PEDAL POWER

The sport of cycle trials began more or less in the mid-seventies, in the Catalunya–Barcelona area of Spain. 1976 was the year during the golden days of motorcycle trials when legendary brands such as Montesa, Bultaco and Ossa were the market leaders in the trials world. Some of the best riders

such as Manuel Soler were Spanish, riding a Bultaco. At that time there were many competitions and the attendance of both riders and spectators was massive. Everything started for cycle trials at around the same time, in Sabadell near Sant Feliu de Codines. It had happened some years before in the USA with the BMX and cycle-cross, but in Catalunya a small group of

kids started to imitate their trials heroes, following suit on cycles

At the beginning

they used their standard bicycles using a riding, pedalling type of style years before the hopping style. Little by little these kids started to improve their bikes with motorcycle trials handlebars, Amal brake levers, trials tyres — the Pirelli ML14 2x16 that was designed by Montesa and Pirelli for the front wheel of the Cota 25 — reinforced wheels and frames, motorcycle style forks and skid plates. Returning to Sabadell we must say that this city is very near Terrasa and the Moto Club Terrasa, which was responsible for organising the Trial of Sant Llorenç — the Spanish World Trials Championship round in 1975.

In 1976 the first cycle competitions, or ‘bici trial’ which was the name of the sport at the beginning, started in Sabadell. One of the very first winners at these competitions used to be a guy called Nicolas Canton. Sant Feliu de Codines is a very small town and every year it was the starting place for the Cingles Three Day Trial, with top riders such as Martin Lampkin (GBR), Yrjo Vesterinen (FIN), Ulf Karlsson (SWE), Mike Andrews (GBR), Charles Coutard (FRA) and Felix Krahnstover (GER) riding.

One of the best riders of bici trial in Sant Feliu was Felix Guerrero, but there was another name that revolutionised everything: Andreu Codina, who became the first ever European Champion in 1982. Apart from these two riders — and many others — there is another very important person in Sant Feliu; his name is Josep Figueras, who was previously a motocross and motorcycle trials rider. Josep was and still is very well known for his work promoting the sport and for his work, first modifying standard bikes and later creating his own trials brand Fidan. Today he organises the Biketrial of Legends for bicycle trials veterans, held in June each year.

There was also another person who make a really great job of promoting the new sport; his name: Oriol Puig. In the beginning the kids used to wear Wellington-type rubber boots and motorcycle trials equipment. If you look at any picture of Andreu Codina in the early days you can see him with the boots and wearing the Clice branded clothing. In these early years they mainly used the name of bici trial but in some documents it also appears with the name of ciclo trial.