pete_scorpa3

I've welded loops on my trailer and always use ratchet straps that go through the loops and do not use hooks. I put one each side on the front wheel spindle sloping forward and one each side from the frame by the footrest sloping back. That way the front forks aren't compressed, but the bike can't roll forward or back. The last set I bought from the market had hooks on, I simply cut the hooks off and use the free end to pass through the ratchet. I've seen too many bikes fall over or even off the trailer due to a hook jumping off. Pete

What I said. Don't be fooled into thinking that you need big engines to ride in trials. The latest 290 Evo and the like are fabulous, but

Worth having a look at a Beta Rev3 200. My lad had one back in 2004 (he was an adult sized 15 year old) it was very easy to ride and had more than enough power, it was good at finding grip in the mud and didn't suffer the stator problems that my 250 Rev3 did that year.

Who's the best at wet Midlands mud, off cambered climbs, angled tree roots, more midlands mud (that one rock at Sainbury Quarry... we've only got the one) and most importantly, who is going to get up Wrighty's "The Three Sisters" in Dovedale Wood? The book is open....

How good is your Beta?

We've had entries inthe mid sixties recently for the Colmore, with that number of riders we struggle to even cover our costs. Remember it's 40 sections and each one has two officials, we visit nine different groups each with it's own land owner and we give each rider a hot drink and a snack at the punch card change after section 20. All these things add up. It's brilliant to have a full entry and not need to subsidise the event from club funds.

Money doesn't buy talent. I've been beaten many times by riders on pre65 machines. 45 years of machine development can't make up for my lack of skill!

Welcome back to trials and to Trials Central

Welcome to Trials Central Have you ridden in any events yet?

Last year was the first time we had two routes in the Colmore for many years! It is def a winner

Plus I know what you're like Addict, start early, finish early and have time to go and practice somewhere else on the way home for eleven hours!

The new pads will bed in to the shape of the disc, don't try to do it all at once as the extra heat generated by the grooves will glaze the new pads. Fit the new pads and bed them in as gently as you can.

I'd love to see that in the flesh, it's a bit difficult from the pictures to see how well built it is. It looks like it could be quite good.

Only a thought but I tend to get through quite a lot of wheel bearings on my trailer (despite cleaning and regreasing them on a reg basis) it might be worth doing a little research on which model of trailer has the best spares backup.

I'd rather start at 10am sharp, I have three young children and getting back home asap means that I stand more chance of riding the next time. Get back too late, I'm in the dog house and can kiss goodbye to trials for a few weeks.

Sections 4, 5 and 6 on the first visit to Dovedale will get the adrenallin going, Wrightys infamous - The Three Sisters! I can't see any mud here

50 riders have entered on the easy route, it's hard to say how many of them wold have still ridden if there had only been the Championship route. Perhaps 20 to 30 possibly? Theres no trophies or championships or awards for those riders, they are riding for the fun of competing in the countries oldest national trial.

I thought so. 50% of the sections with an easy route gives the 'fun' riders more chance to enjoy the event. I'm setting out Dovedale this year as we are only having two at Top Farm (we can't use the steep bank in the wood, Defra (or whoever they are now) have but the stoppers on it due to the Badger set half way along) so I offered to do the 15 in Dovedale. I know where we are going, but Wrighty is the boss and he wants the 'Three Sisters' in again, so don't blame me for those three 'fives.' Other than that, the B route will have a sensible ride through to start the trial then come back at the end for a different set of sections to finish. We can't have more than 120 entries due to the time constraints at this time of year. It's not fair to have observers out in the dark, and that's happened in the past with a field of 100 never mind 120 plus!

I've been involve with the Colmore as an Observer for 27 years, it was always fully subscribed in the 80's, even when it was a British Championship round, but we've certainly not had 120 in the last 15 years or more. If you look down the list of riders entered, there are quite a few who would never consider riding the championship route. I guess the B route will have added 20 to 30 riders maybe. What do you think Addict, would you have ridden this year if there was only the one route?

With three weeks still to go, the entry list for this years Colmore Cup is now full.

I've got a three bike policy through Carol Nash and theirs does not exclude using the trials or enduro bike on the road whilst competing in road trials. In the past my policy excluded this and I had to buy RTA insurance for every road trial at

We tried this on a mates Beta Techno without a security clamp and it slipped around within 50yds tearing out the valve.

The little 125 Scorpa would certainly do the job as well or possibly better than any other trials bike, it uses the same Yamaha engine as the Yamaha TTR125 kiddies mx bike and the SR125 custom style road bike. The Long ride version comes with a decent head light and even indicators originally. They are very well built indeed. And you often see tham in LDT's being ridden as trail bikes.

Current security levels: The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorised from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666. The Scots raised their threat level from "p****d Off" to "Let's get the *******s" They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line in the British army for the last 300 years. The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability. It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides." The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose". Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels. The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. Americans meanwhile are carrying out pre-emptive strikes on all of their allies, just in case. New Zealand has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defence cutbacks (the air force being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "****, I hope Australia will come and rescue us". Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, mate". Three more escalation levels remain, "Crikey!', "I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend" and "The barbie is cancelled". So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

In my opinion there's a few things to consider, I hope you don't mind me being a little blunt. Riding a trials bike ten miles each way won't do it any harm occasionally, but doing this on a daily basis will soon wear it out. They are not designed for this type of use, the engines tend to knock and clank when they are on the road and of course it's not a comfortable ride either. A bigger front sprocket will help by raising the cruising speed. Then there's the problem of the law. Realistically to stay inside the law (and they are likely to take an interest in a trials bike zipping along at 8.30 on a Monday morning) you will need to fit decent front and rear lights including a brake light unless you can do the journey in daylight. You will also need a registered bike with an mot, a full sized number plate, a speedo and a horn. None of this is a major issue, but it is likely that any second hand 125 trials bike will not have these things. Also, you have the problem of security, a trials bike will attract serious attention from the local joy riders so you wil need an ignition switch (to stop anyone from just jumping on and starting it up) and a really good chain. Finally, when you have got your road registered bike fully sorted and legal, you then have to think whether or not you want to ride it at weekend off road. Remember, you will need it the very next day for college, so you won't want to break it. Kind of takes the fun out of competing when you think about it. Sorry to be so negative, naturally it can be done but is it really worth it? Let us know how you get on. Pete