World Trials Championship

[slapshot 3]

Hi All,

Just a hypothetical to fill a long boring night shift.

We've reached the end of the season and one of the things that has struck me is number of times Andy has talked about the "man-made" element of outdoor trials and the severity of them, pushing the GPs to a "circus-like" trial. These bikes will do anything so where is the limit. The stuff is great to watch but it's great to watch the best riders in the world compete on any terrain

What would we, the trials riders/afficionados of the world like to see in the championship in terms of rules, time limits, the nature of the sections that sort of stuff.

Personal view; go back to no-stop, all sections in the World outdoor championship should be made up of natural terrain. No more man made arena type sections. With no-stop there will be no need for a time limit in sections. 1 minder only, not three or four plus a water/food/paper tissue carrier, any of that nonsense. Take trials back to what they should be, a battle between man and machine and the elements.

Like i say long boring night and purely hypothetical FIM wouldn't listen to the punters, would they???

[atomant]

With regard to stopping, I think the skill these guys possess with their ability to balance and manoeuvre the bike into all sorts of positions is part of modern trials and is what sets them so far in front of the rest. I heard on more than one occasion some youth experts complaining of being penalised in sections for hopping the bike and dropping points for not moving forward.. Its a shame, because its a skill you need to ride at that level and I for one am all for it.

As called for by Dougie and others, adopt FIM rules in the UK and lets keep this skill in the sport.

IMHO

[woody]

adopt FIM rules in the UK and lets keep this skill in the sport.

But we've been there before and in the early nineties it nearly ruined the sport. The level of skill between those that can do it (and I mean properly) and those that can't meant trials got too hard for most and entries declined to the point that events were in danger of disappearing. Not many wanted to ride the SSDT for example but look at it now.

I just think it is a pity that the variance is disappearing from WTC sections. Time was they'd go to different countries and experience the different terrain each had to offer but now it is getting near the point where they may as well ship the same man-made sections around each one. Bit of a generalisation maybe and not applicable to all rounds but not too far off the mark for many. It almost seems that the calendar these days is shaped to (try to) miss out the wetter months of the year. How long before mud and water are banned from the events as it obscures sponsors logos from TV....

Edited September 19, 2005 by Woody

[desperado]

My personal opinion is that we are observing a riders skill. Balancing whilst stopped, hopping sideways and even reversing whilst on the pegs are all skills that a lot of us do not posess. Within reason allowing these exercises to take place would make observing easier but we would need some easily policed form of time limit per section to stop lads taking all day to get through. The 'has he stopped / did he roll backwards' scenario happens every weekend and causes a lot of problems.Sections need not be made any harder but it would mean a more competent rider could choose a different route through a section.

[jools]

I agree with Slapshot 3, trials at world level should be complete no stop.

going no-stop may also make the severity of the sections more sensible

[Andy]

You lot should have been in the pub in Belgium on Saturday night - there was a good going debate on this very subject!

[fordson major]

I agree that we should use FIM rules here in the UK.

I know that some riders can't hop about,and that you get long queues when riders start hopping and balancing.

However, I'd rather queue longer and finish later if it lowered my marks lost.

I'm quite far from expert level ,yet I'm now able to hop and balance and it's not a case of having bags of energy , just being in time with your suspension.

It'd also help the lads who do these world rounds if they weren't alternating between rules.

On another note ,3rd isn't too bad for Doug seen as every thing that could go wrong,did.

[Andy]

to me the definition of trials is mans control over the machine... what more control can you show that being able to hop, balance, flick turn etc.. what caused the problem in the 90's at the top level was the lack of a time limit.

Yeah, but you're a Raga fan

[atomant]

Isnt the youth thats coming through making the transition from cycle trials to motorbike trials? you dont see them doing much hopping do ya

by the way, take a look at this video from Matt Burrows

I compressed the file to 10meg from 42.5 so the quality isnt as good as the original..

[gasserboy]

Thats amazing!!

[slapshot 3]

Have to agree, thats superb. My old Grifter could never do that!!

It also triggers my initial thoughts, is this how we want to see trials develop, because were nearly there already. Look at the indoor and some of the rounds this year. Personally I think we've gone too far and we need to get back to no stop. From the pics we've seen of Duluth earlier this year, pitch some of the natural stuff there on a no stop, that would be a test.

The reality of what we see now means that we might be able to hold a WTC trial in a shopping centre car park in a year or two, hopping up and over the barriers, walkways and overpasses. I don't fancy that much.

[cota kid]

Don't agree with no-stop as it is difficult to observe, the time limit in the section works fine.

It would be better if the WTC has some rounds in the Winter, so as we could see how the top riders perform in all conditions rain, snow etc.

Edited September 20, 2005 by Cota Kid

[woody]

I've no argument that that display is very very impressive. Interesting to note though that about 80% of it didn't need a 'bike' of any sort as it is hop jump hop jump sequences. The wheels never turn and he could probably do it on a pogo stick or similar. I saw some similar exibitions on unicycles on local news a couple of days ago - they even have a unicycle world trials championship.

I still prefer to see the bike being ridden as opposed to jumped about. You don't need wheels for the latter.

[gasserboy]

My old Grifter could never do that!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

your old what?

[nigel dabster]

You're young.