VOLUME 57 ISSUE 20 MAY 19, 2020 P65
2. Go Trail Riding
No, that's not a typo. You should take
your trials bike on a trail ride. And do
it often. This is the perfect way to get
familiar with the controls, ergonomics
and feel of the new-to-you discipline.
"Riders are used to riding their
local trails on their regular bikes, so
I always encourage new trials riders
to just go riding on their trials bikes,"
Aaron said. "You're not going to go
out in the first rides and balance
across boulders exceptionally well.
So, go where you normally ride and
simply practice riding the trials bike.
Do some wheelies, hit some switch-
backs and just use the first few rides
to get comfortable with the way the
bike feels. You can also find plenty of
play obstacles on regular trails to get
your confidence started."
3. Centered
and Balanced
This isn't a Yoga or Kung Fu lesson; this is all
about letting the trials bike do what it's sup-
posed to do–stick to the ground.
Keeping your center, centered is key to bal-
ance and balance is key to keeping your feet up
(the primary object of this sport). It's important
to loosen your grip on the bike and allow it to
do the leaning and pivoting in corners and over
obstacles. It helps to have a neutral stance with
your arms and legs slightly bent and do not let
your elbows or knees drop or come together.
Your input to the bar and pegs via pressure is
controlling the bike, so you need to think about
where your body is in relation to the bike, so you
don't drag it down like an anchor.
"If you watch racers, they're usually gripping
pretty hard with their knees, ankles or feet. That
is perfect for going fast and staying in control,"
Aaron said. "But for trials, you want to learn
when to grip and when to let go to keep the
bike centered below you. It will need to lean
and pivot. Use your body weight and input to
the bar and pegs to keep it pressed into the
ground. One of the best way to practice this is
to point your toes out a bit on the pegs. When
your knees do bend while riding, they will go out and
improve your balance, keeping your body centered.
This mimics situations trials riders get in all the time
through sections. And if you get comfortable letting
the bike move around under you on flat ground, you'll
know when to let it move as you step up to rocks and
logs. Relax and let the bike do the work!
