Trials Notebook

Trials Notebook

A monthly course in the art of trials riding. Instructors: Bob Nickelsen, Mike Obermeyer

Now to put last month's unweighting techniques to work on steep uphill/ downhill sections with large steps.

UPHILL

Key points: 1. Your rear wheel must hit the step or rock with power off, so 2. build enough speed that momentum will carry you over after throttle shutoff. 3. Front wheel should just skim or kiss the ledge—no moonshots, but 4. front wheel must be high enough to keep the skidplate from hitting and scrubbing off speed. 5. Get front wheel back down as soon as practicable to regain steerage.

Many riders find unweighting more difficult when they’re going uphill, but this may be the most important technique that you will learn. At its January 1975 meeting the NATC board of directors agreed unanimously that the emphasis in proper section-setting should be on wide-open, uphill, multiple-line,“European-style” sections; this translates into rocky climbs. If you can’t handle climbs with ledges or steps, you won’t be able to handle the coming European-style sections. Sections of this type encourage canny line-picking, but you may (and probably will) have to be able to handle rocks or ledges that fall in the middle of otherwise lines. So. . .practice these until they’re second nature, and you'll be able to handle rocky uphill sections.

DOWNHILL

Key points: 1. Approach is very critical—it must be slow and stable, under absolute control. 2. Approach slightly fast for stability, scrub speed for the last few feet, then 3. accelerate slightly to keep front forks at maximum extension and to keep frame from hitting. 4. Front wheel must come down absolutely straight to prevent wobble kups. Front fender and wheel — should be kept in perfect alignment so that you can eyeball where your front wheel is going. 5. Weight back, clutch out, both brakes feathered, but watch out for too much front-wheel brake, which will put you on your nose. Front brake should not be applied until after you hit and recover.

Maintenance tips: Especially on Spanish bikes, grabby brakes can mess you up on this exercise. So, pull ’em apart, clean the shoes with a clean wire brush, file off high spots, clean and grease the cam, lubricate pivots, replace trashed cable, polish drum surfaces. Get them working right. On Japanese bikes, don’t sweat it!

This downhill technique is not as valuable as the uphill ledge for sections, but may be very useful for riding between sections and for tough trail riding. This kind of hairy descent is seen less and less frequently, but still shows up in occasional club events and “grudge trials” of the “I’m gonna get those squids this time!” variety. In any event, a good trials rider should be able to put his bike up, down, over or through anything, so learn how to do it.

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE

Nick recommends that the master link be assembled from the inside, to keep it from being plucked off by rocks. If you’ve ever been 20 miles from base, 20 minutes behind schedule, and had your last master link spread itself all over a gravel road, you may this one.

If your tire creeps and causes the valve stem to start to “suck,” deflate the tube and use a long bolt to lever it around straight again without the hassle of loosening the rim lock and breaking the bead.

TRIALS SCHOOLS

Bultaco American is sending Elliott Schultz, former Ascot hotshoe, and now Colorado trials star, around the country teaching trials at all levels. Elliott’s schools are super; he’s a really excellent teacher, and can sort out Novice and Expert problems alike. We heartily approve of the schools, and of Bultaco’s much-needed support of trials instruction in the U.S. Elliott can also teach you how to balance a bike while standing on your head. Useless, but the more impressionable spectators love it. . . .