A low-down on the Trial biking legend Dougie Lampkin's ride
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| (Image credit: Ali Bharmal) |
Recently, Trial biking’s biggest name, DougieLampkin, landed on the Indian shores to jump over a few everyday obstacles. We
put on our spy glasses for a closer inspection of the machine and here are a
few questions we were able to answer:
What is it so small compared to regular bikes?
It doesn’t have a big engine and it’s not built
for long rides either. It’s built for maneuverability. The lightness and the
small size makes it perfect for the riders to fling it around and over the
obstacles.
Is there no fuel tank?
Of course, there is. But it’s not a big one like
your city bike. As mentioned, it’s not built for long rides. It’s only for
trials championship. Hence, a tiny 2.7 liter fuel tank is incorporated in the
‘U’ of the frame.
Why does it not have a seat?
Because, while doing the stunts, the riders
doesn’t sit down. A seat will only add unnecessary weight. More importantly, while
climbing obstacles, it’s much better to let your legs (knees) cushion the
impact than to have your posterior bounce on the seat. You require few feet of
play between yourself and the bike while doing stunts; that’s precisely the
reason why you see that unusual ‘U’-shaped gap in the frame of the bike.
Disclaimer: The article was written by the author for RedBull.com
