OK,
I’ve been riding for about 9 months and I think I’m doing OK so far.
Afan and Cwmcarn mostly so I can concentrate on developing skills without worrying about getting lost etc. I’ve done Wall, Whites etc.
I already have an Intense 5.5 which if truth be known is probably overkill for me but I do love it. I’ve recently sold my supernormal and arranged to buy a Dialled PA frame (a pressie to myself for stopping smoking!). I’m not really bothered about weight as I find the 5.5 so easy to pedal. So am I right to but FR orientated kit or will this make me an MTB walt/wannabe? I like the buy strong, buy once ethic.

Buy what ever you feel is right.

Don’t worry about what other folks think.

There’s nothing quite like the loverly feeling of being over biked 😆

My Pitch with DHX 5.0 Shock and Van 36 R’s is bloody ace, well above my abilities and over biked for everything I ride it on. But i love it 8)

Just my opinion, but if you’ve only ridden trail centres, you only have skills for trail centres. i.e smooth micro-terrain, predictable lines and jumps. Developing your skills only in this environment may leave you in for a bit of surprise if you ever go off piste with the expectation of being a ‘good’ rider because of all the work you’ve done at Afan or similar.

A PA is a tough trail bike thats up to a bit of mis-treatment. You’ll be fine whatever to choose to put on it.

Buy whatever you like. I would have ALOT more bikes if i could afford them, most of which i probably wouldn’t need but then thats the fun of it right?

9 Months? And you’v already got an Intense and now after a Prince Albert? I’d say you’r doing well my man, keep up the good work!!!

Some tit will be along shortly to say you should be pootling around on a butchers’ bike in order to learn the basics but sod them…

from what I know of those trails they can be ridden on a light hr bike and I certainly enjoy mine, though I also enjoy being overbiked ton my sussers oo. Up to you

backhander I like the buy strong, buy once ethic

Buy carefully and you can buy once, buy strong and it’ll be light too.

Totally up to you, but if you’re buying a PA frame, it would kind of seem pointless to then build it up with a lightweight XC build really.

Buy strong, buy once, is a good ethic. Though there’s no point in buying TOO strong if you get me because you’ll only be adding extra weight. You probably know what kind of rider you are, and what you can and can’t get away with already, so just spec it on the slightly cautious but not overly heavy side IMO.

Of course, you’re welcome to do what you like though!

Scienceofficer- I don’t disagree, but as I’m riding alone and still learning, trail centres are probably the best bet for now. However the black bit on Whites level was interesting!
All, thanks very much. I admire the tolerance and good karma should be heading your way.
Now, where sells the cheapest bash rings!?!?

We’re all still learning. Thats one of the main reasons I like this stupid hobby!

😛

What’s going on here? Too much tolerance. You only need a pink Apollo for trail centres etc.

I seem to be going backwards, after having had all the suspension one could want I am back to where I started, a rigid ss. But this time I can do anything I could on gears and suspension! Is that progress?

it’s progress in that you’ve now worked out how overbiked you were

Seeing as you have an intense 5.5, some form of hard riding trail hardtail would be a great companion, so go for it!!!

Agree with scienceofficer, places like Afan make you feel like a trail god as the surfaces are firm and grippy, and the lines are designed to be ridable in all conditions. Love it! However, more natural riding will bring in a whole load of extra skills – how to ride when you’re axle deep in mud or sand, greasy off camber roots etc, fast firm bits that suddenly turn to bog and grab your wheel and chuck you over…riding unpredictable terrain will sharpen your eye for picking out lines and spotting the dangers on the fly. I regularly find stuff in the surrey hills that scares the bejeesus out of me…some of it you’re not sure if its even meant to be rideable, then you see the tell tale track marks that shows that someone has been there and conquered it before…its all part of the fun!

smooth micro-terrain, predictable lines and jumps

Hahahaha.. Cwmcarn is not Llandegla… It’s not smooth. I take my Patriot to Cwmcarn, cos it’s my fave bike to ride there.

And the buy strong buy once thing – doesn’t really apply to bikes. Well, it would if you only wanted one. But different bikes are great for different reasons, so it’s cool to have many.

Backhander – I don’t know why you think other trails are easier than trail centres. Cwmcarn is harder than ALL the local normal trails that I ride. If you can do that you’ll be totally fine on normal trails. Grab a map or some buddies and get out there – you’re missing out.* Don’t let Mingsta indimidate you. There’s tough stuff out there for sure but it’s avoidable, or you can walk it. As for the mud and stuff – well you only need ride it slowly so it’s not really a hazard.

* I’m not anti-trail centre, I love them, but I wouldn’t want to only ride them 🙂

I wouldn’t know. I’ve never ridden Llandegla. I have ridden Afan, Cwmcarn, Nant-y-arian, penmachno, Gwydyr and CyB though. The only standout one is the original – CyB.

Interesting comments about Cwmcarn. The first proper time I realised there was a diffence in skill sets was when I took a group over mendip at the end of summer after they had been sessioning cwmcarn (XC and DH) for most of it. I was dreading holding them up and generally being the worst rider, but the reality was that none of them knew how to plan their own lines or handle rougher, rockier micro-terrain at all.