Hi all,

I’m in the Brecon Beacons this week to do some mtb and road rides. Day 1 – ‘The Gap’ on the full rigid mtb. Are there any parts that would be unrideable i.e. too rocky? Day 2: I’m looking at a loop that takes in the A470 which at various points passes near the Taff Trail. This looks, from g.earth, to be a fire trail. I’ll be riding my road bike with 28mm tyres which sees plenty of use on fire trails in places like the Forest of Dean and South Downs. However given I’ll be a lot more remote, it would be useful to know how rideable this route is on a sportive/cx bike. Anyone ridden it on such a bike with similar width tyres/semi-slicks?

Thanks.

Gap gets rocky, but the Taff Trail is doable on a road bike, I’ve ridden the length of it a couple of times for charity stuff, it’s 90% tarmac, 10% hardpark gravel.

yup the gap is rocky up and down. The tram road up is hard going even with suspension, it’s several miles of incline. Have fun!

I used to ride the Gap on rigid bike in the 1990s when suspension was a serious luxury – you’ll be fine!

28c tyres will also be just fine on the gravel sections of the Taff Trail. 🙂

The Beast was on this weekend and it’s pretty boggy in places on the Gap route. Not so bad up by the Gap itself, but the bit just after the tramway climb is a slop-fest.

Tramway is not that bad. It’s a gentle incline really, just goes on a lot. Rocks in it but nothing huge. Get momentum going and keep a regular cadence at a comfortable pace for you and it’s not bad at all. If you stall on rocks it becomes more effort.