Fim Minimum Bike Weight Increase 2014? What?

[eddie_lejeune]

surely something must have happened to brown and gubian- they arent that bad are they>?

[baldilocks]

Perhaps you could have got round for 2 or 3 then?

I don't think Brown or Gubian found it that easy.

My impression, mainly based on watching the indoor trials series is that Bou has raised his game a notch. He just seems to have that few % more confidence and ability compared to last year. Although anyone can slip as he did on the first day I would not be surprised if he goes on to dominate the season by a wide margin.

Im responding to Dabsters question about Fuji winning day 1.

First four riders lost less than 12 marks. This is unusual and increases the chance of a different winner. Great ride by Fuji. Generally regardless of the rules a winner other than Bou is more likely in an easier trial. Gubian has explained he broke his bike on lap 1 and then had to ask for fives elsewhere. Don't know what happened to Brown.

[nigel dabster]

Brown had tendonitis i think and had to ask for 5's

[nigel dabster]

Perhaps you could have got round for 2 or 3 then?

I don't think Brown or Gubian found it that easy.

My impression, mainly based on watching the indoor trials series is that Bou has raised his game a notch. He just seems to have that few % more confidence and ability compared to last year. Although anyone can slip as he did on the first day I would not be surprised if he goes on to dominate the season by a wide margin.

think again.

[dadof2]

So Brown found it hard due to injury and Gubian found it hard to impossible because his bike broke. Well, if you ride a lightweight bike what do you expect.

Clearly illustrates the need for a more robust reliable bike and the likely resultant weight increase - the core issue of this thread.

[nigel dabster]

So the most lightened bike from standard with the most expensive and lightened components won both days so how does that sit with heaviest is best?

Also no one has said how and if the weight limits were enforced?

[kramit]

So the most lightened bike from standard with the most expensive and lightened components won both days so how does that sit with heaviest is best?

Also no one has said how and if the weight limits were enforced?

Sorry to have to keep explaining this to you....but the point is, when you manufacture using junk metal, hopefully using more of it (thicker tubing in the frame for instance) would result in less failure. Unfortunately not even the FIM can require a manufacture to use quality metal.

[nigel dabster]

Sorry to have to explain this to you...but the point is when you manufacture using high quality thin tubing and special cast brackets, frames rarely fail, even at wtc. Gubian s bike was the only dnf and that was broken crankases.

so whats your point again?

[eddie_lejeune]

Were they not allowed to repair it for day 2?

[ianw]

kramit, the reason that you have to keep saying it is that it is simplistic, and not accurate. I understand your 'theory', but the problems that occur with current, (light), trials bikes are actually very few and far between if you buy a reputable brand. It would not have mattered if the earlier Ossas weighed 100kg, they were simply not tested properly and the design flaws fixed prior to production. You can't design and manufacture a highly complex piece of machinery and have it perfect first time, and it doesn't matter how much extra material you add. Trials bikes are difficult to get right because the production volumes are so low, the prices low, and it is difficult to amortise development and testing costs. That's why I would never buy a new brand until they have had a couple of years under their belts. I have owned many trials bikes from the first TL125 and 250 Hondas, through TY Yamahas then Betas etc, Six months ago, my son got into trials and bought a new Gas Gas. 150hrs later, the only problem has been a poor quality rear wheel bearing. We replaced it with a Japanese bearing, (same weight), fixed. It has been the most 'relaible' trials bike we have ever owned.

I don't believe that the current crop of well engineered and tested, (light), trials bikes are less reliable than the old heavy ones. If you then look at the cost of the current bikes, which is, (in real terms), much lower than it was 20 years ago, they are bullet proof bargains.

Another thing to consider, is the cost of adding weight. Raw materials globally are roughly 3 times the price they were prior to 2007. Adding 20% extra wall thickness to every part would add almost 15kg to the weight, and roughly 10% to the overall cost. Would it make them more reliable? Probably not.

[arnoux]

To put a few of you straight Gubian was in trouble because he had a massive head on crash with another rider just before he started day 1. He was belting back from the practice area at a fair old clip and T-Boned Australian GG rider Boyd Willcocks who was riding out to section 1 - it was a big one!

i spent quite a bit of time replacing bent and busted bits on Boyd's 300 in the GG pits, and I know Loris came off worse.
Brownie was sick.
Neither situations had zip to do with bike reliability. Period.

Edited April 17, 2014 by arnoux

[guys]

Now that's just silly:

[eddie_lejeune]

be interesting to see if that stayed in all day. Will my 2015 model gasser come with that strip of lead, it better as I want the factory replica!!

[guys]

be interesting to see if that stayed in all day. Will my 2015 model gasser come with that strip of lead, it better as I want the factory replica!!

It's never been cheaper to get that real factory look!

[baldilocks]

Actually look at some pics from last couple of years. Raga has been running weights there for a while. Dougie has a steel insert inside the wheel spindle to make the front heavier. They seem to get the bike as light as possible then change the handling by adding weight