TrashZen

ha ha, ok, next time out, we go to the Regal and get some pics with the ladies... (we finished earlier 'cos I messed up my rear mech) Hi Steve, If you are interested, you can send me an email at julien@trashzen.com, choosing size, either L or M, in Orange, and detailing your postal address. I'll send you a Paypal invoice for 12 pound (10 for the T, 2 for the post) Cheers

alright... Here it goes... got my Ts in time for going out riding today. Wing, thanks for the photoshoot the other colours went fairly well too I only have a few extra in M and L sizes in orange. I will be in touch with all you guys who ordered custom colours (red, blue, white, green, grey etc..)

Hey, I am back in town, and still waiting for the Ts. But I should have them by tomorrow , maybe even late this afternoon. I'd love to give them away , but they don't come free, I don't run a business and promoting my website does not bring me any cash in return, so I can't pretend to sponsor anyone anytime soon . I wouldn't get any commercial benefit, though I think this would be good for the sport's awareness . It's more about spreading the word about trials in a non-brand specific way... (well .... in the TrashZen way ) I'll post pics as soon as I have them! Now John, you need to fix that puncture and let's go out riding!

Interesting topic! Mostly already stated, but ... the big difference is riding natural, and pulling the same moves that are difficult enough when everything is square and dry dusted... onto wet slippery uneven terrain, with enough smoothness to avoid a hard crash. Which means, a lot more precision and control than just pulling a big move in itself, it's pulling it onto something more challenging. I think what really makes the difference to be able to process all these factors in your brain is a huge ability to focus on their next move.

A tad bit out of focus .. but how do you undo a front freewheel? Couldn't find the topic.. (... my pedal also ate into the crank's tread and made some aluminium puree) I am talking ACS claws on a try-all crank... hyper tightened... will just a big hammer do??

excellent.. not weird at all , but yes, it's a bit counter intuitive.. some techniques are much easier on the opposite side of your driving foot... and some other will only really work nicely on the same side (like turning 180 while sidehopping)... it's all about how much momentum your initial position on the bike allows you to get. So especially if you are left footed, and you see mostly right footed riders around you, make sure you understand what they do and reprocess it to switch it to your side, else you won't get anywhere (you wouldn't ask a right footed rider to pedal kick with his left foot )

Just came across this Simtra 26" frame... Never heard about before, but looks really sweet, I like the finish and the curves... Anybody has ridden it?, Some comparison to make?

I know where you live ... Well I just try to formalise it, and I only take emails julien@trashzen.com so that I can reply to everyone interested tomorrow evening to confirm and get proper organized to give a list of colours and sizes to the printer (they won't take a vague order either, so I don't take all the nice comments as orders). Just let me know what colour you want, if not Orange. Cheers and thanks again for all your nice feedback.

Yep, I have tried in negative (black writing on white contour, on black and also coloured Ts... but there is simply no comparison ... it looks fairly poor)

OK , So here is an update on the actual colours to choose from, so that you can think about it. Personally, I think the lighter or brighter colours (red, orange, steel blue, kaki) will work best because that makes the black contour stand out. The logo will spread more like about 9 to 10 inches across (so it actually looks as big as on the photoshoppage). For those interested, best is to send me an email at julien@trashzen.com with the size and colour picked from the available ones. Then I'll get back to you individually to confirm before I go to the printer place my order. Let's say by thursday if you can give me a definite answer, I will go to the printer this friday or saturday morning and that'll take another two weeks or so....raahahh I just can't wait...

Thanks for your feedback. In fact, there are loads of colours available, but I need to simplify it to a minimum... but yeah, since it's a one off to choose your colour, you can be a bit picky . Though, the black contour would not stand out at all on a black background. Anyone interested, PM me with colour and size, I'll take note and get back to you before order, end of next week. Merci

Hi gals & boys, I have been thinking about designing TrashZen T-shirts for a while, initially just a few for myself and relatives, to promote trials on a random basis. But then, I could order more if some of you are also interested (I had that request from several visitors). Here is how the logo and T-shirts would look like (photoshopped but this gives a fair idea). As a one off, because I haven’t ordered the printing yet, the first few interested will be able to choose their T-shirt colour (olive green, red, steel blue, orange or dark grey) and sizes (S, M, L). That will be 100% cotton, fruit-of-the-loom, 165g, with the logo screen printed in black and white about 7 inches across. They’ll be a tenner (+₤2 postage in the UK), and it should take approximately two to three weeks (says the printer). After that, well, depending on demand, I’ll either keep a few in stock in only one colour of sizes L & M (‘cause I don’t run a shop and I can’t splash money on a pile of T-shirts ) or that’ll be over. I am thinking either Orange or Red (a bit flashy but I reckon that’ll stand out nicely). Let me know what you think… I’ll probably be ordering them by the end of next week . Tara… Julien

Can't promise anything ... don't have anyone at hand to film and interprete that... I guess I could give it a try myself... but trying something different at the moment... well... that's getting further away from trials isn't it? ... I guess in the balance section ...

dunno... maybe a setting in your browser to see .gif pics? (the videos are just animated gif)

Just another techy page for the classy 180 turns over gap transitions (thanks Wing for taking the pics), some day I hope to find some nicer lines for these moves... .. or get top notch riders to demo them (maybe at a big london ride this summer ). Nothing is set in stone .. feedback welcome...

ha ha... really loved all the paperwork!! Really excellent!

Downloading , I definitely need to send you some clips... (including John denting his frame )

That's neat. Real custom parts there

That's very true... :$ , this was one of my arguments for having a "normal" bike for so long... since I have a modern geometry, I realise that prototype-alien-looking bikes only raise the question "how much does it cost?", instead of, "how do you do that?" Middle grounds are reached through talking to passers by who look decently interested... and giving them some place or community where to find more info, rather than running a freak show on bikes .

That's the problem with a lot of the promotion. It often comes hand in hand with brand advertising rather than actual sport promotion . So for example, you'd have red bull or koxx or monty organizing an event... and any stickers or banners will lead to the brand... and buy! buy! buy! not really conveying the real message about the sport... (which is.. take any bike and start doing silly things and experimenting and playing around). And again most commercial sites will just link their sponsors or self-promote other pages in their site etc... a very closed loop system that is more harrassing than helping . I understand that you can only spend big money on promotion if you can expect some big returns in sales, but I think that approach completely ruined the skiing/snowboarding attitude for example... I really like the idea of promoting the sport itself, and personally, I am tempted to design some stickers (that'd be TrashZen of course), for the promotion of trials in general (obviously via the site's content which is rather explicite), and maybe some Ts if there is some interest... You could blame me for self-promotion, but I reckon TrashZen is a good entry point when you are a passers-by and have no idea about the sport. I think too that if Trials-Forum was to issue some stickers, these would certainly be popular (or was it already done ever?) I already have a Black & White design sketch, but I am looking for a good place to print, cheap, black and white on transparent, as the idea is to either give them away, or charge for the actual cost of making... If any one is willing to help or share some info on the topic...welcome ... This is less formal than team jerseys, but it probably makes it an easy entry to trials in general.

Problem is, violence only gets more violence... just look at the news... I agree with waynio that just ignoring them, not hearing them is the best insult as they get nothing to argue over and probably get very frustrated, stay out of kicking distance. But again, it's all down to group/size/confidence ratio. In simple cases, it's fun to shout abuse back at them or scare one off with a front wheel swipe over his face. But I would only respond to provocation if I felt really physically threatened, else, it's not worth getting into a fight out of nowhere and spoil the ride...

building up a page.... but two ways from a static position, either you favorite side, by twisting your shoulder where you want to go, and pulling the bike with you, after a swift handlebar turn from the other direction. Or also by kicking in the pedals and turning in the same side of the driving pedal (for 180 gaps), there, you twist your hips before the shoulder, to create a rotation momentum that you follow with the bike (the bike is less than 20% of all the weight involved), and when you kick, throw your shoulders in a rotation to look back. will have a page running in some weeks...

That's a downright comment... I wouldn't bring anymore my girlfriend to a ride (unless it's uber sunny and she can be around without getting cold and upset, and can find a patch of grass or a beach nearby to sunbath) Because honestly, trials is not her thing, and although I teached her how to climb up kerbs with her MTB and roll down mild steps and rocks (she has no fear when I coach her ), she is happier going running or swimming. And the happier she is the more I like her Never improved with her often irrelevant comments (on trials that is )

Yep, started on a 16" killerV, taking out the big chainring, 1997, and it took me two years to realise that other people were also trying to climb on walls with normal mountain bikes or do silly things. Going to comps was a revelation, but then, riders in any given town were so scarce... I love the old school in the sense that it takes me way back in time , but since I have tried better bikes and adopted a pure trials geometry, I really enjoy the new style and many different techniques it brings with it. True that I know more about components nowadays with the many comments and comparisons I read on the forum. Very often, I would walk into a shop ask for a replacement freewheel, and wouldn't even remember if I had a 7 or 9 speed cassette (because I rode all the time the same gear), and the shop assistant would laugh like I never rode a bike :$ before. But new school is much better... more people, you feel less like a lunatic on a bike . I think overall, its' for the better, even if you could consider all these new geometries like cheating...

ha ha Love that post.. no complaints from my parents... they are not involved in buying parts for me. Just sometimes my mum says I should stop before I hurt myself more than the other countless times before But even though Trials is my number one topic when I see my relatives, with pics and numerous random comments etc.., they quite can't see the difference with bmx yet (even though I have ride a stock!). It's not like I have just started, but they don't care really. It's just a silly way to spend time, but hey, I don't get any thrill cruising in a car or watching TV.