On face value, trials bikes make appealing trail bikes because they’re cheap, light and will easily tackle any obstacles you’re likely to encounter on a typical UK byway. On the debit side they’re cramped, will often struggle to do 50mph, have very small fuel tanks and will feel like a bucking bronco if you try to ride along a rutted lane at anything over 15mph. Taking adventure bikes out of the equation, the trail riding spectrum has enduro bikes at one end and trials bikes at the other, both of which excel at different jobs. Meanwhile the middle ground is occupied by ‘proper’ trail bikes such as Honda’s CRF. If speed’s your thing you’ll be happier with an enduro bike, if you’re not in a hurry and enjoy tricky, technical trails then a trials-based machine might be worth looking at as a cheaper alternative to a trail bike. The most obvious contender would be Montesa’s excellent Honda-powered 4Ride, tested elsewhere on this blog. Over the years I’ve used various trials and trials-based machines for trail riding including a Honda TL 125, a Yamaha 250 Majesty (the trials bike, not the scooter!) and latterly Ossa’s brilliant but flawed Explorer and therefore feel qualified to comment with a degree of relevant experience.
The Gas Gas Randonne was released in 2011 and is an interesting take on the dual purpose trials/trail theme. The bike features a conventional modern trials chassis (ie no seat to speak of) and is equipped with a bombproof 125cc four stroke motor derived from Yamaha’s TTR 125 trail bike. The motor works very well in this application; it’s quiet, pokey enough and spares seem plentiful and remarkably cheap. How cheap? Well, currently listed on eBay is a new head for £49.00 and £47.50 for a new barrel, to put those prices in perspective a new Pampera barrel will set you back almost £500 and no doubt Honda prices will be similarly eye-watering..
To get around the issue of trials bikes having no seat to speak of, Gas Gas have equipped the Randonne with a removable saddle which neatly bridges the gap ‘twixt the tank and the rear mudguard. It’s a strange idea and leaves an odd-looking gap under the saddle but it works well enough and makes the bike viable for covering medium distances up to 100 miles without needing a chiropractor.
The engine retains its widely spaced road ratios in the gearbox and this makes the bike a pleasure to bimble around the back roads. A lot of these trials-based hybrids have trials ratios in the gearbox, usually three low and three high and whilst these can be perfect for single stage trials, they can be tiresome on the road and a standard wide-ratio road gearbox is always preferable for trail riding . When it was new the Randonne was supplied with two final drive ratios, a low one for pure off road use and a higher one for more general use. The test bike has the higher ratio fitted.
At just four litres capacity the tank is borderline in terms of range for a trail bike, however the bike will return around 85 mpg and so the range is in the region of 70 miles which makes it acceptable, just. Obviously it would be prudent to carry a spare litre of fuel and this brings me neatly onto something a prospective trial bike purchaser should consider: there is absolutely no space on most trials bike to carry anything and whatever you want to carry with you has to go in a pack on your back: tools, tubes, spare fuel, the lot. The mudguards on any of these machines are usually too flimsy to fit an enduro-style tool pack and therefore mousses make a lot of sense because the rider can then dispense with a spare inner tube and some of the spanners.
tucked in out of harm’s way
I carry a fair bit of kit on my back when taking customers out with AdventureRide but if you’re not used to it, a weighty rucksack can feel a bit restrictive and it’s something you need to consider when contemplating whether to use a trials bike. In my opinion the cramped riding position is tolerable but you have to understand trials bikes are optimised to be ridden standing on the pegs and the foot brake and gear lever work best in this position, when sat down the ergonomics are compromised and many riders would find it uncomfortable to be forced to move their feet around to operate the gears or rear brake. Adjustment is possible but ergonomically a trials bike will never be as comfortable as a pukka trail or enduro bike. If you use a trials bike for trail riding you should be prepared to do a lot of standing up because the rear suspension has much less travel than a trail or enduro bike and the ride will be harsh and choppy when sat down. Unless you’re reasonably fit you might find standing up most of the time can bring on fatigue although this is mitigated to some degree by the very low weight and compared to most trail bikes the Randonne is very easy to pick and move around. On my first ride the Randonne felt cramped and awkward when riding on the road but, like most things, you soon get used to it. We were recently cut off by deep snow and ice and the only machine in the garage which would make it up the steep hill at AdventureRide HQ to carry out a mercy dash for milk, eggs and a gallon of Derv for the workshop heater was the little Randonne. I couldn’t resist a chuckle as the little 125 chugged gamely past a couple of 4×4 drivers struggling to break free from their driveways…
So, we’ve talked about the pain, the big question is, are there any gains? Well, yes there are. The Randonne weighs 88kg wet which is very impressive for a bike with an electric start. The low seat height makes it really easy to negotiate tight awkward hazards and I suspect many of the original purchasers were probably tempted by the bike’s compact dimensions. It’s really, really quiet which can only be a good thing for those of us who like to be unobtrusive when we travel around the countryside. With it’s Gas Gas pedigree the bike will easily outperform my ability as a trials rider and there are plenty of YouTube vids showing riders doing extraordinary things on Randonnes. OK, most of these riders are ex-pros but even so, the Randonne’s inherent ability will flatter most riders’ ability and bring out their inner Martin Lampkin. Even on the slightly higher gearing the little four stroke will plonk along happily at walking pace in second gear without any snatchiness or complaint. On tight technical stuff it’s a joy and even more nimble than a Pampera, but what really surprised me the most is the road performance; I was quite prepared to be underwhelmed by such a small capacity four stroke but the Randonne is capable of making surprisingly good progress and will happily maintain the kind of pace we normally ride at on a typical AdventureRide day.
The Randonne in the test has recently been added to the AdventureRide hire fleet and having the opportunity to do one or two bits of maintenance such as fork seals and minor servicing jobs I can report that the bike has some very nicely engineered details. Gas Gas bikes are held in high regard by trials and enduro riders and it’s nice to see the quality being extended to what is, after all, a budget bike. The front axle arrangement and fork yokes are worth a mention because they are very high quality indeed and much better than I would have expected.
So we’ve established the Randonne is handy little bike but what about the wider question about whether these trials-based machines make viable trail bikes? The answer is yes, they can make good trail bikes but prospective purchasers must go into trials bike ownership with eyes wide open. These bikes have a much narrower focus than a ‘normal’ trail bike and in exchange for their outstanding ability to tackle obstacles certain compromises have to be accepted: the cramped riding position, the small fuel range and the limited suspension travel means they will only suit some and the majority of trail riders will get along better with something like a Honda CRF or similar. But, if you want to tackle more adventurous obstacles and are happy to put up with a bit of discomfort, a trials bike can represent very good value.
adventurerideblog 
Great article Bob, cheers