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You are just starting
out in trials and want to tune your current
bike to be a little more appropriate for trials
use. The bare minimums (assuming your bike is
already in good working order) would be:
• Brakes:
Trials requires strong braking. If your current
brakes do not let you easily lock up your wheels,
a tune-up or replacement would probably be needed.
Realistically, any decent v-brake should work
very well, provided you have clean rims and
good pads. There is no need to spend hundreds
of dollars on top-of-the-line brakes.
• Bashring:
You will definitely need a protective bashring
once your skill level increases to the point
where you are attacking objects larger than
bottom bracket height. The bashring protects
the drivetrain and allows you to rest on objects.
Most bashrings are designed to cover 1 or 2
chainrings, up to about 34 teeth.
• Rear tire:
A larger, wider rear tire gives you more grip
on objects, and also helps minimize both the
chance of a pinch flat, and the shock of landing
from dropoffs.
• Put your seat
down all the way: Give yourself as much
clearance as you can. Smacking the ol' naughty
bits is never enjoyable.
• BMX (Flat)
Pedals: Don't ride trials with SPD's. It's
dangerous, especially when you are learning.
Being attached to your bike is not a good idea
when you need to bail. Using SPD's, you also
learn to rely on your legs too much, so you
don't learn the proper techniques.
Price Breakdown:
• Brakes: $0-$100
• Bashring: $25-$40
• Rear Tire: $20-$50
• Seat: Uh, that's free
• Pedals: $25-$50 |
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You have already done
the things listed in the previous column, and
are ready to move up to some more trials-worthy
parts.
• Wheelset: Wider
rims, a stout hub (primarily the rear), quality
straight guage spokes and good tires. All of
these items will contribute to your bike's ability
to withstand the abuse that trials puts on it.
Getting some quality downhill-style rims (wider
than 27mm) built by a professional will greatly
enhance the durability of your bike.
• Drivetrain:
You might consider moving to a road cogset.
Because of the smaller overall diameter of the
cogset, you can run a shorter chain (which helps
eliminate chainslap) and also generally gives
you a straighter chainline. A trials chain,
such as the Rohloff, would add strength to your
drivetrain.
• Cockpit and Control:
A good wide downhill bar, with a slight rise
(around 1") will help to give you more
control and leverage, making it easier to pivot
the bike and lift the front end. Along with
this, a slightly shorter, medium rise stem can
help give your bike a more appropriate trials
geometry.
• Rigid Fork:
These give you more control over the front end
of your bike, because you do not get the compression
that you would with a suspension fork. This
is most critical in maintaining your position
by "rocking" the bike and also in
pivoting the bike off the front wheel. A suspension
fork also sucks up energy that would normally
be transferred directly to the ground.
Price Breakdown:
• Wheelset: $200-$400
• Drivetrain: $30-$100
• Cockpit: $70-$150
• Rigid Fork: $50-$125 |
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You want a complete trials-only
bike that sacrifices everyday rideability for
trials performance.
• Frameset/Fork:
This is the heart of the bike, and most of your
money should be put here. Consider a trials
specific frame, such as the Brisa, Zebdi, Pashley,
Orange, Crescent, Monty, Megamo, Knifen, or
a custom frame. Look for features like dedicated
Magura mounts,
trials geometry, gusseted lightweight frame,
high quality rigid fork.
• Trials Only Drivetrain:
Move to just one front chainring, probably 20-22
teeth. Get a corresponding bashring and remove
your front derailleur and shift lever. Replace
the mountain cogset with a road cogset, probably
11-21. Get a short cage derailleur, such as
the XTR or SRAM 9.0. Shorten your chainline
as much as possible. Get a high quality crankset
and bottom bracket. Consider a shorter crankarm,
such as 155-165mm. If you want to go even more extreme
run a single-speed setup, where you might run a 22 tooth
front ring, and a single 17-19 tooth cog in the back.
Use spacers, or 1 1/4" PVC pipe cut to length
to position your cog for a perfect straight chainline.
Use a chain tensioner instead of a derailleur.
• Quick Engagement
Hubs: Hubs with a fast mechanism will let
you go farther and get higher, because they
do not waste any leg motion. High-end hubs are
also usually lighter and stronger. Brands such
as King, Industry9, Hugi and Profile are preferred.
• High-end Brakes:
Magura HS-33 are still the preferred rear brake. Many
people are using disc brakes for the front. Hydraulic
power (for eithr disc or rim brake) still seems to give
the best results.
You are looking for superb braking power with
a minimum of hand effort. Brake boosters or
braces will enhance the power, and will also
help save your frame from flexing under the
stresses these brakes can exert. Stainless steel
cables for Maguras add strength and durability.
• Lighter parts and
accessories: Look for areas on the bike
where you can save weight, while maintaining
strength. A lighter bike will let you move and
position the bike easier, get higher when pedal
kicking or japslapping, and generally makes
it easier to perform most skills. Seatposts,
hubs, tires, handlebars and cranks can all shave
quite a bit of weight from the bike.
Price Breakdown:
• Frameset/Fork:
$600-$unlimited*
• Drivetrain: $200-$500
• Hubs: $200-$400
• Brakes: $175-$325
* believe us, it can get pricey |
