I rode trials for 15 or so years as my only sport, and stopped back in about 2016.

It’s always been the funny sideline of the cycling world, but its not died a bit of a death (in the UK at least) from its heyday back in about 2006 – 2010. It takes a LONG time to get any good (although quicker these days with better bikes and tutorials) and it’s a slow speed, calculated sport that doesn’t have the fast paced feeling of mtb or road. Not to say making a gap between 2 high objects doesn’t feel good, its just different.

I now pretty much exclusively mtb and the skills I learnt I use on pretty much every ride, whether that is 90° nose pivots to get around tight corners, bunnyhopping, getting over logs on the trail etc etc. Trials riders have the best bike control of any discipline, and that helps in all other parts of riding.

I’ve had mine for a year and a half now, was one of the first full builds. Mines an XT. Mine has been fairly faultless. I ride mine in the SW, combination of longer 15 – 20 mile dartmoor and exmoor loops and winch and plummet style rides. Rode the southern enduro and Exe enduro on mine last year along with trips to malaga and madeira.

Contrary to the above I’ve not had any issues with bearings, they lasted a year of british riding conditions. Frame wise everything has been solid. The rear trailwise wheel does have a tendancy to work its spokes loose, and it has a few dents but nothing major. A mate has the same bike and has virtually written his back wheel off though. Hub has been solid on both bikes.

I blew some bits in the Fox shock but that was taken care of under warranty no issues. The newer frame protection is much better than the old stuff mine came with.

Riding wise it is something that rewards a bit of input on the descents. It’s no lightweight but it doesn’t feel portly, but it’s not a bike for jibbing and mincing about on. It likes to go fast and the more you put in the more you get out. I enjoy climbing on mine, I think the body position is great. Suspension doesnt give you magic carpet ride, but it provides grip and a lot of feedback. It’s not a steamroller, but that doesn’t mean you cant ride rough, rocky terrain (Dartmoor, Malaga).

If I could change one thing I would try a P2 back end on my P3 front to run on tighter UK tracks and help it manual a bit better.

Privateer have been pretty decent with customer service, they did tell me to order the wrong sized bearings by mistake, but sent a t shirt as an apology – Happy enough with that.

Our legend of a guide (Francisco) had to call the bus to turn back, then nailed it back up the fire road to grab the helmet for him. We all waited. Luckily the weather was pretty good that day or I think I would have just cracked on!

Had someone slip and fall into the Levada on the way to the tunnel track too, luckily she was ok! There was a guy in our hotel who broke his collarbone the day before we started on the first little bunnyhop gap thing at the start of (I think) Redline.

All in all glad we didn’t have to wait for too long, theres the possibility on a lot of it that someone nails themselves and everyone has to then wait quite some time. Saw a couple of 4×4 sprinter ambulances though, so guess they can get pretty close on the fire roads.

“We even passed another group who had gone a good way down a track before someone realised they’d left their helmet in the bus! ”

That was our group… The Chap and his kid had come from the Surrey Hills, he was well out of his depth and walked a lot of it but had put on his form they were Intermediate level. What can ya do…

I came back from a weeks trip yesterday, with 4 days riding with Freeride Madeira.

Girlfriend and I had a great time, each day the group varied but genuinely everyone in our groups were great, also pleasantly surprised to see plenty of women riding, which made my girlfriend feel more at ease and not have to deal with dickhead mtb men. I think every day was at least 50/50 men to women, with one day slightly more women – Good to see!

Our guide was great, and generally agree with all of the comments above. There was a fair bit of faffing, but being in the intermediarte group to cater for my gf I was happy enough to cruise and make sure everyone got down safely.

Cannot emphasise enough just how slippery it is in parts!

We stayed in the Hotel Duas Torres, which is an option of where they put you if you book with freeride madeira. It has a bike store, a bike wash (hose) and a decent area to build the bikes in. We booked direct to save a bit of money, it had a kitchenette and was about £50 per night. Has a pool, bar etc etc and is on the quieter side of Funchal, I would recommend it if you want a fairly easy life, 2 min walk to the shops and 5 min ride to the freeride shop.

Yep I’ll be there on a pistachio 141. Hoping for a bit of steep.

Ideal, thanks all.
Interested to see what it’s like!

A slight tangent – If using more than one bike on a direct drive, do you need to change cassette to suit the bike? i.e if one bike running 12speed and one running 11 speed. I’m assuming having crisp gear changes is not an issue, as is not having the full range of gears, but is that something that is likely to work?

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Its been 4 degrees all day and has just finished snowing so a real treat.

Looks better tomorrow, fingers crossed!

Thanks all – appreciate it. Sounds like he must been tied up with other stuff so thats put my mind at ease.

Just reported my post, to delete or modify as neccesary.

I don’t know the bloke at all, obviously if i did I wouldn’t be worried.

Look at it from my POV – Pay random on the internet a not small sum of money, he says money recieved, will get these out shortly and let you know tracking details so you know they’re on the way.

Then hear nothing from him at all, after a few emails and a PM on here, still nothing after a week.

Please tell me that wouldn’t ring alarm bells with you all – Hence the question.

it’s nice to know he is a good bloke and sounds like he will come through all good, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

No pitchforks, but when someone is very responsive, you pay money for something they say will be sent within a day or so, and then they do not answer any emails – I think its fair to ask a question.

Anyway, thanks all, I’ll await a response from him.

Excellent – The videos I see of the RNLI regularly make me tear up. Their courage is amazing.

Well I emailed back with an order for January… The only other real contender for me was a 2021 Commencal Meta TR but they are about 500 quid more for an equivalent spec and heavier.
I will see what the comms are like this time…

Cornwall is’t especially small, whereabouts are you? Cardinham, Grogley, Kernow Bike Park, Woodys Bike Park, The old tin mining area upriver from Falmouth (name escapes me) are all worth a look. Dartmoor if you’re in Saltash or somewhere.

Can’t help with bike hire unfortuantely.

Snake skin isn’t very tough.. Go for SG.

Whereabouts in East Devon? East Hill way or somewhere?

Me and my girlfriend spent a week in the Riu Touareg on Boa Vista and we had a great time. The first time we’ve done an all inclusive holiday and didnt think it would be our thing but had a real laugh.

We spent one day drinking by the pool but also hired a bloke with a Hilux to take us round the island (small so can do most of it in a day), went on a boat trip out from the harbour to a small island and did some snorkeling etc, fished off the beach, went for a 9 mile walk along the beach without seeing anyone else, and spent a fair bit of time just using the hotel sports facilities.

Good winter getwaway and no time difference so that helps get ‘straight on’ with the holiday.

I’m not in any rush to go again in the near future just because its small so we saw the sights and have other places on the list to visit, but we centrainly look back on the week as a great time!

http://www.tregednafarmholidays.co.uk/ Is great. Walk to the beach, 5 min drive to Falmouth centre, 10 mins from Helford River, no designated pitches so you can go where you like,pretty relaxed, all good!

Yeah as above, I was up there last Saturday (23/2) and it was basically dry as a bone other than a few puddles here and there. It was another no bike / kit wash ride, put it that way. It will be slightly more muddy after the rain, but should handle it well.
The shorter tracks on the car park / road side have been adjusted / trashed but the longer ones from the main fire roads are all good. Had a great day out, have fun!

I’ve stripped the ratchet ring out of a few shells in the past during my trials days.
Basically the steel ratchet ring is threaded into the alu hub shell in a manner that when you pedal, it tightens up the thread.

I would imagine the reason it can’t be repaired or replaced is that it won’t be able to be removed due to this threaded construction.

I have had 3 knackered hubs replaced by Hope – 2 x ratchet ring threads stripped and 1x hub shell crack due to the force I was putting through it trying to overtighten the thread, cracking the shell in half.

If you send them the hub, de-laced, it is likely they will rebuild your internals onto a new hubshell / ratchet assembly (If they have some spare Pro2s kicking about…).

it is a bugger though, as you’ll have to relace your wheel.

Home of Charge Bikes, non?

Shouldn’t be any different to any other anodising, so anything with caustic soda in it.

Be careful, they are made to tight tolerances…

Not as funny / clever as you thought this might be.

Yep, you got it! Random placement if ever there was.

There is also a ladder drop at Woodlands / Chipshop, the sister site to Gawton and just down the road.

I have a T-130RS and have upped the fork travel to 150mm.

I use it at BPW (reds, blacks) and places like Gawton and Tavi Woods down here in Devon, as well as all day Dartmoor rides.

Still fun on ‘easy’ trail centre blues and reds.

Never done it but Your idea of cutting a section out of the middle is what i’d do, if you think you can get a decent join and / or she tends to wear gloves.

If not, no outer lockring might be the way to go.

Thanks all, I shall have a look through all the options listed, seems like some good ones available for £40 – 60 which is ideal.

acrylux[/url] are on our trading estate, might be worth a shout? Tiverton, Devon.

Girltalk?

An hour or two of fun can be had in Shirley Hills, just opposite Coombe Lane tram stop (and my old school). Used (10 years ago) to be a few small jumps and there is some ‘trails’ kicking about in there. Loose rounded gravel means fun sliding sideways.

I have a mate who manages an estate with a pheasant shoot, one put a pretty hefty dent into the rear quarter panel of his Toureg when it landed on it from 50 foot.

The elbow has some ‘spiky’ splines that allow it to be rotated once the bolt is undone but stay in place when done up.

If you are still having troubles, ring the guys at Tarty Bikes and they can talk you through it.

Feature length film of me on Trashzen

As Trashzen was mentioned above, good shout. Julian is a good bloke and loads of tips on there.

He probably does mean trials…

Get yourself over to http://www.trials-forum.co.uk, there is quite a large scene in Sheffield and surrounding areas. Go on a group ride and see if you can hook up with some local riders. Stick at it!

Could go with a Uniroyal Rainsport or something if you’re not overly fussed on snow performance but want a bit of wet weather bias?

I use Adidas Terrex Solos for both trials and on the mtb.

Clayey soil?

On a side note, I love Portland… Basically a land where no **** are given. How i imagine deep south USA to be. Massive wide roads, no real rules, people milling about. Great.

Possibly pop it into shipping containers and ship it to somewhere like Miami, so add their colossal pile.