Moving Up In Class?

[mags]

I'm not sure about speaking up as it may not be well received with the inner circle of the club and you may be ostracised. Thats supposing trials clubs are like any other club and it takes some time to be accepted enough to have an input. Let me just say I have NOT seen or experienced this but I assume it may be the case as plenty leave the sport if they dont get over the beginner hurdle. I know three people that own trials bikes (two male and one female) that went to a comp last year and will never go back... when I see them I still try to persuade them. They have a private property set up for trials so still ride them.

Beginners should be treated like gold if the sport wants to reach its potential. Maybe there is just not enough beginner numbers coming in to justify taking effort away from other classes? I suppose you have to cater to your core rider class as to not lose them as well??? I get that it can be fine balancing act especially as clubman class might be 35 riders on a day verses 8 or so for beginners.

To me its all about encouragement.... it still sits in my memory the day I read in here that one trials club gives a small medal to club's beginners the first time they complete 40 sections.

That medal may only be $8 to the club but for us (and all beginners) its a year of learning, training, tears and blood (falls), sweat! 3 weekends a month travelling 300 kilometres to the ride area (for us) so the small piece of tin to say you've done your first 40 could mean a big deal as sign of encouragement. More training this year and we will be on the heels of the the first 40. The next encouragement $8 tin could be for the first 40 in novice that you run dab free!!! Now there's a piece of tin that might take some work!!! Might have to get a Repsol to complete 40 clear... did you hear that honey? Hehehehehehe

There is also the industry side of trials. We have spent over $35,000 ($21,000 for the two bikes alone) in the last year on trials related gear. Everything from the bikes to boots, clothing, spares, trailer et cetera. Any new person that gives up on it after a bad novice experience the spending potentially stops immediately. We will always ride trials while I can still hold a handle bar but others may just give up and walk away. Thats a fair bit of moola for the aussie trials resellers.

Then we come to training and technique. We my wife started back last January (2014) we got "one on one" lessons from a very experienced trials rider. These lessons were 3 quick lessons and then a lesson after you feel you have the task practiced enough you are confident with it, then move on with another lesson.

The lessons were from $100-$150 per hour... I would have gladly paid a club those monies to teach my wife the raw basics of novice. Thinking about it I would of preferred the money went into a club coffers. It got the job done really well as she was encouraged enough to become addicted to her trials bike riding. It does take time and effort on the part of the trainer and maybe there is just not enough resources to do it from a club???? She has been talking about more lessons this year.

We also get that "being involved" is possibly the best way forward and I feel it may be the eventual solution for us.

After the blood sweat and tears (and melted pants from header pipe at $200 a pop) my wife has spilt I will make her a great encouragement award.... I'm thinking a nice shiny rear sprocket with a $5 plate in the middle... Congrats on your first 40, your mechanic is special. Signed, Your Mechanic. (wink)

Mags

[breagh]

"Beginners should be treated like gold",well said.

I've always said the most important people are those that come to a trials for the first time.

We. meaning our club actually discriminate against the better/experienced riders.

Not a popular thing in some quarters,but frankly it doesn't matter because the better riders keep riding, maybe not with us but they rarely pack in.

We run 2 routes a beginners/Clubman route and a slightly harder but still fairly basic A route.

There's nothing for these "better" riders.

This keeps it simple and there no hard sections to intimidate the new folk.

Certainly works,we get new members every trial.

Edited January 16, 2015 by breagh

[hrmad]

A few clubs in my neck of the woods do easy and dead easy trials for beginners. I'm going to my first one on 25th this month, I'm glad there are clubs locally who offer these types of trials. Maybe if it's not stepping on anyone's toes ask the club local to you Mags if they offer such trials?

I think the problem with some club trials is that the course is set up by a former expert or championship rider who thinks what they are setting out is easy for them, forgetting that some lines can be intimidating for beginners without realising it.

I think if you're starting at a much younger age too these routes are much less intimidating, I wish I had started when I was a teen.

Breagh, your club sounds great, if I ever move to that part of Scotland...

[breagh]

We're not alone in fact Lothian Trials Club over Edinburgh way and Montrose are probably even more beginner friendly

If you're ever about you would be most welcome.

As a side issue sometimes it's not the sections that can scupper a beginner,the between section going can catch folk out too..

[totty79]

The last trial I attempted I ran out of time due to the between section riding. There was only one section I couldn't dab my way through, but 4 problem areas between sections.

[hrmad]

That's true about between the sections. Last trial I went to on new years eve between the sections was as hard as the sections themselves! Deep muddy paths with lots of bends and little traction haha. Some people were motocrossing it through sliding the back wheel

Edited January 18, 2015 by hrmad

[hrmad]

Went to a trial today, ridiculous between sections, 5 mile lap, mud, rocks, roots no grip steep banks, hills and off cambers where if you fell off you'd fall off big time. The sections weren't too bad, but ended up being too shaken up and tired to make a decent go of it. Did most of one lap then went off for a practice elsewhere. Some of the sections were not sportsman level, sportsman was more like clubman. Doubt I'll go again, will try a different club trial next sunday.

I'm no where near moving up, pity I can't move down

EDIT: Despite the difficulty of the trial, I still had a pretty good day in that the competitors, spectators and observers were really friendly. A lot of the guys out riding helped me out when I was in a spot of bother and it made the experience worthwhile

Edited January 20, 2015 by hrmad

[steve_earle]

Safety is the main issue for the beginner and novice routes.

I set out the beginner routes with the kids and small and medium wheels in mind, I always look at where they might fall, I check sections for low hanging branches, Thorn bushes and brambles that the larger riders might take an eye out on.

The main challenge is setting the novice route or C route but I'm not going to go into that!!

I think as long as the Beginner (D Route) is easy and not dangerous or scary and suitable for new ish riders then no one can say a trial is too hard just they need to practice.

Riders who have hardly ridden a trials bike and enter their 1st trial will think riding over a stick is hard and most are expected to have a hard time till they have done a couple of trials and start to get the hang of it, As long as it's safe for them. I advise them to just have a go at what they feel comfortable with and use the rest of their day to ride round and practice as long as they are having fun.

Look at it his way: 10 sections, 4 laps. Your maximum score will be 200. Some people think its too hard if they drop 50 marks even though they are riding at 75%. is that right?

I remember the 80's and 90's when we used to drop 60 marks+ and still win the class. I think riders were harder back then not the sections!!!

To get a good gauge for a club look through their past results at what riders in each class score but bear in mind freak weather can throw it off so look at a few trials as an average.

[mags]

Has anyone ever thought of taking a novice with them to see if a novice can get through the section... is that too embarrassing??? As for taking a beginner with you.... better chance of flapping ya arms and leaving the ground!

Its about inconsistency IMHO... I clean 6-7 sections in Novice and 1-2 I would not even attempt, a few I did not do twice... I deemed them too dangerous for my current skill level after trying once. And I aint afraid to go over a stick...!

There was one section in the last trial where my wife had to dismount and hard brake the bike down to a gully and then two of us spotted her walking the bike across rocks and then spotted she rode up the steep bank. I thought long and hard before riding through it myself and watched a quite a few go through before I went through. The section start gate was 20 metres or so from the gully, she zeroed the section once there.... the other novice with us took the 5 and avoided it because he didn't want to attempt the gully.... no gully, no getting to section.

As I've said.... its a dilemma... 60-70 clubmans enter and 6-7 beginner/novices, you really have to cater for the greater mass.

Mags

[hrmad]

Safety is the main issue for the beginner and novice routes.

I set out the beginner routes with the kids and small and medium wheels in mind, I always look at where they might fall, I check sections for low hanging branches, Thorn bushes and brambles that the larger riders might take an eye out on.

The main challenge is setting the novice route or C route but I'm not going to go into that!!

I think as long as the Beginner (D Route) is easy and not dangerous or scary and suitable for new ish riders then no one can say a trial is too hard just they need to practice.

Riders who have hardly ridden a trials bike and enter their 1st trial will think riding over a stick is hard and most are expected to have a hard time till they have done a couple of trials and start to get the hang of it, As long as it's safe for them. I advise them to just have a go at what they feel comfortable with and use the rest of their day to ride round and practice as long as they are having fun.

Look at it his way: 10 sections, 4 laps. Your maximum score will be 200. Some people think its too hard if they drop 50 marks even though they are riding at 75%. is that right?

I remember the 80's and 90's when we used to drop 60 marks+ and still win the class. I think riders were harder back then not the sections!!!

To get a good gauge for a club look through their past results at what riders in each class score but bear in mind freak weather can throw it off so look at a few trials as an average.

There were 3 routes, I phoned up and asked the clerk of the course if their sportsman route was suitable for beginners and he said yes. Most of the sections were doable, apart from one or two, it was getting to them that was the problem! After coming off down a steep back and coming off attempting some hills before the section it's really demoralizing! A rider told me after the club was known for setting out hard trials, I found that out first hand. So yes, I think I can say it was too hard for my noob level. Good job I am not 'soft' or easily put off as I am determined to keep trying at local comps, even if riding over a 'stick' is difficult...

[the addict]

^{Heather, if it makes you feel better it is often the terrain between groups of sections that can be the most challenging of the day, I've ridden many Nationals and come seriously unstuck along the route as that route is possibly the only way to the next group or the shortest route to take. I can remember quite a few attempts and biggish crashes trying to ride up a rock step at the Jack Wood between groups as did many others, the better lads popped up it as if it wasn't there whilst the likes of me (even though I ride Expert at club level) found it quite big, all part of the day though.}

[hrmad]

^{Heather, if it makes you feel better it is often the terrain between groups of sections that can be the most challenging of the day, I've ridden many Nationals and come seriously unstuck along the route as that route is possibly the only way to the next group or the shortest route to take. I can remember quite a few attempts and biggish crashes trying to ride up a rock step at the Jack Wood between groups as did many others, the better lads popped up it as if it wasn't there whilst the likes of me (even though I ride Expert at club level) found it quite big, all part of the day though.}

Thanks, I guess in hindsight it's best to treat the in between parts as a way to improve and spend more time getting to know your bike. Also train and get fit enough to cope with the rides between sections. Trials is hard no matter what way the coin lands, satisfying when you get things right though

[steve_earle]

I agree that the route between the sections should be taken into consideration for the level of riders the trial is set out for.

Sometimes it may be unavoidable depending on venue but if there is an easier route to the section it should be used.

If a section is not easily accessible to all riders it should not be set out unless unavoidable.

The organizers know their venues so should advertise and pre warn competitors if some parts may be tricky to reach.

The beginners are the main ones to look out for, and for the C route, my moto is, if in doubt make it easy as no one moans if it's too easy.

[lotus54]

The trail between sections is something to consider for cross checking also.

A trial I did last year one of the Marshall's knew me and mentioned he was glad I was there- for doing observing for the afternoon, higher grade riders.

He knew some of the novice would have problems with done of the loop trail- but knew I would really enjoy it.

Indeed, some guys had a very hard time even making the loop- I had a blast doing it, since it was like lists of the trails I like to ride. I certainly didn't clean them, but some were pushing....

I guess I should really appreciate our club- they really consider the Novice and kids riders and make it fun for all. Plus all really helpful without a bunch of ego getting in the way.

Mark