What is Trials?

This bunny-hopping, gravity-defying, gymnastics-on-wheels discipline looks crazy (and it is), but the aim of the game is brilliantly simple: don’t put a foot on the ground.

But that’s easier said than cycled, as riders have to navigate around obstacles that have been specially designed to make them lose their balance!

The course looks like a kid’s playground, but these riders take every pedal, hop and jump extremely seriously - one fall and the dream could be over. 

Trials is the ultimate test of bike-based poise, agility and technical skill. 

The first thing you’ll notice is the bicycles themselves. From geometry to features, they’re unlike any other. 

They have to be as lightweight as possible, with riders spending a lot of time airborne with tricks like side hops, hooks and back wheel jumps.

There’s no saddle, because they add unnecessary weight and riders need the extra clearance to contort their bodies. That’s why the frame height is always as low profile as it can be. And nobody - riders nor spectators - will be seated for a discipline this exciting!

You’ll also see wider handlebars and a thicker rear wheel, which help riders make their acrobatic moves around the course.

The other thing to note is the brakes. They are tuned to be extremely powerful, which allows the riders to gracefully stop on a dime on demand.

Riders have two minutes per section to follow the arrows, stay within the course line and snake their way around and over obstacles, which increase in difficulty as the course goes on. 

If no feet or part of the bike (other than the tires) touches the ground, or they haven’t used their hands or arms to re-balance on an obstacle, they’ve done the job - a clean round is a dream round.

Whoever puts the most clean rounds together will take home the gold.

Make sure you’re part of the action and watch riders hop their way to glory at Glasgow Green this August!