DeersSlayer

Sleep on a pallet in the indoor riding area. Sweet dreams...

Somewhat off topic, which of your bikes get longer and lower stems, and which don't change? I'm quite ignorant on this as a 3-month trials newbie (all indoors so far, winter is icy snowy cold here.) Although I do already have 2 trials bikes, a lower end 24" street (Flow Plus), and a low end 24" comp (Echo.) Steep learning curve, both the riding and hardware. Especially the riding!

Early ride at -7 C about 2 km from my house. Great trail conditions, winter is hanging on here.

Delivery from TartyBikes today! And it's -9 C and snowing. FedEx guy said "Didn't I just deliver a bike to you in December?" I may have a problem... First 'riding' impression (inside my garage), thank god I like this one too! :-) Come on Spring, looking forward to riding a trials bike outside...

Looking forward to your tire review, get-a-bike! ;-) Did you get it mail order in the USA? Where? I'm in Canada near the border...

Thanks for the detailed info (I would definitely go for the rim grind!) For the 24 my reasons are that I'm a newbie, so agile may be better. But I do want it for riding logs and rocks (and the dirt in between.) Tire choices are much, much better for that in the 26 size. Also, I do a lot of single track trail riding on a 27.5 mountain bike... So now I'm leaning towards the Echo 26 Pure. Anyone here on the forum have/had one? Like it?

I'm thinking of buying an Echo Trial MK5 24" that comes with an Echo TR rim brake on the rear. Is the newer TR rim brake good enough for a ham fisted newbie? I'm keeping my Flow Plus 24, but would also like to try some 'natural' riding. As a newbie I'm leaning towards the Echo Trial 24, but haven't ruled out the Echo Pure 26. For either choice, should I get a rear rim grind? 24 vs 26, comments?

I would watch your videos! I'm a newbie trials rider, with only 1 year of MTB experience. And I'm old, and so far only riding in my garage (real winter here!) This is a pretty good beginners real wheel hop instruction video: So far I'm only using the box method...

Well played! The Python version of that sketch goes back to at least 1974, Live at Drury Lane. I first heard that album in 1977...

One month? That's excellent! Had you done any trials 'moves' on a non-trials bike prior to the start of the month? What's your bicycling experience prior to the month? I started 2 months ago, but limited to a 10 x 16' garage space (lots of snow here this winter.) You are leaps and bounds ahead of me, literally! ;-) I'm also very old, ancient really by trials standard...

It seemed a bit steep, too much work. :-) So I measured it: 9.5 % The groundhog definitely saw it's shadow 2 weeks ago. 252 cm of snow so far this winter, current snowpack is 75 cm (2.5'.) Snow bank at my front door: With luck my first outdoor trials ride will be mid March, but more likely end of March.

In the youtube comments Sam says it's a Flow. If the Tarty website colours are current and correct, that makes it a 24" Flow???

Will share it too. I'm in Ottawa. West end, right next to many Greenbelt single track trails, with some hills, and a few rocky areas too!

Liked it. You're welcome, also from Canada! With the wind it was -21 C here this afternoon when I was hiking (it was -28 at sunrise!) But it was too icy even for my Fatbike. Maybe if I had studded tires from 45NRTH....

Good riding for -8 C with thin gloves! For anything colder than -6 C, I have the pogies on the Fatbike. My blood circulation in my hands is not as good as it used to be...

I started 2016 owning only 1 bicycle, an old mediocre street hybrid. I ended the year with 4 bikes. Must ... resist ... buying ... another trials bike. ;-) Although I am using the 3 new bikes much, MUCH more than the old hybrid!

That's a bit harsh, there must have been some good music in 2007. ;-) But you're absolutely right, it's not my video and if I don't like the soundtrack I should just STFU and enjoy it muted. My bad (sincerely.)

Was anyone able to watch that without muting it? I'd rather dive head first off a building onto a spiky fence than listen to that 'music'....

It's off for track stand practicing. Kept bumping it due to exagerated overcorrections. :-/

Maybe this belongs in the off topic moto thread. Any Denizens here recognize this sticker? Should be good for riding at night! Didn't really like the 'flow' it's covering up.

Garage training update: After my first 5 weeks on a trials bike, garage bound, I'm still loving the trials 'riding!' Bouncing on the rear with the front on the 18" high box today I managed about 15 hops in a row. Can move a little forwards or back and side to side. Still not a lot of control, I usually over or under compensate! Two wheel side hops I can now get about 3 or 4 in a row going left, 6 or 7 going right. Rocking up on the front, then to back wheel is starting to feel more confident, I can get up to 4 or 5 in row. For now I prefer being on the front more than the back, so I need a lot more practice! I still suck at track stands, rarely getting 10 seconds. It feels comfortable, I do the right movements and corrections, but it often ends with a big under or over compensation. Although I sometimes do a short track stand between 2 wheel side hops, so it is progressing. I noticed today after an hour on the bike I'm more tired than I was 2 weeks ago, probably because I now spend a lot more of the hour actually riding. :-) No buyer's regrets, except I wish I got into trials years ago. This old new trials rider is having fun! Maybe I should have bought a 24" Echo Trial MK5 instead of the Inspired 24 Flow Plus, but once I get riding outside the garage I might prefer the Flow decision.

That snow bank is about 13' wide and 4.5' high in the middle, then landing on my neighbour's snowy slushy driveway. Would be a nice dropoff from the back top of the truck cap, it's 7' 2" above the pavement. By the time I'm able to do that, if ever, the truck will be an ancient PoS. Turns out my driveway is a bit steep for trackstands, it's at least 8 % grade. But it was nice to be outside on the bike! The temperature was balmy for January, almost +4 C. Two days ago it was -25 in the morning.

If not for the salt I used to clear it, the driveway is almost good enough for my bike's first outside ride! It's sloped too, so I might actually make more noticeable track stand 'progress' - my current record is 8 or 9 seconds. I'm a slow learner...

Fat bikes roll pretty well on roads if the tire pressure isn't too low, 10 - 14 PSI seems ok. On the soft snow I find 4 - 5 in the rear, and 5 - 6 in the front work best. Then it's hard work on pavement, and the handling isn't safe. But they are bit heavy, about 16 kg.

Wow! And I'm riding inside my heated (+5 C) garage. Although it's -14 C outside, the snow base is 0.55 m, and I've only been 'riding' trials for 3 weeks. Best I stay indoors...