I know these things are subjective.
I am going to BPW in a couple of weeks for the first time. Generally will be doing blues and reds - not black competent (yet!) which trail would you recommend we make sure we ride?
Do all the blues before lunch followed by all the Reds in ascending order of techyness.
Blues: Sixtapod into Willy Waver. Popty Ping.
Red: Vicious Valley. Root Manoeuvres. AC/DC. Watts Occurring. Insufficient Funds.
Having not ridden them I may be wrong, but aren't AC/DC and Watts Occuring perhaps pushing it based on the OP's described ability? They are meant to be the hardest reds and I'd say reds at BPW can be tougher than other trail centres, but its very location dependent..
Really enjoyed Surfin Bird a few weeks ago.
I am relatively comfortable on the reds at Afan, Cwmcarn, Penmachno and Marin trail for example. Are those at BPW pushing further than that by any large margin?
Only been a few times myself, but after a blue (or two) to warm up I get onto the reds as soon as possible - far better to get onto whatever harder trails you plan on riding fresh than later on with tired muscles IMO.
Sixtapod into Willy Waver is the perfect starter, such a hoot. Vicious Valley into Insufficient Funds is a great red pair, as long as you're happy with the jumps/drops on IF. Above all else, have fun!
Edit: the reds are definitely a step above the reds at Afan and Cwmcarn, by a decent margin. Faster and more full-on, and more technical to boot. I'd say the black run at Afan is easier than most of the reds tbh.
https://www.bikeparkwales.com/trails
All the Blues with Fs are brill, start short to warmed up, then freestyle it.. its all great.
Root Maneouvres and Vicious Valley were our faves. And Rim Dinger, but thats closed.
Yes AC/DC and Watts Occurring at the the upper end of the BPW reds, and Roots to some degree. BPW helpfully has all the trails graded in order of difficultly, so it's not just a broad 'colour' grade, work your way up the scale till you find your limit, then dial it back one 😉
Popty Ping. Many times.
ACDC and Watts Occurring are both towards the harder end of reds. They're blend tracks, which I'm not sure I like that much, but that's just me.
Insufficient Funds is good, as long as you commit. I like Roots Maneouvres and Hot Stepper. Usually start with Terry's Belly into Hot Stepper then back into Terry's Belly.
JP
Yes quite different to the XC red grading of the trail centres. Key thing is commitment. You’ve probably got the ability but the reds have drops and other features that you need speed for. If you bimble over then there’s a good chance of hurting yourself.
i do t do blacks but really enjoy the blues and techy reds such as roots manoeuvres and bonneville.
Popty ping is ace, so is roots<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> and acdc. </span>
All personal and based on your strengths and weaknesses. I don’t like popty ping but am rubbish at jumps. Prefer the technical rather than flow routes.
Also so agree that to me it makes sense to start on a blue or two then do the harder runs you intend. After lunch I’m normally flagging so step down to less challenging runs.
I've been a few times and I'm reasonably competent but found the new Red blend trails a step up in jumping ability, and while we rode them all we were aware that we weren't going fast enough to land in the right places.
Rather letting this put me off I see it as an opportunity to improve, wish it wasn't 5 hours away...
Off there for the first time myself next week.
Anything to be avoided because it's just no fun on a hardtail? I'm thinking of the slabs in the flat section in the middle of the blues/reds on Antur Stiniog. Just rough and sucks your speed without being fun or challenging.
If you like rollercoasters definitely do Terry's Belly, soooooo much fun!
Ned, Rim Dinger on a HT isn't a whole load of fun.
no better way of improving than pushing yourself on something harder? with the exception of 50 Shades the blacks are not that bad... Roots manoeuvres would be a good tester! probably my fave trail there - although Terrys bellend - into Popety Ping - into Hotstepper is an amazing long run with a mix of everything!!
The new 'blend' reds are definitely a step up from the normal ones, but I found that it was more of a confidence thing - the drops are ok once you actually know what to expect.
As for the rest of the trails.. I would just work your way up through the trails using the graded list, repeating the ones you enjoy - don't get too hung up on trying to do every trail.
Terrys bellend – into Popety Ping – into Hotstepper
Good call. That's my son's fave combo 🙂
(although I'm sure he's never used the word 'bellend' 😆 )
If you are on the uplift you can do all the blue and reds at least once.
you can do all the blue and reds at least once.
In a day? On your first time? I doubt it! 😆
I am relatively comfortable on the reds at Afan, Cwmcarn, Penmachno and Marin trail for example. Are those at BPW pushing further than that by any large margin?
How large a margin I don't know - but I'll try to avoid the usual Interweb bravado, yes they're noticeably and practically different. I don't know Penmachno well, but I've ridden it and don't recall it being that Tech, I know Afan and Cwmcarn like the back of my hand.
The blues at BPW are generally 'easy' but they're longer and wider than pretty much anything at Afan or Cwmcarn so it's very easy to be going very quickly indeed without trying too hard, just be mindful of that.
The Reds at BPW have some features you won't have seen at Cwmcarn or Afan - namely, unrollable drops, larger jumps, steeper looser turns, larger rocks, loose rocks in rock gardens. Lots more roots. The DH track at Cwmcarn is a lot more akin to the Reds at BPW than the XC trails.
I could have happily done Terrys Belly all day over and over again!
Id consider myself a solid red rider at trail centres and I was very happy with the blues. I found the reds a bit of a step up and much harder than any other red I’ve done. Mainly because some of the obstacles were mandatory drops or jumps - you couldn’t roll everything.
One think I hadn’t expected was how much harder it was mentally. For a start I’d rarely be out on the bike from 9-5. Then all the riding was technical singletrack. No forest roads or easy trails to relax and look at the views
Terrys Belly is great, and the rest stop half way down can offer a welcome break.
Always liked Rim dinger for something different (although it looks like it might be closed at present), Popity Ping is proper fun, as are willy waver / norkle etc.
IMHO the blues are all great fun, the reds are more tech but still within the ability of mortals who need to work the next day, the blacks need proper commitment and decent speed.
Still a great place, I recommend the veggie burger.
Definitely would say AC/DC is a step up from the other reds. Came a cropper near the bottom of that run because I didn't commit/royally f*cked up a jump!
Go in with your eyes open and pull over (in a safe place, not on the main line) to scope out any features if you're not sure.
Personally I could just keep lapping Roots Manoeuvres all day
Going to echo most of what's already been said I think.
Have to start with Sixtapod in to Willy Waver. Gives you a flavour of BPW blues and is just bloody good fun.
Other must do trails IMO...
Rim Dinger (but I think it's a bit Marmite for most riders).
Root Manouevres. Just brilliant.
Vicious Valley into whatever blue is at the end of it. Ace mix of rooty tech and flowy fast.
Coal Not Dole and Deep Navigation if you want a short taste of BPW black.
Terry's Belly just for the sheer thigh burning length of it.
Not a fan of the new 'blend' trails myself.
If you're uplifting and on it, you can probably ride most of the blues & reds anyway.
Personally I like the more natural stuff, so Hotstepper, Roots Manoeuver, 50 Shades, etc.
Popty Ping is probably the worst trail there IMO.
Insufficient Funds - Loop it a few times and try to stay off the brakes completely. It's pretty much a flat out trail, good for building confidence on drops and jumps, at speeds you didn't think were possible. You'll need to be flat out to clear the tables properly at the end! It will set you up well for doing harder jumps and drops on other trails, if you feel up to it.
I've not ridden the new trails but AC/DC looks good.
Beware the blues as has been said they are wide and you can develop a lot of speed. I don't struggle with them myself, but a friend of a friend has the ignominy of being the first person airlifted from BPW after losing control at speed on a blue. Broken arm, ruptured spleen and pneumothorax for 18 months from that one.
Now the reds are notably a step up from blues, I'd recommend working your way through the blues and into the reds. If you follow the grading system, you'll find the level you're happy at.
Must do: get there early to collect bands and avoid missing the first few busses queuing to sign in.
Sixtapod into willy waver, fun easy blue.
Porty ping, an easy jumpy but rollable blue.
Vicious valley, surfing bird, insa funds. A step up from the blues, but good fun.
Acdc, rim dinger. a red with a few more technical bits thrown in
roots munouver, imo easily the best trail there, a flat out fun red/black
Dai hard, the easiest of the blacks, steeper in places with a few tricky bits in the woods
I take food as the cafe is hit or miss.
Thanks all - that is very helpful! Will work our way up the blues and go from there
"If you’re uplifting and on it, you can probably ride most of the blues & reds anyway.
Personally I like the more natural stuff, so Hotstepper, Roots Manoeuver, 50 Shades, etc.
Popty Ping is probably the worst trail there IMO."
Agreed, apart from the drops on 50 shades being a bit much for me!
the first person airlifted from BPW after losing control at speed on a blue.
He certainly won't have been the first to have made it to A&E crashing on the blues! The day I broke my ribs at the bottom of Terry's Belly 😳 , another guy was just arriving as I was leaving Merthyr. Thankfully not airlifted, of course, but he was pretty smashed up.
We really could do with a BPE situated somewhere twixt London and Brum.
you can do all the blue and reds at least once.
If you know the layout (ie make no mistakes) its 11 runs by my reckoning if you ride from A470 over to surfing bird. (12 if you want to do original sixtapod and the locomotion extra bit). 4 of those runs will finish at the bottom of Terry's, etc. and are thus more time consuming.
I've done 11 in summer including stopping for a burger at lunch.
We really could do with a BPE situated somewhere twixt London and Brum.
BPW is about 250m top to bottom. only in the chilterns are you getting that much above sea level, and practically, only a 100m drop at best. everywhere else in this region seems to top out at about 150, with at most a 50m drop
Is that right ! I feel v blessed to have 300m out the front door to play with.
