Looking to learn how to ride trials.
 

TRIALS -NOT- TRAILS.

Not sure if this is the right thread/forum to post in but I've been watching a lot of trials riders on Youtube and have been wondering where is a good place to start? I'm a member on BF so I thought to post here for some help.

If this is not the right area could someone post me some links to sites to learn? Also is there a age cap on learning this? I'm 30ish. I've got 2 MTB's here. One has been told to me as being a gen1 mountain bike being a Peugeot Canyon Express (I think Express) and a custom built modern MTB from a local LBS with rockshox. Both bikes I've gotten with back racks stock on them. My custom MTB has short bars. My Peugeot has long wide bars.

What tires are preferred to be used? I've got IRC Methos 26x2.1" and Continential Twisters 26x2.3" (I think Twisters.. will have to check asI bought them a while ago at a bike show).

1. Decide if you want to pursue the modified class (20" wheels) or the stock class (26" wheels).

2. Lose the suspension fork. Learn some basic flatland BMX/freestyle moves like rock walks, wheelies and manuals.

3. Practice, practice, practice. It's easy to watch a guys like Danny MacAskill or Ryan Leech and just assume they're naturally talented, but what you don't see is them honing their skills for many hours a day, most days of the week, for five to eight years to ride like that on a consistant basis.

The age cap is 29 - go get a road bike.

The best way to learn is to find others that do it and ride with them. I'm in my late 30s but I learned in my mid 20s. Depending how far you want to immerse yourself into trials it can be age restrictive because of the knocks you will take learning - then again there's that 50+ yo guy that posts on here riding a offroad unicycle.

I don't frequent the MTB threads here often as I'm normally in the Commuting or Electronics forums. Can you URL link me to that 50+ guy? Wow :eek::thumb:

Well It would be nice to see some 60yr old doing wheelies and some trials stuff. I've recently gotten some downtime from the economy crash and wanted to try things I did not do when I was younger. Skatebording is one. Had a dream where I saw Tony Hawk skateboarding (albiet it a bit more protected for reasons) when he's 60 with grey/white hair sometime this month. Cool dream but then again the guys been riding for years.

Perhaps I should note some things about my skills so others can probably guage a little on the learning curve thing for me.

-I can ride a bike no problems.
-I can't really track stand but can hold the bike still for about 3-5seconds.
-I can lift the front wheel while riding but not pull off a sustained full lift or a wheelie.
-I don't think I have problems balancing my bike.
-I can semi bunny hop if I was clearing a small pothole by lifting my front wheel but I can't quite lift the rear wheel whch I always roll over the obsticles on the back wheel.

I'm thinking of buying a cheap craigslist or department store bike for my learning then bashing up a ~$3000 bike. Oh man.... I -love- D.Mac (THE MAC!! :love:) and Leech :thumb:. I got a bunch of trails videos on my ipod itouch and D.Mac always blows me away. Now if D'arcy Turrene would do trials..... :innocent:;):love::love::love:. Speaking of females and trials I don't think I've seen any at all on Youtube. Any names you guys know of or better yet URL link me to videos of female trials riders? I think I saw one or two on Youtube before but one I remember was wheelie'ing on BMX bike which well probably isn't trials.

Oh yah the Thinkbike guys are awesome as well as countless people I've seen in Youtube.