Which Class??

[GaryT]

G'day

After 30 years spent away from trials bikes I am just loving being back on one! Have been spending a fair bit of time out at Pacific Park, meeting people, riding some fantastic bush and being amazed by how much this "new" trials bike (2003 Sherco) can do compared to the old TY175.

Everything is organised for this year with club membership sorted and the competition licence arriving in the mail last week. The plan is to take on an event either this Sunday with TCC or the following Sunday with WMCC. The issue I am facing is what class do I ride in?

I am eligible for Veteran (40 - 49) and Clubman, C grade might even be a possibility and then there is Masters (which I suspect will be way too challenging for me but I don't really know). 30 years ago as a teenager I started out in what was the Novice class and made it up to C grade before moving on from trials. I plan to have a few different coloured front plates so that I can throw on whatever colour I need but at the moment I have no idea what to expect in terms of level of difficulty in any of the classes.

Any suggestions as to what class would be the most appropriate for me to start out with?

Gary T.

[jml]

Hey Gary,

Without seeing you ride first hand it's hard to estimate your ability and I don't want to come across as patronising if you already have the skills, but here I go .

I started riding competition a little over 1 year ago, Completing a few rounds in Clubman then jumping up to C-grade for 1 round, while it was doable, I struggled and hurt myself and then went straight back to Clubman for the rest of the season. I would highly recommend any rider first take on a few rounds of Clubman to ease into the sport. Once you throw down some tapes, sections can seem really tight, really quickly and if you take C-grade on then not only do you have the tapes to worry about, you'll have a few small rocks/drops and tight turns to deal with while also making sure you make it through the prescribed splits, which take a little practise and bike control to get right whereas Clubman riders can take whatever line they like making it harder or easier based on their skill level. Having section freedom allows a Clubman riders to focus more on technique without having to worry about the larger obstacles or splits. This is ideal, because for the first 6 months of riding competition the bike had a mind of it's own until I was able to learn how to tell it where I wanted it to go. The advantage then of being in Clubman was that I wouldn't get heavily penalised for going off line, compared to C-grade (which would result in a 5 for missing a split). Also when tackling competition there are other pressures which come into play, if you're competitive person then the point score will always be on your mind, if you're a little shy you have other people watching which can also add pressure which you normally wouldn't have.

My honest opinion is that there is no shame starting in Clubman, some events (check first) allow you to jump up/down a grade during the event if you find the sections too easy/too hard. Some might say the Clubman lines are too easy, but they do offer up some tricky lines (depending on who set the sections) and unless your cleaning every section, they can reveal areas of technique you should practise/train without the sting in the tail of getting hurt while figuring out what you're not very good at

Good Luck!

[GaryT]

Thanks for the feedback JML.

Yeah, I know it is difficult to say what to tackle when you haven't seen me on a bike. :) You are right in saying start out easy and work your way up, particularly when it comes to injury - I don't bounce as well as I did when I was younger, I tend to more go "SPLAT" these days.

I am a little bit competitive but mainly against myself and wanting to do better each time. I am happy to just be out on the bike so I reckon Clubman will be the go and see what happens next.

[TerrY]

Gary,

There is a little problem with jargon here. If you can do "SPLAT", then you can go straight to B or A grade.

However, I don't think your version of SPLAT and the trials technique known as SPLAT are the same thing. The trials technique of SPLAT is quite spectacular, difficult, requiring a lot of courage and does not involve falling whereas, I think your idea of SPLAT involves a lack of skill, involves falling but at the same time can be spectacular ( or plain gumby ).

Please stick with the earlier advice and start at Clubman. We are not competing for sheep stations and you can make the lines harder for yourself within the alternative lines often available in Clubman. Always aim to have fun!

Cheers,
TerrY

[GaryT]

Yes Terry, I should have thought of that. I am a long way from mastering the technique of SPLAT in clearing obstacles.

However I am very practised in the art of a SPLAT dismount from the bike when attempting an obstacle.

[whitehillbilly]

Hi Gary,
Just join a club and go for a few rides with them.
Then you can see how they set the sections, and during the days, try a few easy then harder lines.
You will only then work out which grade to ride.
I dragged out my Greeves, and after 20yrs started riding again.
The day for me is more a fun day out, with no injury to me or the bike.
A chat and a beer afterwards.

whitehillbilly