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New Trials Rider Notes

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
I am a mountain bike rider who recently bought a trials bike. I have been riding for about 10 years, cross country for a long time, then dirt jumping the last couple of years. I have always enjoyed banging around on obstacles in my yard, I wasted various cross country parts this way. I decided to get a real trials bike and I found a nice modstock bike on craigslist a couple of months ago. An 08 Echo Control. Modstock means it's a 26" single speed. It's weighs less than 22 lbs.

Anyway, I though I'd throw some notes up here for anyone else thinking about getting a trials bike.

• You ain't going anywhere on that bike. A typical trials bike has very low gearing, no (or minimal) seating and a long steep front end. Riding more than a mile is impractical.
• Watch your nuts. You will forget there is no seat and sit down. Then your junk will be ingested by the tire and brake booster. The good thing is you won't do it twice.
• Weird geo. It takes a while to get used to a real trials frame. The short chainstays, long front end, steep head tube angle and wide bars seem almost unrideable at first. The guy I bought my bike from completely hated it and only rode it three times.
• Buy local and sell online. A used 26" bike will sell for twice as much on ebay as locally.
• Brakes brakes brakes. Trials riders are obsessed with brakes. Grinding rims, CNC brake pads, tar etc. You'll be obsessed too after you loop out the first time due to brake slip. BTW those hydraulic rim brakes work really well.
• The US "scene" Unless you live in Colorado or near a large city, trials riders are rare. Get one of your friends to get a bike too.
• You can ride anywhere. Grab 20 pallets and ride your front yard. Go to the park and ride a bench for an hour. Ride over your neighbors old 280Z when he's at work. (heh)
• Get a true trials bike. It will make everything much much easier.
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
Actually, I am just getting that wired now, I can stay on the rear for about 30 seconds consistently. Working on back/side hops and doing small pedal kicks.



Just upgraded the pedals to Wellgo MG-1s, upgraded the front rotor to 200mm and added a brake booster.
 

Anders

Monkey
Mar 5, 2002
436
0
Carlsbad, CA, USA
nice ride! make you you grind ur rims, i held off on doing it and that was a big mistake. i sold my bike, but im itching to build a trials friendly street bike. just need to sell my evil 1st :rolleyes:
 

slowmtb

Monkey
Aug 17, 2008
216
0
ChurChur, NZ
I am a mountain bike rider who recently bought a trials bike. I have been riding for about 10 years, cross country for a long time, then dirt jumping the last couple of years. I have always enjoyed banging around on obstacles in my yard, I wasted various cross country parts this way. I decided to get a real trials bike and I found a nice modstock bike on craigslist a couple of months ago. An 08 Echo Control. Modstock means it's a 26" single speed. It's weighs less than 22 lbs.

Anyway, I though I'd throw some notes up here for anyone else thinking about getting a trials bike.

• You ain't going anywhere on that bike. A typical trials bike has very low gearing, no (or minimal) seating and a long steep front end. Riding more than a mile is impractical.
• Watch your nuts. You will forget there is no seat and sit down. Then your junk will be ingested by the tire and brake booster. The good thing is you won't do it twice.
• Weird geo. It takes a while to get used to a real trials frame. The short chainstays, long front end, steep head tube angle and wide bars seem almost unrideable at first. The guy I bought my bike from completely hated it and only rode it three times.
• Buy local and sell online. A used 26" bike will sell for twice as much on ebay as locally.
• Brakes brakes brakes. Trials riders are obsessed with brakes. Grinding rims, CNC brake pads, tar etc. You'll be obsessed too after you loop out the first time due to brake slip. BTW those hydraulic rim brakes work really well.
• The US "scene" Unless you live in Colorado or near a large city, trials riders are rare. Get one of your friends to get a bike too.
• You can ride anywhere. Grab 20 pallets and ride your front yard. Go to the park and ride a bench for an hour. Ride over your neighbors old 280Z when he's at work. (heh)
• Get a true trials bike. It will make everything much much easier.
Nice write up :thumb:
All of it is soooo true. I have owned my bike for about 6 weeks now and am getting comfortable on it, been a long road and it's finally coming together.
These things are weird 4 sure but I'm loving it :think: :D
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
While a lot of those do hold true, I learned a lot of the fundamentals on my slalom bike. Don't forget that trails specific frames are still a relatively new thing in the big scheme of things. My friend who taught me a lot of trials (and isn't much older than me) remembers when the best trials bike you could get was an extra small GT Zaskar!

Also, one thing that I learned that helped me a ton with trials, be very mentally aware of your body position and your center of gravity in relation to the bike.
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
Yeah I did learn skinnies, trackstands and pivoting on CC bikes. But you can't really do back wheel stuff like you can on a trials frame, unless your really really good. Then your sponsor would probably get you a real trials bike. LOL
 

pauld

Chimp
Aug 8, 2009
1
0
hey i need help!! ive been looking for a quite good trials bike for a long time but cant find a good one and i dont have much money so if anyone has a good beginner trials bike write back :)
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
Paul, Head over to observedtrials.net and make an account, then check the for sale section. Lots of bikes at various prices. There's a near new Marino 24 for 600.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
Yeah I did learn skinnies, trackstands and pivoting on CC bikes. But you can't really do back wheel stuff like you can on a trials frame, unless your really really good. Then your sponsor would probably get you a real trials bike. LOL
The only real difference between a trials frame and a CC frame is that is has a higher BB and retardedly short chainstays. DJ frames are a little closer (chainstays are generally shorter than CC bikes with these). So if you can learn on a non trials frame and get good on the rear wheel, then when you switch over to an actual trials frame you'll be in business, it will be feel much easier to rear wheel stuff.

My point is, there's no real NEED for a beginner trials rider to invest in a trials specific bike or parts.
 

Sonic Reducer

Monkey
Mar 19, 2006
500
0
seattle worshington
My point is, there's no real NEED for a beginner trials rider to invest in a trials specific bike or parts.
+1
I'd say the only things that really make trials easier would be a small frame of any variety, good brakes, bash ring, and rear tire. as long as you can run a 2.3 in your frame, a good strong bash ring, tar and grind your rims for full lockup at will(v brakes will sorta work, maguras much better) your only limiting factor will be yourself.
 

jutny

Monkey
Jan 15, 2009
306
0
Montclair, NJ
My point is, there's no real NEED for a beginner trials rider to invest in a trials specific bike or parts.
I'm trying to learn on a superco charger, 26" wheels... not enough brake at the moment, 160's with SLX's just doesnt cut it.

nice short chainstays, BUT, I think the TT is a little short.

so far been messing with rear wheel balance, using stairs to hold the bike in position, and hopping the rear wheel with the weight on the front to hold balance. It's very tiring, my shoulders didnt know what was in store for them :thumb:
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
I didn't really like the Echo riser bars. I tried some downhill bars, then got these Trialtech Flat bars. The Trialtechs feel really good. I guess I need a lot of sweep with wide bars. Between the wheel grind and the bars my bike is dialed in.

 

Forrest850

Chimp
Dec 15, 2009
4
0
thanks for the writeup EATEROFDOG. Sounds like a good time. What size bars are you using?

I just moved up to Tallahassee from Miami. Rode urban freeride down south and BMX. Now looking to get into trials, this area seems perfect for it. I frequent Orlando area (mother lives in Mount Dora), maybe we can meet sometime for a ride?

Anyhow, converting my 26" Eastern Traildigger into more of a trials bike to learn some basics, and when the right used bike comes around i'll pick one up.
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
I think the trialtechs are 740mm stock and I cut them a little, so about 710mm wide.

I'll let you know if I see any local bikes come up. Heck yeah I would be down for a ride. Drop me a line sometime.