Tal y Maes aka Hermitage in the Black Mountains is fun. For trail centres, hardest I've done is definitely Cwmcarn. Difficult to do without a dab nowadays since it's eroding a lot.
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toughest climb??
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Posted 1 year ago #
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I'm going to get that greatest climbs book, love climbing
Posted 1 year ago # -
The climb that nearly broke my spirit was out of kinlochleven heading for Loch Eilde Mor. Tandem fully laden with comfy campy kit and a few day s food. Just hours of grinding away in granny gears then near the top it gets steeper and rougher . I was buckled
Good call. It's all rideable but sections of very loose rock keep you on your toes. The descent back down (singletrack) is the one of the best. Singletrack with 3/4 variants all the way down, good for racing your mates as the trails all cross over each other! Rocky , rooty ya beauty!
Posted 1 year ago # -
At a trail centre the only climb I have ever had an issue with is the short concrete ramp at Cwm Carn. I know it can be ridden just never seem to get it right.
Posted 1 year ago # -
For trail centres, hardest I've done is definitely Cwmcarn.
Agree with Matt that the climb on Brechfa black is harder. Also agree that by their nature trail centres are designed to be rideable by most, so tend not to have any particularly crazy climbs.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The concrete ramp is far easier than the last section before the fire road at the top, once you know it's there.
Anyone got any pics of this Brechfa one? Going by the Red it all seemed very smooth.
Posted 1 year ago # -
tram road out of Talybont on Usk
Really? Crossing the bridge from the pub car park can catch people out but after that it's not too bad. There's one or two short steep sections but hardly challenging.
Trail centre climbs are becoming stupidly sanitised and I don't understand why. We accept that there are sections that inexperienced riders might walk on the way down so why trailbuilders are removing anything even vaguely challenging from the ascents is beyond me. No-ones going to hurt themselves. One of only two vaguely tricky bits of the CwmCarn climb has been removed and the only step-up on out of Glyncorrwg had gone the last time I rode at Afan. The CwmCarn concret ramp doesn't need skill, just strength (and the right gear early enough)
Properly challenging, but achievable by mortals? The climb out of Watendlath on the Borrowdale Bash. Getting round the first corner in one go is a major achievement but doable. That's on big rocks and needs a fair bit of skill
On the North Downs there's a super steep Bridleway up from BKB that's doable. A lot less skill - just a lungburner really, but a group of riders seemed mighty surprised when I passed them on it as they pushed up a while back. Probably not one for winter.
Posted 1 year ago # -
One of only two vaguely tricky bits of the CwmCarn climb has been removed
Which are the tricky bits? And what did they remove and when?
Last time I did it 6 months or so ago it was tougher than ever, but then I am trying to do it in a sub 30 min lactate fest.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Is that list in any sort of order because the first 20 odd are all in the south? No. 30 was the first one in The Peaks and the Lake District hasn't had a mention yet either.
I would have thought that Hardknott and Wrynose would be up there as they are a struggle to drive over!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Mol, the trickiest bit I find is the gurt log across the trail near the bottom of the climb down by the stream. I can't see a line through it and as such never seem to approach it correctly. I've tried a few different ways and nothing seems to work! A slightly tricky bit were some roots to get over near the top before the fire road starts which have now been smoothed over /removed.. the rest of it is alright though always a good challenge for climbing skills, not steepness, just technically. My lap time for the whole trail seems to have slowed a bit recently, I used to do it in an hour or just over, now it's about an hour and ten. As for other trail centres in Wales I don't think the climbs match at all, there is one on the Raven at Brechfa which I remember being pretty steep and rocky but it's not like Cwmcarn. For steepness I find the climbs around Rhayader are the most challenging, like Bonk Hill. Forced to use the lowest gears at the bottom and at about two thirds of the way up it gets steep enough to pop the front wheel if you're not careful. Black Cottage Climb is another one and there's a couple more I can't remember the names of.
Kev
Posted 1 year ago # -
HTS - It's in that order in the book, where it is done by region.
I didn't put the ratings on the map as I thorght this would be a bit cheeky, it was more to help find them quickly as there is no overview map in the actual book.
(the hardest one is in Scotland)
Posted 1 year ago # -
but then I am trying to do it in a sub 30 min lactate fest.
Can't be done
Course record is 35mins i think
Posted 1 year ago # -
Rode Brechfa for the first time last weekend and think I might have to agree. It didn't necessarily help having ridden a very short version of Skyline and all of W2 at Afan the two days before but the first proper climb and then the big one half way round on the Raven nearly did me in!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I rode Gorlech and Raven back to back and although I was a bit fooked at the end I don't recall the Raven climbs to be particularly hard. The one halfway round had me in granny ring but if I remember correctly it's not that long. There are harder climbs than that.
Kev
Posted 1 year ago # -
Course record is 35mins i think
I thought it was 38 mins by that Mojo lad who lives nearby, whatsisname... However I'd like to know when that was set because imo the course is getting slower and slower with time.
Oh and for a climb to be hard on steepness alone it has to be either stupidly steep for a while or massively long - imo
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Posted 1 year ago #
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1) ludicrous car to be attempting to tow that van with, as I am sure they knew, and
2) why the f was someone videoing his mate fixing a puncture?Posted 1 year ago # -
cymcarn is not an easy climb. Just got back from there. Struggled, wriggles, hopped and grunted a single speed 29er up it this morning. But would rather ride a ss than have to push one of those full on DH bikes up there.
Whites level is another toughy.Posted 1 year ago # -
I would far rather push a DH bike up there and do the DH course than mince around on a SS 29er
Posted 1 year ago #
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