Trashzen is THE reference site for trials techniques and more. A simple click from our homepage will take you there to explore the wealth of info and guides that Julien has compiled. But wouldn’t it be useful to be able to take it all with you on a ride, to help you get those techniques dialled in? Well, that will soon be possible! We’d had an inkling that the Trash Zen webmaster was working on something big, he’d been hinting it at it for a while. He’s just announced exactly what that project was, and it’s certainly not what we were expecting! He has set himself the task of bringing out the first all-in-one guide to trials, a colossal work of 240 illustrated pages that examines all of the key techniques of our discipline, going into more detail than on the site, and even offering advice on your preparation and choice of bike. This is a first for trials, and it will surely be the ultimate reference for trials riders wanting to hone their skills and new riders starting out. And if we know Julien, the content will be of exceptional quality!
Below, Julien presents his work. The English version will soon be available to buy and a French version is expected by the end of 2012. We’ll be watching closely - this is an interesting project! Congratulations to Julien, who is as impatient as us to see the finished product!
Why bother with paper in this age of digital and free online information? As a mature sport, I reckon that trials riding deserves a solid book of its own. So far, the closest reference manuals I came across are all about general mountain biking skills, which in my opinion, are as inadequate for trials riders as a tennis handbook would be for someone willing to learn ping pong (you could also say the same of skate board versus surf).
Of course, you could argue that everything is already there somewhere on the web, accessible for free (I should know, silly me). Right, but you rarely get everything all nicely tied-up into one place, and the internet is mostly helpful when you seek just one answer, one bit of information.
What’s more, skipping through hundreds of web pages is not as convenient or as comfortable as holding a real book, especially in the case of a very technical sport, practiced outdoors where internet access is not always practical. A print edition is something you can refer to, that is always “on”, battery-free, open it and it’s ready.
Over the years, I had received several requests for such a book (from visitors on TrashZen), but only recently I started to think this could be an interesting project. At least something I could learn from while adding another milestone to the promotion of bike trials.
Because I had already written quite a bit on TrashZen, I thought the time was right to edit this knowledge into something more tangible than html code, something nice and easy to carry around. That’s what I have been working on over the last two years, in stealth mode (mostly after-hours and late nights) and I am really excited to make it official today, I named it “Your Complete Guide to Trials Riding”.
That’s 240 full-colour A5 pages entirely dedicated to our sport. Over 40 techniques thoroughly detailed from basic bike manoeuvring to expert-level moves, plus extra pages on choosing and tuning your bike. You’ll also find out what geometry means to your riding, some observations on bike trials’ evolution, as well as competition and preparation tips.
Since I wanted this book to represent today’s trials scene as observed at competitions (on a technical level), many of the pictures used to illustrate the text where taken at UCI competitions, featuring riders from the top ten performing at their best.
This will also be my small tribute to them and to this sport in general, which brought me so many good friends and memories. The step-by-step sections are illustrated by myself, on the Atomz AKII, courtesy of Christian Gugliotta.
Coming very soon… so stay tuned. I’ll give you more details on pricing, distribution etc. when I receive my first proof copies from the printers.
A sneak peak at Julien’s work... A mock up of the cover on Julien’s desk, where you can see the book in mid-production.
The making of... Julien filming some HD sequences for the step-by-step guides.
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