Me and a couple of mates are off to wales for the weekend to visit Betwy or Brenin, but having previously done neither, which one?

*We’re all on steel hardtails
*More of a winch and descend mentality, quite enjoy climbing but get frustrated (not having a dropper) at undulating routes.
*Prefer the more challenging routes, some of my favourites are;

The black at Glentress,
Spooky woods at GT for the endless jumps and berms,
Black at Kirroughtree for the techy bits
The last descent of the monkey at Cannock because it’s local and by far the best thing there.

So, which will I prefer, Coed or Betws? and which routes?

If your after winch and plummet then snowdon would be a better bet. Most welsh trail centres are undulating and would be better (IMO) with a dropper post but obviously not essential. Coedy brenin would prob suit better than betws (Presuming you mean for the Marin trail), penmachno is worth considering too, great natural route with a few brilliant sections towards the end, personally the optional extension would be best avoided by your group as its undulating and not much fun in comparison to the other loop IMO.

marin and penmachno one day , beast and tarw the other day

Beast and Tarw one day, or an entire weekend at CYB.

But…..

Machynlleth is well worth a trip as well! Climachx is a really good winch-and-drop blast! Plenty of good open country riding around Mach too.

To clarify the winch and plummet comment, don’t mind several winches in a day which is the nature of most trail centres I’ve visited. Just struggle when it’s undulating and not worth stopping to slam/raise the saddle.

You’d enjoy Coed-Y-Brenin far more based on your current trail likes.

The Marin and Penmachno feel more natural, and CyB is a lot more technical and rocky.

Beast is a must for sure, its a good days riding if you’re not used to riding 40km at a trail center.

I would say cCoed y Brenin as there is a cafe etc and a more diverse choice of trails. I prefer the trails at Penmachno to Marin, but having said that the last DH of the Marin is a cracker.

Either way you will not be disappointed.

You could also have a bash at the Antur Stiniog centre which is 1/2 way between the two for uplift services etc.

You could also have a bash at the Antur Stiniog centre

Did have a look at Antur Stiniog, uplifts are all booked up. Not sure what it’d be like on hard tails either.

Beast is a must for sure, its a good days riding if you’re not used to riding 40km at a trail center

Ok this is firmly on the list. Quite used to 40km on trail centres but always know about it afterwards!

Machynlleth is well worth a trip as well! Climachx is a really good winch-and-drop blast!

So many options near Snowdon isn’t there! Maybe CyB day one then Machynlleth day two! Or even Snowdon descent at first light day two followed by Machynlleth in the afternoon!

Climachx is just brilliant – last descent is one of my favourites anywhere.

From what you’ve said I’d agree with CyB over Penmachno (not ridden the Marin). Penmachno is very undulating if I remember rightly. The Beast at CyB is a nice route IMO – (just skip the big fire road climb/descent in the second half – it makes sense if you look at a map).

theres nothing in betws-y-coed or coed-y-brenin that requires adjusting saddle height

theres nothing in betws-y-coed or coed-y-brenin that requires adjusting saddle height

No there’s nothing that ‘requires’ it – nothing that ‘requires’ any suspension, or disk brakes either though is there. Some might say nothing that requires gears either.

Please don’t bother with Tarw at CyB, I rode it for the first time this August and cannot believe how pants it is apart from the first 2 minute section out of the trail head and Snap, Crackle & Pop (which is OK at best), tonnes of fireroad including a long fireroad climb that meets a small piece of (flat) trail, then a very long fireroad descent (!!!!) complete and utter waste of effort. The MBR trail is far, far better.

I would really recommend Snowdon too, also Antur Stiniog is fine on a hardtail providing you take measures to avoid/fix punctures as there are rocks & high speed.

@grum +1

theres nothing in betws-y-coed or coed-y-brenin that requires adjusting saddle height

If there’s nothing at betws-y-coed or coed-y-brenin that is easier to climb or more fun to descend by adjusting saddle height then I think I’ll stay at home and do a circuit of the canals instead.

Re. Tawr

then a very long fireroad descent (!!!!)

This has to be the most frustrating thing to come across at a trail centre. Tawr goes on the avoid list then.

a weekend away with the lads, . . surely this should be based on which place is best for booze n broads?

A wider perspective would suggest Betwys is a nicer place to stay and worth wandering around in the evening (choice of pubs etc) and its pretty central to all the above trails.

Marin and Penmachno are old school and more like natural trails (minimal manmade jumps etc) and are pieced together with fire rd, Brenin is a bit more of a challenge (IIRC) but it is of a similar vibe. If you are after a rollercoaster of a trail Llandelga is much more like it (but is v busy and you don’t get that out in the back country feel like the others mentioned). Maybe Llandelga on the way home is an idea.

The North Wales trail centre debate always prompts the ‘lots of worthless fire roads / a bit tame’ type comments which is true to an extent but they are what they are – big off road lopes through some fantastic scenery. Don’t expect an overgrown pump track.

I visited Coed y Brenin recently and rode the Beast, to me it was a very undulating trail, you will rarely find a section where you actually needed the seat dropped down too much.

It was a good trail but I thought there wasn’t quite enough reward for the work you put in, the cafe half way round was a nice touch though.

reservation riders !!

Maybe Llandelga on the way home is an idea.

Done Llandegla several times and like it. Want to explore some different trails this weekend.

rode the Beast, to me it was a very undulating trail

Oh dear, a decision is even more difficult now!

Betws-Y-Coed is great fun on a hardtail, I rode it for the first time on a Rockhopper, now that I’ve got an Orange P7, I’d love to have a crack at it on that! I’ve never dropped my saddle there, so neither should you.

In fact a steel hardtail is probably the best way to enjoy the Marin Trail, a full suss bike sucks all the fun and edginess out of it. Coed-Y-Brenin is ace too, I took stepson 1 there in the summer and let him loose on my Orange and he loved it.

I’m glad you enjoyed both on your hardtail PJM, as I’m sure I will too. Can’t let this one slip past without riposte however…

I’ve never dropped my saddle there, so neither should you.

as I said before….

If there’s nothing at betws-y-coed or coed-y-brenin that is easier to climb or more fun to descend by adjusting saddle height then I think I’ll stay at home and do a circuit of the canals instead.

Saddle down when pointing down is just more fun IMHO.