Your thoughts on Penmachno.

scale20

Even though the Penmachno trail is on my doorstep I did it for the first time yesterday. We only did loop 1 because of having to be done and away by 11am.

I just want to get some feedback from you that have done it, I cant make my mind up. Once you get up the tops its a brilliant trail with some top notch singletrack, but the only bit that seemed to dissapoint me was the start. i found that you were into a right climb from the off and as soon as you reached the first bit of singletrack you were too nackered from the climb to enjoy it. Dont know wether it was because I'd done the Marin trail the day before and my legs were a bit stiff or what.

Once i got up there tho and scoffed a couple of flap jacks I was fine.

DanEvs

I love it.

New loop is fantastic albeit in a gnarly rocky XC manner. Much more toward the standard of CYB if you ask me.

grizzlybear

I think its a superb trail , but i agree about the start as it takes me longer to get into a ride than my friends and when i get to the first single track i'm a little way behind and feeling heavy legged!!

Section 2 is very good too and makes for a good ride , only niggling complaint is the open section near the top around the bowl area ...not to my taste and seems a lot of effort for no real reward. :?

Marjory Stewart BAxtor

i saw it ages ago in trailmaster MBUK and vowed I wanted to go one of these days

scale20

I Quite liked the trail, at the time we were there, started about 9am it was quiet and like I said we only did loop 1. The single track through the woods there made a nice change, wasnt too technical so made it pretty fast going.

I like to think that im pretty bikefit and I like hills, does that make me sound like some sort of pervert? but next time I go I will do a bit on the flat at the bottom first to warm up before i tackle the hill.

Get yourself up there marjory!!

Sikora

Never been here, but i'd like to. Miles off fitnesswise at the moment though.

DanEvs

Just done the whole shebang, trails are seriously waterlogged and I'm only just regaining feeling in my feet.

New section (2nd loop.) was ok though, ice on the shore was a little interesting.

Johnclimber

I've not done it since the 2nd loop was added but you said you didn't like the climb straight out of the car park.

Don't forget if it was downhill from the car park then you'd finish with a climb, so you wouldn't go back as that would be your last memory of it.

Big climbs at the start means big downhills to finish.

Either get fitter or avoid man made trail centres like Innerleithan, Glentress, Marin etc,etc

scale20

Johnclimber wrote:

I've not done it since the 2nd loop was added but you said you didn't like the climb straight out of the car park.

Don't forget if it was downhill from the car park then you'd finish with a climb, so you wouldn't go back as that would be your last memory of it.

Big climbs at the start means big downhills to finish.

Either get fitter or avoid man made trail centres like Innerleithan, Glentress, Marin etc,etc

Im fit enough thanks! Most of the trails ive ridden at trail centers, Coed y brenin, marin, llandegla etc dont start with climbs like that Its a gradual warm up.

I didnt say I didnt like it, I said I was a little dissapointed but once you got up there the rest of the trail makes up for it.

I was asking for other peoples opinion on the trail itself, not wether I needed to get fitter.

thanks anyway!

hammerite

I usually ride clipless with SPDs would I be wise wearing these on Penmachno or Marin? I ride quite a bit but mostly on road, not off road so inexperienced on the really technical stuff.

scale20

You should be ok, as long as you are confident you can unclip in any butt clenching moments. The Marin isnt bad, you could probably ride round that with your feet taped to the pedals and not need to put your foot down

I found on my last visit to penmachno I had to quickly unclip and dab my foot down a couple of times.

I would say get out there and give it a go, ride the marin first, its pretty tame and plenty of fire roads. Try adjusting your pedals so you can unclip real easy until you get your confidence off road.

hammerite

scale20 wrote:

You should be ok, as long as you are confident you can unclip in any butt clenching moments. The Marin isnt bad, you could probably ride round that with your feet taped to the pedals and not need to put your foot down

I found on my last visit to penmachno I had to quickly unclip and dab my foot down a couple of times.

I would say get out there and give it a go, ride the marin first, its pretty tame and plenty of fire roads. Try adjusting your pedals so you can unclip real easy until you get your confidence off road.

Cool thanks for that. I'll probably go clipless to start with and if I brick it too much then just ride with the flat side up! Or just carry a spare pair of shoes in my camelbak.

Thewaylander

Try cwm for fun opening climbs, and i remember the MBR trail going up a fair amount at the start too, in fact most trail center stuff i have ever ridden goes up up u at the beggining

fasterthanaspeedingbullet

Sorry to hijack the thread, but...

I have never ridden Penmachno but fancy giving it a go.

Does anyone have or know of any route maps, directions, etc, that i could get my hands on (please)?

hammerite

fasterthanaspeedingbullet wrote:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but...

I have never ridden Penmachno but fancy giving it a go.

Does anyone have or know of any route maps, directions, etc, that i could get my hands on (please)?

Try this thread someone put maps on the other day...... http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12564637&highlight=penmachno

fasterthanaspeedingbullet

Thanks mate, i'll have a look

Fully

Penmachno is a great trail imo. It is a bit of a stiff climb to start with, but i prefer it to the looooooooong draggy climb at the start of the Marin. The first bit of singletrack is hard work though. Once you're past that there's not that much more climbing at all really. I would say that it has the best singletrack:fireroad ratio in N.Wales.

The new loop is brilliant, and has some great views too.

The only thing i would bear in mind with it is the weather. If it's windy, it can be a bit of a slog in places.

scale20

fasterthanaspeedingbullet wrote:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but...

I have never ridden Penmachno but fancy giving it a go.

Does anyone have or know of any route maps, directions, etc, that i could get my hands on (please)?

Give me a shout next time your up this end and ill join you there. Its pretty straight forward to get to.