Never been to Brechfa before, going to be in Cardiff next week with a mate, thinking may as well head down there as I'm not likely to be any closer any time soon (it's a long way away from anywhere isn't it!).
So... I've ridden Afan a fair few times, Cwm Carn loads, is it like either? Or is it quite different? What's the terrain like, is it very steep and very rocky like the other two, or less so?
Wondering which bike to take too, mainly dictated by the climbing to be fair. Are the climbs there really steep like Afan and Cwm Carn, in which case a granny ring is necessary, or less steep and middle-ring-able?
And how long are the trails and how much climbing involved?
What's the terrain like, is it very steep and very rocky like the other two, or less so?
Swooopy bermy goodness! Not really rocky, but one ofthe best mixes of playground and "natural" types of trails IMO.
Climbs are pretty much middle ring bimblers, long and low. Take whatever you like.
Some tips to add to your questions;
don't be put off by the blue and green being "easy trails". Ride the end of them back to the car park at warp speed and you'll be grinning like a nutter!
If you want a really good day's riding - Combine the red and black in to one. Superb big route.
Oh, and go to the Brechfa village shop. It's ace!
brechfa is always longer than i think it is, with more climbing than i think 🙂
super trail though, i suppose the surface is a bit like afan, but cant really remember. the uphills are hard but the downs are well worth it, specially the part with all the jumps and such.
also, the last section on the black is pants. the best thing to do is miss it out and instead ride the last section of the blue trail, gets interesting when ridden fast.
also, the last section on the black is pants. the best thing to do is miss it out and instead ride the last section of the blue trail, gets interesting when ridden fast.
Sort of as mentioned above, I would agree. Simply hop back up to the picnic table and rip down the end of the Blue/Green. The end of the black is very poor, especially after rain.
I wouldn't want to do it without a granny ring, personally. There's a fair bit of slogging up. It is pretty smooth so a hardtail wouldn't be wrong. Agree that all the tracks are fun. The pub is quite good. Both times I've been there we have just crashed in the van in the car park.
i rode it 1 x 9 with a 36t up front on a jump bike. it wasn't easy but i made it.
trails are ace. it was possibly the wetest weekend ever!
Trails are awesome.
Jealous.
capt flash. i wasnt copying you, you submitted yours while i was writing mine, promise! 😉
I thought you were, was actually saying your point re the end of the black was even more valid!
anyone know anywhere to decent to camp around Brecfa?
Cheers for the feedback so far guys.
Climbing wise, where else could you compare it to? I mean I've done Llandegla with just a 36T ring up front and 11-32 out back and barely even used the 32, but then llandegla isn't steep. Afan is steep, and I use the granny lots there.
I know it's impossible for someone else to tell me I will or I won't be ok, just trying to gauge a feel based on trails I already know as to if I'll be ok on hardtail with only 32T ring or not...
~Should have said "I thought you weren't" above, BTW!
Gradients are similar to Afan going up, much steeper going down (in places).
lots of people use a SS, so whatever you like really, compare the climbing to Afan
I'd say the climbing on Brechfa black is harder than Afan, certainly longer if not slightly steeper - take a granny ring, you don't have to use it but if you decide you do....
Brechfa Red+Black takes me about 20 minutes more than Afan W2
Yep, top of the black gets fairly steep, and the furthest parts of the red get pretty relentless too. Hats off to anyone that can comfortably ss it - most people will be happier with a wide range of gears.
I use the granny ring more at Brechfa than at Afan. The Black particularly has some steep (but mercifully not too long) climbs on it.
About 40 mins from where my parents live 🙂it's a long way away from anywhere isn't it!
It's about 40 mins from me too- are we related?
<Rasping voice>Ambrose, I am your father</rasping voice>
Actually I think your 40 mins the opposite direction to me.
Ammanford
was there last Sunday - Gorlech is quite knocked about in places and slippy on the shale, still a good blast on the 1x9.
brechfa is always longer than i think it is, with more climbing than i think
Certainly more climbing than I was expecting, though the trails weren't quite as long as I thought they would be.
Ended up starting off on the Black, went round it, then when we got to the bit where you choose to do the last bit of thr red or continue on the black, thought let's just do the whole black... And promptly got lost, and ended up doing a whole loop back on ourselves to get back to the same point! So second time round, we did the Red descent. Though I'm now suspecting we managed to cut the trail short somehow in the first place, and ended up riding stuff we should have done earlier later into the ride, if this makes sense? Anyway... Enjoyed it, loads of cool swoopy singletrack, steep bermed corners and jumps to enjoy on the black, and the final red descent (aside from the fallen tree blocking the very last bit right now) is awesome!