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peter_t

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Everything posted by peter_t

  1. My mate snapped a hope axel, he phoned them up and they sent him an upgraded steel axel free of charge! They didn't even ask proof of purchase or if he was the original owner!
  2. I rode the comp at the bike trials academy at the weekend. It was great and i really enjoyed it. The grading of the sections were a lot better than the previous one i did. I entered novice (green) and did pretty well, tempted to try blue next time but that might be a little too much for me. Its a long drive but im hoping to enter more if i can!
  3. I started to get into trials about five years ago, im now 27. I had been riding mountain bikes for a couple of years, mostly xc and trails in the woods. I'd seen Danny Mac and initially it didn't have much effect. Most mountain bikers see him as some kind of super human or god like figure, whos skills are not obtainable to mere mortals. I saw what he was doing and didn't even consider trying it. I then discovered Martyn Ashton through his road bike party video and from that found his older stuff on youtube. Tricks and stunts was what showed me that anyone can try trials. I then found trials forum and Trashzen, Trashzen was great. I leant how to track stand and get my mountain bike up and down kerbs but soon got a trials bike as i didnt want to scratch it. I didn't want to spend much as i had no idea if trials was for me or not. i found an origenal onza t pro for £5,50 on ebay. It was missing cranks and brakes so got some from trials forum. The bike was total shit but i leant quite a lot of the basics on it. Slowly i got a better frame and parts and i progressed faster. None of my mountain biking mates gave a shit about trials and still don't. Finding local riders has always been a problem, some came back to the sport after many years and soon left again once they found that they weren't as good as they used to be or struggled to find time because of other commitments. Others were at the age when they leant to drive then vanished or moved away to uni. Group rides like DJ memorial were good but they always seem to be 2 hour plus drives from me. I live near eastbourne and its a trials black spot, despite there being good riding here or in nearby towns nobody wants to travel here. I know of riders in sussex but everybody including myself is busy and we just havn't made it happen yet. I've entered 4 comps. First was at radical bikes, i think it was the last of the essex bike trials club and it was awesome but i think the club shut soon after. Next was Hook woods in surrey and it was savage, despite entering novice like the first comp it was far more technically dificult and i fived every section. I didn't conside any of it to be suitable for a novice like myself. 3rd was at the bike trials academy and the running of the comp and their facility was great. I didn't do very well and it was mostly down to the time limits. On many sections i was on a 1 or a clean but failed on the last gate due to time. I don't understand why the rules were harsher than world cup timing systems where you get a point for every ten seconds over time. Instead as soon as 2 minutes is up its an instant five??? Ok so maybe i should have dabbed by way through but thats not my style. Since then i heard that that round was actually a national round where the sections are more dificult, im hoping to go to their comp this weekend which isnt national standard so can compare. I went to Mick's ride out a couple of weeks back and i thought it was great fun and far more aproachable for a begginer. The format worked really well but it catered more for a 'its the taking part that counts' rather than something competative. I would deffinately go to another of these. I think the new UCI points system is the way forward. Even if you only score points on one or two gates you score something oposed to the ultimate failure of a five because of time or two feet down in a crash despite previous efforts. Im fairly self motivated (need to be as i almost never ride with others) but i to take inspiration from videos, anything from pro riders to someone like myself. I follow Ali C and have enjoyed his videos, especially the more trials orientated ones. I like to watch world cups, Andrei burtons commentry is good but other official uci coverage has just been embarrasing. Kevin liu and his Vancity trials is great. Charlie Rolls just made a video of the last Bike Trials Academy comp, i think more stuff like this is needed as it shows you what comps are actually like and that anybody can enter.
  4. Damn i wish i thought to ask, i was working in basingstoke for 8 weeks before christmas. I rode most evenings, some pretty good spots around town.
  5. Maxxis Minions? Sadly I don't think these tyres are available in the UK.
  6. I have an Echo 24 and it rides really nice but tyre choice stopped me as im riding more natural these days. Stocks feel too big for me (im 5'6) but i like the way the wheels still roll like a stock. I managed to get lucky and find a brand new maxxis swamp thing in 40a compound on ebay but even this doesn't come close to how good mod tyres are. Front tyre choice is a bit shit too. I am hoping that Jitsie will produce some proper tyres to go with their new bike. Over all i still prefer a mod but if they do i can see 24" bikes making a big comeback and i would consider trying it again. New Jitsie has a 1045 wheelbase, could be good?
  7. Cool, interested to know how you get on with them especially if you put them at a less streety angle.
  8. Did you have them rolled forward or upright? I usually have mine somewhere between Carthy forward and upright.
  9. I've noticed a lot of comp riders are using high rise bars but with less up and back sweep. The new Comas bars have an 8 degree upsweep and 6 degree backsweep, Jitsie have the new 'hybred bars' which only have 4 degree up and backsweep. These new style bars all have a total rise of around 100mm, the same as some bonz bars i was using. They have a lot more upsweep (12 i think) putting my wrists and hands in unnatural angles which tends to cause me grief. I saw Andrew Chai is even using inspired arcade bars? Are these types of bars with melower angles the way forward for comfort? Thoughts?
  10. I don't like facebook in general but it is worth it just for the sake of finding people to ride with. Tartybikes have a page just for this perpose in fact and there are groups for local areas too. Im from the wrong end of the country from you unfortunately but have been to shipley glen a few times at weekends and have always bumped into other riders there. good luck.
  11. peter_t

    Bar tape

    Any tips on fitting bar tape? I have the jack carthy stuff and it is tapered at one end, what is this for? cheers
  12. Clip from yesterday's ride in Reading.
  13. Out tonight again. This didn't go as badly as I thought, one near miss shin dig mind!!
  14. Good video, gutted i couldn't make the ride!
  15. No mention of radical bikes for round 2, just a post code for somewhere near cambridge?
  16. Anybody know if there are any trials competitions this this year? Barrow farm? Hook woods? Cheers
  17. Boxes are easy to make and don't shift around like pallets. Definitely recommend making a balance beam. Teaches you a lot of techniques. I also made a box with a half round/ barrel shape on top which is fun. Some pics below, somehow I don't have a pic of it finished but you get the idea! Haha. Everything is made from scrap wood and sheets of plywood and chipboard flooring I pinched from work.
  18. Are none of the GB events affiliated with the UCI?
  19. Just seen this here, http://www.biketrialfederation.uk/2018-events-calendar/ Anybody heard about it? Definately try to get there and watch some of it
  20. peter_t

    February Ride

    Rode a few local spots I hadn't ridden in a while yesterday and made this. Nothing mind blowing but I'm pretty happy with it
  21. If you buy spokes from tarty bikes they will know the right lengths.
  22. Looks amazing! Great riding.
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