Two Very Different Events 12 To 14 June

[dadof2]

Nord View WTC, say 100 competitors, maybe 3000 to 5000 spectators

 

40 miles away a swimming event, say 8000 to 10000 competitors and the number of spectators anyone's guess.

 

What has this to do with trials, Well there seems to be a general drift away from motorsports to sports involving cycles and or wetsuits. More than a few of the swimmers and spectators had been into mx, trials or 4 wheel motorsport, some of them very competitively.

 

Also nearby is a cycle shop (Wheelbase), its large car park was full and probably more customers in a day that a trials dealer will see in a month.

 

Some say Nord View was poorly advertised locally.

 

EDIT After looking at videos Nord View maybe had somewhat less than 3000 spectators.

Edited June 15, 2015 by dadof2

[nigel dabster]

Did you ever explain what this has to do with trials?

[johnnyboxer]

Dad's right to a point

Cars & Motorcycles in sport or recreation are seen as maybe anti social & not 'green' for our green countryside

Take trail riding - 25 years ago we got no bother at all, now the focus is on us & we're under pressure from all corners - Police park up on the fell near Horsehouses in Coverdale (Park Rash & Blue Bar country) to check trail riders who ride a legal road trail from Pateley Bridge area - true

Trials land is also under pressure

Cycling & Triathlon is seen as healthy & 'green' & Eco friendly

Sad but true, plus it's cheap I guess

[t-shock 250]

Is it cheap though?

A top end mountain bike can cost more than a new trials bike today, entry fees can also cost more depending on the event.

I think trials bikes are cheap considering the capabilities of the machine.

[andrewmorpeth]

Ok so to get more entrants/spectators we should all wear wetsuits!There is also over 50000 spectators at st james's park so we could always wear  addidas strip and shorts and shin pads maybe?We are in a minority sport if you want people to watch go and play football!I couldnt care if there were no spectators in my opinion.Yes there has been a big increase in cycling lately, great if thats what you want to do ride around in lycra and post on facebook where you've been and how many calories you've burnt,do you really want all those lot standing in the queue of a section boring your tits off?I like my niche sport! 

[dan williams]

There's a niche sport and there's a dead or dying sport. There are fewer spectators because there are fewer riders. There are fewer riders because there are fewer spectators to say, "Hey that looks like fun. I think I'll try it." There are fewer dealers because there are fewer riders. There are fewer trials clubs because they can't make enough money to cover expenses. There are fewer places to ride because there are fewer clubs. The largest manufacturer of trials bikes just went belly up.

This may not seem a big deal in England because there are so many clubs but it's coming. Here in the states we're slowly going back to an unknown sport as the best riders leave for X-games and Nuclear Cowboyz. No major press shows up to the nationals. Sponsorship is some local garage owned by a rider or a local deli.

Dad's just making an observation. The knee jerk reaction is always the same and is the reason the sport is shrinking.

[dan williams]

...and another thing, the failure isn't at the world level. The failure is local as that is where the sport grows from. People often bemoan the lack of competition at the top. Nobody starts at the top. Taking care of the beginners and newbys is what builds the sport. Unfortunately it's a process that takes decades to get a healthy crop of world riders and it starts with the beginners.

[steve fracy]

...and another thing, the failure isn't at the world level. The failure is local as that is where the sport grows from. People often bemoan the lack of competition at the top. Nobody starts at the top. Taking care of the beginners and newbys is what builds the sport. Unfortunately it's a process that takes decades to get a healthy crop of world riders and it starts with the beginners.

 

Bang on!! and having a clear plan is important too, but starts with getting as many young kids involved as possible.

[micm]

Around here (Hampshire UK) it's just having somewhere to park the bike that is a problem for many potential riders. People of riding age and inclination setting up home are mostly having to live in flats (apartments) so have no garden shed or garage. A few keen ones leave bikes at their mum and dads, if they're allowed to!  Looking at the eco point of view, decent electric bikes (Dragonfly anyone?) might generate a new or MTB crossover following to widen interest in the whole sport.

 

 

[asc]

trust me cycling is not cheap ,entry's for events are usually more pricey than a trial,while you can buy a cheap bike most sports bikes out there are into £1000 +,but many are getting bikes on c2w schemes ,imagine getting the trials bike at a discounted price,sports do peak and trough in popularity bmx was massive in the 80's  and 00's and at the moment dead on it's feet,mountain biking  has peaked and sales have fallen ,sports bikes are the fashionable thing at this time but for how long.many of my mates are getting into sailing.

certainly in the east midlands /yorkshire i'd say entry's are pretty good especially the novice/beginer events (around a 100 entry's),if any thing the harder events scare many away.

one or two better riders are trying enduro's as extreme events seem to appeal ,but entry's are again not cheap.

as for the world round ,many things put me off attending ,the weather ,the drive up and it was at penrith yet again ,  you would put your house on who was going to win,which kind of ruin's it for me.

[graham66]

Hi Dad, don't want to cause offence here but what exactly is your point? I find it hard to believe there is one until you state it. The facts may be right, i would not know, i'd never heard of the swimming event.

I was at Nord View to see the best trials riders in the world, who were amazing.

If you need to see videos to determine how many were there then i guess that you weren't there, and yet you seem to whine about the declining popularity of the sport (if that is what you are doing).

People can attend whatever competition they want, i would not want to see 10,000 swimmers even if one of them was the best in the world.

Again, the facts you state may be correct - so what.

regards

[breagh]

...and another thing, the failure isn't at the world level. The failure is local as that is where the sport grows from. People often bemoan the lack of competition at the top. Nobody starts at the top. Taking care of the beginners and newbys is what builds the sport. Unfortunately it's a process that takes decades to get a healthy crop of world riders and it starts with the beginners.

Couldn't agree more,just wish everyone could see that this is the case.

[NAD1]

Sad but true, plus it's cheap I guess

I do triathlon and believe me trials is a LOT cheaper!

Am doing Ironman UK in July - £400 entry fee.

Add in winter bike (for wet training), road bike, TT bike, all the kit, wetsuit, all the kit, running gear, all the associated accessories, food, food, food while training and it's a very expensive sport and one that NEVER stops taking. I guess all in I'm well over £10,000 of kits and always getting more.

You can easily do £10,000+ on a bike, £3000+ on wheels and so on.

It's accessible yes - can swim, ride and run anywhere and there's lake a plenty for OW swimming. You can, as with trials, also do on a much smaller budget which helps to attract a wider audience.

Compare that to trials - less and less land available all the time and frowned upon because it's 'noisy and bad for environment'

Trials has a bigger problem in the UK - clear to see when you look at the support the Spanish and French riders had at Penrith.

I'm itching to get back on my bike after IMUK, so is my wallet

[dadof2]

I started this topic not because I have any particular interest in swimming in a dirty lake nor becoming a MAMIL.

Firstly Nord View WTC. Almost total lack of local advertising, I never noticed it in the paper nor on roadside boards. Why not a trailer board in a field where drivers on the M6 see it?. Local shows with a fraction of WTC budget have better advertising. Why did no dealers have demo rides at Nord View, surely a missed opportunity to catch people who may normally not attend trials. Unfortunately I know a few people who might of had a quick look to see what was about were put off by entry fee.

Many other poster are spot on with their reasons and there is a problem for trials. Two recent events in this area attracted about just over 60 riders each. One even used to be a centre championship round the other a British championship round. The used to attract top riders like Martin Lambkin, Rathmell & co and be oversubscribed with well over 100 entries. Both used to be two laps including roadwork, each lap needing a full tank of fuel. Now some are suggesting its hardly worth going to the effort of putting the events on for so few.

Less riders = less money for clubs, less sales for dealers and perhaps more crucially less influence. I know there are a few well supported events but on the whole numbers are insufficient.

The not motorised sports do benefit from the Eco tag but One of the maim reasons for their success is that far more people of impressionable age are exposed to them. You can spend a lot on them but on the whole they are much cheaper and maintaining the equipment is with most peoples ability, a kids trials bike on the other hand can be a money pit for the non mechanically minded parent.

 

Edited June 18, 2015 by dadof2