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Published: 20th June 2006
Author: Author: Words by John Dickinson Photos by Sutty
Enter, stage left, seven-time world champ Dougie Lampkin MBE. If something's worth doing it's worth doing reet (as Dougie would say). And so we rapidly found ourselves in Dougie's personal practice patch - armed with his factory Repsol Montesa - in sunny Silsden (amazingly, it was just that) for the first of our eagerly-awaited series.
So don't anyone say that we don't try to give our readers exactly what they want...
Dougie Lampkin needs no introduction - his reputation precedes him and he already contributes a highly-readable column each month. With seven consecutive world outdoor crowns to his name there is no person in the world who exceeds Dougie's qualifications when it comes to riding a trials bike.
Doug, of course, runs his own trials schools when his busy international schedule permits and knows full well that all everyone wants to know - regardless of ability - is how to do the spectacular stuff. Sadly, precious few have the skills to even think about attempting such advanced techniques. But we all dream so, to start this series off with a bang, let's steam in with one of the weapons that all world championship-chasing hopefuls must have in their armoury - ‘The Splat'!
This spectacular manoeuvre - not recommended for beginners - is all about the correct speed and spot-on timing. The correct approach speed is essential, which also means selecting the correct gear. Obviously, this depends on the height of the rock-face you are working with. What you are looking for is to jump the back wheel from the kicker and hit the face with the back wheel at the correct, pre-determined point with just the right amount of momentum to take the front wheel over the peak of the step. You do not want to over-jump as you will then not have the control to execute whatever manoeuvre you need next. Trials riding is 100 per cent about having the machine under control at all times.
A kicker or ramp is virtually essential for this manoeuvre and, if there is no natural jump-off point, a suitable rock will often be placed by hand by a rider or minder.
The natural reaction of most riders when faced with an obstacle like this is to take too long a run-up and hit the obstacle too fast. Even for this rock face, Doug only used a run-up of five or six feet as what we are looking for is acceleration both forwards and upwards.
If you arrive too fast, especially without acceleration, you will just leave the ‘kicker' and smack straight into the step. It is not what you want. And it will hurt!
Depending on the height of the face, you may be able to just hit the face with the back wheel and the front will naturally fall over the crest. If it is a particularly high face you will need to drive the rear wheel upwards.
You know what to do - it is all about practice...
top tip Dougie says...
"Practice, practice and practice some more. The best advice I can give a young rider - or any rider new to trials for that matter - is to just go out, ride your bike and enjoy yourself. As a kid all I wanted to do was get out and ride my bike - and I still do.
"When I do my trials schools the emphasis is on riding. We mark out a section, study it and then ride it. The first time through most of the riders will make mistakes and maybe even five the section. But after they have ridden the section 10 times the improvement is obvious and the chances are that everyone will have had at each one clean. You learn by riding."
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