Trials Blog - OK...er, let's go! - Trials UK

Trials Blog - OK...er, let's go!

• 25th July 2009
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Being consciously incompetent is a horrible feeling.  It’s when you actually know how bad you are at something without having to be told.  Not only that but you’re fully aware that everyone else around you seems to be immeasurably better than you are.  Well, that’s where I’m at right now with my trials riding.  When fishing we used to refer to such people as ‘Noddies’ – effectively, those with all the gear and no idea. 

Both I and my long-time buddy Nige had gone for black Gaerne trials boots, bought because they were like wearing a pair of slippers in the shop.  Nige had managed to buy a helmet and some gloves of someone he knew, but I chose a red and black Hebo helmet as it looked best and felt the most comfortable.  Gloves, well I went for Hebo again.  I’d also managed to find a pair of second hand Hebo Gas Gas trousers on eBay.  I have to say though, that tight fitting Lycra on an overweight middle aged man is not a pretty site. 

The following Saturday Nige and I arrange to meet at Swaine woods – the local practice ground.  I turn up fully dressed to ride and I’m very conscious that all my gear is shiny and new.  I can feel eyes staring at me and I feel extraordinarily uncomfortable. 

My buddy, Nige, is no different.  We’re both quite overweight, clearly unstable on our bikes – Nige, by the way, bought a 2003 Sherco which looked better than my bike, even though it was some 6 years older – and together we look hugely ‘unnatural’.  Within the first 20 minutes of riding we’d both come off our bikes and I could see that Nige was asking me with his eyes “have we done the right thing here?”  I wasn’t so sure. I smiled at him shrugged my shoulders and said the now immortal words “what’s the worst that could happen?” We both needed help, but we had no idea of who to turn to or even how to ask.

Our ‘in for a penny’ attitude lead us to take part in our first competitive trial.  Between us, Nige and I had something like 2 hours of riding experience on our new bikes but we had been told that the best way to learn was to do a trial, so we did.  We turned up at Stump Cross, paid our entry fee and queued with the other riders. We both fived section 1, with each of us missing a flag,  Nige almost went over the handlebars missing his which made use both even more conscious of our lack of practice.  We moved on to section two and, whilst crossing a small stream, Nige lost control and came off his bike.  He stood up, looked at me, shook his head as if to say “I can’t even ride between sections” and got back on his bike.  It started to rain.

Section 2 was another 5 for the both of us.  We were dire.  So bad, in fact, that the smart thing to do was retire and go back to the drawing board.  So we did.