Caranx

I know exactly what you mean about the cost of the sport being as expensive as you make it Matt. I am also a "tinkerer" and can't leave well enough alone. So I usually end up with lots of spare gear and keep upgrading things.I often end up with the "All the gear, no idea" syndrome, as when you get older it is sometimes easier to buy new parts and upgrades than to learn new skills. But that is my personality and it is what makes sports that have some technology in them fun for me. It is particularly rewarding when you do get good enough to appreciate the upgrades and realize that they are worth the money you spent on them. Having said that I am usually more enthusiastic than skilled and so buy the upgrades before I really need them, but with trials riding it seems that there is a very definite (and steep as you said Stewie) learning curve so hopefully I can rein in my enthusiasm to buy parts until the skill level catches up. Lots of practicing ahead I think.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I never thought about bashing the rotor before but as I am starting from less than zero I think that will be a distinct possibility. It looks like the Phase is the best option then, and I can always upgrade to a disc if it seems that the rim brakes aren't what I like. As you say isitafox it is always a pain starting somewhere and trying things out, but there is no other way really. Thanks Matt and Stewie, it looks like the budget is going to have to stretch to two bikes after all, pity...but it is usually better to get something that is reasonable to start with otherwise you never know if you are just useless or you have bad equipment. The downside of that is that if I end up pants I have nothing or no one to blame but me!!!

Thanks isitafox, Does it make a difference that the Onza has a front disk and the Phase has rim brakes? I see there seems to be a move towards disks up front? I suppose the trail bike thing is one of those things about trying to get a bike to do everything and ending up with something that does nothing well. So I will probably end up with two bikes. Thanks for the reply Matt. It seems we are both headed in the same sort of direction. I will let you know how it all turns out. It sure does loook like everyone is really helpfull even with the same old questions from all of us newbies.

Hi All Sorry to butt in to your thread Matt, I hope you don't mind, but I also need some help deciding on a trials bike to buy. I am also a total newbie to trials, although an old newbie at forty seven years old! I was really interested in reading about the Phase 1.3 as that looks reallly nice. I also saw an Onza Cleaner. They are similar prices and it seems both could be a good option to learn trials. Which is the better one? Is there a better option, for about the same money? I might also like to use it for a bit of recreational riding so I like the ideas of the gears. Would it make sense to look for something with a saddle or are the saddles so low that it is really a waste of time? I guess you are all sick of these sort of questions but for us starting out they will hopefully save a lot of wasted money buying the wrong thing.

Hi Guys, I'm Gwyn, and in spite of my name I am a bloke, an old bloke really at forty seven! As that Aussie mentioned in the thread about "How old to ride", when I grow up I want to be a Trial Rider. I always wanted to get into Motorbike Trials but got sidetracked into racing all sorts of vehicles. I have stopped racing everything now and was researching motorcycle trials and came accross bike trials and really liked what I saw. It seems like a great way to get some exercise as well as learning to ride trials. If I can convince my eight year old to try it out with me then we will be able to learn together. Seems like only upsides to me. I think I am going to go and but-in to the "Where to begin" thread as I have some questions to ask about bikes I have seen. Soon to be trials riding!!!