betabro Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Hi All, I'm building a training section in the backyard, to get my skills up for the first comp's. Without being to an event yet, I'm building blind, and have a few silly questions. How wide are the boundaries, on an average novice section? What sort of obstacles am I likely to encounter? What techniques should I be working on? Does ayone have any pics of a novice section? Thanks for the help. Cheers Kem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybaines Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Where are you? Round these parts you will have a fair amount of room on a novice section, 4 foot perhaps? you will most likely at this time of the year find som slippy cambered turns and small to medium climbs on the slippy stuff, perhaps the odd log but nothing that should cause much concern as long as you can lift the front wheel over them (maybe 2 foot? probably less) the same goes for rocks. But your main tests will be the cambered turns on the snotty stuff. Good luck on the first trial, and remember to relax and have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Thanks, exactly what I was after. I'm in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Now to find some 2 ft obstacles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybaines Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Well it may well be completely differnt in Aus. but I'm sure the guys on here from your land will give you a heads up as they are a good bunch like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyl Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 As a coach for the last few years back in in sunny south wales ------------ not Best thing any novice can practice is turns and more turns Even better if on a banking . Practice transferring your weight to the outside foot rest and keeping your shoulders square to the bars. If you can incorporate a small obstacle to practice blipping throttle/double blip technique then even better. Figure of 8 with a log or step in the middle spot on All the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 (edited) Thanks Jimmy, I think I need a 2ft high log to add in. So far i've got a clover leaf of marker cones, on a slope. A small 8 ft railway sleeper that has stabilisers. A diagonal rocker pallet (Pallet wired to a pine post), good for practicing small front wheel hops and stopping for the rock, or holding pressure off. Along with a few slopes of varying gradient between 5-60ft joined by a a 50cm wide, zig zag path, cut through the paddock. 10 Railway sleeper steeps on there edge, is one of my tougher challenges . Back to work on some more. What's this like for training terrain? Cheers Kem Edited January 19, 2008 by Betabro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybaines Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Thanks Jimmy, I think I need a 2ft high log to add in. So far i've got a clover leaf of marker cones, on a slope. A small 8 ft railway sleeper that has stabilisers. A diagonal rocker pallet (Pallet wired to a pine post), good for practicing small front wheel hops and stopping for the rock, or holding pressure off. Along with a few slopes of varying gradient between 5-60ft joined by a a 50cm wide, zig zag path, cut through the paddock. 10 Railway sleeper steeps on there edge, is one of my tougher challenges . Back to work on some more. What's this like for training terrain? Cheers Kem Looks brilliant to me! and if you can ride up them railway sleeper steps I'd say you are ready for your novice trial (as long as they are something like ours in the South West of the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovis Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Hi All,I'm building a training section in the backyard Cheers Kem Good job you dont live in a mid terace house in bradford then looks good, i bet you can have some real fun there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Thanks, Yeah, i'm finding it a great place for a blast. Great for the kids to start off too. I have plans for another Blue Stone wall, a few tyres and a stack of pallets. Met up with Drakey from down the road (1hr), and we get together for a bit of big boys follow the leader. The steps were probably my biggest challenge but I cleared them once will have to do it twice more to make sure it wasn't luck. Drakey cleared them, after a 2 on the first attempt. My favourite moment yesterday was front hopping the Sea Saw pallet down, to ride on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmac Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) He Betabro Here's something to set you up for your first event On the picture where you have the track running up from graded road - practice riding to the top, then a tight turn down the bank and riding to the bottom, then a tight turn up the bank and riding to the top again. Keep practicing until you can do a full lock turn uphill and down hill - both to the left and to the right - get that cracked and you'll ace your first Clubman event. Take a look at this stuff http://www.trials.com.au/contributions/trialman.php - it'll help heaps and remember jimmyl's advice - keep you weight on the outside of the turn (lean the bike into the turn) and your shoulders square to the bars (straight inside arm and bent outside arm) Good luck mate. Paul Mac Edited January 21, 2008 by paulmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thanks Paul. That's a good link with some great info, the Ryan Young DVD's have been awesome too. As for the slope, photos are deceptive for gradient. Drakey mentioned that the photo's don't do the gradient justice, angle of the trees is the indicator. To give an idea of the gradient, I can clear the ditch and steep slope, from the drive up to the road, in 2nd and 3rd, but in 1st if you lose momentum it spins sideways. Too much momentum and you fire onto the sealed road 3m over the top or loop out. I'll have to cut the grass down to have a go at turning on it (Suzy will be happy), it's a challenge to whipper snip too. It's about a foot long and swallows wheels. I scored 5 pallets to start my collection yesterday for a decent step up set. Kem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmac Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 No worries Mate Here's another idea on the sleeper steps - rather than go for the clean all the way to the top - try a slow 'one step at a time' approach - the idea being to plonk the front wheel on each step, short stop then the next step - crack that and you'll be riding C class in no time. keep yer feet up... Paul Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Yep, working towards that. I stuffed it the other day in the wet, lost momentum. I think I hit to hard and rebounded, or unweighted to much on one of the first few steps and spun sideways into the shrubs. Then had to back out through the climbing rose , so learning to pop and stop on each step will be a handy skill. Any ideas on a good pallet configuration, what types do you use for training novices? How many pallets would be a good stack for starting to practice zaps and splats. I was thinking 3 stacks of 4 high in an L shape for a start. Cheers Kem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmac Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Yeh the old momentum thing - I attended one of the fabulous Zar brothers training schools earlier last month and they slowed me right down, the go is traction not momentum. Now having said that I've been practising it for more years than I care to remember and still stuff it up more times than not but watch the top Australian guys ride - often they'll go from a dead stop a bikes length from an obstacle. Re the how high question - On a Clubman line you'll find the odd log or a small (under 2 feet) step but it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betabro Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Thanks Paul. You've eased my fears about how challenging the first event may be. I'm looking forward to having the first go at Mirboo North in March, just got to get the club and licence bit organised. I'm amazed at the torque that these bikes produce. Slowly learning to get more weight back and slow down on climbs, instead of scrambling up them like a trail bike. They seem to be able to climb anything if you can stay on the pegs and don't loop out. Do you ever come down for any Vic events? Kem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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