blown off on the bwlch !!!

oldwelshman

Wow what a weekend for weather.
I have never been blown off a bike before !!
Having done a nice climb from Aberdare to Maerdy, then over Penrhys to Treorchy I was looking forward to going over the Bwlch with a nice decent into Ogmore vale.
I should have known what was coming as I was blown so hard on the climb up, I actually freewheeled going up!!
So I get to the top, beautiful sunshine, clear skies and I begin my decent and the steepest part is at the top ( Dragon riders this year will actually climb up this year).
I build up speed to about 25 mph and feel the wind in my face so stay at that speed using brakes, then a ghust of wind from behind accelerates me to over 30mph atleast and get on the brakes, then suddenly the wind turns to a cross wind and blows me across the road, then back the other way and off onto the grass !!
I am now pedalling downhill in 29 x 21 gear and goinf no where and get blown off!!
I stopped and thought I might have to walk down
I had a job to stand up and hold the bike!! I waited for in this crazy swirling wind that lasted for about 5 minutes then eased so I got down the hill before it started again !!!!
The mountain is actuall a large curve so it must have been directing the wind and making it swirl. I have never seen wind like it and don't want to again!!
In the end I managed 70 mile ride and the first 25 into a headwind was like an aloine climb!!!
Chrisw, I bet your laughing reading this !!!

chrisw12

Yes


The Bwlch is very wind affected, there's been a great variety in times in our club hill climb going up there.


A few months ago I warned some 'foreigners' on here that the hills can be dangerous when the weather picks up.


The ride from Aberdar is the hardest of the three don't you think? I always think of it as a steeper Alp duez with a few less hairpins. Luckily you would have had a tail wind at the top off that one, as that can also get quite scary.

davelakers

Do you have to pay for that?

oldwelshman

davelakers wrote:

Do you have to pay for that?

Pay for what?

Chris:
I have climed the bwlch and rhigos many times and I intentionally did it this route due to North wind
I did not realise how "gusty" the wind was and how it swirled, going up was not bad, it was going on the straight bit at the top, toward Ogmore

Yes the Aberdare to Maerdy is a nice climb and IMO a nicer route than the rhigos.
There was one street at the bottome that was ridiculously steep, probably 25% for couple of hundred yards, but luckily one way street, down
I managed to climb the steep bit out of Aberdare on 39 x 21 sat down, but it qorked my legs hard and I felt wheel lift a few times The road over the top os very good surface and nice scenary also.
Penrhys seems to have improved since I last went over

mozwyn69

I was up there last Wednesday. The descent back to my car in Afan Argoed was terrible (I had just done most of the old Dragon route) and I could hardy move due to the wind. The Bwlch is one of my favorite climbs but a very bleak place in poor weather.

Mark Alexander

yes, you have to watch out. I usualy avoid it in bad windy weather. I prefer the assent from Cymer though as its a long, tough drag. but the Ogmore assent can be sheltered by the trees and hill. The 15 minute assent from Treorchy is a challenging one at pace though. all three are great for training as is the Rhigos. Love 'em all!!

Anonymous

I got blown clean off the bike at the foot of Wrynose Pass a few weeks ago...mental! its like living in a wind tunnel the past month or so.

P.s I think I'd have to Pay to get blown off on the Bwlch

chrisw12

davelakers wrote:

Do you have to pay for that?

It's funny you should say that...

Yes the suckers who do the dragon ride do have to pay to get blown on the Bwlch.


And apparently the Bwlch is/was a bit of a popular spot with the homosexual community and with people who like to watch the odd act or two.


I presume that OldWelshman was refering to the wind type of blowing though. :oops:

oldwelshman

davelakers wrote:

Do you have to pay for that?

Ah I was a bit slow seeing that one 8) Misy have been the copld slowing down my brain, not the only thing affected either so would not have been possible anyway
Chris, can't say I noticed any doggers there See loads up where I live when I am out in the nights training though

onceboy

think i,ll give both a miss on saturday,forecast not good .

SteveR_100Milers

Was nice today - I was walking up corn ddu and pen y fan this morning not riding but the bwlch was in clear sunshine for the most part. I'll be up there next sunday hopefully.

onceboy

thought i,d take a chance on Saturday after all. Left Cardiff ,weather fine,got a soaking just aswe started to climb the Bwlch. Met with hail stones decending Avan.Not as windy as predicted (windy enough!) What a difference a day makes