Did a loop from Cardiff with @SaxonRider, through some busy roads around Bridgend to get to the road up to Maesteg and over to Croeserw where the fun starts up to the top of Afan valley at 530m, then down through Treorchy again on busy roads. I love those big climbs but the traffic on the rest of it is getting annoying.

Anyone got any Valleys classics to share?

Pop up to the middle bit Builth/Llandod area for a tidy spin around the dams or Devils Staircase.

Proper climbing day would be. Cardiff to Ponty, up the Graig over to llantrisant, head for Gilfach Goch drop down into Blackmill and head for Nanty-moel and up over the Bwlch, down into Treorchy, turn left and up over the Rhigos. Head for Aberdare and take the A4233 to Maerdy and on to Porth, Ponty and back home.

You not reading properly Taxi51 – he looking for routes without too much traffic.

Answer is – go out very early, or concentrate on riding not the cars etc.
The ride to Builth is always good as already identified; taking the mtn roads such as Markham or Gelligaer to heads of valley. To Dowlais and lanes through to Talybont … skirt over to Brecon and onto Builth Wells.
That misses the busier roads. But living in Cardiff you will have to accept it’s the worse place to live in Wales for cycling.

You not reading properly Taxi51 – he looking for routes without too much traffic.

“Classic routes” you can plot loads of rides using mostly lanes but nothing that you’d call a “classic”.
At some point you need to mix with traffic, either that or get of road using trails and sustrans routes.

Pop up to the middle bit Builth/Llandod area for a tidy spin around the dams or Devils Staircase.

I’d rather not drive to ride. Thinking about ways to get to the big climbs whilst minimising traffic. Sunday AM is probably the easiest idea 🙂

But living in Cardiff you will have to accept it’s the worse place to live in Wales for cycling.

This is a nonsensical thing to post on a mountain bike forum.

Worst place in Wales but still pretty good 🙂

Actually I think parts of West Wales are worse for road, and there’s no MTBing at all.

samcheese

Member
But living in Cardiff you will have to accept it’s the worse place to live in Wales for cycling.

This is a nonsensical thing to post on a mountain bike forum.

Care to explain how you come to that nonsensical conclusion?

What Taxi53 suggested was a classic South Wales loop for sure; the classic roady 3 peaks… and it will include lots of traffic; which I personally am not bothered too much about.
But the route I suggested, whilst staying off main roads in large part and having lots a quiet lanes, is again a classic South Wales route … unfortunately Taxi53 has never done enough big road rides to know this .. sadly he is a bow legged mtber who occasionally pretends to be a roadie.

There are loads of local loops that will keep you off busy roads. The downside is Cardiff is a horrid place to ride from, and unless you live on the outskirts then avoiding traffic is impossible unless you ride Taff trail out of town.

 unfortunately Taxi53 has never done enough big road rides to know this .. sadly he is a bow legged mtber who occasionally pretends to be a roadie.

Says the man awaiting delivery of a new MTB 😉