[Closed] How steep is the Cwmcarn climb?

No steeper, but slightly more technical in places.

There's a road option for part of it, if you want...

The first part is quite technical (but not steep) and then its a fire road which isnt too steep either. The first couple of miles technical climbing is far more tiring and on a 140mm+ bike I would personally ride the road straight to bottom of the fireroad to avoid it, unless your in to that kind of thing.

its tough on an ss as the surface wont always take the power u need to put down. Id give it a go as a challenge but dont get down about walking part of it

I've ridden it on a SS and I'm rubbish. Whites is a much harder climb for a SS as it's difficult to get into a rhythm up to the first hairpin bend.

At the risk of disagreeing would say it's steeper. Whites climb does a good job of meandering and gaining height gradually, with the odd steep section. Cwmcarn is a more direct climb hence steeper in places, although not as long - would be impressed if you SS'd it all successfully.

I (being a geared rider but converting my hardtail so I could go on a 'singlespeed only' Afan road trip) found the Whites Level climb harder than the Cwm Carn climb that we did the following day.

Whites Level climb I had to stop for a breather a couple of times, however we were doing the W2 so we'd done a fair distance already, I had a terrible chesty cough, and we'd just had lunch at the cafe.

The technical bits of the climb at Cwm Carn take your mind off the climb (a little) I think I rode all of it on the SS apart from the odd technical section where I stalled.

Taking the road option? Fair enough if you are on a freeride rig, but most 'trail bikes' with 140mm ish travel should be right at home, shouldn't they?! My Yeti 575 (non swoopy older one) is 145mm and is in its element on that sort of climb.

Do the up bit in a van!
http://cwmdown.co.uk/

Thank all, will give a blast on the ss then even if I have to walk a bit. I'll look out for the road as well 🙂

(just don't want to walk all the way!)

What's the point in going MTBing and then riding on the road .. when there is an off road option?

As a confirmed fat bastard with an aversion to climbing I'd take CwmCarn (I assume you mean twrch) over whites level climb any day. The only problem is that whites gives a better reward than cwmcarn, can I climb twrch and descend whites?

I find Cwmcarn a lot harder mainly due to all the extra little efforts to get up round the tree stumps. Legs are shot on climb after the picnic area with the pig totam pole. Its the only trail center climb I don't seem able to clean 😳

IMHO the Cwmcarn climb is a bit steeper and more technical whilst the Whites climb is a wee bit flatter but longer

Cr*p! Now I'm really torn ... do have the option of taking my partners geared bike but its a ass up race style with 80 elastomer forks....

FFS wasn't this half the point of SS, the extra challenge?

I'm even more crap than Rickos and I've ridden up it on a SS just fine. There are a few steeper bits, pedal harder 🙂

I'd much rather singlespeed Whites Level climb over Cwmcarn's climb personally. Having done both on singlespeed, Whites was hard work but I at least cleaned it. I dabbed a few times on Cwmcarn…

Note to self --> mtfu

Munqe-chick - Member

What's the point in going MTBing and then riding on the road .. when there is an off road option?

Equally, what's the point in this at Cwncarn?

Matt24k - Member

Do the up bit in a van!
http://cwmdown.co.uk/

[i]Down[/i]Hillers. The clues in the name.

I ride Cwm Carn and Whites regularly on a geared bike.
I've never cleared Cwm Carn without at least 2 dabs but I'd get pretty pissed if I dabbed on Whites.
Cwm Carn is much more difficult IMO.

Cwmcarn seems shorter but more brutal than Whites - right from the off.

Im well chuffed when I clean the cwmcarn climb, there's a few tricky sections. The whites may be longer but after the first10 minutes, all of the steeper stuff is done.
I ride 1x10 and can't imagine cleaning cwmcarn on a SS, you'd need bags and bags of power.

I would say Cwmcarn is harder than Whites. Shorter yes, but definatelly more technical which saps the enegry more. But it's over fairly quick and after that there's not much climbing.

The only problem is that whites gives a better reward than cwmcarn

Put down the crack pipe, whites better than the black run at cwmcarn 😆

At OP. Cwmcarn is a more techy climb, but is more interesting that whites. Whites would be easier SS.

Put down the crack pipe, whites better than the black run at cwmcarn

Pick up the crack pipe, the twrch trail is not the black run.

I'm at Cwmcarn tomorrow attempting the Strava KOM. Wave if you see me - I'll be handcuffed, wearing a hair vest and riding a uni-cycle.

Let me know how you get on Deluded - with that new bike of yours you should fly up there.

Don't try too hard though since I really don't want to have to go out on Sunday and set the record straight.

TW - it's Friday and I'm in a silly mood 😀 On a more serious note I will be up there with Al tomorrow if you fancy it - otherwise see you Sunday.

I'll be getting silly once I start on the Lidl pear cider in about 15 minutes. See you Sunday !

Pick up the crack pipe, the twrch trail is not the black run.

Exactly. Ride up it and then down the black run.

personnally its harder then whites coz more technical. am there tomorrow as well, whats the strava KOM thing? only just started with strava so interested to see how quick i can do twrch, did under an hour about 5 years ago so thats my target

The fastest time for a lap of cwm carn according to strava is 45 minutes - this is a time which is just totally out of reach for me. If you get under an hour you will be doing well but still only top 30 odd.

what my esteemed buddy ADH said.

OP you bring shame on ssers.

I find cwmcarn significantly tougher than any of the afan climbs. Did it last year 1x9 with a 34t front ring. Doable but I was in pain.

I'm at Cwmcarn tomorrow attempting the Strava KOM.

Yea.. u gotta beat 42minutes for the full loop

http://www.strava.com/segments/twrch-trail-full-lap-airstream-1-884827

Sure i heard oli beckingsale does it in 35!

hugor - I kind of thought my second sentence would put the first into little doubt I was being serious 😀 It would take me 45 mins to get to Airstream!

I'm amazed people can do it on a SS, dabbing or not.

Bugger, that's quick for a full lap! I went there in March, aiming to put some miles in and did 3 laps. I think my fastest [i]Climb[/i] was 40 mins!!

As for difficulty, cwmcarn I find tricker but actually ok on the legs. Whites just made me cough my lungs up!

Rode cwmcarn this evening on my rigid Ss 29er with Son1. First visit and. Half ridden in the dark. Climb is harder than Afan, surface means it is hard to keep momentum. Not toooo steep and I don't mind using the walk gear a little. He enjoyed a lot on his geared FS and was fast on the descents in my floodlight. 110min including a phonecall at the top from his mother.

Whites Level was more fun.

White's is more of a fitness test on an SS but Cwmcarn is way harder to clean, there's 2 or 3 sections that are tough on an FS geared bike let alone a SS.

The whole of Cwmcarn is cleanable on a SS apart from the steep concrete ramp at Twmbarlwm. But you godda be fit and strong.