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.
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.