Après avoir codé des centaines de pages HTML et PHP pour ses tutoriels, le webmaster de TrashZen.com est sur le point d’éditer le premier manuel de VTT trial, entièrement dédié à la discipline. Au total, ce seront 240 pages au format A5, couvrant toutes les techniques du vélo trial, depuis les fondamentaux jusqu’aux techniques les plus avancées telles qu’elles sont observées en compétition.
Cet ouvrage qui sera seulement disponible en Anglais dans un permier temps (la version Française est prévue pour la fin de l’année), vous permettra d’acquérir une maîtrise parfaite de ce sport, où le physique et le mental se réunissent sans cesse pour mieux vous affranchir de toutes sortes d’obstacles et maintenir votre équilibre dans les situations les plus décalées.
"Your Complete Guide to Trials Riding" regroupe plus de 40 techniques et situations détaillées pas-à-pas avec de nombreux commentaires et illustrations à l’appui. Une quinzaine des meilleurs pilotes mondiaux y figurent (en 20" et en 26"), illustrant les textes dans un vrai contexte de compétition.
Nous avons eu la chance d'avoir un aperçu du livre lors de la Coupe du Monde de Pra Loup. On peut déjà vous dire que Julien le webmaster de Traszhen a fait un travail magnifique ou toute son expérience après des années sur le net et son travail dans l'édition font merveille.
Les partenaires et les points de ventes seront connus dans un second temps.
La présentation officielle en Anglais
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Why bother with paper in this age of digital and free online information?
As a mature sport, I reckon that trials riding deserves a solid book of its own. So far, the closest reference manuals I came across are all about general mountain biking skills, which in my opinion, are as inadequate for trials riders as a tennis handbook would be for someone willing to learn ping pong (you could also say the same of skate board versus surf).
Of course, you could argue that everything is already there somewhere on the web, accessible for free (I should know, silly me). Right, but you rarely get everything all nicely tied-up into one place, and the internet is mostly helpful when you seek just one answer, one bit of information.
What's more, skipping through hundreds of web pages is not as convenient or as comfortable as holding a real book, especially in the case of a very technical sport, practiced outdoors where internet access is not always practical. A print edition is something you can refer to, that is always “on”, battery-free, open it and it's ready.
Over the years, I had received several requests for such a book (from visitors on TrashZen), but only recently I started to think this could be an interesting project. At least something I could learn from while adding another milestone to the promotion of bike trials.
Because I had already written quite a bit on TrashZen, I thought the time was right to edit this knowledge into something more tangible than html code, something nice and easy to carry around. That’s what I have been working on over the last two years, in stealth mode (mostly after-hours and late nights) and I am really excited to make it official today, I named it “Your Complete Guide to Trials Riding”.
http://www.trashzen.com/images/handbook-makingoff.JPG
A mock up of the cover on what my desktop looks like these days.
That's 240 full-colour pages entirely dedicated to our sport. Over 40 techniques thoroughly detailed from basic bike maneuvering to expert-level moves, plus extra pages on choosing and tuning your bike. You'll also find out what geometry means to your riding, some observations on bike trials' evolution, as well as competition and preparation tips.
Since I wanted this book to represent today's trials scene as observed at competitions (on a technical level), many of the pictures used to illustrate the text where taken at UCI competitions, featuring riders from the top ten performing at their best.
This will also be my small tribute to them and to this sport in general, which brought me so many good friends and memories. The step-by-step sections are illustrated by myself, on the Atomz AKII, courtesy of Christian Gugliotta.
Coming very soon… so stay tuned. I’ll give you more details on pricing, distribution etc... when I receive my first proof copies from the printers."
