Dyfi Bike Park - Epic!

I think I counted 14 flats in the lower parking area today.
The boy punctured a Shorty in DH casing with cushcore installed. Small slit in an arrow shape, 3mm. Tyre in bin.

I think the area is monstrous for eating tyres. Weird that at Antur I haven’t seen the same thing even though that’s an old slate mine. Dyfi is much more fun than Antur though.

Antur feels massively sanitized after a recent visit. Was still fun and the uplift is super efficient but all the big rocks from years ago have been pulverised. Probably won't return.
Dyfi is very good, preferred revs though.
Need to try the new one in the area, carasous or something like that.

Caersws.

i went to Dyfi about a month ago for the first and also really enjoyed myself. The speed of the place takes some getting used to. Race track and Original DH were a blast!

But as you say, everything is so well built. Didnt manage to do the slab track, so need to get back for that. Gully of Doom was fruity little number. I love the steep tech stuff.

Thankfully didnt manage to damage any tyres, in the park or in the surrounding trails, but can be easily done with all that sharp slate (is it slate?!)

Dyfi is great and the uplift very good. My first visit was after a week enduro riding in Southern Spain so was well up for it all really. Back this Friday following the fast better Dan down racetrack but not done the big slab route and probably won't!

Agreed, Dyfi is a blast, nice red tracks to get your eye in, and then the blacks are really well built and confidence inspiring. Scared myself on Gully of Doom, very doom-y! Stood there looking at for ages trying to work it out/ psych myself up for it  and some local kids just blatted down it!

Want to go back in the dry though. It rained pretty constantly last time I was there and there's rivers on the trails in those conditions

The place looks mint but it's a mission to get there. I also don't really have the kind of riding mates who are up for stuff like this anymore. I'm always a bit worried about doing uplift and DH stuff solo in case you have to spend the night in hospital and leave your kit all over the place.

dyfis great, I still cant get the speed needed for some of the largest jumps though - ie I can clear all of 50 hits pretty comfortably (including the moon booters) - but the bit at the end past the shipping container I always hang up. Need... more... pump...

https://flic.kr/p/2oKEH7W

Was epic seeing Dan A, luffman and a few other stars sending the last jump on the higher side. My lad was clearing it on the straight line.

I've got my first trip there coming up in September, absolutely crapping myself at the prospect! We normally go to Revs but that's no longer an option. Seriously worried I'll have nothing to ride there as I'm not exactly a confident rider in big jumps, drops or steep stuff. Hoping I can find at least one track I can get down in one go otherwise it'll be a lot of solo getting in the way stuff while my mates all hit the bigger stuff. I normally top out at red level so knowing that the place starts at that point is a worry!

Luvi Duvi, super swooper, go from there.

You'll be fine

<p>@reluctantjumper</p><p>Just take your time on the reds and you’ll be fine. We started with lovey Dyfi - no mandatory gaps or drops. Just do a sighting run down a trail before upping the speed as occasionally there is a lip that you go sailing over and find you’re landing on rocks just before a corner. <br /><br /></p><p>Super Swooper is also fine - again - build up your speed. <br /><br /></p><p>From half mountain (there are 2 uplift queues that wasn’t obvious to start with - full to the top is left / half mountain is right) Turns in the Ferns is really good. I’d say it’s a bit more tech than the 2 reds from the top. <br /><br /></p><p>50 Hits is black graded but it’s essentially just a huge tabletop jump line all the way down the hill. You can jump and land on top of most of them no drama. I think I cleared about 1/3 or the jumps on it properly - the rest were cases or landed on top. Needs some more balls to go faster next time!</p><p>Original DH was fine until it split into either Muddy Berms or Valley of Doom. We took the former - to start with it was fine, then it got narrower with a net on the left and started throwing in small rock slabs / random drops etc. There was one bit I rode but my mate climbed down that in hindsight is quite intimating.</p><p>We didn’t try the other blacks but I’m told the top half of Racetrack is so-able but the bottom half is pretty difficult.</p><p>There is a new trail opening this Friday apparently - goes from the top by racetrack and slab track - but I don’t know what grading it is. </p>

absolutely crapping myself at the prospect! We normally go to Revs but that’s no longer an option

If you're happy at Revs (and Antur for that matter) there's nothing at Dyfi that will phase you. Start on the reds - Luvi Dyfi is a jump trail although everything is roll-able, and move to Super Swooper - just loads and loads of fun that anyone who's ever ridden a red at a trail centre can manage. Then move up when you're content. It's all built so well that it's harder to ride it badly. Some of it is proper tech and some of it was well above my pay-grade, but there's loads there that the "averagely competent park familiar" rider can ride. It's a bunch of fun, promise.

I'm not 'happy' at either, both venues I was stuck on the easy trails. I may ride 'Park' regularly but it's always at a beginner level, don't do big jumps, drops or techy stuff. And that was when my skills and fitness was good (for me!). Fully expecting to go there, do a load of sighting runs then go hide in the car 🤣

This is one of the blacks we did - at least a part of it. for the most part it’s fine - just the very last bit on the video was way worse than it looks there. But my mate climbed down it with his bike oak that’s an option. This one is called Muddy Berms and goes from Original DH. The alternative was ‘Valley of Doom’ so we gave that one a miss 🥴

Videos never really help as they flatten everything out! I gave up showing non-biking friends online clips of trails as they always look easy to the uninitiated.

Love the chicken noise at the split 🤣

valley of doom has an offcamber slab in it thats pretty unridable in the damp - I'd say its harder than slab track. rest of its alright though. The double black off the half-way-up hill is easier

I believe that the new trail is a blue.

I was there 3 weeks ago, great place for learning to jump.

I'm there in a few weeks can't wait. The poor bike is quivering in the corner it knows what's coming!

Also, and it has to be said, The Athertons are all hanging about, and happy to have a natter, it can get a bit star-struck. But it's pretty cool.

I just ride 50 hits for fun but don't do much jumping on it  if any. If it's the last wall ride thingy by the cafe I made it to the top before rolling backwards down it and landing in a heap 😂

Just been having a quick look at my bike as I’m refreshing the drivetrain / brake pads / changing to lighter tyres, new gear cable etc etc.

I knew the rear tubeless tape needed refreshing so was cleaning the rim after removing the tape and found I have a broken spoke. Guess that’s the benefit of 32 spokes - the wheel hasn’t gone out of true at all.

So that puts the bike damage from Dyfi Forest / Bike Park to:

1 x Rear spoke

1 x DHR2 exo casing (mate)

1 x Conti Xynotal enduro casing

1 ht2 crank fell off (mate)

1 x chipped / starred Santa Cruz rear triangle

@weeksy, that looks ideal for a mushroom plug?

New track preview:

that looks ideal for a mushroom plug

Past its best anyway mate.

Off there in a couple of weeks, scared & excited, 

Anyone know of bunkhouses nearby? Corris hostel only accepts large group bookings now 😣 , theres 3 of us, cheap & basic is fine!

Posted by: kimbers

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Off there in a couple of weeks, scared & excited, 

 

Anyone know of bunkhouses nearby? Corris hostel only accepts large group bookings now 😣 , theres 3 of us, cheap & basic is fine!

Have stayed here before, just down the road might be of use. It's nice, presuming shared kitchen etc not an issue 

https://www.stayatllwyn.co.uk/rooms

Aberystwyth is 20 miles away and has a bit of everything 

There is the haunted place in macunclth itself 

https://independenthostels.co.uk/members/toadhall/

It's not haunted, it felt like it might be 😄

I've also stayed in the white lion- take earplugs it was proper loud on Saturday night

We stay here;

https://cat.org.uk/come-to-cat/stay/

Cheap(ish) and they let you keep bikes in the rooms.

Stayed at Toad Hall, a bit different to most!!

Take care on the bottom section of RaceTrack in the wet .. .. don't touch the brakes on the slate!

Which bike is best for dyfi?

Full dh bike or 150/160mm full coil transition scout?

Ridden both bikes at antur happily

Take both.

Alas insufficient space in car

Depends on the track and how jumpy you like to be.

IMO the bigger bounce the better

Dh then

Centre for Alternative Technology is cheap and clean. Very random place but considering staying there again this year for Dyfi.

On the bike the Scout would be ok - assuming the travel you mention. I rode a Sentinel with 160/155mm travel there - just make sure you have DH casing tyres on.

I only rode red / single diamond blacks there as that’s my skill level. If you’re properly quick and going to be riding the more difficult stuff then take the DH bike.

Def not claiming properly quick,  will have a think

IMO the bigger bounce the better

Agreed. When I went I was on the smallest bike on the uplift, 140 travel Cube Stereo! Everyone was on coil shocked big rigs. The entire NZ DH team, juniors the lot had decamped there for training.

I'd sum up Dyfi in two words Speed and Commitment. I've never cased as many jumps or got as much outrageous air time on my bike. Amazing place that demands to be ridden at speed to get the best out of it.

If it's wet (most likely) don't take liberties on the rock slabs. When I was there it didn't rain on the day but had rained non-stop, for two weeks prior. There was an inch of standing water on Flow State in the woods! The warning shots were fired on the second or third berm (can't remember exactly) where I tried to wall ride the bedrock, abruptly slid down it, but carried on going with my eyes as wide as saucers. Those behind me didn't fare as well, some coming to a complete stop! You can get across the slabs but it requires speed, laser straightness and don't dare touch the brakes! It's a lot easier in the dry.

There's obvious well worn lines down the various bedrock features. Follow them when it's wet, don't get creative or you will most likely end up on your arse!

No need to be scared about a trip to Dyfi. Theres lots to fear but you can just ignore it all and focus on the reds and session the hell out of them. All 100% rollable with no scary drops or gaps (as is 50 Hits of Black). 

I've been a few times on my 140/150 Cotic Jeht and had a great time on Super Swooper, Lovey Dyfi, Turns in the Ferns and 50 Hits. You just get faster and faster. Ive never left thinking i needed to do more.

I've also done the gully of doom and fell off on some slippery slate so i've now decided at 53 (and highly breakable, i hurt my neck) to leave those runs to the kidz.

I haven’t been but a mate’s full-sus broke before the trip so he took his hardtail and had fun!

Well first up we stayed at the Braig Goch bunkhouse in Corris, which was fun, definitely a hippy vibe and an impromptu drumming circle with 1 legged digeridoo player on Saturday night 

Park itself was great and brilliant on 160/150 bike didn't get on to some of the bigger stuff, but would definitely like to go back and do some of the more technical black stuff rather than the mahoosive jumps!

Thinking about this for a group trip maybe... I keep hearing something, "it's fine if you don't want to do the jumps as it's all rollable", which is better than "you just can't ride it" but still often amounts to "the trail won't work for you"- so my question is, is there much there for a solid but not brilliant rider that can't jump won't jump and will be grumpy if they end up just rolling jumps and feeling like they suck?

(I'm comparing here with, frinstance, FOD uplift which has a great mix for our whole group, some jumps sure but also some steeps, some shonky and rooty, some flowy and trailcentry, some stuff that some of us will charge down and others will ride with care but everyone gets something out of it and nobody feels like they're just wasting their time)

the trail won't work for you"- so my question is, is there much there for a solid but not brilliant rider that can't jump won't jump and will be grumpy if they end up just rolling jumps and feeling like they suck?

yeah will be fine, all of the jumps (on the reds and easy blacks) are tabletops and just kind of shoot you up, no skill required!

im a shit jumper, a day at Northampton! bike park the week before got me happy with that

theres still black single diamond techy stuff to keep you occupied, we just did one day but next time likely do a day on the uplift then a day on the off piste machynlleth enduro stuff or climachx if pressed for time

Posted by: Northwind

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Thinking about this for a group trip maybe... I keep hearing something, "it's fine if you don't want to do the jumps as it's all rollable", which is better than "you just can't ride it" but still often amounts to "the trail won't work for you"- so my question is, is there much there for a solid but not brilliant rider that can't jump won't jump and will be grumpy if they end up just rolling jumps and feeling like they suck?

(I'm comparing here with, frinstance, FOD uplift which has a great mix for our whole group, some jumps sure but also some steeps, some shonky and rooty, some flowy and trailcentry, some stuff that some of us will charge down and others will ride with care but everyone gets something out of it and nobody feels like they're just wasting their time)

Personally i prefer FoD for what you're describing. Sure you CAN ride Dyfi if you're mediocre, but you can ride more at FoD and more at pace at FoD as well. The Dyfi stuff you feel like there's a bucket load of stuff you wish you could ride and that makes it worse. I know i'm the exception rather than the rule for that, but that's how i'd feel.

It’s interesting - I ride around FOD a fair amount and have been to Dyfi once - but going again this year. 

I found Dyfi decent - 50 hits is probably a little soul destroying if you can’t clear any of the jumps - my mate was miserable going down that one. I think I cleared about 1/3rd of them and looking to try and clear more this time round - so I enjoyed it.

All the reds were fun - it’s not just big jumps down them - they’re generally fast and sweeping whilst being fairly rough. Some cheeky drops in places so you need to be happy with those - although it’s not like BPW where for me they seem to put random rocks in places (annoying) rather them being a natural part of the trail and BPW has a ludicrous amount of drops - even on the reds. I think the Dyfi trails are actually better built.

FOD there will be more variety in the day (but not if you just go to do the uplift and the DH trails it serves - I think if doing that you’re better with Dyfi / BPW / Dirt Farm). The good bit of FOD is the variety of locations and different trails - assuming you can find some of the unmarked stuff.

The easier trails are very definitely bike park trails.  i.e. jumps and berms not tech. The only fun easy tech one is turns in the ferns. Looking forward to going back and playing on race track and some of the other higher blacks.  I think the triple blacks are beyond me though.  I don't like massive airtime on drops or huge gaps (well any gaps really) so oakley line is way beyond me

Thinking about this for a group trip maybe... I keep hearing something, "it's fine if you don't want to do the jumps as it's all rollable", which is better than "you just can't ride it" but still often amounts to "the trail won't work for you"- so my question is, is there much there for a solid but not brilliant rider that can't jump won't jump and will be grumpy if they end up just rolling jumps and feeling like they suck?

(I'm comparing here with, frinstance, FOD uplift which has a great mix for our whole group, some jumps sure but also some steeps, some shonky and rooty, some flowy and trailcentry, some stuff that some of us will charge down and others will ride with care but everyone gets something out of it and nobody feels like they're just wasting their time)

IMO jumps are part of Dyfi DNA and if that's not your thing then there are better places to go. Don't get me wrong you can still have a good day there, but you would be missing a large part of what makes the experience great.

Yeah, that's basically my concern- I'm fine with jumps, I'm not <great> at it and I prefer steep and orrible, but I can still have a lot of fun doing it. But the whole group isn't like that and just "gettign down" isn't going to make for a good day for some. Thanks folks!