Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)
  • New trails at Cwmcarn?
  • awh
    Free Member

    I rode the Cafall trail today and it definitely has a more natural feel. Lots of mud, puddles, roots, rocks etc. It’s quite twisty too. I really enjoyed it today but it’ll be amazing once it’s dry.

    TexWade
    Free Member

    I tried it last night – probably not a good move since it was pitch black and foggy so I could see next to nothing. However once it dries out a bit it should be great fun. I was expecting it to be rockier like the Twrch but its definitely more natural and so my Ardent/Crossmarks combo just couldnt cut it at the upper reaches. Next time its mud tyres. I really enjoyed the climb up – it got a bit challenging towards the top with some muddy hairpins to get around.

    mduncombe
    Free Member

    Just rode the Cafall today, very impressed. Bone dry, the only thing on my bike after riding it was a coating of fine dust. This is no meter wide sanitised cycle track, it has quite a few surprises in store. Everybody I spoke to was loving it, big smiles all round. Sure the climb is tough but if if you cant make it up then you have brought the wrong bike.

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    creamegg
    Free Member

    Sure the climb is tough but if if you cant make it up then you have brought the wrong bike

    or the wrong legs 😆

    mikertroid
    Free Member

    I rode it last week, great fun apart from snapping my axle! The nice thing it it means you can get two loops in either side of lunch and make a fun day of it.

    I think it warrants more riding so I can get more knowledge of it…

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    Two loops? Fair play! I wouldn’t want to tackle that climb twice in one week let alone the same day 😆 . Have to agree though it is a cracking trail 😛 . Met a couple of folks at the top of Hideout last week riding back the same way as they’d had enough . . . can’t believe they’d just denied themselves the best bits.

    creamegg
    Free Member

    you can even skip hideout if you really want to by carrying on the fire road, round the bend and drop down into the next section (rocky something or other) on the left

    merynella
    Free Member

    Rode it today for the first time. Loved it. Really cannot understand some of the mediocre reviews it’s had from some people. How can anyone find the descending boring, it’s as demanding as you’d want from an XC trail, and beautifully varied, I thought, mixing rooty singletrack, almost DH style sections and a little bit of smooth, swoopy, bermy stuff. The climbing was long, and steep in parts, but I liked the fact that that gives us something a bit different from other trail centres in S. Wales. I also like it being in two halves, like Twrch, with most of the climbing in the first half and the descending in the second.

    Even though it was busy today I didn’t find it a problem; not difficult to pass and everyone seemed aware that there would be people coming up behind and were pulling over (as did I a few times; I’m not particularly awesome myself).

    Did it in 1 hour 40 today – quite pleased with that – then up to do the final bit of Twrch descent.

    Beautiful weather made a difference; maybe it’s been the crap weather that’s caused some of the underwhelmed opinion.

    dirtbiker100
    Free Member

    Merynella – you really don’t want to ride it after rain, this is definitely not an all weather trail! bet it rides superb in the dry though, can’t wait to get back now.

    merynella
    Free Member

    Yep, I can imagine it was a slog. I think you’ll find it a lot better now it’s dried out. I’m betting once it’s had a spring/summer/autumn of riding it will stand up to another winter a lot better. Similar terrain and woodland to Twrch, so imagine it will react to bad weather in a similar way (i.e. not too bad).

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    creamegg – Member
    you can even skip hideout if you really want to by carrying on the fire road, round the bend and drop down into the next section (rocky something or other) on the left

    Yeh, had planned to do just that last weekend, but conditions were so good I’m glad I opted for the full loop in the end 😀

    therag
    Free Member

    It’s a totally different trail now that’s it’s dried out. Riding it again tomorrow and hoping to have the legs to ride the twrch after dinner.

    creamegg
    Free Member

    Yeah surprising how quick its dried out, although saying that the cheeky trails near cwmcarn are bone dry at the moment

    andcarson
    Free Member

    I did this for the first time today and thought it was great. The climbing didn’t feel anything like as hard as twrch and on the whole I thought it was a varied trail, with up interspersed with down and some interesting twisty bits too. Thanks whoever built it!

    Pawsy_Bear
    Free Member

    I’d agree it’s a engaging and varied trail. Not sure some parts will stand up to much use especially the top trail which is little more than a trench in the ground. Otherwise enjoyed it. Lots of variety. Climbs easy enough, few switchbacks

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I thought the climbing was harder – couldn’t really sit down and get anything going, to many lumps and bumps.

    Love it generally though -the descents are sublime.

    Pawsy_Bear
    Free Member

    Well it’s more engaging having to adjust your position on the climbs then just grinding up another fire road climb. Once you get some speed up on the short downs you can fire up the ups and over them with a few pedals at the top.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Of course – you do on the old one – but the it was more disruptive to rythmn than a natural climb would be – and harder on my back I found.

Viewing 18 posts - 41 through 58 (of 58 total)

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