Trail Rider Magazine

18 Trail Rider Summer 2019 has been a beauty here in New England, with lots of sunny days and lengthy daylight provid- ing lots of me for our favorite outdoor ac vi es. For many, these favorite ac vi es have to include quality peg me on our favorite bikes for Trial, as we con nue our progression of fun and skills on these amazing ma- chines. Of course, along with these longer days come the ho er temperatures that can o en feel more than a bit oppressive when combined with the high humid- ity levels so common in the summer. Many will find these as reason to keep their bikes in the garage, un l more comfortable condi ons return. Let's face it; a muggy 90-plus degree day will challenge our condi oning to the limits, with hydra on manage- ment an extremely important issue for athletes who choose to power on through the heat and humidity. Along with the demands of off-road riding is the need for proper protec ve riding gear, and the protec on they are designed to enable, along with the func on- ality of performance that only the proper gear can provide. Typical equipment includes a good helmet, along with proper boots, pants, jersey, gloves, and many types of padding and protec on for our knees, shins, elbows, chest, ribs, and back. All these are needed for the eventuality of the bumps and bruises that are inevitable in any forms of off-road riding, and Trials is no different in that regard. As usual, the demands of Trial are a bit different than most other types of riding, and, as such, spe- cific equipment has been developed to cater to the Trials-riding aficionados. Trials gear is like most other off-road riding apparel and equipment, but with some very important differences. This month it is my goal to explain what these differences are all about. As with anything else related to the sport of Trial, light weight and performance are paramount. The riding gear for the sport has become highly evolved with these goals in mind. So, let's take a look at what's available for the Trials riders today. In order of importance when it comes to Trials perfor- mance, let's start with boots. While most any type of off-road helmet, pants or gloves can be a good star ng point for a beginning Trials rider, no other Trial specific can make as much difference as the proper boots for this sport. Of course, protec on and support are very important for any type of off-road riding, and, as such, a good Trials boot needs to allow for a good "pedal feel," especially for precise opera on of the rear brake and for proper foot peg pressures to be applied as the rider takes on the obstacles of your typical Trials event. Most Moto or Enduro boots will be too s ff to allow for the kind of precise inputs and feedback necessary for good Trials performance. It is this need for precise feel of the controls that makes a Trials boot such a priority. Another important difference is the need for a boot sole with trac on and grip when the rider "dabs" their foot in a sec on. O en mes this foo ng by the rider is all that makes the difference between a successful passage versus a fiasco. Unlike a racing boot, with its smooth, rigid soles, a Trials boot has a somewhat so er and very grippy sole, as we see on a hiking boot. While the job of a racing boot is to allow your feet to slide when contac ng the ground, a Trials boot must be able to grip the ground when the rider needs to foot for trac on. While the support and protec on are s ll there, the ankles are a bit more flexible, and as with most anything Trials-related, the overall weight is kept to a minimum. Ok, so now that you have your boots for Trial, the next item should be a proper helmet. The biggest differ- ence between a Trial and Moto/Enduro helmet is the open-faced design of the Trials version versus the full-faced design most o en used for racing. Visibility, ven la on and light weight are all considered in the design and construc on of a good Trials helmet. Visi- bility in Trials is needed for the rider to see the sec on up close and from various angles as they nego ate the course. The Trials Section By Stuart Preston

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