Standardising Routes and Flag Colours

[trapezeartist]

I've noticed that some of our colonial cousins quote the type of route they ride as if it is a standard format. If only we could have something like that in the UK! Every club seems to have a different idea of hard, easy, clubman, sportsman, novice, beginner, gentleman, etc. Most clubs use red/blue for the "main route" but that could be the hardest or the middle route and the use of white and yellow is all over the place. I've also seen red and blue as separate routes. Finally, some clubs mark out deviations from the main route while others mark out all routes in their entirety.

Wouldn't it be nice if all clubs worked to a standardised system, at least up to Centre Championship level? (I don't think there is such a problem at Trial GB level.)

[lemur]

My venue has the reputation of being very hard but that is because we have the roughest natural terrain around and I think hard is what the more serious riders want.  Very difficult to set out novice sections here because the loop I ride all year round including winter is apparently too much for anything short of a competent and slightly brave rider.  Pro rider class only exists when you have enough extremely talented riders to support it and that is another area I am lucky with, it's difficult terrain that attracts the top riders on a regular basis.  We were recently been compelled to somewhat standardize gate colours but the recommendations are not very conducive to the materials and terrain available here, plus they don't even match the number plate colours which is only sensible.  We set out 5 lines of difficulty per section here so there is always a significant number of options and I build sections to have optional lines at some of the really hard stuff.  After it's all setup and ready the whole thing is at the mercy of the weather gods to make the event easy or crazy hard.  Success is when everybody has fun and nobody gets seriously damaged.  One serious problem we are seeing here is too many classes, eventually you can't attract the required 3 riders per class to call it an official class competition and the results are discarded, which is significant when you travel great distance at considerable cost only to discover too few riders entered to make it count.

[Owens]

This was the guide the AMA used here in Aus. I think it is a good summary.

T1	Green	The most difficult division, suited to top level riders
T2	Red	High Difficulty
T3	Yellow	Moderate-High Difficulty
T4	Blue	Moderate difficulty; suited to the majority of riders and experienced riders on twinshock (pre-86) machines
T5	White	Lesser difficulty; suited to younger riders, returning riders, sidecars and classic (Pre-65) machines
T6	Orange	The least difficult division suited to new                                                                 riders, mini bikes, young kids and older riders.

Regards

Tim

[trapezeartist]

On 7/4/2024 at 1:13 AM, Owens said:

This was the guide the AMA used here in Aus. I think it is a good summary.

T1	Green	The most difficult division, suited to top level riders
T2	Red	High Difficulty
T3	Yellow	Moderate-High Difficulty
T4	Blue	Moderate difficulty; suited to the majority of riders and experienced riders on twinshock (pre-86) machines
T5	White	Lesser difficulty; suited to younger riders, returning riders, sidecars and classic (Pre-65) machines
T6	Orange	The least difficult division suited to new                                                                 riders, mini bikes, young kids and older riders.

Regards

Tim

That's what we need here in the UK. I think that would work well. It all depends a bit on your definition of "difficult" but I could imagine that working right up to Trial GB. Obviously marker flags and rider numbers should use colours to match.

[lemur]

It's the people who build the sections and tabulate results now that likely know what your regional definition of difficult is.  In general terms entry level classes don't need to assault anything taller then the front wheel no need to hop, intermediate classes don't need to hop to negotiate the sections but that ability can be an advantage in sections, intermediate classes should be able to assault a handlebar high obstacle or bigger with control, advanced classes are your top riders consisting of former experts (older) and current experts (younger).  Hopefully nobody sets out sections at any level that have not been tested unless you are the guy setting up world round class events, but I think we are all talking about amateur trials club events here.

[lineaway]

Our club started around 1970. I started in 1972. We started with novice, semi expert and expert.

 We now run 5 classes in the a.m. and 5 classesin the pm. We have one of the most popular clubs, even though our state has a small population.

 Our biggest draw is we all camp. Most of our events are 2 day events. Even a one day event draws people to camp 2 nights.

 We have done the 10 classes for about 3 decades. This club will never conform to most anything else. Our Semi class has been renamed multiple times and it some how reverts back to semi expert. 

 It was originally a class that rode the hard line, but it was up and coming experts.

 Now its full of old champs, masters and experts. They have tried to cut in half with a sr title. Wont work. We call it the shark tank. Average 15 plus riders. 10 of them could win on any given day.

 Clubs are spread over hundreds of miles and clubs that have been around forever will never change. That idea comes from a politition mind set. It will never happen. We are free men that run it like we do for our own fun. 

 You can to that on a race track, but my 4 year old grandson can ride that easy ****!