There doesn't appear to be too much in the way of steep, technical riding.
There is more now.
I used to ride Gethin on Dragon days. It's changed for sure but for the better. The old Dragon track is pretty much still there. I rode it today and it's very similar but with some big tables at the top and the tunnel of course. There is also Dai Hard which is wicked. Very steep in places with some great slab step downs, and very hard in the mud with high rollers today after the rain.
There are also some properly steep black sections on other trails too. It's definitely better than the old days where you just basically had one track.
Manon was riding there yesterday. Funny as all those years ago she used to sit in her dad's van taking names for the uplift. Doddy and others from that magazine were there this weekend too so I guess expect some articles on the place.
Sadly 3 bikes were taken from a van in the car park yesterday. Pretty close to Merthyr so you have to watch your stuff. What a shame to hear.
Anyway, great place. Better than it ever was. Some of those blue runs are just insanely fun and flowy. Brilliant.
Strangely I enjoyed Saturday more when I had to ride up and managed just four runs. 8 or 9 today on the uplift.
Hmmmmm I was going to go there in November, when I am down that way, but it sounds like they have taken it too far away from the original DH and basically turned it into another Afan. There doesn't appear to be too much in the way of steep, technical riding.
I wouldn't base too much on watching videos. Several people on here were going on about how tame Antur Stiniog is after watching vidoes and it's really not. I thought Revolution Bike Park looked very innocuous on video but it's anything but in real life.
I wouldn't base too much on watching videos. Several people on here were going on about how tame Antur Stiniog is after watching vidoes and it's really not. I thought Revolution Bike Park looked very innocuous on video but it's anything but in real life.
Very true, and that is why I qualified my post at the end.
I have also just watched a vid of the "Enter the Dragon" track and certainly recognised the top section of the old Dragon track I rode a couple of years ago. Looks like I will be heading there after-all 🙂
Lots of the harder sections are not surfaced. They're very like 'real' dh tracks in that sense. Good fun.
The vid does flatten it out.
The Black option "Half cut" is a nuts little add on
The old gethin dh track was never hard, it was just physical. Even the rock garden had a straight line in it.
Exactly, it was one of the tamest tracks they used to ride. Bit harder to race fast on. Fun though
It must be reasonably decent still, as the BDS is going there next year for a round. (And Antur).
The dragon track has been revamped to be fair with loads more hucks. Although the other black seems harder with steeper stuff and some hucks
i had my first uplift there sunday and really enjoyed it tbh.
i found bonnyville to be the hardest, high roller 2 on the front just doesnt work for me!!
booked back on for the 30th november fingers crossed i wont bump into any of them aberdare boys tho
While BPW has a lot going for it they haven't improved the uplift since the posts here about it 3 months ago. The uplift is still slow, 20+ min wait,the drivers still take forever to load up when they do arrive. They really need to improve on this.
We went 21/12/13, rode the Blue's and Wibbly Wobbly, all good fun on 100mm hardtail. No issues with the uplift, drivers friendly and helpful no waiting at all in the morning, waited max of 15mins in the 'post lunch rush'. Friendly and helpful staff, beautiful building, good facilities. Recommended!
Only time i waited more than 5 mins was 20 mins wait after the lunch break
They built a fence-alley thing for the uplift queue, which helps get rid of the scummy snakers...
I contacted BPW regarding what I thought were very long waits on 21/22 Dec.
This is the replay I got, which I think anyone planning a trip to BPW might find helpful.
'For 1 bus there is a 25 minute turn around time. We run 3 buses on the weekend during the Winter due to a business plan that was well thought about because of the weather and trail maintenance issues we will have through out the winter such as ice, snow, wind and rain washing out the trails and making them harder to maintain, making this safety issue followed by more riders this would make this very dangerous also very challenging for the trail crew we have working full time hours on these in all weather.
During the Summer opening times however there will be more buses available'
I've suggested they put this information on the BPW site to set expectations.
hope this helps
+1only time i waited more than 5 mins was [s]20[/s] 10 mins wait after the lunch break
I was happy with my 11 runs, works out £2.72 per run for the uplift. I thank that's good value. I reckon we could of got 13 in but we missed the first one of the day and the first one after lunch I think.