Hi All,

Am off to Afan on Saturday and am still undecided on which to do. I am looking for a shortish ride that has a bit of everyting so what is the STW forum recomedation?

Ta

Andy

I prefer The Wall, but they're both good fun. Man up and ride W2!

I would love to but won't be getting there until mid morning after a 3 hour drive so not sure I will have time / stamina for the W2

if short on time then do whites because its a fair bit of forest road to get to the start of the wall

Yeah W2.

Both the Wall and Whites are only hour rides really….Straight up, pretty much straight back down again. Waste of a 3 hour drive

Whites is way better imho.

Whites – interesting from the start – not lots of road to get to and from it.

Respect to NickC – takes me 45 mins to get to the top of the climb for Whites. 2hrs total duration for a trail centre muppet like me.

nickc – Member

Yeah W2.

Both the Wall and Whites are only hour rides really….Straight up, pretty much straight back down again. Waste of a 3 hour drive

wat 😯

Nick if you can ride Whites in an hour you must be some kind of trail god. The climb alone is a good 45 mins or more for most people. If you cann do the downhills coming back in 15 Minutes you must be better than every single person I saw there.

I'd do Whites if I had to pick but the W2 is around 4 maybe 4/12 hours all in at a chatty pace and is well worth the effort.

Not trying to willy-wave but I can see how a fast rider could do Whites in about an hour. I've done it in 1 hr 20 mins (including black bit) and I'm certainly no xc racer. I only do it that fast solo though, when riding with mates & stopping for a natter it can take another hour easily. Anyway, I don't agree that it's not worth the drive, it most certainly is imho!

Well I stand corrected – I need to get fitter it seems.

From the free car park by the viaduct I did the wall in 1hr 10 and that was pushing quite hard for me. I don't "train", just ride 2 or 3 times a week for fun. To do it in an hour from the Afan Visitors Centre car park you must be seriously putting in the miles and I imagine you compete?

Whites is a little longer. Maybe 1hr20? I manage W2 in just over 3 hours when I've been keeping up the riding.

I think the Wall has a much better descent than Whites. I can happily deal with the fire road bits for that. Whites climb is much better as it's most single track and a bit more techy but the descent is crap. Its all roughed up and its difficult to carry any sort of exciting speed. There's some jumps in it, but for some reason they seem like they're built uphill. Probably the worst though out section of the trail.

Whites everytime, Wall is good but not as good as Whites, all IMO of course.

Errr, sorry 😳 wasn't trying to brag, Whites is about a half hour climb for me, then the rest is about 25 minutes of flat out whooping and hollerin…loads of fun, but pretty short.

Jesus I'm slow!! Down was about 20 mins but up was a lot longer than 30 mins!

definately Whites
The Wall is 60-70% fireroad, most fireroad of any centre Ive done, found it very boring apart from last two sections

Never seen much point in blasting round as fast as possible, slow down, head up, enjoy the scenery and the social side of the sport. That to me is what its about
if you want a fast fitness blast, get a road bike or turbo trainer 😉

Whites climb is much better as it's most single track and a bit more techy but the descent is crap. Its all roughed up and its difficult to carry any sort of exciting speed. There's some jumps in it, but for some reason they seem like they're built uphill. Probably the worst though out section of the trail.

Sorry, have to say WTF? Don't you like riding "rough" terrain on your bike? I've certainly had no issues carrying speed and I'm not that fast. Last section Darkside is probably one of my favourite decsents in South Wales. Suppose if you don't like rocks, then the Wall would be a little better…

Do Whites, but "session" both Windy Point and the black run a few times. Then do Whites climb again and do the Skyline final descent.

Both!

I used to prefer Whites for the whoop factor on Windy Point and the last descent (can't remember the name now), but now I think I'm leaning towards the Wall, even though there's the fireroad grind at the beginning. If you can keep your speed up on Graveyard and Zigzag, without rattling your teeth out, it's hugely rewarding. Always over too soon 🙂

W2 is about 3 hours for me, if I don't stop to chat.

I would love to but won't be getting there until mid morning after a 3 hour drive so not sure I will have time / stamina for the W2

Leave home earlier?

Even unfit you can do both in a short day – I'd do Whites then Brunch in the DropOff and then do the 'short' Skyline (just the climb, fireroad shortcut and descent); followed by the DropOff again.

I'd do both – especially if I'm spending 6 hours of the day travelling.

Maybe park at the viaduct then stop off at the Drop Off for a "snack" – regurgitate on the climb out.

Thanks for the details folks. I am also meating up with friends down in Wales. I am not crazy enough to sit in the car for 6 hours just to ride for 2.

I always do both when I'm there unless I've done a long ride somewhere the day before. Can take anywhere between three and six hours depending on how quick you are.

1hr round Whites? sheesh I'd get indigestion from my pie at the top of the first climb at that speed 😀

Whites wins hands down over Wall everytime for me though but still miss Penhydd trail, rode it twice on last weekend it was officially open with Whites in between for good measure, oh the memories 🙁

Sorry, have to say WTF? Don't you like riding "rough" terrain on your bike? I've certainly had no issues carrying speed and I'm not that fast. Last section Darkside is probably one of my favourite decsents in South Wales. Suppose if you don't like rocks, then the Wall would be a little better…

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well…I don't like it when rough takes out the speed which is all that's fun about the last descents of whites imo. The wall however, has a much better gradient and keeps you flying along and there's plenty of nasty whoops to kill you if you don't suck or hip them just right when you're in death grip mode 😈

I love rough, as long is it's bloody steep 😀

If Darkside is one of your favourite descents in the whole of S. Wales, then you need to go exploring because there's so much more on offer!

Whites is better imo; the wall has great sections but too much fireroad. Fireroad climbs just bore me and I find them mentally tougher than singletrack climbs of the same gradient.
W2 is a great combination and even with a couple of stops and the top of the two main climbs can be done in 3hrs.

Whites is a better trail; less fire road, nice mix and a corking descent. IMO

Do them both and see for yourself – can do both in 3.5 hours. Whites more technical – but definitely more fun on the way down – alternatively go to coed y brenin.

Just an off topic to ask about W2, it's same as Skyline trail or it's tougher? just wondered what that trail have?

Cheers

W2 🙂

W2 is completely different to skyline – its basically just whites and the wall combined – although i havnt actually ridden skyline – just been reliably informed its a bit dull in places 🙂

Whites for the most smiles per mile. The climb up the wall is dull fireriad and Whites is nearly all singletrack. Plus it has the black run and the energy trail 🙂

Skyline is dull in places. Its also excellent in places. And on a nice day has spectacular views that are nice if you're not that fussed about the gnarls per mile ratio of your riding.

A Third way, instead of Whites Level or The Wall is to take the 2nd Skyline shortcut (1st shortcut July makes a very short trail IMO but a nice add on if you fancy a bit more after Wall or Whites).

Its a shame that Penhydd is shut as that a corker and an old favourite.

Techy climb is good on whites as is windy point and final descent. Everthing else is just filler IMO.
Wall is death by forest road to get up but broken up nicely with tramway etc. Once up, its great fun coming down.
You could go up whites climb, do black run and windy ridge then go across the link (parsons) and ride 373, graveyard and zigzags on the wall then whip along the low level cycleway back to glyncorrwg.
Skyline is a bit boring IMO except for the very last bit. I hate descending on forest road.

If your only after a shortish ride why not try the red trail at cwmcarn, lovely tech climb and really long good descent from top. Also depending on where your coming from over an hour shorter drive too.

Techy climb is good on whites as is windy point and final descent. Everthing else is just filler IMO.

Energy and the Black Section are "filler"? WTF? Are you quite mad? They're ace!

Rode the Black on Sunday, before heading off on a July shortcut (Have done Whites too often of late). It was superb, as ever. As was the end of Skyline (July shortcut). So much fun!

Oh, and as for the Welsh Rarebit at the Dropoff….Luffy, you and your kitchen pixies are legends!

Energy is a bit sh1t after the jumps, no flow uppy downy stuff. Doesn't know what it is! The boardwalk at the top is sh1t and so is everything else up to the final descent, the black is tame except for the last 50m or so and in no way "black". Maybe I've ridden it too much recently as well.
A couple of laps of cwmcarn is a good shout though.
Shame penhydd is closed, pair this with the wall and you have a good ride right there.

Would recommend W2, i drive down from birmingham quite often and thats a 3hr drive if not more sometimes. Start off on the white climb as its more fun when fresh and finish on the whites descent! best day out ever, took me 4 hrs and im no fitness freak, i only manage FTD and Monkey in just under 2 at the moment.

Go a bit further and do brechfa mix of black and red… 😀

+1 for W2 but if you're stuck for time I'd go for Whites – lovely up and down.

We rode both back to back at the Big Welsh Weekend. We are Peak based and prefered Whites. My lads 12 and did Whites in a hour and 5 and the wall in 1.15 from the bike shops. The views on the Wall are better IMHO. Would do W2 next time to make it a great few hours out, I think the sum would be greater than the parts.

Paul.

We rode both back to back at the Big Welsh Weekend. We are Peak based and prefered Whites. My lads 12 and did Whites in a hour and 5 and the wall in 1.15 from the bike shops. The views on the Wall are better IMHO. Would do W2 next time to make it a great few hours out, I think the sum would be greater than the parts.

So a 12 year old did The Wall with an average speed of 18.4kph? 😯