[Closed] "New" Coed Y Brenin on a H/Tail. Will I die?

yes.

Oh.

I struggled to find any of the 'new stuff' on saturday (despite riding the beast).First time with 'back shokers' for 10 years (and fully rigid for most of that).
Most of the best (original) stuff was taken out a long time ago 😥

Just stick to the car park and you'll be fine...

If you are worried cycle up to the practice areas and get round the mini red run a few times. It's great fun.

Don't get it...? You may be over biked but I wouldn't have thought you'd die... 😉

You may just survive. 🙂 Your arse may think its going to die after doing the first couple of sections though. The rest isn't like that, honest. Substituting in the first couple of bits of the blue is much more fun.

Your bike will be fine for the job...

I'm going soon having been twice before and my new fs frame hasn't arrived....so choice is hardtail or mates "well used" fs.....I'm going with the latter...

100mm hardtail? Are you mad? I'm surprised even thinking of taking it hasn't killed you.

I've only been once about 7 years ago on a Kona Caldera and did the beast I was fine from the article it seems it may be a bit smoother now so I'm sure you be fine.

Rode it on my kinesis in the spring and lived to tell the tail. Will be taking it back for another go in a couple of weeks.

Followed a kid on 24 inch wheel rigid bike through a rocky section. He was flying along

So I think its skills that might be important not bikes

There is nothing at CyB that needs FS (or gears for that matter).

First dibs on the bike.

There is nothing at CyB that needs FS (or gears for that matter).

but given the choice I'd much rather take my slack, wide bar'd, Bos equipped, dropper post'd up gnar weapon over my rigid singlespeed because its a whole heap more fun.

OP you will be fine. Took novice over there a couple of months ago. Day 1 he rode red well so did black on following day. No drama or injuries. He was riding a 2013 Specialized Hardrock - hardly cutting edge forks and no rear suspension obviously.

Managed to ride Snowdon, MBR @ Coed and Gwydyr last weekend on a '10 Blue Pig 😆
PS...aged 60 😉

Coedy is for hardtails imo, can be hard work occasionally but mostly perfect.

There is new stuff at CyB?

There is new stuff at CyB?

All depends on the time frame, they have made quite a few changes over the years since the original MBR, RedBull & Karrimor routes. Mainly adding in silly armoured sections to justify having bought a 9" travel FS and wearing full body armour for what is really an XC trail centre....

In fact, CyB was used for the NPS XC one year, we did 5 laps of the Red Bull route IIRC.

"Your arse may think its going to die after doing the first couple of sections"

Really??? .... just goes to show most guys at trail centres are over-biked and using a full susser to cover up a lack of skill.

Get your arse of the saddle and everything at CyB is rideable on a hard tail, and depending on your fitness level, faster and more fun!

OP - what day are you there...i'll be there on sunday with my motley crew

Is anything actually unrideable on a HT?

Hmm, I'm heading up there (CyB) for the first time at the end of August. I was going to take my Covert, as my default day out ragger. Will I get laughed out of the car park?
Will I have a better time on my 120mm hardtail?

For the record, the Covert drags around Swinley compared to the hardtail which seems to be perfect.

Really??? ....

To be fair the 1st 200 yards from the new Trail head are a ridiculously pointless armoured section which is completely uncharacteristic of the smooth 50km or so of trails at CyB. I do wonder why on earth they built it as it is completely flat, just lots of stones offset a few inches in height to act like as a bone shaker.

I was going to take my Covert

yes, you'll look completely underbiked as most people there seem to be on full on DH rigs with body armour covering 90% of their body and full face lids.

This is what 99% of the trails are like:

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3248/2305904896_ba1a2ce14a.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3248/2305904896_ba1a2ce14a.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4vLnbY ]Lou at CyB[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/75003318@N00/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Except for the 30km of fire roads which look like this:

[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7321326076_a408f7f903.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7321326076_a408f7f903.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/c9XHaW ]Liz at CyB[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/75003318@N00/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

I [i]think[/i] they built that because it's fun to ride, same reason they built everything else. Or is that too simple?

I think you're just on a bit of a wrong one tbh, there's some very lumpy rocky trail on the beast, it's not quite the same just because of the construction method but it's not so different.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Etc.

I think they vuilt that because it's fun to ride, same reason they built everything else. Or is that too simple?

It just doesn't fit in with the rest of the trails and seems completely out of place to me.

The cynic in me would say it was built just so people on FSers wouldn't feel over biked although that illusion only lasts 200 yards.

"Your arse may think its going to die after doing the first couple of sections"

Really??? .... just goes to show most guys at trail centres are over-biked and using a full susser to cover up a lack of skill.

Get your arse of the saddle and everything at CyB is rideable on a hard tail, and depending on your fitness level, faster and more fun!

It was a lighthearted comment aimed at FS owners who like to sit and spin, not that there's much wrong with that.

I've never ridden CyB on anything more than a hardtail, but those first few hundred yards must have got a lot of people wondering what they'd let themselves in for. 20-odd miles of that wouldn't be much fun. Did they do it to discourage people from trying the Beast on a supermarket shopper?

I think you're just on a bit of a wrong one tbh, there's some very lumpy rocky trail on the beast, it's not quite the same just because of the construction method but it's not so different.

yes there a handful of little obstacles they've added in the last few years, all of which you can roll over on any bike (FS, HT, rigid). I would guess they total less than 0.05% of the Beast by distance?

'just goes to show most guys at trail centres are over-biked and using a full susser to cover up a lack of skill.'

Oi! I resemble that remark.

I get a very different riding experience from my 2 bikes. I tend to ride both (at different times) on the same trails. The hardtail keeps me sharp, attentive and is very good for skills training.
Riding the Covert is a different buzz. I don't use it as a cheat but it does increase my margin for error and can ride with less caution. I wouldn't have one without the other.

I had one of ther first generation of Kinesis Maxlights, back when they had V-brake mounts. At the time, the frame was seriously described in MBUK as being a "cross between an XC bike a freeride machine" or something similar.

They were, and I believe still are, epic.

🙂

footflaps - Member

I would guess they total less than 0.05% of the Beast by distance?

Judging any trail by percentage of distance is absolutely meaningless.

TBH I think we just have to agree to disagree about the rocky stuff all being new and "a handful of little obstacles", it's like we're discussing 2 different trails centres. I can't remember the name of the section that top photo's on- is it Cain? But it's not new.

TBH I think we just have to agree to disagree about the rocky stuff all being new and "a handful of little obstacles", it's like we're discussing 2 different trails centres.

Well the older rocky stuff is so old people were riding it on fully rigid bikes with 72 degree head angles long before FSers were available! Which should tell you it's not that challenging. I've been riding at CyB for over 20 years now!

I can't remember the name of the section that top photo's on- is it Cain? But it's not new.

It could be, they keep re-using names when they move bits so it all depends on what year you're talking about, although that bit has been there a very long time.

footflaps - Member

Well the older rocky stuff is so old people were riding it on fully rigid bikes with 72 degree head angles long before FSers were available! Which should tell you it's not that challenging

footflaps - Member

that bit has been there a very long time.

OK, so we're getting somewhere I guess. I don't know how to reconcile your various posts though, one minute the rocks are all new, little obstacles... The bit at CYB that the new start (Badger?) most reminded me of is on red bull...

Well the older rocky stuff is so old people were riding it on fully rigid bikes with 72 degree head angles long before FSers were available! Which should tell you it's not that challenging....

That's the old 'Joe Brown climbed this in the 50s on a hemp rope with no protection' argument that pops up in rock climbing circles.

The answer to that statement is that a lot more people do the sport now, mainly because the technology has improved to compensate for the lower average level of bravery and skill. It's just as challenging for them as it ever was for Joe.

I'd include myself in that analysis - the improvements in suspension, brakes and overall bike design help me enjoy the sport (for which I have no underlying talent). 🙂

I'd still say the vast majority of CyB is smooth flowing single track, ideal for HT. It used to be mainly earth based, but they've been moving bits and resurfacing with more granite chippings / armoured bits where trail erosion was getting bad (which ironically has made the trails a lot easier as some of the eroded bits were getting a bit sketchy in places).

The rock steps are the newest feature (wife demonstrating here):

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5258/5530344854_2f358544b7.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5258/5530344854_2f358544b7.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9qGsRm ]Liz[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/75003318@N00/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

But they don't need FS or any real skill as you can just roll down them and as long as you don't grab the brake mid roll you're not going to come to any harm.

The other newest section is just a bit of a roller coaster which you could get some air if you wanted, but again can all be rolled without any real skill. This is the latter part of it.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3739/13914944061_c5ae9b51dc.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3739/13914944061_c5ae9b51dc.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ncBJ5D ]Trails at Coed y Brenin[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/75003318@N00/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Of all the trails I've ridden I'd put CyB in the nice day out on a SS camp. Whereas there are trails in the Lakes I wouldn't even attempt on a HT (and I'm by no means a gnar rider, my background is XC racing).

footflaps - Member

Well the older rocky stuff is so old people were riding it on fully rigid bikes with 72 degree head angles long before FSers were available! Which should tell you it's not that challenging

footflaps - Member

that bit has been there a very long time.

OK, so we're getting somewhere I guess. I don't know how to reconcile your various posts though, one minute the rocks are all new, little obstacles...

The bit at CYB that the new start (Badger?) most reminded me of is on red bull.

OP - what day are you there...i'll be there on sunday with my motley crew

All weekend mate, staying at Old Skool MTB

Matt - you can have first dibs on the bike 😉

Cheers for the replys guys n' gals, rode loads of Penmachno/LLandegla so no issues with riding the stuff, more of a how gnar? type of question, but it probable isn't much different from any other North wales trail center.

You'll love it. It's a great centre with some real highlight sections. Rockier than Llandegla.

All weekend mate

i'll try not to crash into you then!!

Is this the trail in north Wales with the circular cafe? Went there with my dad, and it was a hard days riding for me, some of the obstacles are crazy steep, there was one like a Helter Skeltor built from stone which was bonkers !!and if youve not much upper body strength that first section is pretty hard

I did it on my Chameleon.

Rode the MBR trail (which is the rockiest % wise) on my HT Soul for the 1st time in May. Ridden it a few times on the FS previously. It was fun and certainly all rideable on the HT as expected, but it was noticeably slower and a little less comfy 🙂 The 1st section from the start was slowest, mainly down to it being flat or uphill, so being able to pedal governed my speed more than being light on the bike. Rest of it was great!

Rode the MBR trail (which is the rockiest % wise)

Really? I'd have thought the Tarw Du is rockier? It certainly feels rockier!

I recently rode the dragons back and the beast on a rented Trek Farley . It was a huge laugh and the food in the cafe is first class.

The Banshee Bikes Blog: Search results for sag

The stuff on the 'original' side (original start to MBR and Karrimor) has more armoured sections, not what I'd call rocky, just paving slabs lined up to make a hard wearing surface:

Flightpath circa 2004:

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/30/37440318_3a2f2ffd11_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/30/37440318_3a2f2ffd11_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4iTGJ ]Julie at Coed y Brenin[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/75003318@N00/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr

I don't know how to reconcile your various posts though, one minute the rocks are all new, little obstacles...

Possibly because I never thought of the older rocky bits as obstacles, just rode over it all without really paying much attention. They have made an attempt to add some new bits which look like obstacles i.e. a few steps in the middle of a bit of flowing single track, but they're hardly difficult and certainly don't need FS.

Here's what it used to look like before it was sanitised with paving slabs. This is the original Hermon:

[img] [/img]

Photo from here: http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/hermon_flyer.html

NB This is still new compared to the first routes there, which were all unofficial and came from a route guide in MBR mid 90s written by Dafydd Davies.