Trials Riding Styles

Trials Is Not a Single Riding Style

The bike trials riding discipline includes a diverse set of riding styles to choose from. Consider the types of trials riding to sit on a spectrum. The most well-known types of trials riding are described below.

Competition

Bike trials competitions can be formal, or informal. Scoring is based on completing laps through multiple course sections. Each section requires riders to traverse through a predefined route without putting a foot down or crashing. Obstacles and course features can be natural, manmade, or a combination of both. Competition style riding is sometimes also referred to as “pure trials” or “observed trials”. You can ride “competition style” without necessarily competing – e.g., define lines that link together multiple challenges versus single moves.

Popular riders include:

For more details on exactly how trials competitions work, watch the video below.

youtube placeholder image
Learn the basics of how bike trials competitions work

Street

Street trials riding is typically in urban areas on manmade obstacles, often characterized by a combination of trials moves, tricks, and style. One of the benefits of riding manmade obstacles is that they are much more predictable than natural obstacles. Riders usually use a street trials type bike, but can use other bike types also including comp style trials bikes and mountain bikes. Popular street trials moves include bunny hops, manuals, 180s, fakies, footjam whips, G-turns, etc.

Well-known street trials riders include:

TGS

TGS – “taps, gaps, sidehops” – is a popular form of trials riding that generally focuses on single explosive moves versus longer lines, style, or tricks that typify competitions and street trials. Usually TGS involves riding manmade obstacles, but can include natural as well.

Examples of well-known TGS riders include:

  • Neil Tunnicliffe
  • Damon Watson
  • Rich Pearson (RPM displays)

Natural

As the name implies, natural riding focuses on riding natural obstacles such as rocks and logs versus manmade objects or features. Natural features typically have imperfect or even chaotic surfaces – non-uniform, off-camber, bumpy, jagged, etc. – which offers an extra level of complexity and challenge to trials riding due to its less predictable characteristics. 

Unicycle

Unicycle trials like bike trials but – you guessed it – on a unicycle! It can include styles similar to those for two-wheeled bikes: competition, street, natural, etc.

Popular unicycle trials riders include:

  • Kris Holm
  • Mark Fabian
  • Kelly Hickman