Should I be struggling to slay the climb up to top of the tram-road do you collectively think ?
Destroyed my soul a litle TBH after struggling with it recently.
Admittingly it was into a headwind and full winter gear,backpack etc,but I definitely laboured far more than expected,the last climb was life and death.
Nice lightweight Zesty running 1 x 10,32t,havent ridden much this Winter to be fair,but I definitely felt a little,well,crushed.
MTFU presumably ?
Not referring to them as the Brecons will reduce your chances of being buried by a local. They are the Brecon Beacons, or Beacons for short.
Should it be easy? Really depends on fitness, I'm happy to plod up.
Did you ride the Brinmore tram-road to the top (just a horrible drag but not too bad) or did you follow the Taff trail and drop to the old railway (even more of a dull drag) with the nasty kick at the end after the tunnel? 2 quite different routes
I quite enjoy the tram road. You seem to gain quite a lot of hight for not a massive effort.
Now I have to say I've only ever done it in nice summer weather so no headwind.
Sometimes you just don't have the legs..
This was from crossing the Canal at the pub then keeping left all the way up to the top via the nasty fire-road climb.
I'm blaming the headwind for now .....
Did it last year, mate had to wait for a long time, made excuses took photograghs. Its a long old drag, i fitted a granny specially, i was glad i did, not sure id have made it with 1x, mate did, so of us are fitter, fatter, faster. Some of it is genetics but a eating less and riding more still improves things, so yes i guess mtfu and train/ride more. Lovely ride though isnt it.
Its 4.5mls at an average 5.1%. Just take it easy and spin taking in the views as they appear 😀 Saying that some bits are steeper, especially near the top so most people will feel the burn by then. I love it probably my favourite off road climb.
Its an awesome ride and one of my favourites also,particularly with a dusting of Snow on the hills last weekend.
I'll try again soon and report back.
I enjoy that climb too. Top ride and a summer favourite
Hills still hurt, however fit you get.
I'm surprised it hasn't gone yet but I see I still have the KOM on that climb from the dry 'n' dusty 2014 Brecon Beast event. I remember it being a nice steady gradient which suited my climbing style (high-gear stomping) but it does go on a bit and I was pretty broken at the top, sustained only by the knowledge that the guy in second was right behind me...
Given a headwind, muddy winter conditions and a heavy pack and yeah, I would expect it to be quite a slog! If you didn't stop you did well.
I've probably done that climb a 100 times being local, it never gets any easier you just end up riding it faster 😉
Crispo, which Strava segment are you referring to? I didn't think the Beast used the Brinore Tramroad. But I've not done the event for a few years and certainly didn't do it in 2014.
We did [url= http://www.strava.com/segments/5256289 ]this one[/url].
I assume that's the one because of the name (full brinore tramroad), but I do also seem to remember some steeper and distinctly non-tramroady bits at the top where it opened up and was all just red soil and sheep poo everywhere.
So you'll be having a crack at it this weekend then?!
Yes that's the one 🙂 That's a good time fair play, I wouldn't get anywhere near that 🙁 Although I don't suppose you had to stop to open the gates with it being an event lol 😉
That's a very good point, gates can make a big difference.
When I did the Trans Cambrian Way I gave up counting when I got to 100 gates 🙁
I'd still take the tramroad over riding up the bridleway and the gap road from Brecon. Now that really was tough...
What's the ground like up there at the moment? Must be soaking.
Roughly how long does the Talybont-tramroad-TheGapDescent take? It looks like about 20 miles.