somberlaine

Well I have been out of trials for two years and then come back to find ground rims and new pads and all that sort of thing. And reading the pad review section on this forum I find that the thing to have is really squeeky brakes...! Well I'll pobably get shot for saying this but I think that squeeky brakes suck. Why do so many of you want your brakes to squeek? It's an annoying noise and does nothing for your riding. If anything I would say that a silent bike makes you seem much smoother and if your brake its loud and noisy it can make you seem less smooth. It's a minor reason for not having squeeky brakes but all I can see are negatives and no positives. Maybe I'm just old school and have missed this new revolution..... :) Someone please educate me.... Michael p.s. In this 'rant' I'm assuming that sqeekiness does nothing for the performance of the brake.

Would it fit my Pashley 26 Mhz? If not then what two bolt booster would you guys recommend. And if anyone is selling then let me know since I need a booster. Michael

Yeah, I remember seeing Akrigg doing manual to front touch hops up some high stuff at one of the Bike Shows. But I think I'll stick with the basics for now. BY THE WAY, I managed to do them today so thanks all for the help! I found that using my bad foot to bring the front wheel up so that my good foot is forward at the point of the front wheel touching works for me. Now it's time to try that 5 foot wall that's been making fun of me these last few years.....(I wish (Y) )

If everything is fine on your bike then perhaps you are getting flex in your rear triangle, sapping the energy from your brakes and causing them not to lock. You running a brake booster? Michael

I knew it was an OK place to ride but I didn't know that it was well good...that's well good! But is there anyone who rides regularly in Reading who I can hook up with? Michael

I'm currently studying at Reading University, but have no idea about where the good trials spots are and would really like to get some group rides going. So if anyone, any age, wants to ride in Reading then please get in touch. Thanks, Michael

Sorry to re-post about 5 mins after one I have just done so, but someone asked me how high I can pedal hop to back wheel without front touching. The answer is a measley 35 inches. And I swear I will never know how to go higher than that short of going faster and using some insanely hard gear ratio.... (Y)

Thanks all for replying and discussing, it has certainly helped. However I have noticed that alot of you are suggesting different timings with regards to pedal strokes; some of you are saying that you need to have finished your chocolate stroke just before the front wheel touches, others are saying that you need to hvae your fron wheel touch during your chocolate stroke and some are saying to use your non-chocolate foot to get your forn tyre to touch the wall Which is it? Michael

when you say staurday are you meaning the 23rd of April? I live in halls of residence there, since I am going to reading university. And I have just got my trials bike up and running so I am well up for some riding anytime, any day. Although I am working this Saturday... >_< But let me know about any other rides in Reading as I want to start going out about 3 times a week as a de-stresser from exam revision, plus I have no idea of where the good places are to ride. Michael

Well I have been flirting with front wheel touch hops for sometime now (i.e. where you bounce your front wheel off the top of a wall or rail when pedal hopping up to back wheel. But, alas, I truely suckxors at it. I am definately commiting to it (I have the scars to prove it!) and am just wondering how long everyone has taken to learn this technique. Simply put I am pedalling up to the object and as my 'chocolate' foot pushes down, my front wheel raises, as does my body, and I push the front wheel into to top edge of the wall. This does not seem to be working, although obviously that is an incredibly simple explanation. I'm sure you'll all just tell me, ''more practise'', but since I still haven't managed to master this I thought I would just check that there isn't some hidden secret for execution. Michael

Something which I found really helped me was to purposely manual the bike with the front wheel either too low (so it drops) or too high (so that I start falling off the back) and then trying to rescue it from that position. If you do this instead of always trying to just manual with a central balanced postition then next time you do find the bike dropping, or you going off the back, you will have a much better chance of correcting yourself. It definately worked for me..... Michael

A seriously big thanks to you all for your support. Yes it is that guy who you have linked. Ofcourse it might be nothing but it does seem odd that he is still posting yet not replying to my private messges I send him. Thanks again, I'll try to get in touch with his mates a see what's happening. Michael

Okay, so I have given some money to someone on this forum in exchange for a shifter. He has had the money for a week and has not yet got back to me, despite sending him various emails througout the week. So I put a reply on his advertisement thread, saying that I wanted him to get back in touch and whats going on etc... Anyway it now seems that this thread has miraculously dissappeared, erasing all 'proof' of our transaction. Is this something the 'owner' of the thread can do (.i.e delete a thread once they have written it?). If it was admin who did this then please me know; I am relying on that thread as proof that I was scammed if he does not provide the goods. Replies and advice welcome! Michael