Or indeed something else, at CyB. We’re there on Monday, Snowdon on Tuesday so we’re more interested in fun singletrack than rocks and such…

There are plenty of rocks whichever route you ride*! If you’ve got all day then the routes you mention are both a bit on the short side – either do them both or just ride the Beast, which is a combination of the MBR and Dragon’s Back routes.

*With the exception of the blue “Minotaur” trail, which is fun and swoopy but only a couple of miles long.

You can do a combo of both but shorter than the beast – Cut out ofter False Teeth I think and you can get to the cafe then do the adams family descents too.

False Teeth can be looped back to for a second go too.

I’d do the Beast but shorten it.

All of some of these shortcuts;
– Cut the big fireroad loop that nearly everyone misses (between Hermon and Gomez).
– After Big Dug carry on up the road rather than taking the left on to the fireroad and then hang a right into Hermon. The fireroad climb doesn’t really seem worth it just to do the very short Beefy singletrack (which is 50 % up hill anyway).
– I’m not convinced the final big climb after turning right over the bridge is worth it for the final decent. I’d rather turn left after the bridge and head up and do Dream Time which is a lovely bit and normally missed off the Breast. Then head back on the last half of the Blue.

Dragons back seemed much better than MBR or Tarw to me, MBR particularly disappointing.

I really enjoyed Tarw, and it’s not long- depends on your fitness but doing both in a day wouldn’t be much more demanding than doing, say, Kirroughtree black.

We’re both reasonably fit, but aiming to not tire ourselves out too much pre Snowdon at 5am the next day! Maybe have a crack at the Beast (possibly with shortcuts) then, but it sounds like we can’t go that wrong.

When I say not rocky, I mean not Snowdon Ranger / Jacob’s Ladder rocky, I don’t mind some rocky sections and such!

MBR is miles better than tarw. All day long. Do this if you wanted something shorter; you could do it in a couple of hours easy.

Not to hijack, but I’m taking my girlfriend with me to Coed to try and give her a taste for it all. She’s pretty confident as long as her wheels don’t have to leave the ground (somehow I don’t see her going down slated or false teeth, or for that matter beginning of the end).

I was considering a quick loop of the minotaur trail to warm her up, then the cyflym coch. Things like Pink Heifer or would be perfect, is there a better route to more of this?

I really disliked Tarw when I did it. However I love the MBR. Have you done either before?

Here is a very long video of the MBR.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG0JZJyCYL4[/video]

I do have a shorter equally poorly edited one.

I’ve done one of them before and really enjoyed it, can’t remember which though. Possibly Dragon’s Back, is that the one that’s like half of The Beast?

Dragons back has sections that are the same as the beast. The last section in my vid is the penultimate DH on the MBR and the dragons back. IIRC its called Pink Heifer.

Mix & match to take in the best sections, that’s the best way

From our last visit
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cME69ZZfmeg[/video]

Tarw seemed to have a lot of climbing for very little pay-off on the first half, although some of the climbs are reasonably technical (like rubbly stream beds) if that’s your sort of thing..

The second half is fantastic though and, I think, a match for anything else at CyB. I would do MBR or the Dragon’s Back and then link it into the bottom half of Tawr (you can cut through on the fireroads) to take in Pins & Needles, Flightpath (don’t take the shortcut) and R74…

Aye… Not really sure why, but that last stretch of Tarw was the bit of Wales I most enjoyed. On paper it wasn’t the best but it was the one that had me putting the most in and getting the most out. I was ruined by the end, I rode R74 like there was a timer running and tbh, I never usually do that. Fab.

But yes, agreed that compared with other centres it feels like a lot of hard work for the descents.

Can you speed those videos up next time?

😉

I missed the last section of Tarw because I somehow managed to snap my chainring.(?) The other lads said it was great even tho two of them had major mechanicals on it.

continuity are you referring to how long mine is? I wanted to cover everything fun for the other lads that went.

Just got back from there, I didn’t like Tarw, MBR is much better 🙂

Wasnt too keen on Tarw, it seemed like a lot of fireroad climbing for little reward. It also has an annoying fireroad descent.
MBR though is great! I particularly enjoyed False Teeth for the drops and jumps. Both are rocky.

Continuity – I did Dragon’s Back and MBR last time at CYB and don’t remember my wheels having to leave the ground on either, although MBR was a lot bumpier in places.

One of the early sections near the cafe with some rocky step-ups seemed to me the hardest bit on either route. Although I am crap at that sort of thing.

I really like the Tarw, yes there are climbs and some descending on fireroad but the singletrack on it seems very natural has a lovely feel.

I always feel like I’ve burnt some calories and had a good ride.

Tarw was a huge dissapointment to me. Climb after mind numbing climb for little reward & just too much rock. And the last bit, riding that bloody fire road just to come back again along that mostly up hill rock fest. Nope. MBR is way better.

Is the Tarw more or less what the “Red Bull” was?? If yes I prefer the MBR trail

Not Tarw.

Frankers, apparently Tarw is Welsh for Bull. What does that tell you?

continuity are you referring to how long mine is? I wanted to cover everything fun for the other lads that went.

No, no just giving you a little friendly coaxing from behind as my friends do to me when they follow me down trails! Go faster, don’t speed the video up!

🙂

Continuity – I did Dragon’s Back and MBR last time at CYB and don’t remember my wheels having to leave the ground on either, although MBR was a lot bumpier in places.

I certainly spent half my time on the MBR airborne, but if anything that made it easier. Some of the bits are really jumpy and all the leaping around would probably scare her off. I know she’d love the more flowy singletrack. Not too hard, but where she can maybe let go and enjoy going fast without the fear factor of ROCK GARDEN or STEEP ROCK GARDEN or alternatively VERY STEEP ROCK GARDEN.

What she’d love; Pink Heifer. What she’d hate; the entire track from beginning of the end back to the carpark.

Personally I **** adore it though.

I seem to remember the new false teeth section being a little flighty if you want it 🙂 Flat out might not always be the best way to do new trail sections but it worked 🙂

Do the beast. Or….

Do MBR or tawr then head further down the road a few miles and do the climachx. 🙂

This is what we have done the last couple of time:

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/OTAyOA==

.

Do MBR then head further down the road a few miles and do the climachx.

This. So much this.

Probably my favourite day of cycling in wales. If only you could fit Cwm Rhaedyr.

I think the main descent of the Climachx is shut at the moment for logging.

Go faster, don’t speed the video up!

No speeding up in my vids, granted the other one looks a little if the fast side.