Trials Blog - Moving on up (to 50/50?) - Trials UK

Trials Blog - Moving on up (to 50/50?)

• 29th March 2011
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Again, sorry that it's been so long since my last blog post. I'm officially drowning in work, but I'm doing all I can to make time to ride.

Fitting in time to write about it (and finding something of interest to write about) is proving challenging.

Anyhooo... in this month's trials extravaganza - *riding up bloody big hills and steep banks*, *stepping up a level to 50/50*, *Rick/Russ-watch*, *nose wheelies & my knackers*.

Riding up bloody big hills and steep banks

If I look back a little under 2 years (when I first bought my trials bike and had a ride for the first time in 20-odd years) I genuinely never thought I would get up some of the hills and steep banks that I am climbing right now. I would have stood at the bottom and physically papped meself.

Now, I seem (worryingly) willing to have a go at some stupid looking banks and hills. I guess that's partially because of:

1. Who I've been riding with (unreserved thanks go to Gaz from the early days, but more recently Kev Alderson, Johnny Waterhouse, Clive 'Ribs' Armistead and my old adversary, Rick 'Cabastany' Armistead (more on Rick a little later -  yay for Rick-watchers!). These lads set out sections which are challenging, but (mostly) doable.

2. A realisation that these trials bike will do the most incredible things if you balance yourself on them correctly and just go for it.

3. Finally growing me some bollocks and having a go at the ugly stuff.

Of course, I've come off, but I'm also learning how to fall properly (how mad does that sound) and I am more willing than ever to let go of my bike to make sure that I don't damage meself.

Stepping up a level to 50/50 (clubman)

This new-found confidence has lead me to wonder if the novice/beginner trial is the right one for me. Having said that, I am still getting caught out with scores of around 15 - 20 on the easy routes, so I'm not sure that I am right in moving up just yet - but I'm itching to do it.

I pre-walk every trial when I can before signing in, and always manage to convince myself that I should do one more easy trial before stepping up. If I don't make the move I'm scared that I will never do it. Maybe next time. Or the time after that. Or the one after that. What happened to those bollocks I was talking about???

Rick/Russ-watch

Having stated my potential desire to step up a bit, I was well and truly beaten by new adversary Russ (only by 2 points, but a win is a win) and my former adversary/come semi professional trials rider Rick goes from strength to strength. He rode this weekend's trial with a total score of 2. Yes, you read it right 2. In the North, that's known as a feckin' tonkin'. He won by miles! His riding has clearly got to the point where he approaches a trial knowing he is going to ride it well. Awesome result, matey. Maybe it's not me who should be stepping up a level!

Nose wheelies and my knackers

So, I've started getting a bit cocky on my bike, and I'm now doing (shit) nose wheelies. When I say nose wheelies, I really mean coming to a bumbling halt whilst spending a split second on just my front wheel. I'm practicing in the garden a little more now that the evenings are drawing out a bit, so before long I hope to be able to do nose wheelies a little better - without falling off.

For now though I am taking it steady because last time I 'really went for it' on the nose wheelie front, my knackers took another pounding. They've been purple and blue for such a long time that it's been nice to have them in the normal 'healthy pink' colour. Nothing lasts forever though, does it?

So, that's your lot for now. Say hi to me if you see me on the floor with a bike resting on top of me after another failed attempt at a nose-wheelie. Hope to catch up with you in a month or so (will be going up to the Scottish 6 day trial so will write about that, I'm sure).