I've never been to Coed-y-Brenin. I'm going there next week. Will I get away with my rigid SS, or should i bow to the inevitable and go all geary and sussy.
I've only tried Afan on the geary sussy bike, but I think I could thrash round most of that on my SS/rigid bike, though I might end up walking a few short stretches.
Thanks
I rode all of CyB on a rigid SS a couple of years back. I stalled on a couple of sharp climbs that I wasn't prepared for, got my hands battered on the descents and probably minced a bit. As you do. I cannot claim to be a riding god and the people on bicycles with suspension were mostly faster than I was. I hope this helps. 🙂
My mate enjoyed it on his geared rigid - I didn't have to wait for him that long 😉
Depends how much you like going over jagged rocks.
I went last week on my old old zaskar, it was very uncomfortable.
The first time i went, we came across Stourbridge Cycle Club they were riding on road bikes!! doing "The Beast" very brave! also these guys were very fast, i overtook them on the downs but they flew past me on the fireroad climbs!
I prefer to ride a full bouncer and gears!!
It'll be fine.
Interviewer: What's your prediction for the fight?
Clubber Lang: My prediction?
Interviewer: Yes, your prediction.
[Clubber looks into camera]
Clubber Lang: Pain!
Take the full suss you'll enjoy it more.
gears???? suspension????
you'll be ok.
Cyb much much rockier than afan
I find CyB leaves my arms and arse (and I lower the saddle right down on descents) feeling a tad beaten after a long ride or two there on my hardtail, would not wanna do it on a rigid!
I'm doing it again tomorrow on my Nomad. I will have my arse handed to me on a plate by my pal who does it on a 29er SS but he does have Rebas on it. It is his preferred tool for CyB.
been there and done that with my rigid SS, 18 tooth at the time and it was fine, theres a couple of short climbs, one especially that will be a challenge but it isnt as bad as people make out. Perfectly do-able.
You'd be either mad or a very slow rider to choose rigid to ride there.
I really enjoy CyB on a SS hardtail with 80mm forks.
You'll be fine.
It's only a trail center.
Why not, if you have the time, have a go on the SS at Afan? To my mind, it's simply a case of knowing you can do it; it sounds to me like you've not tried a longer ride on the singlespeed, so don't know if you can or not. Give it a try. And take lots of food. 🙂
By the way, I've comfortably made it 'round CYB on a hardtail with 80mm forks in the past. As Stu says, it *is* a trail centre, rather than The Real World.
Yes you'll get away with it - it's not going to kill you - but you may well find it damn hard work - CyB is pretty bumpy nowadays with it's inherent style added to eroded trails and when riding that rigid (or even not rigid!), it makes it pretty hard to get any flow. If you reckon that you can cope with sore hands/arms/back/legs then go for it otherwise go geared and full sus.
*edit* double post - sorry
You tell him Stu 😀
Did me first ever SS ride there about 7 years ago and have always chosen the SS since then it will be fine
Oh and that lot from Stourbridge there so niche and racy 😯
did the beast a coupla weeks ago on a 100mm geared hardtail and loved it...
you *could* do it on a rigid SS, the question i'd ask is why would you want to?!
ps this is from a rigid SS'er (when it's more fun!)
I've done it on the Cotic Soul and the full bouncer - doable on a ss but what's the point? Done and enjoyed Llandegla on the SS but then there were no rocks!
So if you like carrying and sore wrists then yeah! Knock yourself out...
I followed a bloke around the July trail at Afan for a bit a while ago, he was on a SS/rigid and whilst he was fine on the fireroads, he minced for England down all the descents. Which for me kinda missed the point of the whole experience.
I have to say he was about the only time I've really felt anything like proper antipathy for a fellow cyclist, he had your sisters jeans on, funny bars, facial hair, achingly fashionable...Couldn't ride for shit.
It will be much more fun with travel and gears
depends on how quick you are really - if your fast rigid will slow you down something chronic - its rocky!
whilst he was fine on the fireroads, he minced for England down all the descents
There's plenty of people ride like that at trail centers on full sus bikes too.....
I've done it, and I'm certainly not a riding god, yes I was slow. Would I do it again? yes. but with brakes that brake...(I had badly set up, worn out hydraulic rim brakes).
Don't get dispirited by the very first 100m. It's not all that bumpy.
I'd take both bikes. You'll get an indication how much you'll enjoy the sfSS after you've ridden the exit of the car park toward the Beast.
HTH
Did the Beast SS rigid the other week and was really good fun-went 32:17 though to make it easier
However did Tarw and MBR last Sunday on a full suss and had more fun overall
Rigid SS for Coed-y-Brenin! - Yeah right!
Niche groups are so cool. 😀
Thanks for all the advice! It's now decision time - heading off tomorrow morning...
I think taking both bikes isn't going to happen - I also have to find room in the car for my darling wife and children (and their bikes). And the daftest dog in the world. He *won't* be going on the trails.
Having just had a quick look on youtube, at least The Beast looks eminently doable.
If it's all completely miserable then I'll start by buying the fattest tyre I can find. If that doesn't work I can always hire a bike, or just go to the beach.
If you find yourself stuck behind some annoyingly niche fat old bloke on a bright red On-One Inbred picking his way painfully and slowly down the hill, you'll know I made the wrong choice.
Go on your ss then you can tell all the nay sayers what fun you had and how people pointed at you and laughed !(Although they were secretly in awe )
That they wished thewy could be like you 🙂
enjoy its only i bike ride
Use these :o[img] 
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Will I get away with my rigid SS
I'm sure you can 'get away' with it, but isn't biking supposed to be about having fun?
I take my hat off to all you who have ridden there on a rigid SS, I found it bloody hard work on a full suss!
fun/challenge...its a fine line
doable on a ss but what's the point
does there have to be a point?
but isn't biking supposed to be about having fun?
why wouldn't it be fun? overtaking full bouncers on SS is good sport and mucho fun ime
overtaking full bouncers on SS is good sport and mucho fun ime
Oh dear.
overtaking full bouncers on SS is good sport and mucho fun ime
Please provide photo evidence and/or sworn eyewitness statements. 🙄
overtaking full bouncers on SS is good sport and mucho fun ime
Quite sad really. 🙁
Many years ago on my uni clubs annual week long trip up to CyB, my spanky new bike with its spanky new ISIS BB decided it would grind the BB to paste in the space of the first day, thus I had to ride my mate's spare SS rigid on-one for the rest of the week. At the time I was decidedly more portly and had never ridden SS before. I got on fine, in fact it was terrific fun. I was battered, but happy and its pretty much what got me into SS in the first place.
So do it, and have fun.
Quite sad really.
lol, should have know that would generate this sort of reaction, I think most people like to be first occasionaly, when you do it on a £200 piece of shit rather than a £2k dream machine it's quite nice, I'm only gloating on here because its anonymous, I didn't wait at the bottom and laugh at them.
Why do people run Ultra Marathons (or just marathons for that matter) do the Iditabike/RAAM etc? It can rarely be considered fun (apart from the warm glow of having done such) and done more as a challenge of the self.
So why not do CyB on a rigid SS? May be a challenge/may be fun! I might be quicker round on my FS but I'll be mincing almost as much as on my rigid SS. Bike type makes no difference to cowardice!
There's an odd idea on this thread that one has several bikes, including a rigid singlespeed and a geared full-sus, and you select the "right" bike for the trail in question from among the selection available based on their performance.
That is insane. Almost invariably, the geared FS is going to be quicker (in the hands of the same rider) over almost any rough trail than the SS and the rider of the SS is going to get beaten up more and have more sketchy moments, more stalls, more refusals and quite possibly more scuffing, bruising and bleeding going on.
There is probably [i]never[/i] a right situation or a perfect trail for which to pull out a rigid singlespeed on performance grounds. (although in reallty clarty mud when you don't have time to do any maintenance you can make something resembling a case for it).
If you [i]like[/i] riding a singlespeed bike without any suspension then it is appropriate [i] whenever you fancy[/i], and if it's the only bike you've got then you don't get the choice anyway.
What is it that meerkat says? 🙂
I think a lot of mountain bikers have a fantasy of a Batcave-style hideout, equipped with every possible permutation of bike, and a supercomputer to tell them which trail to use it for.
Still waiting for video or photographic evidence of this Nick bloke handing full suss riders their asses. I have a crappy £200 rigid SS, I've ridden it in a race and a Merida this year (podiuming in the former, thanks mainly to strategic picking of categories), and I'm sure I overtook a few riders on bouncy bikes at some point.
However at no point did I think "Wow, this is amazing, I am like a killer whale chasing down a bloated fat sealion". To be honest my thoughts were more along the lines of "Wow, my wrists hurt, and I wonder if the next climb is going to be gentle enough for me to take my hands off the bars and stuff my eyeballs back into my head". 🙂
Why do people run Ultra Marathons (or just marathons for that matter) do the Iditabike/RAAM etc?
Do you get people running them wearing uncomfortable, stiff-soled shoes, just for the challenge?
All I wanted to do was wind up the 'ss is stupid' brigade and I've gone and tried to bloody justify it, when it doesn't need justifying, arse.
Grumm, a better metaphor would be two pairs of shoes - one are uncomfortable, but very efficient and easy to look after. The others are more comfortable but worse at going uphill and 5lbs heavier. 😉
I'm going to Manchester Velodrome next week. Should I take my full suspension bike or go the the full hog and take my rigid ss fixed wheel track bike with no brakes.
Serious suggestions only, please! 8)
Ooerr! coleman, I don't think you're taking this seriously! 😯
Well, just got back. It was a blast.
I'm not going to get into a rigid SS/FS comparison as that is an empty and hollow debate. But it was a lot of fun, and almost all of CyB was rideable on that bike, albeit a bit slower and a bit more sketchy than on an FS. And you need lots of malt loaf.
Woudl they let you on the velodrome track on a full suspension bike? Would be funny if you got dressed up in body armour and full-face helmet etc too - I'd love to see the look on people's faces.
Back under your bridge Grumm, there's a good chap. 🙂