[Closed] How good is Llandegla,

It gets a bit of bad press on here but I like it.

Where's this big rocky drop of which you speak?

I think its top, not too technical, but probably the most fun i've had at a trail centre.

Do you mean the rocky drop onto the north shore on the new bit, or the drop just before the new black section fairly early on? (yes, i've no idea what the bits are called either)

It's got everything I dislike about 'trail centres'.

I like it & try to get there every month or so,it's simple but it works.

i may be opening pandora's box here, but what don't you like wayniac?

It's the one at the start of the northshore. It was the only ***k, I'm not doing that everything else was great. Even the long climb at the end..

I'll definitely go back it was a lot of fun.

Long boring climb at the beginning.

Very sanitised trails that don't offer much of a challenge. Felt like I was going through the motions. I prefer more natural, challenging and varied stuff. Could tell by the number of families riding around what kind of place it is.

But quite a few seem to like it, whatever floats your boat.

Its been said before. If its boring, you're:
a) not riding it fast enough
and
b) can't jump

Where do you usually ride wayniac?

There were lots of families and loads of teenagers messing around in the skills/pump/free rides, which is good IMO as they'll keep the sport alive.

faceplanted/knocked out within 15minutes of pedalling, so no idea/memory. 😆 😳

it's brilliant isn't it. dont worry about the haters, some people just cant bring themselves to like something popular.

the technique for the drop in you mentioned if just to ride off it, the landing is more sloped than it looks and the forks should soak up a front heavy landing if you dont do it perfectly

I live 10 mins from the place, but only ride it once in a blue moon. But, I do like it every now and then...the ride up to the masts is a good diversion, but for me it gets too busy. I prefer the hills for the peace n quiet.
The rock drop is a fairly new addition to the red route, about half way around.
Penmachno is better.

I live 10min down the road and I do feel very lucky to have such good trails so close although I do get why some people slate the trails as its not the most technical riding to be found but they're a right blast to hammer round full tilt and the new sections of black and red have had some really great wrk carried out in them, night rides in the winter, bbq's in the summer, great cafe and shop - what's not to like?!

Not saying families etc a bad thing just not my cup of tea.

I'm from the north east so normally ride hamsterley, Northumberland natural stuff and Scotland. We travelled down to Wales, rode moelfre then had a ride around llandegla and we were all a bit disappointed.

I rode it fast and I can jump and it was still only average.

It's got everything I dislike about 'trail centres'.

I've got nothing against trail centres at all, but I get what he means. It is the very definition of a Trail Centre, if there was one.

For the most part it is way too wide, and way too sanitised, though at least recently they have added new sections in that vary it up a little and add a little more interest back to it. When I first went about 3 years ago, it really was a boring place to ride. Way too sanitised. Nothing to offer anyone, unless you were mr and mrs average with your 2.4 children out to have a go at cycling.

It is very easy to get to for quite a lot of people though, which might also be why it is a lot tamer than it could be. Horses for courses and all that, at least it's better than it was IMO, but it's still nothing to write home about.

Ride llandegla a couple of weeks back. Similar experience to wayniac really. Came away wondering if I still get a kick out of mountain biking. Rode the rangers descent at snowdon the next day and remembered exactly why I love it.

Maybe it's just N.welsh trail centres. I like a descent to be a descent, not suddenly turn into another boring climb.

eyerideit, I watched a young lad roll the rock on his front wheel tipped the back wheel down some how then manualled down the north shore, made me feel quite envious sat looking down from the top 😀

It's ok for a blast if you want a bit of quick jumpy riding, it's a BMX track though, not mountain biking... Perhaps I'm spoilt by the long rocky descents in the peaks

I also live 10 minutes away.
I even used to work there.
I can do sub hour laps of the black.
I can jump everything on the 'freeride' line (which I helped build).
I ride there semi regularly.
I still think it's pretty mleh tbh (it's certainly not 'mountainbiking').

ahhh, the fire road climbs. I get what you mean but I don't mind grinding out a long dull climb (must be my inner roadie) 🙂

Scot:

Just watched a vid of the rangers path descent looks pretty intense. How did you get up three, did you ride up and what bie did you use. The guy on the vid had a orange 224. The path looks like it would eat an average bike.

I've been to most of the main trail centres in the UK and still never been to Llandegla, I love jumps and a good bit of smooth trail so can't wait to finally get there!

I rode it on the Sunday of my stag weekend. I couldn't see straight. It was still fun (and I had to ride it with pink bar tassles and a nice big pink horn on the bars).

I'm lucky enough to have smashing natural (and not a few pixied) trails at my doorstep, so riding a trail centre is a rare treat - maybe once or twice a year. It makes a refreshing change.

Going warp speed through the trees, changing direction every few seconds and getting as much airtime in as possible puts one massive grin on my face. Which is why I ride bikes.

Also lucky enough to live within 20 mins from the place and love it. But it wasn't kind to me today. My Ti railed Charge Spoon broke a rail at the start of the red, then while heading back to the cafe on the smooth fire road, my rear tyre split. Back tomorrow with spare saddle a repaired tyre for another blast 😀

Where do you do that dbw??

I think its called Llandegla. Its apparently shit but I quite like it there.

As a jack-of-all-trade cyclist, Llandegla is perfect for irregular MTB'ers like myself and those I've been there with. Hoping to take my GF along as an introduction to MTB once I've built up her bike, a nice looking 456 on a budget.

I ride there a bit (and usually enjoy myself) but only because it's close. I actually think the black is quite dangerous, it encourages very high speeds and can easily catch people out who aren't able jumpers. In that respect I think it's poorly designed. The best man made trails are difficult to ride quickly and easy to ride slowly. Llandegla is easy to ride quickly, just difficult to ride quickly without crashing!

eyerideit - IMO rangers is the best descent in the UK that I have done. Did it on a prince albert a couple of years back and cleared probably around 60% of it. Did it on a pitch with lyrics and a coil DHX4 on the back and it was phenomenal. Cleared around 80-90% but was mainly stopped by walkers on sections (we didn't descend until 10.30 and it was s nice day so was getting busy).

We pushed up - save the energy for the descent.

You did it on an albert, good skills!

The guy in this vid is riding hellafast.

A prince Albert will go anywhere - fantastic bike. I did kill my set of Magura Menjas doing it though.

Yeah that guy attacks it. More skills than me (and I really didn't hang about on there!).

First half of this video is our 2009 trip up there:

It's ok for a brain out ride but I prefer riding in the lakes. I have lee quarry and gisburn within 30 minutes, I live next to the pennine bridalway and rude the lakes every other weekend, llandovery is never gonna figure high in my list. What's the weather like around snowdon at the moment? I'm off up there on Monday.

Philfive

Heavy rain on Monday, then showers and a bit of hale yesterday. Didn't ride today but it was bright and clear. Tomorrow's looking good and so is the weekend. Looks like you'll have a good week.

Off to Brenin tomorrow for a blast round MBR. I went up to Lee in jan but it was iced over and the mrs who new to off road riding was that keen on riding an iced up quarry.

Will give it a go next time we're up, gisburn looks good as well. All I need is one week off a month to go riding and I'll be happy.

I can't understand some people would find it a boring place to ride. Maybe they should be on a Five. 😆

Llandegla works for me and the new bits including the B-Line and Paralel Universe are really good - some people knock Llandegla but I guess its a matter of personal preference. If the car parks are anything to go by on a weekend a lot of people like it. Plus they have a great cafe!

In response to the original question of "how good is llandegla?", it is not good at all. It's crap.

Glad I am not the only one! Although I am a bit of a trail centre enemy, but will ride them if I am nearby. Glentress etc are good fun & well thought out, blandeglla is boring and too wide. Fact.

It's a pleasure to get to ride there, today I passed it as was on route to a meeting, now that was cruel!

Yes we all have different opinions but it caters for a wide group of riders, and at the end of the day we just want to ride our bikes!

mwleeds - Member

I ride there a bit (and usually enjoy myself) but only because it's close. I actually think the black is quite dangerous, it encourages very high speeds and can easily catch people out who aren't able jumpers. In that respect I think it's poorly designed. The best man made trails are difficult to ride quickly and easy to ride slowly. Llandegla is easy to ride quickly, just difficult to ride quickly without crashing!

Mike has it closest I think.
Since it opened I have attended to + paramedics at least 3 people I have been riding with & 2 I have found in a crumpled heap on the track.
I also know of at least 5 mates that have mullered themselves there.

It might look easy but as the speed goes up so does the mess when it goes wrong.

Came away wondering if I still get a kick out of mountain biking. Rode the rangers descent at snowdon the next day and remembered exactly why I love it.

Maybe it's just N.welsh trail centres. I like a descent to be a descent, not suddenly turn into another boring climb.

I get the same thing from most trail centres. We also did Snowdon the day after Llandegla and I loved it. Much prefer "natural" riding to trail centre xc, though most of my mtb time is spent riding jumps and drops at Woburn now!

Mike has it closest I think.
Since it opened I have attended to + paramedics at least 3 people I have been riding with & 2 I have found in a crumpled heap on the track.
I also know of at least 5 mates that have mullered themselves there.

It might look easy but as the speed goes up so does the mess when it goes wrong.

So your saying the Alps and Fort Williams should downgrade their trails for pikeys and noobs? Great. The Pleney is easy to ride at speed, that's what makes it fun. You just have to stay within your limits and have a few slower runs first to get used to the track.

The trails should start putting "slow your rebound down" because of all the twits I see bouncing back and fourth on stupidly high rebound shocks and forks. I reckon that's partly the reason for a lot of the offs with newbies to the sport.

Llandegla is great fun, that's all you need to know. If you know how to have fun of course.

Llandegla to me feels like a lot of effort for not much reward. It's a strange place as I always feel I have ridden further uphill than I have ridden downhill, the complete opposite of Innerleithen of Glentress for example.

The first time I rode Llandegla I was expecting a nice run down to the car park for example, it never appeared?

I think I prefer a big steep climb followed be a load of gravity assisted trails to one that is uppy downy all the way.

Lots of people love it though and it's nicely accessible to lots of people too so I can't knock it. Personally I prefer the Peaks / Rivington.

coolhandluke - Member
Llandegla to me feels like a lot of effort for not much reward. It's a strange place as I always feel I have ridden further uphill than I have ridden downhill, the complete opposite of Innerleithen of Glentress for example.

The first time I rode Llandegla I was expecting a nice run down to the car park for example, it never appeared?

I know what you mean, the end of the red trail is quite a big climb and there is no 'reward'. But I didn't mind that and the down bits really encouraged us to attack them.

Not been to Glentress, would like to give it a go.

So Llandegla is the new CYB,it's the place real MTBers love to hate because it's "too sanatised".........The story is always the same it's just the names that change.........lol......

I just like riding me bike off road,anywhere........