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Went there at the weekend for the first time in something like 8 years. There's some ace riding there and I love the new (to me) skills area, but my God the climbing was dull. I ride road bike more than MTB these days and love a bit of climbing, but found 'Degla a real drag. Was I just having an off-day or do plenty of you lot find the climbing gets in the way of the fun?
(PS I rode B-line like an octopus on a heavy-gravity day which *may* have put me in a grumpy mood)
it's not just you, i also like a good climb but LLandegla takes the biscuit.
Not [i]hard[/i] but so, so dull - which is sort of inexcusable really, considering it's a 'designed' trail.
my wife had more or less refused to go back to LLandegla, there just isn't enough fun in the blue descent to justify that enormous, endless climb.
I don't mind it. One long climb rather than up, down, up etc...
Once you are up it's fun all the way down (more or less)
I hate that climb. I was so bored by it and thrilled at the sight of an actual feature that I sprinted into the two berms before the junction at the top, decided I was so awesome that I would jump the end of the berm and land on the fire road... only to discover the 6ft ditch beyond the berm.
The ensuing 3 mile stroll back to the centre with a broken arm + shoulder was only made worse by having to explain that I'd done it on the climb rather than anything interesting.
It's the way it teases you with a tiny bit of downhill in amongst the big climbs, then straight into another uphill slog. "Julia's Trail" was a particular low point (pun intended). The opening (easy) climb with big views was so promising 😆
Mackem I didn't find that at all. The second half was up and down all the time, but mostly up towards the end.
I quite like getting most of the climbing out of the way. Crack on, get it done, then enjoy the rest of it.
I do find trail centres are more fun if I'm blasting round as quick as you can rather than the sort of bimbling along I enjoy in the wilds.
Horses for courses. I find the climbing at Llandegla fairly mellow compared to other trail centres.
Conversely, the climbs at CyB do my head in as does the last fire road bit on the north loop at Whinlatter.
We really enjoyed it. Didn't know what to expect having never ridden there before, sat on the long gentle climb that it starts with thinking "oh, is this it? Ah well at least the scenery's nice" (which people use to defend the abomination that is Penmachno), and then turned onto the singletrack and discovered it was a hoot*. Lots of twisty little climbs within the rest of the trail so it feels very compact but we had a blast and are returning on our next Wales mini-roat-trip in a month.
Afan's Y-Wall starts with a [i]real[/i] slog of a climb, the Llandegla one is such a low gradient as to almost pass you by.
*this was the red run so can't speak for the blue.
The opening climb didn't bother me; I thought it was a good warm up with interesting views. It was all the other climbs that kept appearing during the last half that annoyed and disrupted the fun
The switchback climbs there are awful... quite hard too. I find the initial climb a breeze and interesting enough as you get to chat to your mates who you've met up with while taking it easy for the slower lads in the group. But the foresty switchback climbs are not fun at all.
Don't mind the initial climb at llandegla, it is a bit of a slog but it also stretches your legs after a long drive. The descents are worth it but it kind of peters out at the end. The freeride section is a pedalfest as well, would have been better on a steeper slope.
Conversely the climbs at Gisburn are some of the best trail centre climbs I've done.
ah, the switchbacks. I did find them tough but that's cos I'm fat, unfit and rubbish at tight turns. To be honest if they'd not been there I'd have had to stop to let my forearms recover from the descents.
The main climb has suffered from all the trees being cut down.
That wiggly bit at the top, I just miss out now by going on the straight fireroad. It seems so pointless.
If the trees ever return, I'll reconsider 🙂
Some people are never happy are they. you endure the boring climb to get to the fun descent, happy in the knowledge that you are getting fit and healthy while you do it. If you are getting bored then chat to a friend, or go on an imaginary quest in your head. Solve problems that you haven't had chance to think about during the busy week or make plans for your next holiday.
If you are really struggling then strap a TV to your handle bars and watch Easterners...just like those mindless zombies at the gym.
Some people are never happy are they.
Damn right 😆
I had high expectations and they weren't quite met. I just wondered if others felt the same and apparently they do. I'll be back there, no doubt, but this time I'll be prepared for the climbing.
chat to a friend
Other than on the opening fireroad section I really don't think there's room to ride two abreast nattering about what you had for tea on the other climbs
ndthornton - Member
...you endure the boring climb to get to the fun descent...
why not have an interesting climb?
there's no reason at all why a climb can't be just as much fun (imho) as any descent, some of my favourite trails [i]are [/i] climbs.
a man-made climb that's hard work and boring is a badly-made man-made trail.
Christ, maybe they are limited in what they can do on that opening long climb section due to land use? maybe they feel it's the easiest way of people getting to the trail head without knackering themselves with an interesting 'technical' climb straight out the gate.
It covers a fair distance so no matter what you do with it people are not going to be content.
Also consider the fact that the blue route uses the climb and as such it needs to be easy enough both technically and in gradient for all users.
that's sort-of my point,
...the blue route uses the climb and as such it needs to be easy enough both technically and in gradient for all users...
in my wife's opinion, it's too hard and boring.
you can try arguing, but by arguing against my wife, you're automatically in the wrong.
That opening climb is hardly worthy of being called a climb, the gradient is so gradual.
boring yes, but too hard? maybe you could take her to ride some disused railway lines instead. With a café stop at the end, and a trip to buy cushions/curtains on the way home, you're sorted.
MrNice - Member
...maybe you could take her to ride some disused railway lines instead. With a café stop at the end, and a trip to buy cushions/curtains on the way home, you're sorted.
that's patronising, and more than a little sexist.
classy.
Interesting how most of you are thinking of the opening, wide, flat(ish), long but easy climb. I started this OP not with that climb in mind. I have no problem with that climb. It's a nice warm up. It's the countless other climbs that interrupt the fun and flow far too often in the last half of the red/black trail that I got annoyed with.
Llandegla red and black is about 1600 foot of climbing over about 12/13 miles. It's not a lot really. I hate climbing,but don't find Llandegla climbs a massive chore, they do of course stop the 'flow', but what sort of climb wouldn't stop the flow? A chairlift assisted one maybe?
At the end of the day it's all down to the hill they have to work with. They are not long meandering hills, they are short sections cut into the sides with little option but to add in flow stopping climbs.
I just think you need to look at the terrain they are working with before declaring it not as good as it should be. They are riders as well, if they could make a much better trail without the need for these sections I'm sure they would.
It's all opinions though, and catering for everyone is impossible.
Those climbs at the end of the black section levelled the talent out amongst us - the fast ones downhill were caught on the ups. Made an interesting cat and mouse game, which I thought was the point? Found it all great fun really. The climb up? Just an excuse for a grand chat. By the way, arm breaker above, was that last summer? We did bump into a group who'd broken something at those berms. Personally I'd have walked to the pub from there, not the centre itself. Closer surely?
It's not the biggest trail centre in the world, and I think they do a great job with what they've got. Personally, I prefer climbing to descending, and think the mix is just right. Loads of people will think the climbs are too tough, only too visible by the huge number of people seen pushing up loads of them. But we all have different fitness levels, so if you need to walk, you need to walk.
Biggest thing for me is that age old problem with trail centres, and that's loads of people seem to ride nothing else, so as a result, you'll always get bored with something because you're doing it all the time. I've virtually stopped riding at Delamere for that very reason. If the first climb at Llandegla was part of a natural ride you wouldn't bat a eyelid at it, but because everyone has to go up it every time they ride at Llandegla then they get bored of it. Answer is to ride other places too.
you'll always get bored with something because you're doing it all the time
Not always. My mate - who rides at 'Degla quite regularly - loves it but finds Cannock a bit dull. I ride Cannock frequently and never get bored of it (even the climbs!). It is true that one always compares their "local" patch with other places and sometimes things don't live up to expectation.
That said I [i]AM[/i] looking forward to going back there and riding those tabletops properly 🙂
that's patronising, and more than a little sexist.classy.
I was using a very obvious sexist stereotype for comedy value. It's called humour. Obviously you'll now tell me I'm using the Edinburgh defence but it should have been clear to you I wasn't serious. Given you had already made reference to always being in the wrong it's a bit rich to now get so precious. Get over yourself.
The climb that gets me is in Nant yr Arian. Bloody thing goes on forever. I think its called the Leg Burner.
I don't mind the long first drag at 'degla but it's a road-trip ride for us so there's generally a good group of us and it's easy to chat away the miles. That steep bitch half way along the black though, what's it called - cruel and unusual?
Raven at Brechfa is if anything worse.
The black seems to end with a climb, maybe I went the wrong way? Didn't it used to end with a drop into the bike cleaning bit?
Try the bridleway out of the centre, past the Ponderosa and off over the hills beyond. Only then can you lot moan about a climb 🙂 Or ride in from Llangollen using the old horseshoe pass - now that was fun....
get an ebike? One over took me on a climb at llandegla a while back and wearing a full face helmet too. I was quite jealous as my lungs were screaming for air. The climbs at llandegla seem pretty taxing to me, I wouldn't call them boring, they are just tougher than most other north wales trail centrem climbs. or thats how I find them at least. You see a lot of people pushing at Llandegla which is unusual elesewhere.
Just ride it on a rigid singlespeed and you can play the game of how many whinging enduro boys on boningy bikes can you pass on the climbs and then happily dive into the berms erc..whilst they're having a breather at the top. Even my lady kicks up the climbs on a single speed fat bike so the chap who wife is complaining needs to woman the fk up as apparently shes letting the side down
Try Coed y Brenin; I've seen people off and walking downhill there. Push at Llandegla? Now where's the spirit? I've seen children ride it all quite happily.
Mtb'rs complaining about climbing mountains on their Mtb 😆 😆
I love Stw it just keeps on giving.
I have no problem with that climb. It's a nice warm up. It's the countless other climbs that interrupt the fun and flow far too often in the last half of the red/black trail that I got annoyed with.
The initial climb has to cater for all the routes, doesn't it? So it can't be technical or difficult.
The thing that gets me is the boardwalk sections and the fact I'm expected to launch the bike off at the end.
I'm a confirmed wheel on the ground xc rider and enjoyed the old black as a nice hours ride. The new black is a pain in the butt because of the board walk. I always let the long travel hard core boys pass me when I had the opportunity and they could catch me, shame they didn't return the favour on the climbs. As for the climbs mid way round, like I said, I ride a xc bike. 🙂
The thing that gets me is the boardwalk sections and the fact I'm expected to launch the bike off at the end.
Eh? You can just roll off the end of them all,no launching needed as far as i remember. Definitely can be done wheels on ground all the way round.
I'm sure I've read the guys from OPA saying that there is a long term ambition to make the initial climb more singletrack and interesting but in the short term they think people would rather they prioritise spending on new downhill singletrack sections.
taxi25, I'm with you - mountain bikers complaining about hills! Tell me it's not real?!
As has been said earlier, the initial climb has evolved since opening, initially it was entirely enclosed by trees and in places was singe file with some steep sided drops either side into ditches. Over the years it's been widened in places, reflecting the popularity of the place.
If the main climbs are single track, be ready for a lot more 'I went to Llandegla and got held up on the initial climb' type threads!
Eh? You can just roll off the end of them all,no launching needed as far as i remember. Definitely can be done wheels on ground all the way round.
There's a new bit that you definitely can't roll off, unless it's changed, it's a good couple of years since my last visit.
The old black was doable easily enough, it was a nice xc route.
There's a new bit that you definitely can't roll off, unless it's changed, it's a good couple of years since my last visit.
Was there last week,all rollable, i think thats one of their standrds, ie everything is rollable
They do have some blacker than black within the black sections. The main drag is all rollable, but the more extreme bits are a bit heavy - there's a big drop off some rock for one. I walked away from that bit. No doubt somebodies three year old did it on a push along...
blacker than black within the black sections. The main drag is all rollable, but the more extreme bits are a bit heavy
Eh? Are some bits 11?