Phantom87

I am currently riding about 3 times a week. Fairly short 30-45 minute rides for now, but I should get some time for consistent, longer rides, after the holidays are over. A few people have said what I was originally thinking - different wheel size, and a really different bike, would lend itself well to a different riding style, and potentially make me a more well rounded rider in the long run. Almost like two totally different bikes for two totally different approaches, that don't really overlap a ton until you get fairly good on both of them.

I have been on a hex for about 1.5 years, slightly older rider, first serious attempt at trials. I am having a blast, and considering adding a comp style bike to the stable. I am considering both mod and stock. The pros/cons of each are well documented as long as trials content has existed on the internet, but I haven't seen much commentary about regularly riding both (or any other combinations of wheel sizes). For anyone who has done it, is it a good or bad idea? How difficult has it been to switch back and forth between bikes, etc? Just looking for some general input on whether it is worth a shot, or makes more sense to stick with a single wheel size. Thanks!

I have a bit of a unique situation due to a medical condition that makes all my joints garbage and super injury prone. I started at 35, after a very poor and botched attempt in my late teens. For me, it's not necessarily a type of move, but more the size of thing I will ever attempt, and the time it takes to work up to it. Not a huge issue right now since I have only been at it a year, and am taking it super slow. But in the long run, assuming I can keep riding, I don't realistically think I will ever try to tackle anything over waist height. No big gaps or big drops. Probably won't be too into spinny moves if my abilities ever get that far. The nice thing about going into it with that attitude is that I don't have a lot of expectations about progressing. I basically just look to see if I am doing a bit better or a bit more than a few rides ago, and if I am having fun. My goal is to be able to go to one of the local riding spots I have scouted out, and have enough skills to go have fun and challenge myself for a few hours. This is one of the few things I have done that has been more about the journey than the result, and it's been really fun and rewarding.

Just curious if anyone has ever used these? I just ordered a pair for my fitness/gravel bike. I have a ton of foot issues, and injuries that have reduced my ankle stability, and have had a lot of pain and numbness issues with that type of riding. Much less so with trials, but my feet tend to still tire on longer trials rides and hurt after, regardless of a bunch of pedal and shoe combos. And i have to be really careful with my ankles. just wondering if anyone has ever tried them for trials. I’m sort of torn between the added stability of a larger platform being good for my ankles and feet, and the change in mechanics maybe being a problem. I am still pretty new to the game and taking it really easy, so not like I have years of dialed in muscle memory I would have to re write.

Thanks for all the advice. Pulled the trigger on a Hex Pro, just waiting on it to ship

Just wanted to say thanks for all the good advice. Still back and forth on what i want to do, but definitely getting closer, and I am excited to get started

Hello, New member here from the US. I wanted to see if I could get some perspective on selecting a first bike from some experienced riders. I have read as many threads and watched as many videos as I can, but haven't found anything that quite addresses what I wanted to ask. I am not as concerned with the standard "mod vs. stock" or "is this a good bike", but rather what type of bike makes the most sense to start with and learn on given the type of riding I want to do. I am about to turn 35, have 3 small kids, and a few old military injuries that riding has actually helped a lot. I am not looking to be the next youtube star, or compete, or go as big as possible. I would like to basically get to the point that I can go to one of the many good local riding spots, and have a good base of well rounded skills to be able to tackle a range of different man made and natural obstacles (boulders, logs and down trees, picnic benches, retaining walls, etc.), and then also be able to utilize some of those bike handling skills in my other riding, which is mostly recreational trail MTB. I have been interested in trials since I was a teenager, and made a few very poor attempts at getting into the sport when I was a lot younger. I basically did everything wrong and tried to just start doing the flashy stuff, and spent no time on the basics. Being more mature and more patient has made me appreciate learning skills that take years to master, and I have taken a lot different approach this time. So far just doing basic stuff on my hardtail, but I have already made a lot of progress and am having a blast, and love being able to hop on the bike and work on some skills in my yard and driveway. I would say in a perfect world, the style of riding that really appeals to me is a little more two wheel focused. Ali said it really well in one of his videos riding a comp with his DJ - something along the lines of: "Old school BIU style, mostly two wheels, with rear wheel moves as a last resort". I really like the idea of that type of riding, especially on natural. That being said, I don't really have any of those skills right now. I am back and forth between: - Comp style bike: Focus more on the pure techniques and more static riding for the next few years, at the expense of knowing that that style of riding (as of right now) isn't exactly where I want to end up one day down the road, and a little leery about the crazy geometry being both foreign and potentially limiting. - Street trials: More versatile, more inline with the long term style I want in the long term, at the expense of probably having a longer/harder go of learning some of the rear wheel and static techniques over the next few years. I will also say that the really spinny/BMX type stuff doesn't have a lot of appeal to me right now, but that could always change. Hex appeals to me if I go this route, and is about the top end of what I would want to spend. - Have also had one or two people I have reached out to recommend the Jitsie hybrid, and say that might be a good fit for what I want to end up doing. Not terribly concerned about budget, I have funded my bike from selling other hobby gear. I don't need to be dramatically over biked, but I am also okay with spending to get something that is good quality and I will keep for the long term. No one near me rides any type of trials from what I can tell, so I am going blind on the bike. Will likely end up buying new from Tarty or one of the US stores, since the used market is pretty bad over here. I think the reason I am having a hard time is that it doesn't really seem like there is a wrong choice, I am gonna have a blast no matter which way I go - but is there a more right choice? Thanks for anyone that took the time to read my novel. Looking forward to having a much more serious go at the sport, and learning a lot along the way!