TomWood

This pretty close to what I was looking for. Interesting to read that bar height is your break point. Taps being rear wheel hops onto objects and over gaps as well as side-hops? And moves to front being gaps to front wheel with a wheel swap? I do feel as if the rotations/spins have a large range of difficulty. I picked up front-wheel pivots quite easily, but the static 180 pedal hops just don't make any sense to my body at the moment. And you're right about the comfort. Watching some videos online makes the moves look so simple and smooth once you get the technique down, but then I break it down and realize I'd be terrified to be on top of some of the features they're on. aener's comment on the front hooks makes sense too once the wall is truly vertical. I did think that was a technique you would be required to learn to really open up lines on larger objects though. It seems to be the only way to get up something higher than 4ish feet unless you have a bump or ramp.

What are the required trials skills someone has to have for you to think they're and "intermediate" rider and no longer just a "beginner"? And are there any minimum heights, distances, or times for these skills? The thought is that with these skills, a trials rider in theory has all the tools in his kit to take on any trials challenge if it's scaled appropriately. And then to become an advanced/expert rider, you learn to become much more precise and explosive. You would be able to do these moves in tougher situations as well as being able to tweak them with more rotation or combine sequences to make much more difficult lines possible. Posing the question simply to open a conversation. Obviously this is a super arbitrary thing. Just asking out of curiosity about what your views are. It might also provide insight into any skills I should work on alongside what I'm currently working on and up to.

Start small. Put in some time to dial in your bars and brake lever position. I haven't had surgery, but I have some wrist issues and brake lever position is huge for me. I spend a lot of time changed that around whenever I get a new bike or new equipment for the cockpit.

Trying to learn how to hook. Does the movement change when the wall is actually vertical? Or do you just need to commit harder? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pLrhLXCm5ek4fGUD9u4vwJybhWXU-Env/view?usp=sharing

I'm out in Bentham so I'm not too far of a drive if there's a meetup. Another that's still very beginner but would love an opportunity to ride with some others. Best way to find out about potential sessions if I'm not on social media? I can PM a phone number.

I’ve just started back up too after moving to Bentham, about an hour north of you. I never stopped playing around while on my mountain bike, but I’m hoping to put more of a focus on progression again with a more purpose built bike. That’s all I have to say for now, but let me know how your progression goes.

Thanks for the replies. Super helpful. It sounds like both are pretty solid bikes with no major concerns. I'm sure I'd be super happy with either decision. It sounds like the Flow is a safer bet and would be versatile even with the smaller wheel size. @Mark W You're right about the Flow Plus. It just seems to be entirely out of stock everywhere.

Looking for a bit of insight into a couple of bikes I'm looking at. I've been scouring the used bike sections for weeks in different places and missed a few good opportunities due to either not having the budget or someone else getting there first. My budget has since gone up a little bit and I'm thinking about buying new if I don't find anything used in the near future. Anyone have any more opinions or insights into these two bikes? Which one would you choose? Will one save me more money in the long run? Inspired Flow 2020 (Aluminum fork, but otherwise base model): (888GBP) Pros: Cheaper by about 250 GBP, threaded BB from what I can tell Cons: Square taper BB, far fewer tire options for 24 inch wheels, unsure about the longevity of the chain tugs used for chain tension, Kenda K Rad heavier and less grippy than the Maxxis Holly Rollers Czar Neuron 26 2020: (1140GBP) Pros: through-axle front fork and rear dropouts for stiffness and security, 26 will roll over rougher stuff more easily, Holy Rollers stock which are better than the K Rads Cons: through-axle rear may limit hub options in future, Spanish press-fit BB (press-fit BB has always been a problem for me on other bikes), external chain tensioner that could get ripped off Background in case it's relevant at all: I started playing with trials a couple years ago very casually on my dirt jumper with a front brake. I moved and lost that bike. I've been playing around a bit lately on my trail bike (Kona Honzo) and I can still do 180 nose pivots to my good side, reliably hop on my rear wheel, static pedal kick gaps about 1/2 a meter (hoping this will be farther on a smaller bike), and static hop up about 30cm (again, hoping this will be more on a smaller bike). I was playing with taps and tire swaps on my dirt jumper before I lost it but I can't do that on my Honzo. Both too afraid to damage the fork and drivetrain or the geometry and slammed stem isn't making it any easier. So still definitely a beginner, but not brand new. I'll be riding with the intention of having fun goofing around and improving my trail riding skills. More urban with straight edges, but there are some rocky areas around me too. No trials competition future for me that I can see.