The US Montesa importer at the time was a pretty savvy marketer and tried to give Neil Armstrong a Mont. Armstrong was more savvy (this was earlier than this: http://en.wikipedia...._stamp_incident but the penalty would have been similar) and politely declined. I'm sure Martin Belair will be able to tell us more stories.
John, ultimately that is the argument. Is the WTC a circus act that bears little if any resemblance to the sport in which we compete or is it an extension of the sport in which we compete? If it is a circus act is it sustainable? For how long are the factories going to throw what appears to be stupid money (for them) at the WTC when it might have little bearing on sales? What sells more bikes? The WTC or the SSDT?
When he jumps on the bike at the start of the scene and stamps it into gear looks like it has a right side gear change. Was this the case with early Cotas?
The 15 I'm thinking of would consist of a few of the Japenese maybe one or two antipodeans, then mainly Junior class winners like Gomez Wigg Gibert even Smage and Webb, a few french lads, these have all dropped out/moved on in very recent years, not forgetting taddy!
And Shaun Morris?
Whilst taddy may be the exception the cost of travelling around the world, no real factory support except for one or two, means that unfortunately to ride wtc you have to self fund pretty much outside top six or so
Why when they have DHL as a partner is there no arrangement to transport bikes to events?
Why do the factories not "product support" more riders?
Why do the factories not have a bonus scheme to incentivise riders to compete? (like mx in the states)
Why do the top riders have to pay to enter events when often money is taken on the gate?
Why is prize money given at American championship events but not at wtc?
These latest riders are freaks acquiring and developing split second, pinpoint accuracy on bikes that was never thought of earlier.
So it's the bikes/tyres that have led to these "freaks' (I prefer the term "super riders" )? Or is the fact that they start young and on pushies? Are they better than Mart or Yrjo? I'm not knocking them but I think you might have a good point.
Thanks - good to know. Thought the 4rt was meant to be loud?
It is if its had the restrictors removed. Standard it's quite quiet. For some reason some riders think that if their bike is as loud as Toni Bous they might ride as well as him .
and get off my case where I ride.
It's a bit steep coming onto a new website and slagging people who are concerned about land (ab)use without attempting to understand why. Trials riders are touchy about the subject because many land owners will only permit trials bikes on their land but the hooligan brigade hear about that land and ride on it without the owners permission and everybody, including the trials guys, get thrown off.
Back on subject: have you considered the Explorer? Basically the Ossa trials bike with a "long ride" kit. Could be worth a thought.
The reality is that sections that test the best means that there isnt many more than 30 in the world that can ride at this level, the fact that the 15 that dont isnt down to severity otherwise it would be easy enough to solve.
Agreed but perhaps at this point we should take a step back and ask why this has happened. I don't believe that Toni or Adam are better riders than, say, Yrjo or Martin in their heydays and back then entries of 80 in a W/C event were normal. So what has happened that has caused this vast gap between Toni and Adam and guys like James Fry and Sam Haslam and between Yrjo and Martin and a good BTC rider of that era? What has happened that has resulted in this gulf?
Dabster, returning to your second point in your statement above, why don't the other 15 riders of the 30 who you believe are capable of riding at that level enter W/C events?
there is a frightening amount of people round my way selling their trials bikes and trying enduro.
what gives?
Age? I reached a point in my mid twenties when I realized I wasn't getting any better at trials and needed a break so took up enduros. Had a razzle. Great sport and people. But, like most guys who move from trials to enduros, sooner or later, you return to trials.
Those with ambition, yes. But realistically the sections should be set with national class and bubbling under riders in mind. Your James Frys, Sam Haslams etc.
whats wrong with a winning score of 61 ? an average of about 2 per attempt !!
I remember world rounds regularly won on higher scores than that.
It's a good point. But I'll stick in my oar. The sections then were something a good open-to-centre rider could aspire to ride. Hard but not physically intimidating. If you have a look on retrotrials youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/Retrotrials) you'll notice that during King Jordis reign something happened. The sections changed to being hard but not impossible to wade your way through to being bloody frightening. No more could your good open-to-centre rider entertain the idea of a ride in a W/C trial. It became the domain of the super-rider. That situation has, over the years, become worse. Such that there are now only 6-7 riders that can expect to ride a W/C event. The rest are cannon fodder.
So we still sit in the same situation. Stop or no-stop. The sport in its highest form remains aimed at those "super-riders". Surely we should consider making the sport more egalitarian? If so how? Well we could begin by easing off on section severity. Aim the sections at a rider who might finish 30th (when did a W/C round last have 30 entries?). The same guys will win. So what if Toni or Adam lose 2? We'll still have a result. Next: I suggest we get back to real venues. No more road race circuits just because they have corporate entertainment facilities, hard surfaces so the factory pantechnicons can park there (who needs a pantechicon? What's wrong with a Vito or Transit?) and ****-hot wi-fi. Bring back Pately Bridge! Why does a super-rider need a bloody entourage that would put Khanye West to shame. If the rider needs a minder he's riding out of his depth. Fine for practicing but in competition?
Indeed Dabster. The powers that be insist on professionalism whilst treating the riders like amateurs. Half of the sports problems at world level, IMO, are the same powers to be demanding all sorts of superficial carp like corporate entertainment tents and the like.
One of the benefits of trials is you can practice in your driveway.
It's been suggested that you find some traffic cones. Don't bother. Use bricks or half bricks. Set two out spaced about 10' from each other and ride a figure of eight attempting to place the back wheel on the bricks.
If you can pick up a copy of Len Weeds and Lane Leavitts book. That book has lots of similar examples to practice. It might be over 30 years old but the basics were the same then as they are now.
thats what the sprocket guard is doing as long as the wheel is going the right way fingers shouldnt get between sprocket and chain
Fair point Glen. I hadn't thought about that way. I'd assumed the sprocket guard was there to protect the sprocket from rocks not fingers from sprockets.
RE: the sprocket cover. Why cover the holes in the sprocket when the sprocket has nasty gnashing teeth, the wheel sharp spokes? It's just so silly. The lanyard I can understand.
)? Or is the fact that they start young and on pushies? Are they better than Mart or Yrjo? I'm not knocking them but I think you might have a good point.
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Do You Remember This
in Trials Videos
Posted · Edited by toofasttim
From another TC thread (http://www.trialscen...e-rode-montesa/)
The US Montesa importer at the time was a pretty savvy marketer and tried to give Neil Armstrong a Mont. Armstrong was more savvy (this was earlier than this: http://en.wikipedia...._stamp_incident but the penalty would have been similar) and politely declined. I'm sure Martin Belair will be able to tell us more stories.