i had a Tensile go bang on me a month or two ago ... big time!! I have been using the Tr72 Echo since and it has been perfect and never skipped once... even with my bad riding and 14 stone of weight on it

Not thought about the Yaabaa stinger then.... i would. ... and the price is looking very good.

awesome place... i took some photos there last year as well. http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w18/r2w...ookwoodssept08/ Hopefully will be along again.

Going back to the try-all freewheel... found this http://www.vimeo.com/6052626

sadly i feel the same... seems to be taking ages, be ready for a 2010 model soon!!

As an old git stuck in his ways, i much prefer natural riding... proper trials Here is a nice little rocky place to play... http://www.vimeo.com/5997293