I’m planning a bit of a roadtrip next weekend, and I’ve never ridden them – worth riding or what? How do they compare to the Cli-Machx? Oh, and where do they start?

Nothing like the ClimachX … they’re (or they were) waymarked routes on BW etc. I say they were as I believe the signage has been taken down. Pop into the Holy Trail for the latest and to get a trail map but take an OS with you too, chances are you’ll need it at some point. Oh and they start from the centre of Mach’.

I did Mach 3 about 2 years ago now – route is very much an XC route (fair amount of fire road & some sections which might get a little boggy, some nice downhils), but I still enjoyed it.

If the signage has been taken down it’s since I rode it, but I will say some of the signs were not very visible any more (sun exposure had faded the colour quite a bit)

I had a look but couldn’t find the bike shop or the trails.

http://hosty.org/Brian%20and%20Charlotte/Mountain%20Biking/Wales/Machynlleth/

The Chute is great fun but it’s carnage in the wet.

I personally didn’t like climachx. Too many nasty surprises of off camber and otherwise unrideable bits. YMMV.

http://www.dyfimountainbiking.org.uk/

Is down at the mo, but now isn’t the time to be doing the 1,2 & 3 as they’re taking the waymarkers down in order to change the routes. Why they’ve chosen to do it this way and not put up the new routes & then remove the old I don’t know (maybe to avoid confusion).

I didn’t think all that much of them really, nice rides, but the kind of xc you could do almost anywhere in Wales – e.g. nothing like the wonderful climachx* (my view does vary! unrideable bits??)

When I’m in the area I usu do Nant yr Arian or Dyfi Forest.

*Haven’t done it in full for some years, mainly just repeat the descent til I can’t take it any more

Bike shop: http://www.theholeytrail.co.uk/

Too many nasty surprises of off camber and otherwise unrideable bits

Every inch of the ClimachX is rideable

“Every inch of the ClimachX is rideable”

There was a short section at the start of the exposed rocky bit before the final decent that had worn away. Thats now been repaired (nice work lads) still tricky thou :-).

If you fancy a big day in the hills thats waynarked try Nant the unpronoucable long route. Or Penmachno.