The Discipline

Mountain bike trials is a derivative of motorcycle trials that was pioneered by Catalan rider Ot Pi in the late ’80s. The idea was to ride sections of a course over obstacles, making the fewest errors to get the lowest score. In the late ’90s/early ’90s, Hans Rey, the two Martins (Ashton and Hawyes) and others took the sport beyond its competitive roots and propelled it into the limelight. With amazing skill, balance and showmanship, their riding inspired many. Trials has now evolved to incorporate riding in the street and in the wild, with riders such as Danny MacAskill and Chris Akrigg incorporating freeride elements to create what’s become known as ‘freestyle’ trials.