Trials Blog - How can it be so different? - Trials UK

Trials Blog - How can it be so different?

• 18th July 2009
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I stand in the shop, looking at what I know to be trials bikes – I just don’t recognise them as the trials bikes I rode as a kid.  They don’t have a seat, or visible rear shock absorbers for that matter!

It’s been more than 20 years since I rode a trials bike.  Back then, when a Fantic 300 was truly cutting edge – and the bike to have, I only rode for fun, for something to do in my spare time that provided a bit of an adrenaline rush during long summer days.

That adrenaline rush ended up being sacrificed - sold to pay for my now wife’s engagement ring.  That was 1988 and, if I'm honest, I had probably spent no more than 20 hours on that bike.  I'd never entered into a competitive trial, either!

21 years later and, as I had grown tired of my hobby of 10 years; carp angling, it was time to break into something a bit more ‘aggressive’ as I hit middle age.  Something that would put a smile back on my face, keep me fit, and be something that both I and my buddy, who had also ridden trials bikes as a kid (a monstrous and hugely powerful Bultaco 350 in his case) could do together.  After a bit of discussion, where even the buying of microlights was discussed (yep, honestly), we had made our minds up and trials riding was going to be it.  We were both going back to our youth!

As ever, it was my job to do the research.  Neither of us knew a thing about trials riding in the 21^st century, so off I went and Googled away furiously to create a modicum of knowledge.  In addition to buying a reasonable bike we both needed boots, helmets, clothing, gloves, oils, and a few tools – virtually everything, then!  Oh heck.  At a time when I could least afford it (I had been made redundant and had started my own business 6 months earlier) I was going to be forking out a few grand for a sport which I didn’t even know would be as enjoyable as it was when I was young and had the nerve to fall off rocks!  Anyway, in for a penny...

So, what was to be my steed?  Gas Gas, Beta, Montesa (the only name I knew) or Sherco?  I honestly had absolutely no idea.  A customer of mine who had also got back into trials riding a few years ahead of me had bought a Gas Gas so, given there was a reasonable looking one in the trials shop which was only a year or two old, I went ahead and bought it.  Well, I say bought it.  I really struggled to find the justification to spend £2,500 on a bike and a further £400 on the necessary ‘bits’.  What they must have thought of me in the shop as I fumbled and bumbled with my conscience I don’t know.  Anyway, I eventually gave into my desires to relive my youth and agreed to buy the bike.  My new journey was about to begin.  I was a trials rider once more.