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Define 'Trials Rider'


dave33

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Also probly the best part of comps is that you get to ride amazing places, get to watch and talk to some amazing riders and learn alot about ridding!

Remember riding for a couple of hours after comps with Ali more than once on the past even though I had a 4 hour drive...

Also Ozzy reminded me of a good point, Charlie rolls is already world champion and I think he's only 8 years old, he's a future of trials and I want to see him improve and hope fully this will mean the uk trials scene will grow bigger and bigger that why I try to help him out with any thing he asks me! Same with riders like jack carthy I'm more than happy to him him out although not much in terms of ridding as he's catching me and no doubt by the end of year will be in a different league! But mechanically iv helped him in the past many times!!

Nobody is saying that comps aren't a worthwhile part of the trials scene. Competitions are a great part of any sport but whilst it can be great to have some kind of ranking system there are always going to be those participants that don't wish to compete, yet still take part in the sport under different conditions.

Riding comps does take you to some cool spots, but you can ride the same/similar/better spots outside of a competitive situation.

It's great that you help other riders out, any sport needs that, but other riders (be it street, natural, BMX whatever) are doing that too. Nobody is taking anything away from the input you give to help others out.

The only way the UK trials scene will ever stand a chance of growing though is when people stop getting shitty at each other because they do/don't ride comps, or prefer street to natural etc and actually embrace the different parts of the sport that have developed. Why be at each others throats and turn it into a question of elitism when it really isn't necessary. It's synonymous to racism for f**ks sake! Oh look, they're different so they must be inferior. Whatever.

People are trials riders whether they're doing it on natty in a comp, or on street for the social. If they want to throw in other influences to have fun, great.

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seems like everybody who dont like comps has never been to one!

I've ridden several, and have "spectated" at a few recently. Some of the many things I didn't really like:

- Seeing a kid have a tantrum because his Dad - who was an observer, and should have been observing someone who was actually riding a section - wouldn't carry his bag for him to the next section. That observer then had a go at the rider who was in the section (after he found him, as he was over half way through the section when the observer realised what had happened), even though it was his own fault.

- "World Champion coming through." & "They don't know what the jersey means but I do, and that's all that matters." Might've been meant as a joke, but 100% didn't come across as one to me or anyone else around at the time.

- Parents and kids arguing after a kid got a dab/5/whatever.

- People blatantly cheating (just for the record, when I rode comps quite a few times I knew the observer wasn't actually watching. On one of those occasions I ended up 5'ing by basically falling off and putting my hand down to stop myself falling. The observer was having a bit of a 'dispute' with her kid. I could've easily just got back up and ridden on but I just took it and told her I'd 5'd it. Slight contrast to seeing someone riding Elite at Shipley showing some pretty good climbing skills by chimneying up a gap between a rock and a tree that, if memory serves, everyone else 5'd).

I'm not saying comps are all bad, but this "comps are amaaaazing" thing doesn't really match up to my own experiences as a rider or spectator. Maybe if you're part of the 'in' crowd it might do, but not for everyone...

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I've ridden several, and have "spectated" at a few recently. Some of the many things I didn't really like:

- Seeing a kid have a tantrum because his Dad - who was an observer, and should have been observing someone who was actually riding a section - wouldn't carry his bag for him to the next section. That observer then had a go at the rider who was in the section (after he found him, as he was over half way through the section when the observer realised what had happened), even though it was his own fault.

- "World Champion coming through." & "They don't know what the jersey means but I do, and that's all that matters." Might've been meant as a joke, but 100% didn't come across as one to me or anyone else around at the time.

- Parents and kids arguing after a kid got a dab/5/whatever.

- People blatantly cheating (just for the record, when I rode comps quite a few times I knew the observer wasn't actually watching. On one of those occasions I ended up 5'ing by basically falling off and putting my hand down to stop myself falling. The observer was having a bit of a 'dispute' with her kid. I could've easily just got back up and ridden on but I just took it and told her I'd 5'd it. Slight contrast to seeing someone riding Elite at Shipley showing some pretty good climbing skills by chimneying up a gap between a rock and a tree that, if memory serves, everyone else 5'd).

I'm not saying comps are all bad, but this "comps are amaaaazing" thing doesn't really match up to my own experiences as a rider or spectator. Maybe if you're part of the 'in' crowd it might do, but not for everyone...

huh?

Edited by matt.price
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Matt - The two lines were a quote from a rider at a comp.

Oh yeah, and:

"Andeee user_popup.png Trials-Forum home of some keyboard warrior basterds"

"Andeee user_popup.png AH SHIT BARE KEYBOARD WARRIORS!!!"

"Andeee user_popup.png Why is there some right keyboard warrior c**ts on here?"

A real trials rider.... is someone that doesnt:

Ride a 24"

Try and ride bmx style thinking there danny mac.

A'MEN

C U N T is all i can say to you...

Well done would you like a medal?

Your boring me.... Zzzzzz

Irony: Noted.

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I have never been to a comp, but from what ive heard it sounds a bit too serious, i know that i ride to have fun & imagine so do the majority of people who ride. But, theres no point in saying "AH YE M8 COMPS R GHEY, TGS STREAT 4 LYF" as we wouldnt have half the bikes/parts today without the comp scene.

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I've ridden several, and have "spectated" at a few recently.

i remember seeing you before, i feel for this sport to keep on growing we all need to make an effort in the competition scene though! people hopping on walls an all are just seen as vandals.

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i remember seeing you before, i feel for this sport to keep on growing we all need to make an effort in the competition scene though!

Why? I don't really see how the comp scene is going to do much to 'grow' trials at all. Comps have been pretty much the same as they've been for the last 11-12 years I've been involved in trials, but trials itself in terms of what people ride, how people ride, and more importantly how many people ride has changed massively. Comps have done nothing to evolve with trials, and are still at pretty much exactly the same venues they've always been at, with mostly the same riders, with mostly the same people organising it, and following (almost) exactly the same rules they've always done. Trials has grown massively without any real assistance from the comp scene, so I don't really see how 'we all need' to do anything with comps to change that. I can appreciate that comps can be enjoyable for those who do them, but I don't see any correlation between comps and the 'size' of trials.

I'd also disagree with street riders just being seen as 'vandals'. For the most part, Danny's video has helped people work out what street is sort of about, and even though we're not all doing flips off trees it's still close enough for people to appreciate that people are working towards something rather than just breaking walls or whatever. It's obviously going to be different when people are deliberately pissing members of the public off, being dicks, etc., but every interaction I've had with members of the public since Danny's video has been positive.

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holy hell Dave what have you done here?? :P

I know exactly what you're saying, mostly because I knew you were this kind of person before you asked the question and I understand your gripe too. I think the fact is you (and me too) are dinosaurs in the modern day trials world.

When we started it WAS about getting on your bike, riding to the spot, through forests, up muddy banks and doing sick natural riding in great locations. Street was still big too, but it was mixed with a 'balanced diet' of the two. As times have changed, people have become less and less interested in learning about balancing on dodgy slants, or holding a bike in a wedge/wodge (no thats not a typo) and they wanted to just to see the results quicker (because lets face it, natural is alot harder, to do and make it look good). So with that in mind, why use rocks at all? You may as well do this on your doorstep....

Nick's put it nicely above about the riding being going out for a day with your mates etc. Also sums it up nicely. But just look at the numbers of the types of riders by your own definition: id say the number of people doing just street is about 90% and the pure trials riders about 10%...

Thats my view anyway. And theres nothing you can do about it really. You cant explain that feeling of fighting tyre fold on ridiculous slants and boshing out a huge gap to some scary rocks! But how many people can explain that feeling of nailing that huge sidehop you've always wanted? Or busting a massive G-turn?

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More urban "comps" are needed if the comp scene is going to help the sport grow in any way. Although at that point they need to be jams rather than comps :P

I was planning one until recently when I sort of got side-tracked. Might have to resurrect that :P

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id say the number of people doing just street is about 90% and the pure trials riders about 10%...

Thats my view anyway. And theres nothing you can do about it really. You cant explain that feeling of fighting tyre fold on ridiculous slants and boshing out a huge gap to some scary rocks! But how many people can explain that feeling of nailing that huge sidehop you've always wanted? Or busting a massive G-turn?

I think this is part of where the trouble here started though. Just because someone isn't riding comps doesn't mean they don't ride natural. There was a distinct vibe of "comp riders are 'real' trials riders and everyone else is doing something else that doesn't count" which is what got us into this mess :P

Most of the guys I ride with here ride natural at least as much as they ride street, which is great but because that's not in a competition situation it doesn't count?! Crazy shit.

How does a footballer train for a big match? By refining skills, sometimes breaking them down into a simpler format to practice, then applying it in a game. They're still working on their football skills in the same way riders are still working on their trials skills, be it on rocks, street, whatever (Y)

I was planning one until recently when I sort of got side-tracked. Might have to resurrect that :P

I looked at doing one while I was at uni in Bristol (along with Mr Rowlands at one point). Needs to happen! Might look into it again once uni stuff has calmed down a bit - somewhere like Bristol would be great for it, somewhere like down in Plymouth isn't :P

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Dave, you say you think my type of riding isn't trials....what would you say it is? It's been a while since we rode together and you last saw me on my seatless comp bike, sure my bike now has a seat and a shorter wheelbase, but do you really think I have stopped doing trialsy stuff completely? Sure I do a few things that are directly ripped from bmx, but 90% of what I do is still traditional trialsy stuff.

Also you only answered 1 of my questions (and others have ignored them completely).

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More urban "comps" are needed if the comp scene is going to help the sport grow in any way. Although at that point they need to be jams rather than comps :P

Hmmmm.............

@ ALi: I am in no real position to answer your questions, I have also noticed the devide occuring, I personally think it is a good thing.

Dan: I'm back for a week, up for biking?

Edited by Matt Vandart
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so you're saying that Kenny/Wesley Belaey,Benito Ros,Andrei Burton,Rick Koekoek where no trial riders because everybody on this forum was or is in a beginner stage so what you're saying is that beginner trialsriders (if i can call them that) aren't real trial riders in your eyes? i think everybody who rides a trial is a trial biker am i wrong tell me please

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I think this is part of where the trouble here started though. Just because someone isn't riding comps doesn't mean they don't ride natural. There was a distinct vibe of "comp riders are 'real' trials riders and everyone else is doing something else that doesn't count" which is what got us into this mess :P

Ahh ok, but im not saying that at all. I havent mentioned the word comp either...

Its a common misunderstanding though that you can only ride at comps if you're good at trials and you ride natural. Its not true at all. I recall in 2008 where I won expert that most of the trials were just about joking around and having fun. I'll never forget that blackpool comp actually where Chris Jones was too hungover and 5'ed a section to go throw up...

I havent read the thread because meh its too long. theres my thoughts anyway, I fully expect them to be ignored :P

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so you're saying that Kenny/Wesley Belaey,Benito Ros,Andrei Burton,Rick Koekoek where no trial riders because everybody on this forum was or is in a beginner stage so what you're saying is that beginner trialsriders (if i can call them that) aren't real trial riders in your eyes? i think everybody who rides a trial is a trial biker am i wrong tell me please

It may aid matters if you point out who that is addressed to, cos it could be one of many people.

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So this guy who happens to be riding a weird mix of natural and concrete slabs isn't a trials rider? Not even though it's obviously a windy winter day and he's trekked to where ever to ride on his own. And he's especially not a trials rider in summer when he's on his brakeless 24 with a seat, and riding having fun with his mates.

Edited by Object
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