AVK UK sponsors Adam Morewood, Elite Bike Trials Champion
Adam Morewood is one of the world’s leading bike trials riders and son of Robin Morewood, Head of Technical & Development at Bryan Donkin Valves 10-01-2023
Adam Morewood is one of the world’s leading bike trials riders. Now 20, Adam has been World Champion in the 9, 12, 14, 15 and 16 year-old age groups and would probably have added more Junior world titles had Covid not intervened. Adam, who has now moved up to Elite competition, is already making his mark and is European Elite Champion 2022 and National Elite Champion 2022.
Adam is the son of Robin Morewood, Head of Technical & Development at Bryan Donkin Valves in Staveley. AVK UK has sponsored Adam since he was 13. In this interview, Robin explains the commitment and dedication needed to reach the top in international sport.
What exactly are bike trials?
Bike trials require the cyclist to negotiate a series of obstacles without putting their feet down. At the Elite level some of the obstacles are as tall as I am (5’5”) and are often attacked from a static position. It’s a sport that requires explosive power, balance and mental strength.
You can see a short clip of Adam in training in the video here or on the link below (don't try this at home!)
How did Adam get started in bike trials?
My wife, Gill, and I used to compete in motorbike trials. Adam would come along and, as soon as he could ride a bike, he started tackling obstacles.
It soon became clear that Adam had a natural talent. His first tournament abroad was the European Championship in Spain when he was seven. He finished second.
What does a competition consist of?
Each trials course is made up of five sections, with each section split into six sectors. Each sector has to be completed within two minutes. If the rider completes a sector without putting their feet down they score ten points, so that’s 60 points available for each section. The maximum score for each round of five sections is 300 points.
In most competitions each rider has to complete two rounds. In the World Championship it is three rounds. That could mean up to three hours of intense concentration and physical effort.
Courses have colours to indicate how challenging they are. In bike trials, yellow is the equivalent to a black run in skiing.
The middle image above shows Adam competing against a backdrop of the AVK logo on the building behind the event. Within the lower right hand collage we see Robin, Adam's dad, in his role as mechanic.
What training does Adam have to do to remain competitive at the highest level?
Adam has had a strength and conditioning coach since he was 12. Fortunately he loves being in the gym. His physical training covers power, lots of squats and dead lifts, core strength and flexibility.
He’s studying for a degree in Health, Sport and Fitness at Sheffield Hallam University so he understands the physiology and biology of physical fitness training. Away from bike trials, he is looking to become a specialist physio.
On the technical side, Adam does a lot of his training in the Peak District which is strewn with the types of obstacles that he encounters in competitions. Trials is a very attritional sport and Adam has to replace his training bike on a regular basis.
Is a trials bike different from a road bike or a mountain bike?
A trials bike is radically different from other bikes. The most obvious changes are that there are no gears and no saddle; the rider is up on the pedals throughout a competition.
A trials bike has extreme geometry to give as much clearance as possible to the pedal crank axle. The crank axle is also positioned close to the bike’s back wheel. These changes allow the rider to tackle obstacles that would seriously damage a standard bike. It goes without saying that all components of a trials bike are extremely robust.
With all the international travel and equipment its sounds like a very expensive sport to compete in.
It is!! Adam is exceptionally grateful to AVK UK for the support he receives.
Since he was 14, Adam has also worked with Belgian trials bike brand, Jitsie. He is a member of their factory team and receives four competition bikes a year, along with clothing and spares. Each bike is worth around £3,000! In return, Adam helps Jitsie with promotion, product development and component testing, logging all his activities and providing detailed feedback.
I have also used my engineering experience to help Jitsie with the development of its rear disc brake!
What are Adam’s objectives in bike trials competitions going forward?
There are two slightly different trials bike disciplines. UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) competitions are typically held in major city centres over man-made obstacles. BIU (Biketrial International Union) events use the natural environment incorporating boulders, trees and the like.
Adam competes in both UCI and BIU events. Adam grew up honing his skills in the Peak District and his target is to become the BIU Elite world champion. With UCI, Adam’s aim is to be in world’s top ten and then, who knows!
The photos alongside this article were taken from a UCI event in Copenhagen at the end of August where he managed to finish 16th out of 140 participants. If you look closely you can see the AVK sign from the famous Tivoli Gardens in the background.
Adam has since competed in the UCI World Championships in Abu Dhabi. Although he has trialled throughout Europe and further afield, this was our first visit to the Middle East to compete. I’m typically Adam’s mentor, mechanic, and driver – although there wasn't much driving in Abu Dhabi!
AVK UK wishes Adam continued success. We are all rooting for you!!
