Mountain Bike Trials

Mountain bike trials are a very popular sport that is thought to have originated in Spain. Competitors in mountain bike trials are required to ride their bikes around an obstacle course that is either natural or man made. These obstacle courses used for mountain bike trials are chosen especially to test the rider’s dexterity and ability to handle their bike. Mountain bike trials can be timed, although they it is important to note that they are never considered to be a race.

People competing in mountain bike trials will typically be organised in to different classes, which are dictated by the size of the wheels on the bike they are riding. The two most common classes for mountain bike trials are 20 inch and 26 inch. The 20” class of mountain bike trials are generally considered to be the most challenging.

The rules of mountain bike trials are fairly simple. Competitors will take turns to negotiate a course, sometimes they will be required to complete more than one lap, and the person with the fewest points at the end is the winner. On mountain bike trials points are incurred if any part of the bicycle, except the wheels comes into contact with the course. The riders are also not allowed to put their feet on the ground.  Specially designed and modified bikes are often used for mountain bike trials, they will often make use of enhanced breaks to improve their handling.