Phil H

Cheers dude. (Tarty Bikes all the way) I had a look at these echo cranks as a possibility: http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/product.php?id=156 What you reacon? Phil

At last some feedback . See the thing is I dont have a spare drive side crank, so ou think I should just buy any old trials crank to get me back out there? phil

I have bent my driveside crank (square taper stock cranks on an onza t-rex spec 1). After close inspection it has become clear that the crank is bent and not the bottom bracket. This is a complete pain as I've been riding hours and hours everyday and can't get enough of it. I now have a few options... 1. Replace the driveside crank - can do right away. 2. Purchase a better set of square taper cranks to fit bb - just got enough money for. 3. Purchase an ISIS bb and a new set of ISIS cranks - havent got enough money for. What do you think should be done? Is ISIS much better than square taper in your opinion? (Please include what cranks you would recommend for the option you reacon) Any help will be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Phil

Dont waste your time jsut standing there trying to do track stands its boring. Get out as much as you can. If you are starting mega basic then - get endos sorted, try doing an endo then coming back onto the back wheel, back wheel hops and pivoting on the front wheel and back wheel. Its what I started with Phil

Hmm did they look shifty, have weird voices and take pictures of you? haha im kidding That would be awesome if it ever happened but I cant believe that out of all the teenagers they could have surveyed that the majority would have said trials park. Therefore I dont see how that could be top of their list. Surely there are LOADS more kids who like other stuff. (just saying that because in my town we have about 4 trials riders in like 50,000 people or something). Phil

Everyone is always trying to get their bike lighter ad now even carbon fibre parts are coming in for trials such as the new Onza Carbon bars. I think 'weight' is over rated. This occured to me as I rode my friends very modified T-REX which weighs alot less than my T-REX. Allthough you would expect it to feel abit nicer due to the weight it just felt sketchy like there was nothing beneath me especially when kickhopping. (It is a very solid bike, and strength was not the reason for sketchyness) What are your views? Do you strive for as lighter bike as possible? Discuss Phil

Expert advice Practise is very important but dont necersarrily go straight into practising pedal hops if your a complete beginner. That sounds silly but just keep riding and they will come to you when your ready. Some people might disagree about my philosophy, but experience is as important as practise - for example I could spend all day trying to hop up a wall that was too big for me and I would not do it in 100 attempts. But if I left it and came back in a month after I'd advanced as a rider I may be able to do it. Practise what you can do ALOT and what you cant do will come to you. Im not saying dont try new stuff just when learning the basics I think its the best way. Phil

Yeh that wouldnt surprise me - trials takes so much out of you. I would even say its equivalent to more normal biknig than one hour. What I find is when I ride on my own (like a loner) I get knakered in a few hours and feel like going home because with no one to talk to I guess its just solid riding. Ah well mp3 keeps me company. Phil

I regretable had A short brake from riding. Maybe a month or less. In between I did swimming reguarly, tennis and weights. Anyway now I got my new bike I dived straight back in. The first day of Riding my shoulders ached like anything. Second day my left leg was destroyed. And after today my left tricep feels abit dodgy. Might this just be due to not using some of the 'trials specific 'muscles for other sports and then gonig straight back into using them? Phil

Are you kidding me?! I ride Basingstoke which is really good and Fleet my hometown. I tried Woking and it was absolute crap. Maybe we were in different parts - but I did go to the skatepark which was fairly big. Phil

Wouldnt go as far as to say disks suck but I run maguras front and rear and seem to do the job! As I see it a disk is just more likely to get destroyed but what do I know - If good riders use Disk up front and magura on the back I think that says enough. Phil

Basically if you got the hang of it you should be able to go up to any ammount depending on how much your legs start to burn. What I find difficult is front hops...anyone got any advice? (admittedly I havent practised them enough) Phil

haha O we've all been there. As you all know the skin gets worn red raw and then your body makes the skin grow back thicker. They hurt at the start - for example I've had to have a break for riding for a while so my skin has got soft - its going to hurt when I go back in the next couple of days but atleast there is a reason for the pain. You've jsut got to ride through the pain - be a man They can get annoying and girls really dont liek them I've found. Phil

That is so classic! Yeh he was abit unlucky on the wheels. Im well nervous that will happen to me now Phil

Anyone got a link to the face plant of a phone box neil did...I've never come across it. Also anyone got a good link to a bail vid? Phil

IM IN! me and my mate will do. Andover cant be more than a few stops away. Ha you wouldnt want to come to Fleet its crap for riding. But basingstoke is good. We need to sort our bikes and get practising again but then i'll look you up. Shouldnt be more than a few weeks. cheers Phil

Thats gay! I jsut added both the adresses. I dunno what to do but I well want those vids! Phil

Ha well if it was his sister yeh she was preety hot (the one taking the scores I guess you are talknig about?) Nah the dirt jump wasnt any good caus you couldnt keep your speed up to it (if we are talknig about the same). But anywho I did not much at all on the track - I was injured and felt weird. It was a good track though and some nice as bikes. Im well up for those vids. I'll add you now. Phil

Sorry for this possibly being a silly question. But what would a trials rider need doing that uses thiese skills? some examples? Phil

HAHA I thought that was his girlfriend!!!!!!!!! It is isnt it? Yeh im 15, 16 in like 3 days but im like 6ft 2 so had no trouble getting in. It was a laugh were some mental bikes. Closest thing I found too a trials was a mega light xc bike - all good fun. They really should have a trials area to try the bikes next year! Phil

Nah I got my shirt from Danny on the saturday. No one was handing out shirts but I had a chat with him and managed to get it off him. (I like to think my asking for it started the shirt giving out on the sunday ) ) Yeh I was preety happy getting the shirt I would have actually fought someone for it if someone had tried something. Well done beating Savage in one of the races that was - awesome! Phil

Tell you what im on the big side for a 15 year old 16 in a couple of days but he is tiny! I thought he was like 12. Was he actually competing? I saw him muching around on some obstacles but not actually in the comp. Phil

Who? one of the guys riding in the Onza B team? Phil

They are some seriously nice pics! Good quality! Phil

Yeh was a sweet day. I had a go round the test track, some mental bikes. Nexy year they NEED a place to go where u can try out trials bikes. SURELY! I talked to the onza guy about it, dave. but yeh I only got one of those repair kits:S My mate got a fairrrr few. Phil