coed y brenin. how hardcore are the black and red runs?

in the mtb wales website it states that the mbr trail and others feature rock steps with a drop of 8 inches.i first read this a 8 foot and was a little intimidated to be honest!! who need a warning about steps of 8 inches?? a roadside curb is four inches!
so how hard or tame are they? im no dh rider,just your average xc bod!

they're not hard at all if you're used to mountain biking. the difficulty ratings are more linked to their length than technicality.

what about the quoted time scales?again im no super fitty but are they overquoted? i see theres a fair bit of climbing on some of the routes..

i'm not sure what the times are, offhand, but remember getting round them comfortably a fair bit faster. i am fit but not ridiculously so. again, a reasonably competent enthusiast wouldn't have much problem being faster than their guidlines, but there is certainly a fair bit of climbing. i also most recently rode there in rainy but otherwise reasonably conditions, different conditions would probably have an effect.

They are technically easy, The Beast is longish but I'm fat and I've done it easy on an old Rockhopper with 100mm without a problem.

They are below average XC routes in terms of technical stuff, nothing to worry about at all.

As above the black stuff is just longer. I personally found it more interesting to do a couple of reds rather than a black route thats just longer for the sake of being longer.

The times are massive and included time for a picnic and full bike stripdown and rebuild including new spokes at the halfway point.

You can do it all on a single speed CX bike wearing only your pants.

You can do it all on a single speed CX bike wearing only your pants.

Why the need for pants? (it's Wales)

I've not ridden Coedy for a longtime – I guess not since I pulled my back out riding a single-speeded Chameleon round the Beast 😆 😐

Which one (guessing things will have changed) would you guys recommend riding now?

They are technically easy and seem to get easier each time I visit. However, coed-y-brenin is a really beautiful forest and great place to ride and there are load of bridleways nearby as well. Just don't go expecting a tough challenge.

I did the beast sometime last year and it was great.

Im technically a decent rider so found most of it easy although the final descent has some rocky stepped parts on that were pretty tough.

I did it in around 4.15 hours, but I have a high level of fitness so I was able to maintain a good average speed all the way round. Id say the average rider is looking at about 6 hours for a full lap of The Beast.

Beast by name, Beast by nature. Probably some of the toughest riding ive done outside of the alps. If your a bit unsure on the bike, I'd advise taking knee and elbow pads at the least. Also worth packing a foil blanket since some of it is very remote and you'll want to keep warm if you come off (a very good chance)

davidtaylforth are you talking about the same trail?

Beast by name, Beast by nature. Probably some of the toughest riding ive done outside of the alps

Id say the average rider is looking at about 6 hours for a full lap of The Beast

I'd advise taking knee and elbox pads at the least

😯

the first section on the beast ? / dragons back ? / one of them – i forget which, is fairly techy – full of rocks and tightish corners, and tricky sprinty climbs with just the wrong kind of roots across it.

obviously i love it cos i'm a riding god, but i can imagine it's a bit difficult for someone not ace like me.

it seems that this short section is intentionally much more difficult than the rest of the route – to dissuade people who may need dissuading

Im technically a decent rider so found most of it easy although the final descent has some rocky stepped parts on that were pretty tough.

I did it in around 4.15 hours, but I have a high level of fitness so I was able to maintain a good average speed all the way round. Id say the average rider is looking at about 6 hours for a full lap of The Beast.

Beast by name, Beast by nature. Probably some of the toughest riding ive done outside of the alps. If your a bit unsure on the bike, I'd advise taking knee and elbow pads at the least. Also worth packing a foil blanket since some of it is very remote and you'll want to keep warm if you come off (a very good chance)

I don't remember this (probably 2-3yrs ago)

This is turning into the funniest thread in ages.

DT – it's a good job you are super fit, otherwise that time you posted would look like some fat knacker dragging their arse around.

I think I did it in less than 4 hours and I'm a fat slow bugger.

Did you get lost?

the first section on the beast ? / dragons back ? / one of them – i forget which, is fairly techy – full of rocks and tightish corners, and tricky sprinty climbs with just the wrong kind of roots across it.

Yes, exactly the point I was making. And no offence intended, but i imagine it is tricky for the average rider

it seems that this short section is intentionally much more difficult than the rest of the route – to dissuade people who may need dissuading

Yep, and Im suprised you took it all on. Fair play to you.

I remember last time I was there I advised some fellow mountain bikers (who looked a bit shakey) that it would be sensible to turn round and take the fire road back to the car. They heeded my advice and thanked me when i saw them later on in the day.

It was a bit gutting for them since they'd driven for a few hours to ride there, but you've got to look out for each other. We're all part of the riding family.

here you go, i tracked my ride round the beast last year on nokia sportstracker: http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1365077

i'm pretty sure that's the beast.

edit – sorry, dragon's back… i'm pretty sure it's the dragon's back! anyone who can confirm/dispute that please do!

so we have;
the times are exagerated…but ill need six hours for the beast (unless im in my pants on my mums shopper)
and its dead easy but also quite technical and i probably will come off and could poss die of exposure altho ill be round it very quickly
???? 😕

the times definitely err well on the side of generosity, with a reasonable level of fitness and sensible clothing on you'll have no problems.

OP, if you can pedal for a few hours you can get round any trail centre, no probs. Just bunny hop over anyone swaddled in foil blankets scattered in your way. Trail centre times seem to be taking into account bad weather, punctures, picnics, cake stops, chatting to your mates etc, which is fair enough.

Do Nant y Aran or Penmachno instead though, Coed y Brenin uses fireroads (going up and down) for me. In fact, I wonder if a few people on here have been put off trail centres because their only experience has been at Coed y Brenin?

nant is definitely worth checking as well, but virtually all the climbing there is fireroad too.

I'm going to Afan next week. Do I need a foil blanket and emergency rations?

davidtaylforth – Member

I remember last time I was there I advised some fellow mountain bikers (who looked a bit shakey) that it would be sensible to turn round and take the fire road back to the car. They heeded my advice and thanked me when i saw them later on in the day.

It was a bit gutting for them since they'd driven for a few hours to ride there, but you've got to look out for each other. We're all part of the riding family.

you've got to be on a windup, surely? 😕

odannyboy just go and ride it. You will have a blasts.

Don't get too scared when you see all the 6in trail bikes with 200mm rotors and adjustable seat posts being unloaded from Audi estates in the car park though!

😉

what wrong with climbing on a fire road?
are the decents good fun?
"Do Nant y Aran or Penmachno instead though" what the rough distance of these from coedy?

i personally don't mind fireroad climbs that much – you gain height which you can then make the most of on the much more technical descents. which are excellent at coed and nant. either are good, but if you've already planned to go to coed i'd do that, it's great riding there in great scenery.

Hilarious. 😆

Its ok if you're a good MTBer and ride a fair bit, but they're definitely not suited to beginners. I found them tiring to ride fast on a hardtail, theres on part especially thats just big rocky slabs with no 'hardtail line'.

Theres some technical sections i've seen quite a few people walking down. (often girls who look like they've been dragged round by their boyfriends)

i like climbing on fireroads, you can take it easy and chat to your mates more easily.

I don't mind fireroad climbing if it's the fastest way to the next bit of singletrack. The thing about Coed y Brenin that we hated was the miles of fireroad meandering to get round to the next bit of single track – and that there were quite a few downhill bits of fireroad. That's just a waste of climbing karma surely?

Whites Level at Afan, and the Twrch Trail at Cwmcarn have some nice technical climbs that are really rewarding.

HoratioHufnagel, me and the wife have been riding for a year on pretty basic hard tails, it's all ridable, even by girls! It's tiring when you start to put the hammer down, and you have to concentrate a bit, but that's kind of the point isn't it?

I went with a large group in April (~15 of us) of varying abilities.
the only tricky sections are where the track is made of rock slabs pieced together in long sections – it is technical and relentless rather than scary or difficult. you'll only struggle if you don't keep your momentum through these sections, therefore it's about technique and fitness rather than balls. the entry section to the trails that run from near the trail centre (as mentioned above) is typical of this.
we had some novices with us and they struggled a couple of times with these sections, but only such that they would have to dab a few times rather than get off and walk.

You will be fine. Pads are optional as there are plenty of rocks to fall on, personaly I did and do at all times but that's just me. When you get there just remember it looks harder than it actually is.

It's pretty easy in reality.

Go to Penmachno, way more fun!

HoratioHufnagel, me and the wife have been riding for a year on pretty basic hard tails, it's all ridable, even by girls!

i wasn't trying to suggest all girls are unable to ride at coed y brenin

I would note that the MBR and Tarw routes have (in the last year or so) been regraded from red to black, but I didn't notice any difference in the trail when I rode the Tarw recently from when it was a red route. So I think the owners might be 'covering their backs' a bit. There are also more signs indicating

n

red' in the past. It is a shame really, as I am not very confident (and not very fit – i.e. I wouldn't even attempt the Beast) so I kept slowing down around the signs waiting for obstacles and not really finding any that you would get at any red graded trail-centre trail elsewhere. Having said that I suppose the snap, crackle and pop sections of Tarw are quite steep and bouldered, but not unridable. I also agree with the comments that most of the uphill is done on fire roads, but this allows riders like me who aren't that fit to enjoy the downhills when we get to them!