When to move up...

[joseph]

How do you know exactly when to move up a rank in competition? Whats the golden signs that you've stayed in a lower class for too long? ANy thoughts?

[mikeschiavone]

you've won previously

[Ed Gildea]

you feel that you are able to ride in a higher class, you won alot of the competitions in your present class.

[tybikes]

It shouldn't be about winning, but rather how well you perform on the sections in that class. I've seen results from quite a few competitions where the top expert guys had 40 pts out of a possible 60. You may have won the event, but consider how well you rode the sections.

On the other hand, if you are consistently blowing everyone out of the water in your class, then it probably is time to move up.

[rush]

On biketrials.com there is an article on when to move up a class. The best thing to do is practice the higher sections after the comp and see how you go. If you think you might be able to make it through 1 or 2 of the sections you owe it to yourself to move up.

My first four sport (expert U.S.) comp scores went like this (with 75 being max.): 75, 73, 69, 75. So dont be afraid.

[KeepRollin]

If someone at the comp says something like "what the hell are you doing in sport, sandbagger"

Then you might want to consider moving up :p

[AndyT]

You basically clean everything. My rule was if someone got under 10 in a comp- more than once, they should move up.

[johnpanther1]

Ride what you enjoy riding.

[KeepRollin]

You basically clean everything. My rule was if someone got under 10 in a comp- more than once, they should move up.
Yeah that's pretty good. I'd just say that if you cleaned each section at least one or twice. You know you can do the sections but you might have made a mistake here and there/you were tired. Competing takes time to learn and though competing in sport might have moves that aren't as fun as expert. Spending the time to get good at competing can be just as valuable.

[stocktrials]

When you look at the sections in the class above and think that they are remotely do-able.. then move up. The problem here is that there aren't anywhere near as many comps as in the Nth hemisphere :( so its hard to get real comp practice.. to be honest I rode sport for 2 years, a couple of 75's, a 10th place somewhere and OK results in some unofficial comps.

You basically clean everything. My rule was if someone got under 10 in a comp- more than once, they should move up.

If someone at the comp says something like "what the hell are you doing in sport, sandbagger"

Then you might want to consider moving up :p
i won on 10 in Sport (some dabs were stupid because I was eating lollies) at then at the next comp i was given the threat of being named "sandbagger" by Mr AK (1st in Elite)... alas, I had no choice but to ride elite. It was hard but doable.. I had fun, more than I would have in Sport I think, and I tied with alexm- damn good riders and the scores were all close. I got 1 clean too :)

[planetary1]

my rule from Sport to Expert was three first place finishes...if you do that then there is not much point in staying in that class anymore...expert to pro or Elite...that's a little more difficult, maybe give it a few more wins so you don't end up killing yourself...

[KyleT]

You basically clean everything. My rule was if someone got under 10 in a comp- more than once, they should move up.
:werd: I was told that as well, so my next comp will be in sport