scottt Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 We all read the posts on here, there seems to be a lot recently about which route, how hard, which class etc etc. Now take a step back and think how this might look to an outsider or newcommer to our sport, (i'm fairly new to this and it confuses me) Trials can have 1, 2 or 3 routes. The easy route can vary from easy for newcommers to easy for people with a few years experience. Score on easy routes can vary from 0 marks lost to around 180 marks lost (for some). The expert route can be very easy for some experts with the odd trial being won with no marks lost. If you score less than 5 marks the trial was to easy. If you score over 100 marks the trial was to hard. A trial is normaly 4 laps with 10 sections, or 3 laps of 14 sections, or 5 laps of 12 sections, or 1 lap of 40 sections or other variations. Routes are marked with flags of different colours. The colours of the flags vary, dont ever expect the colours to be the same at every trial you go to. In some trials you are not allowed to stop in sections In some trials you are allowed to stop in sections. There is a class for virtually everyone and every type of bike. When you enter a trial you can pick what class you want to enter. At some trials you will be eligble for at least 2 sometimes 4 classes depending on your age and bike. There is a special class for old British bikes. But if your old British bike was new in 1966 then your not aloud to enter that class. But if you have 5% of the parts of an old British bike then the rest of the bits can be bought new and thats allowed to enter. If your completly new to trials you are allowed to enter the SSDT as your first trial. A number plate on the back of your bike is legal only if its made from a 4inch square of yellow sticky back plastic and the reg number is wrote on with a black marker. Trials are held in hidden parts of the countryside, to find one you drive around for hours till you see a 4inch coloured plastic flag stuck in the grass near a junction. You need a licence from the ACU to be able to compete. No-one will ever ask to look at this licence. There is no grading system as in other sports, you can be a novice after 20yrs experience or an expert after 2 trials, you choose. When you buy a trials bike the most common question you will get asked is "where do you sit" The most common injuries you will get are to your knees and elbows from falling off. Knee and elbow pads are available but no-one wears them. Modern trials bikes are designed to perform tricks and get over obsticles that 90% of the people buying them will never be able to do. Some riders can ride upto a 2ft high step and ride over it without loosing a mark, some cant. Some riders will approach the same 2ft high step, bounce the bike from wheel to wheel, then sideways, then balance stationary before riding over it some of them then struggle to get over the step, some dont. Trials clothing is normaly bright coloured and tight fitting. Trials clothing would never be worn anywhere other than a trial. A flat cap, wellies and half a ciggarete hanging out your mouth used to be a popular way of riding sections. With the new smoking rules coming to England soon, it will be illegal to smoke in sections. Ok some are a joke but some are serious, im sure there are more but how do you explain the above to people not conected with this sport? And finaly, People that organise trials and people that observe sections are the life blood of this sport and we would be lost without them, thank you to you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motojojo Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Since most of us are speechless, I will say and your point is. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulthistle Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I'd say that is "on the money". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpa3 Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Nice one! That sums up our local trials scene very nicely. Here's some more- For most trials you have to have an ACU affiliation card which you have to apply for, carry around and looks like a licence... but isn't. Some events have numbers on the front, some have numbers on the back as well and some use bibs. Some sections you observe yourself, some you observe each othe and some have an official called an observer. and Observers are the most important person at a trial. Some know the rules book inside out, some have never done it before and are doing the best they can but have never seen the rule book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 That was a superb post! And like Scorpa3 above, there are loads more you could add. Amongst the many good points you made, this one I can never understand why it hasn't been fixed. Routes are marked with flags of different colours.The colours of the flags vary, dont ever expect the colours to be the same at every trial you go to. I have seen so many different colour systems even in local centres that mistakes for going through the wrong gates are rife! This could be fixed simply by the ACU by specifying the route colours and system and then everyone has to follow that. Why has it never been done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevel Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 An excellent post, couldn't agree more. But it gets better for the outsider when he wants to buy his first bike! Beta are by far the best followed by Montesa, Sherco, Scorpa & Gas Gas or was that Beta are a load of c**p followed by ........ 4stroke is always better than 2 stroke apart from when 2 stroke is best. And you must use between 20/1 and 100/1 oil mix in a 2 stroke. Engine capacity-you need the power of a 300 with the weight of a 125 but it must give instant responce while being totally docile. Tyre choice is easy always buy a Michelin or was that IRC or Dunlop? If you want to change the tyre or mend the leak through the spokes, then there are probably 20 different ways to do it - all right of course. Gearbox oil - you can use the best oil available at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 ...Wouldn't it be boring if all the flags were standard colours, all the observers knew the rules and applied them, all the trials were perfectly marked out to everyone's satisfaction? No, not boring, just professional! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I think this gets topic of the month award - if not year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I think this gets topic of the month award - if not year! Andy, I'd have to agree. Funny but maybe trials just wouldn't be the same if it became all professional. Maybe we should accept these odities as part of the great sport of trials and enjoy attending trials where things are different from any other event. I'm sure there is a perfect mix of rules out there somewhere but I doubt if any one club is using them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapshot 3 Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 (edited) "O wad some Power the gift tae gie us tae see oursels as ithers see us!" - Robert Burns To a Louse Kind of apt, Good stuff ScottT Edited June 11, 2007 by Slapshot 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I think this gets topic of the month award - if not year! Andy, I'd have to agree. Funny but maybe trials just wouldn't be the same if it became all professional. Maybe we should accept these odities as part of the great sport of trials and enjoy attending trials where things are different from any other event. I'm sure there is a perfect mix of rules out there somewhere but I doubt if any one club is using them all. When you start thinking of the oddities, the list goes on for ever.. and thats just Andy & Jake Really though, the oddities are plentiful and virtually everyone who's been in trials has experienced a lot of them but not many will have experienced all of them I would suggest. Its when you look through the eyes of someone like ScottT, it becomes quite thought provoking as to what trials really is, and by the many post's we have seen lately on a variety of topics, its clear it is many things to different people. My views are well known. I want trials to become more professional and move away from it being an oddity simply because I do not believe it will survive. Looking at the many challenges facing trials in the foreseeable future, can you honestly see things getting better unless we start collectively addressing these challenges? One final thought, the Dodo bird was an oddity and looked what happened to that IMHO This is a great thread and could go run and run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exiled yorkshireman Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I've seen some posts in my time...but that is an absolute belter mate...round of applause for scott... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxy Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 the part about grading isnt exactly true as i was told by someone from the acu that until you have won the championship for your class you cannot move up for instance a novice rider from the east midlands has to ride all the east midlands championships and win overall or come in second place overall for him to upgrade to an intermediate, just what ive been told butr every one just seems to grade themselves on what they think they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy m Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Heres another. Iknow I will never be anything other than the ass end of average one day. If I was playing football, snooker darts or whatever I would have jacked it in by now but this is trials and nobodys bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinell Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Heres another. Iknow I will never be anything other than the ass end of average one day. If I was playing football, snooker darts or whatever I would have jacked it in by now but this is trials and nobodys bothered. Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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