foxinsocks

Well, neither the Zenith nor the Zoot are an option anymore (zenith is priced too high, Onza was sold a second before i took it) So im either gonna go for the Toxsin, or wait for something else. Im just having doubts about the toxsin frames. Cant find any decent reviews on them, and they dont looks too "inspiring" to ride. Its tough to judge just by looking at it though.

Sure... Thats whats so intriguing about it too:)

Or you can just heat them up and use them to make Belgian Waffles..

Whoops... i forgot the "not" in there. Meant to say basic truing ISN'T too difficult. I agree, everyone should know the basics. The problem is - many people overdo it on the first few times. messing it up, then trying to compensate... which only makes it worse. (i know i myself have learned the hard way:)

Well, the verdict was unpredictable... Im going with the (*drums please....*) Onza Zoot (2009). Something came up with shipping prices, so its seems like the Pitbull is out of my budget. Then it was left out to a 2007 Toxsin VS. Onza zoot The toxsin is uber long... 390 chainstays and 1090wb. While the Onza just seems more... naughty The specs on the Toxsin are top notch, but the onza has all the needed upgrades (bb, cranks, stem etc....) so it doesnt fall too far behind. I have been riding trials for a while, so im not a total newbie, but i still want a bike to help me progress faster. Guess this is why i think i'll go with the Onza... simply because it looks more nimble. (plus, im super curious about it!) Am i being a total idiot here...?

a) you dont true the rim, unless you have some experience. Basic truing is so difficult, but you should have some idea of what you're doing. Its a simple and cheap procedure at a local bike shop usually. you can also check some online tutorials, there are plenty (check out the website of guru "sheldon brown"). And again, do it with care, its easy to do more damage than good if you're rushing it. i've used Avid Single Digit's and they're brilliant. any decent V brake will do, its mostly a matter of setup and decent pads. V brakes lock really well when dialed. c) at first try little hops going backwards, while pulling the bars towards you. start with arms stretched, lean back, and when you're at the sweet spot pull the handlebars a little bit towards you. rear brakes lock, yeah? that should get you hopping a bit, usually backwards. when you're comfy with that, u can start pedal kicks to get the wheel up. and yeah, hopping in place is easier than standing on the wheel motionless (ever tried a pogo stick?) There are tons of tutorials - everyone started from something! just google, and soon enough you'll be elbow deep in them. d) track stand- when you stand with the bike in place, pretty much motionless. both wheels on ground. great way to improve balance and THE basic trial move i guess... (at least until i get the hang of tap ups)

I never thought its possible to manual on both wheels... but this frame proved me wrong! another 5mm of travel on that fork, and you can officially call it a manual

Also started on a Trek. Which held surprisingly well, considering the XC Racing rims. 1) true front rim and get a brake 2) adjust both brakes so that they bite and lock well. i.e - both pads touch at the same time, and all pads makes contact with the rim at once (sometimes they're a bit angled to help with modulation). 3) start by practicing rear wheel hops by leaning forwards with brakes locked, then rocking back. get the balance right. improve your balance by practicing Track Stand for a few minutes each time... it pays. 4) move on to pedal kicks, hopping on rear , bunnyhops and such... enjoy

Sweet, I like getting my opinion validated Thx.

First, i posted the same question on the "Trials Chat" forum... sorry for flooding (really need advice). Delete if you must. Well, it boils down to two 26" stock finalists... and i can't decide! (and i've got 2 days to make up my mind, tops) On the right Corner - Zoo Pitbull Specs: Chris king rear hub. Echo urban forks, Middleburn cranks with Koxx bottom bracket . Echo stem and Zoo bars, Magura front disc w Magura rear hs33 rim brake Koxx tyres and rear Koxx rim, front Mavric wheel. On the left corner: Zona Zenith Tensile 96 click Free wheel Tensile Single speed kit Tensile CNC Crankset Magura Hs33 brakes Onza FLY guy Alloy fork Cane Creek C2 Headset and Onza Isis Bottom Bracket Legendary Hog pierced front and rear Rims on Onza sealed hubs Tried the Pitbull and loved the frame. Never seen a zenith though. Specs are both top notch. The only noticable difference is the Chris King hub VS the Tensile FFW. (Which is better?) Considering the lame paint job on the Zenith (Who said "WordArt?")- the pitbull looks better. But i'll strip the paint anyway. (Plus - i live in Israel, and in Hebrew, "Zona" means " Wh#re ". So if you thought avoiding all the "Where's your seat???" comments was tough... think again) My heart is leaning towards the Zoo, but its mostly cuz i know how good it is, while the Zona is a big unknown... So, am i missing something? Can anyone share any experience about the Zenith?

Well, it boils down to two 26" stock finalists... and i can't decide! (and i've got 2 days to make up my mind, tops) On the right Corner - Zoo Pitbull Specs: Chris king rear hub. Echo urban forks, Middleburn cranks with Koxx bottom bracket . Echo stem and Zoo bars, Magura front disc w Magura rear hs33 rim brake Koxx tyres and rear Koxx rim, front Mavric wheel. On the left corner: Zona Zenith Tensile 96 click Free wheel Tensile Single speed kit Tensile CNC Crankset Magura Hs33 brakes Onza FLY guy Alloy fork Cane Creek C2 Headset and Onza Isis Bottom Bracket Legendary Hog pierced front and rear Rims on Onza sealed hubs Tried the Pitbull and loved the frame. Never seen a zenith though. Specs are both top notch. The only noticable difference is the Chris King hub VS the Tensile FFW. (Which is better?) Considering the lame paint job on the Zenith (Who said "WordArt?")- the pitbull looks better. But i'll strip the paint anyway. (Plus - i live in Israel, and in Hebrew, "Zona" means " Wh#re ". So if you thought avoiding all the "Where's your seat???" comments was tough... think again) My heart is leaning towards the Zoo, but its mostly cuz i know how good it is, while the Zona is a big unknown... So, am i missing something? Can anyone share any experience about the Zenith?

I've tried my share of bikes - from Zebdi's to Zoo's. Just a week ago i tested, in one ride, a Pitbull, Echo Control, BT Raven, Fourplay and even a Mod. They all felt great, and i couldnt really go wild cuz i wasnt used to any of them. 24" had potential - its so light and flickable. Still, its less stable on the rear wheel, and i felt more at home on the 26" (a matter of getting used to i guess). Gut feeling - if im going towards "pure" trials. u know, the more "static" type of riding - a long frame will feel ok. But i got a feeling it will be easier to progress on a medium frame, like 1065-1080wb, rather than a super long one. Also, isnt 390mm a bit long for chainstays by today's standards?

Well, im on the market for a new bike, and i came across a '07 Toxsin frame. 1095 wheelbase, 390mm chainstays and +35mm rise. Now... i dont know how to treat these numbers. seems quite long on both ends, and im wondering if maybe it'll be a little too much. Im an intermediate rider, and i want something to help me progress faster. I ride urban trials. Also, im not the most flexible of guys.... i know it improves with time, but generally - i find it very much easier to bunnyhop or manual on a medium or short frame. But all my riding friends keep telling me - the longer the better:) Any thoughts? (especially if anyone has tried those frames and can compare them to something like the Pitbull or Control).

Im... hmm... Strangely aroused. :$

Nah... the only thing i hit was the pavement I was surprised he didnt fly away the moment i got close. (i was on the rear wheel for some time...)

Well, first post here... so i thought i'd make a douche out of myself. So... i was hopping around on my friend's old Zebdi. When i saw a.... duck! So i tried the old "elmer fudd" sneaking method. (sorry this pic isnt the sharpest) Turns out his maguras had a weak day... The duck had the last laugh.

Well, feels like an A.A meeting sort of introduction, but what the heck... Im 25y.o. Actually not from around - i live in Israel. Been practicing trials for a few years now, but unfortunately never had the time to really get into it cuz of university. Got a Planet X Jack Flash for trials. single speed setup with maguras. Decent trials rig, though im looking for a more trials specific frame now. Also got a Mongoose Teocali Elite for AM riding, and a speedy Trek8000 for some XC. Make my living as a photographer, mainly for the Israeli edition of MBAction magazine (and other boring stuff). feel free to check out my site at http://www.lior.dayan.org.il (in Hebrew, but simple enough for a monkey to browse through) I imagine many people think of israel as a backwater country with no leisure time whatsoever, but you'd be surprised... the mountain biking scene here is un-f**king-believable. Tons or riding locations and trails, packed to the brim with top notch bikes on weekends. I doubt there are many places on earth with a higher "MTB per Person" ratio than here. The weather's pretty good for riding all year round, so it has really caught up here. Unfortunately, the trials scene is still rather small. Though it has been rapidly growing in the past 2 years, we are still no more than 20 core riders. (small country, after all) So, if any of you ever come around to our neck of the woods...

Start with the "endo method"- lock both brakes, rock your body and bike forwards thus lifting the rear wheel slightly. when going back down, spring lightly backwards to bring the back up. elbows should be straight or only slightly bent . dont use your arms to lift the front- its the weight shifting that does that. slowly go higher, till you find the bike's tipping point and get comfy with it. then, add a small hop when you get to that tipping point. slightly pull the bars towards you and spring. brakes still locked. this should cause you hop backwards. seems dumb, but its a great practice. then, when you're all done with that, move on to something more practical like hopping to rear using a pedal kick. lock front brakes, kick the pedals, strong foot forward, until you end up on the rear wheel with the same body position as before. then the trick is to get a few of those. this comes pretty naturally once you got the first kick and you're fairly relaxed on it. Goodluck.

dont forget the difference between mod and stock - the torque on a mod wheel is much smaller than the one acting on a 26" wheel. brakes that can easily lock a 20" wont always lock a 26" wheel. if you're a big fella, get a good brake and decent pads. also use a larger rotor up front.

The way i see it- front is anyone's choice. a large disc brake usually does the trick in terms of locking the wheel, though i must admit i havnt really tried any big taps. it has more modulation, which is nice for rolling endos and such. On the back though i havn't seen many discs that outperform the rim brake, especially on a stock bike. i'd stick with a rim brake on the back for that all important "on-off" feeling. personal preference, but theres a reason its the most commonly used option.

Thanks, i'll keep those opinions in mind. Rode a pitbull, a raven and a echo control today... brilliant frames, all of them. perhaps thats really the direction i should go toward. As for the JackFlash - i love mine deeply, i think its a masterpiece of a frame (and i've ridden a few), but its versatility is also its weakness. You could make a DJ bike out of it, but unless you're really tall - its a little on the long side of things. you could use it for trials, quite well too, but i feel i progress 3 times faster on "real" trial frames. if you're looking for that "one bike" that willbe brilliant on street freeriding, and also do some dirt and trials- its perfect. but its not THE best at neither of them. (if you ask me:)

Old school good, or old school bad? Im looking for a little more "solid" opinion The jackflash is nice. Killer frame, but just doesnt feel like a proper trials bike with a short rigid fork. Its too long to be considered an urban/DJ frame, but doent really have the chainstays and feel of a trials frame. I love it, it does EVERYTHING well... but it isnt a trials frame. I feel i can progress faster on a proper frame. question is- will the Revell suit my needs? I know it isnt light, but i got a real bargain on it. im just worried the geometry won't be trials-oriented enough. Anyone ever ridden one of those?

Was thinking of getting an old Revell steel trials frame (stock 26"). Anyone try those ever? I couldnt find much information to go by Chainstays are 15 1/2 " Top tube 21" weighs in at 2.8KG Currently have a Jack Flash, so im looking for something way more "trialsy". Can it compare with more "modern" frames like zoo/Onza/echo? Anyone???