Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 47 total)
  • new bits on Llandegla red
  • rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    look smooth and flowing rather than technical, but a whole lot better than the fire roads they bypass, be great when they’ve bedded in, i obeyed the signs and didn’t ride them

    Landegla trail groomer 😉

    wl
    Free Member

    Is there any technical stuff at Llandegla? I’m assuming it’s secret if there is, because it certainly isn’t on the black run where you’d expect it.

    Will-M
    Full Member

    Depends how you define technical. On my short travel hardtail the black runs are pretty full on at speed. But horses for courses!

    chvck
    Free Member

    I consider that bit of north shore over the swampy area to be pretty technical on a hardtail!

    dangerousbeans
    Free Member

    Saw those new bits on Wednesday and was also good.

    Thing with Llandegla is its just too tame and easy and super riders like me get bored to tears riding it.

    Not really worth calling it a trail centre, I mean, mebbe if you rode it on a roadbike fixie with no handlebars it could be mildly entertaining for us uberskilled ones but otherwise, well………………

    wl
    Free Member

    Nah, it would still be dull.

    terrahawk
    Free Member

    New bits are always a good thing. Thanks for posting pics.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    due to the extensive logging, there’s even some mud on the trails! 😯

    wl
    Free Member

    They’ll soon sweep that up, it could be dangerous.

    dangerousbeans
    Free Member

    rd,

    read that as ‘dogging’ first read through

    franki
    Free Member

    I think it depends on how you tackle the trails there and what kind of rider you are.

    The black route is indeed very easy at a comfortable pace, but if I let it go a bit too much, I’m much more at risk of binning it big time there, than anywhere else at a Welsh trail centre. (Not including the DH stuff at Cwmcarn obviously!)

    If you’re not used to man-made jumps and how to handle them (which I’m not and I’m sure many predominantly xc riders aren’t)) you could come a serious cropper without too much effort if you push yourself beyond your limits.

    I’m much more in my element flying across rocks n’ stuff or in tight singletrack, cuz that’s what I’m used to – anything approaching a bmx track or dirt jumps is a different kettle of fish and I proceed with much more caution.
    In that sense it poses a technical challenge.

    That said, I loved Llandegla as a bit of a change and it does encourage you to develop your jumping skills. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with blasting full pelt down wider, bermed trails as opposed to tight switchbacks every now and then either. 😀

    wl
    Free Member

    It’s a black run – it should have a least one root, half a rock and a downslope that’s steeper than a swimming pool floor. The rest of the place has every right to be as dull as it wants.

    smartay
    Full Member

    Passed the work team today, the new trail down by the “tin hut” looks good.

    As regards your opinion of the trail here I think it depends on the bike you ride. As I’ve been quite abit of riding on the Clwyds I was surprised how cut up and warn the trail is in certain areas, I agree the first part which has been resurfaced does appear to be over done, very wide and smooth.

    It all depends what you ride, personally I ride a Rockhopper hardtail I think this suited to the trails, but if you turn up with something with 6″ travel £3k bike you’d better book your flight tickets to somewhere else extreme.

    The black run does bite, I broke my scapula here!!

    franki
    Free Member

    It’s a black run – it should have a least one root, half a rock and a downslope that’s steeper than a swimming pool floor. The rest of the place has every right to be as dull as it wants.

    LOL! I’d agree that it would benefit from spicing up the sections between the jumps. There’s nothing to make you think twice until you’re at the speed > skill threshold!

    bullandbladder
    Free Member

    Hey, if you dont like it, dont go there.It’s quite simple. I myself find it quite enjoyable. Not as much as a day ragging the Reign down Cwmcarn, but still a good blast.

    Pook
    Full Member

    I introduced a newbie to riding at Llandegla. It was rideable for them, but exciting. They now want to do tonnes more. Therein lies the beauty of the place.

    chvck
    Free Member

    I have to say that I do enjoy riding there, sometimes it’s nice to ride something where you know that if you fall off you’re not going to be picking rocks out of yourself

    uplink
    Free Member

    Can you get into the place early?
    I may get chance of a pre-work ride there next week if I can

    MrGreedy
    Full Member

    Any details of when the new bits will be open? Got a club trip over there in a few weeks time, would be cool if we could ride the new stuff then.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    i saw about 6 riders there this morning, very quiet and yes, they all passed me! 😕

    johnikgriff
    Free Member

    Agree with the “if you don’t like it don’t go” comment. I fancy myself as an okay(ish) rider, done the Alps thing, Spain, love the 7 Stanes stuff, the other Whelsh centers, the non trail center rides and have been known to get a bit of air under the wheels now and again. I ride Llandegla at some point most weeks, sometimes on a £3k+ 6′ travel bike and I still have a lot of fun there. As has been pointed out it all can be rolled easy enough, but put a bit of speed on equation and away you go. And give the number of people who go home via A&E it can’t be that easy.

    The “it’s boring” tune is getting a bit old. Its is great place to ride as it is and I know they have plans for a lot of new trail, but I’m sure it will still bore some people. It does have restriction that other centers don’t have due to the nature of it being a private forest and the strict health and safety restrictions imposed on the trail builders, but that life.

    Don’t get me wrong the other places tend to bigger and have longer downs, but given what they have to work with and how they have had to develop it, I think it does the job well.

    It will always be one mans black run is another mans green. If you compare the black at Wolftrax to most other trails the gap is massive, but then compare Llandegla to the “Beast” at Thetford the gap is big again. But they are all a step up from the other parts of that particular trail. All fun to ride.

    If you really fancy a challenge round there try spending a couple hundred pounds on fully ridged singlespeed and do it in the dark. I tried it this week and scared myself nicely trying to keep up with lads (middle aged men)

    wl
    Free Member

    You’re all absolutely right, it’s cool that it gets people into riding, and I shouldn’t go if I don’t enjoy it. I do enjoy it for the change it offers, but that doesn’t stop the black run being a bit dull and laughable – just my opinion. Stainburn’s more what a black run should be.

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    I have to admit I like the black and red routes but really there is no way to call them technical, as wl says – they offer a fast flowing change from normal non-centre rides but IMO they are in no way black and red routes, assuming the route grades are based on technical content. Anyone can go too fast for a section of trail, doesnt make that trail a black route, the only remotely technical bits from my memory are the jumps section and I’m useless at jumps. Can’t dislike the place, it’s great, just non-technical. It’s a welcome addition to the world.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    i think the grading might be more to do with H&S rather than technicality

    steve_b77
    Free Member

    I hope they’re bedded in soon as when I was there the long climb from the carpark was like riding on wet sand, and yes it was open.

    I agree with the other comments on here, if you don’t like it why bother going?

    To be honest I have a cracking time there, learning to handle table tops & doubles is something different to rooty single track, and why the hell not. Not everywhere can be a rooty, rocky trail of fortune.

    The builders/owners have an agenda to work to, and for the 100’s of people who go there every week it must work otherwise why would they go.

    It’s like saying I went to a restaurant, didn’t like what they served up, but I keep on going back and getting the same thing, why bother if it doesn’t float your boat?

    pitcherpro
    Free Member

    I agree with people too if you don’t like it go elsewhere , i think its great fun when theres a few of you together or taking a friend who wants to step up a level from “newbie” ..

    Yes it lacks good old welsh rock/slabs but it still puts a huge grin on my face when i’ve nailed a section quicker and better than previous times .

    Its always busy so can’t be a bad thing …i prefer Penmachno and coed-y-brenin though !!!

    Steve were you there last sunday ?

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    I think everyone crowing “if you dont like it dont go” have missed the point. Everyone that I can see who has commented negatively has said “its good for flowing but it isnt technical/red/black grade”. Thats not saying you dont like it, just that it’s not technical – the old answer of “dont go then” doesnt address the point does it?

    If you took a rider who could handle the black run at llandegla and took them to an alpine/scottish/other black run and set them off they’d be seriously underestimating the technical difficulty, therein lies the problem. IF they graded it all blue and red they could just about get away with it (and it would still be as fun and exciting as it is today), but the most difficult part of the black is the climb.

    Personally I like it because it’s predictable and the fact that you have to hit it faster each time to make it exciting means I try to push myself. One day I’ll get someone to teach me how to jump and I’ll be happy on all the bits lol.

    GrahamA
    Free Member

    I was there this afternoon and only saw about 6 other people as well but there were enough cars around for there to be quite a few people, say 1/3 full.

    The new bits look interesting – Anyone know when they are due to open.

    If you don’t like it – I and all the other regular riders thank you for your contribution to the upkeep/new trails. Why not come back and see if you still don’t like it, remember to get an all day ticket.

    smartay
    Full Member

    Llandegla is as “Welsh” as they come the reason why its not [/quote] is that the geology of the place is different form Snowdonia, now I’m no geologist but the surrounding rock is slate shale.

    I cant remember if its the first or second burmed corner looking out along the valley but the protruding rocks on the approach are like knives, you have to pick your way through them.

    Riding the trail today on my “cinders” definately made intresting with the greasy nature of the track.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    yes i had to let some air out the front tyre to get a bit more grip on the greasy rocks, i was expectin rain, so the snow was a suprise!

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    looks fun. i’d like a go.

    pitcherpro
    Free Member

    and thats what its all about isn’t it 😆

    nasher
    Free Member

    When I used to ride there many years ago, there were some very technical trails there, we came over from Llangollen over the moors.

    cupid-stunt
    Free Member

    wl was held down and bummed by 3 trail builders and has been anti trail centre ever since, it has got nothing to do with them being less fun than beating yourself around the knackers with stinging nettles.

    SteveTheBarbarian
    Free Member

    I think it’s great fun. Will be there for a couple of laps on the 18/4, on way to Penmachno.

    🙂

    wl
    Free Member

    Fair point, cupid. I’m hoping the therapy will make it all go away, then I can once again enjoy the unrivalled thrill of riding that metre-wide kerb-high north shore.

    whytetrash
    Full Member

    It’s just different….variety is good in my eyes!
    Terrain is more rolling than most Welsh Trail centres so shorter climbs and descents and agree it’s less technical unless you ride it really fast!

    one bit of North shore must put you 12ft up at the highest point and the long loggy bit of Northshore is horrible but overall its fun and worth riding every now and again

    did 2 days at CYB last weekend and some of the new sections of the Beast are brilliant fun….highly recommended!

    pypdjl
    Free Member

    If you took a rider who could handle the black run at llandegla and took them to an alpine/scottish/other black run and set them off they’d be seriously underestimating the technical difficulty, therein lies the problem.

    Has this problem ever actually arisen? Surely people are capable of realising that not all black runs are created equal, what happens to the poor confused lambs when they venture onto bridleways that don’t have a grading?

    There are 4 trails at llandegla, hence blue/green/red/black. They could call them all blue, but that would get confusing.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    If you find it dull, ride it faster. If you’re not fit enough that’s your problem 🙂

    One of my fave ever trails is Brechfa green – yes, green – taken at absolutely warp speed. Technical it most definitely is! You really have to be on your toes.

    So at Llangegla the message is put the hammers down.

    sidewinder
    Free Member

    Just to add my two pennyworth I ride Llandegla quite a lot and see an awful lot of “Technically Capable”riders who think they know the trail being ferried out in ambulances trail centre vehicles ,and the really proficient ones end up in the air ambulance.As with all trails a riders biggest enemy is his complacency,and some of you “experts” would do well to remember that even Llandegla can bite back ./rant ends 😉

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 47 total)

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