A!!

Before anyone does say: this is a trials forum, i do know but there is no place to talk about bmx's in new members section. After riding trials for a couple of years and motorbike trials for longer, i decided i wanted a bit of a change as i was starting to lack motivation for motorbike and push bike trials. After watching a fair few bmx videos (mostly bongo's and some on youtube) and reading some of the topics on them i decided i would have a go. So i started looking for a fairly cheap bmx as i couldn't afford anything too expensive after getting bits for my GU. So i went to have a look around my lbs, and found a Haro F2 for £145 and thought it was an alrite bike to learn on (cheap and cheerful i know, but it should do me). I have just spent a few days riding the very few riding spots around where i live (Bourne), and love it. I find it quite refreshing to be doing smoother lines and linking up small tricks with manuals, as appose to more trials slower and hopping moves, which was the main reason i decided to get one. One of the others reason i started riding bmx as well as trials, was to try and become a smoother rider, as i have always liked the videos of more smoother trials riders as appose to the huge drop gap style ones (just personal preference i suppose). If anyone was considering getting into bmxing, i would strongly advise it, even if it is just to help motivation and technique for trials riding The only thing i am finding hard is doing 180's, i can do the spin bit alrite but when it comes to land fakie i can't ride back out of it, as i always land with pressure down on the pedals which stops me from rolling backwards . Is there an easier way of learning to land fakie? Also what kind of pressures do people run in the front and rear. I know they should be a lot harder than trials tyres, but does it help having a small bit of bounce from them?

It's a repost. koxx ksas

I have had my GU a while now and love it. I went from a T-pro to my GU and much prefer it. It sits a lot easier on the rear wheel, and for gaps the GU doesn't take much effort to keep on the backwheel after the gap. I find that the bb rise also helps when you have your front wheel rested on a higher obstacle than your back tyre and want to land on the rear wheel on top of the obstacle (static transfer). This is because with a higher bb you don't feel as close or as low to the obstacle. The frames are very strong, i have hit the downtube on mine quite a few times backwheeling things without an amourdillo on, and it hasn't dented. The good thing about the GU is whilst being a very strong frame, it still is very light and feels so easy to flick around (i have the short wheelbase). They shouldn't need a brake booster as it has a built in block on the frame. I did put an RB booster on a couple of weeks ago, but i didn't feel any difference in braking performance, but the only good thing about having a booster on is it protects the rear magura hose. There isn't a lot of flex in the frame as the top and down tubes have bracing plates, so it helps keep the frame stiff, especially for front hooks and taps. The tubes are also quite thick so it makes it very hard to dent (i haven't put a dent in mine yet, only scratches). The best thing to do is have a go on one, as the bb rise isn't for everyone, but if you do have a go on one, bear in mind the stem and bar set up as it can have quite an affect on what the bb rise can feel like.

Hairspray works pretty well too, i couldn't get hold of any tar and was reluctant to use it so i just got a cloth covered it in hairspray and wiped it round my rims, and then left it for about 5 minutes so it could dry. It works pretty well, and doesn't make loud sound either, and it smells good . It lasts a fair while too unless you get your rim really wet

Ye the quality wasn't the best it could be, but that was because it was all pretty old footage when i didn't have a decent camera to use, so a lot of it was filmed using a sony cyber-shot still camera, which wasn't ideal. I was going to get some more footage to add on the end of the video, but i thought i would just keep it as it is, and get newer footage for another video, when i have the time to make another. It took a while to find a half decent song to use, as i just lost all my music of the computer so i only had a very small amount of songs to choose from, and i felt that song was the best out of the music i have. Thanks for the comments so far

Wooo someone took note of my idea If this idea does work, wouldn't it be better asking the mods if it can be put at the top, as a sticky, so it doesn't have to keep being bumped back up? As everytime it goes off the first page people won't realise there is a thread for introductions, if they don't use the search.

How about an introduce yourself thread, as i do agree there are many topics on people introducing them selfs (which isn't a bad thing). That way you still can read and get information about somebody if you want, but it doesn't clog up the other topics, only an idea though.

I like the way they have gone back to cutting grooves in them to channel water away , a good idea in my opinion. Why is it that other pads don't do this? All these new pads make me want to buy them and eat them, i get some strange urge, like the zoo greens look like apple, and the tensile bubblegums reminded me of hubba bubba (i think it's called), and these citrus ones also look pretty tasty, maybe its just me

Rite well i have just put together some old footage, and i have and turned it into a video. This is my first video, i have made smaller once just playing about with different programmes but nothing big. Most the footage i have is fairly old but i just took the best bits and strung it together. The first half is on my old T-pro, and the last is on my GU typhoon short. The video length is 3:53. It is up on eengoedidee, heres the link Alex_gu Any comments welcome

I prefer the look of the earlier version, with the lower chainstays to this one. When i went up to super cycles ages ago to get a new bb fitted to my t-pro, we were talking to them about the newer frames they were making, and one of the guys showed us the earlier version of the prototype (like the one onzaboymark has) but in silver, i think it was the v2, and that was the shizzle, it was really light and looked awesome too, but we only saw the frame as it wasn't built up. It would of been my next frame, but due me needing a new frame fairly quick and the delays for the final production of the frame to go on sale, i got a GU instead. Aren't they now thinking about releasing the old styled frame (with the dropped chainstays) as more of a street frame, and this new one was redesigned for Ben Slinger because he didn't like the lowered stays? Hence that new prototype, i'm sure i saw something about it in this forum somewhere The only question i do have is, surely it's a better idea to have more weld area around the headtube?

Just thought of another last night, but was too late to post. Front: "I'm not your stunt monkey" Back: "But i am quite partial to some peanuts"

Yup your pictures don't work, dead links. But going by what he has said i'm guessing he means the prototype ben slinger is riding, there was a big topic on it in the news section. Two new onza's It should be the third page in, there is a few pictures.

I you read through the guidelines there is a section about it in there. Basically it's if you break any of the rules, you will get a warn, and after so many you get suspended. There are 10 'notches' on the warning bar. 5 warning points (50%) = Automatic 1 week suspension. 10 warning points (100%) = Automatic ban. As long as you stick to the rules and post helpful replys you should be fine.

I have a few i just thought of: "old dogs can learn new tricks" for the older trials riders, amongst us. "yes it did hurt" for the times you fall off in front of many people. "yes i did by it without a seat, and no it wasn't cheaper"

I recently brought an eno, its been on near a week now and love it. It runs very smooth, and helps a lot for more pedal kick orientated moves like gaps due to the 72 engagements. I found for me it also help with tight run ups straight to backwheel (which i wasn't too good at). O ye and not to mention the very sexual clicky sound it makes But like onzaboymark said they do take a bit of looking after in order for them to run at their best, like a good clean every so often to get rid of the excess grease. At first they take a while to bed in as well, as sometimes they make an odd sound where it skips, but after a while it never really happens, provided it is looked after and maintained. The eno is a great little piece of engineering, when you look at them you can tell they are well built and thought out. I can't say i have ever tried a tensile but i have heard a lot of good things about them, and they are a cheaper alternative.

What kind of geometry where you looking at? If it is a high bottom bracket styled bike, then i would say GU, as it is well built, strong and looks good. I have had my GU (short wheelbase) for about 3 months now and love it. It does take a while to get used to the high bottom bracket, but once you have it feels very nice to ride, and sits on the rear wheel very well.

What are your reasons for wanting to get rid of it? Or is it just because you want a new frame? In my opinion there are many better frames that are cheaper than the koxx xtp. But it is just a matter of what you want/need a new frame for.

Nope many people ride them in competition level, the reason they are good for a beginner is because they are strong and have a nice geo which suites many people which makes it easy to learn moves on. Ben slinger has one as well as the prototype he rides now, i think there is a video somewhere of him doing a demo on a t-pro. And you can't get a much higher level than him. I had one for nearly two years, and it helped me progress no end, it is a strong bike without being too bulky and heavy.

Personally i think they are over priced, by a fair amount. The reason people say they are weaker is because they use a pretty thin tubing (1.2mm i think), so it will dent and crack easier than other frames that use a thicker tubing. Using thin tubing makes the bike quite light though, that is why it is more marketed and used as a comp frame. They can be used for street, but they won't take the punishment as well as other mod bikes like the GU's or echo's etc. Do you currently have a GU?

Ye that is exactly how i see it. If you never ride in the wet you are missing out on a valuable skill. To me it is what trials is all about, testing you own skill for a variety of tasks in most conditions on a bike. It is like motorbike trials which is pretty much all weather sport, ye it might not be very appealing when things are wet and slippy or a bit muddy, but it is a very useful skill to learn. I used to use zoo pads but did find in the wet they were pretty poor and slipped a lot in wet weather, so i brought some koxx browns which work well in the wet with a slight grind.

Like i said i do like riding in wet weather in many ways, but you have to tame your riding down and look and observe things more before you ride them to avoid any big bails, due to the slippery surfaces. But to me that is what trials is all about, testing you skill in most conditions, to see what you can and can't achieve, in order to become a better rider. Ye i suppose it might be better riding in the dry for big gaps and drops, but sometimes you will need to try different things, like more technical sections or tricks in wet weather to learn how to adapt your riding to different enviroments. Well thats the way i see it anyway.

For a starter bike the main decision you will need to make is if you want to buy a 20"(mod) or 26"(stock) trials bike, or even for that matter 24". The best way to decide is basically have a go on some and find a frame geometry that suites you. Also what kind of budget would you be on? I'm not sure of shops around Birmingham, but most people just use online shops like tarty bikes.

I can fit an armourdillo on mine GU, it is a bit tight but if fits fine. It does help having a bash guard because if you muck up say backwheeling something and the rear wheel slides down, you will just land on the bash guard.

It can help with clearance under the frame as a bash guard sits lower. This means it would help for uci riding, but if see most pictures of uci competitions many people use koxx bikes which have a bash guard. It can help having a bash guard, if you know you cant clear an obstacle in a section and instead of getting a five you can hop to bash guard and get a 1 i believe it is (look in some world round videos there will be some examples), where as if you have a bash ring it is much harder to do. Thats why many people say that bikes without bash guards are more designed for street.

If you need to know about the new tensile, you should ask onzaboymark as i think he is currently testing one for onza (supercycles). I would say an eno, its all well said and done when you go on numbers for the new freewheels but most people won't be able to take advantages of the extra engagements, as it becomes a lot less noticeable the more engagements you get, unless you ride at a high competition level.