Natural Routes near Bike Park Wales – ?

We’re going to BPW in April and I’m researching natural rides to do the day before. We’ll be arriving in the area about 11am so looking for a ride about 30kms to do after lunch, don’t mind hills and we’ll be after some decent scenery. I was looking at a route called ‘The Gap’ out of Brecon that seems to fit the bill, can anyone recommend it or any others in the area?

http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/ride-brecon-gap/#

You sure thats a good idea?

Last time we went I think we averaged 8 runs and were fubar. I wouldn’t have liked to have done a days riding beforehand

Crikey, really?
30kms/18 miles I didn’t think that sounded too bad for the day before. Get a good nights sleep and then no uphill cycling at BPW as we have the uplift booked.

LOL no uphill means it’s easy yeah 🙂

I’m under no illusions that the cycling will still be demanding but I’m guessing it will still be a dam sight less demanding than a trail centre without uplift.
Do you have anything else to offer besides condescension? yeah 🙂

Well, I’ve not ridden the area, but I’ve ridden BPW and it’s bloody hard work.

I did an uplift day (on a Friday) before a Saturday and Sunday of bikepacking

We left North London very early on Friday, drove up and did 7 runs down the hill. (Was earlier this month so the light stops play early)

I was absolutely knackered, everywhere ached. I was on a hardtail so maybe that made is harder than if I was on a FS

2 days of riding round mid Wales was fairly tough after that

If someone had come to us and said its going to take you a day to ride 8 x ~3km and you’re going to get a van to the top of the hill and you’re not going to want to do a 9th because your body hurts so much we’d have laughed at them… but that is exactly what happened to us.

Arm pump seems to be the killer and don’t confuse blue runs at BPW with blue runs at a normal trail centre. They are very similar in technicality but you are riding them far faster than you would do normally.

Sorry not able to offer any natural routes but just on the riding before BPW thing..
It depends. I went last summer, we did Afan Wall and then messed about on the skills/DH area with a BBQ all day (what a day).
The day after we did BPW on uplift from the first to the last, with a break for lunch. Think we got about 12 runs in. Arms were struggling by the end but still great fun and doable.
I say do it.

If you are staying the night you might as well get 2 days riding in

The gap is the complete opposite to BPW so a good compliment IMO

Every time I’ve be nice BPW it’s been on the Sunday of a long riding weekend. Yes it’s tiring hooning down hill but no more so than a normal days riding really. Therefore if you can manage a decent ride on consecutive days, you’ll be fine.

I’m planning on going at the end of May on a Sunday, after doing the Gap and Black Mountains Classic the previous day’s.

I think the naysayers are just being a bit wet 😉
Last time I did BPW, I went to Afan the day before and did 35ish kilometres, was good for 10 (or was it 11?) runs the following day. Anyway, go for it I say, if the weather’s nice the scenery round there looks amazing.

The Gap is a cracking ride if the weathers half decent. Very exposed in the wet though.

Basically its steady up hill for about 40 million miles with some lovely views, cracking view from the gap itself, 5 min superfast blast down over babyhead rocks shitting yourself and blowing tyres on the waterbars, then the bit down the rocky ditch which is entertaining at speed, across a couple of fields and a nice spin along the canal to the pub(s).

I’d say do it, better before BPW than after.

I’m planning on going at the end of May on a Sunday, after doing the Gap and Black Mountains Classic the previous day’s.

Now that IS hardcore 😯

Yeah, you’ll be right. Last north wales trip, I did a few laps of the marin (shortcut), the next day an uplift day at Antur (which is physically harder than BPW, and you get more runs) then the beast at CYB the day after. I may have protested during the last climb, but I always do.
I’m absolutely average fitness wise.

Just remember to say to yourself (on your last run) “This one, then one more” That way you’ll miss the ‘last run’ crash when your arms and legs have given up.. 😉

perfectly doable, exactly what we did last summer. Drive early Friday Morning and ride the gap, Saturday at Afan, big ol’ drink up then BPW and drive home on the Sunday with a group. Best to leave the uplift stuff to the last day though.

Just make sure you’ve got enough kit, putting on wet bibs, *shudders*

Every time I’ve be nice BPW it’s been on the Sunday of a long riding weekend.

This is how I do it too. If like me you don’t ride hard very often you will ache after giving it 100% at BPW.

Usually take the Friday off work, do Swinley & Cymcarn on the way up, Afan on the Saturday, BPW on the Sunday. Then drive home utterly knackered!

The Gap is a good option – the climb is a pretty easy gradient and views are great on a clear day. I find the flat bit on the way back pretty boring. I like parking at Pontsticill Reservoir and riding up above Talybont Reservoir – less likely to see people that way and more interesting climbs.

I think my legs hurt more than my arms, but it was a fairly close run thing. My hands also hurt from holding my bars, I was as loose as I was willing to risk, was concerned about losing the bars!

FS bike would have been less impactful, but hardtail was fun.

I was the only bike to have bar ends and mudguards on too

thanks for all the input chaps.

Can anyone recommend any other routes in the area? (as per op 🙂 )