Afan ?

canada16

Hey

I heard that there were two places to ride near afan or at afan.

One has a crap cafe and the other is better.

Mind you I am not going to afan to sit in a cafe, but all stuff counts.

In MTB mag this month they said something about going further up.

I dont want DH, Just XC for me( who is ok on trails) and mate who has never seen a trail before.

Thanks guys, going next saturday.

pittpony

Yep there are 2 trail centres. The riding is awesome at both! Pick the centre based on the trails you want to ride rather than the cafe... I'd recommend White's level at Glyncorrwg (sp?) which coincidentally also has a great cafe!

christk

Disagree with last comment. If you've never been there before then I suggest the Afan centre and the Penydd trail or the Wall. Whites is a cracking trail that requires a good level of fitness and confidence. Its definately a step up from the other trails.
Penydd is a good trail to start off with though the only problem with this is that it may be a bit muddy on the weekend.
The Wall has a great flowing decent, though you obviously have to do the climb first. Plus the fact that this trail tends to drain a lot better. So I recommend the Wall trail

pittpony

I guess it depends on your ability which i admit i just assumed. If you're not an experienced biker then i'd definitley agree the Wall is your best bet this time of year. Drains well, is super fun but ridden slowly won't present any real problems. The faster you ride the more difficult it becomes.

Man i just love all those trails. Why do i have to live in Kent??!

canada16

I Have done cwmcarn twice, but my mate has never been on a trail, but he doesnt mind getting hurt ....

So the best is the wall then ? or whites?

Cheers guys

Do they serve beer for after? :P

Anonymous

Do Penhydd first

canada16

Cool cheers.

pittpony

Penhydd is probably easier than the wall for a beginner apart from one section which is quite tricky. Great fun though. The Wall is less technical than Whites.

canada16

Have they got beer there, Im sure my mate will want one after

Im not worried about me, Im thinking I can handle cwmcarn DH on my full suss.

Its not a DH rig but the DH does not look that bad if you take it slow.

Will try that penhydd trail first.

Is the climb worse than cwmcarn?

mbnut

The climb at Cwmcarn is a real test of stamina and technical abilility where as the penhydd climbs are more fireroad based which i hate...

You can do 2 trails in a day easily at Afan so do penhydd and then the wall and you'll have a good day... that said Whites is the best trail there but it does need to be nailed to get bthe best from it...

The answer is to go and enjoy and then go again.... and again ...

Dusty Dan

Hi,

I was at Afan 2 weeks ago and as tecnical as I like it , I found Whites Level to be scary,,,!!! Especialy as all the rocks on the climb up were very icy where the water runs over them. Had 2 off's on the way back down, ( Note to self, don't go cliped in next time its icy )

Please also note that this is red route bordering on a black!!!

Also it can be warm and sunny at the botton and f-ing freezing at the top!!!!!!!!! Don''t be tempted to go lean on the warm clothing...........................

Ps, have fun either way

Dan

canada16

Will do Penhydd and the wall as heard they are most easyest for now.

Will try others in the summer like whites.

Nice one guys, keep it coming with experiances ect..

riceybiker

afan is a great place for all abilities... definately do penhydd first, just tell your mate to take it easy and it can be a really enjoyable ride... you will have the biggest grin on your face running through side winder and hidden valley. the climbs on the wall are well spaced but hard! well worth the effort though as you will find out... a stunning final descent! do whites level at some point ( my favourite!) and take food when you do skyline... it is so energy sapping. i wish i was going back now!

Thewaylander

And so you know the glyncoryg visitors centers thats White's has the beer! see you up there through the summer weekends im sure!

Gwaredd

Do you have to pay to ride the trails in Afan, or is it just turn up & ride?

Thewaylander

There is a car park fee, 1.50 at glyn if i can remember? can't rememebr the foerestry one. But thats all ok!

Thewaylander

There is a car park fee, 1.50 at glyn if i can remember? can't rememebr the foerestry one. But thats all day

stumpyjon

Think it's the same price.

Glyncorweg is a lot further up the valley, I thought I'd missed it first time I went. The start of the Wall & Penhydd are easier to find as well as they start at the forest visitors centre.

As the others have said Penhydd first (but take some extra brake pads for the sidewinder bit, brilliant fun but I chewed up a set of pads because of all the sand).
The Wall starts off terrible with a couple of miles of fire road but once you're off that the single track is brilliant.

If you coped with Cwm Carn you'll be fine at Afan. White's is the most difficult though, I did Cwm Carn, The Wall, Penhydd and then Whites last and found it stretched me a bit (might have helped if I'd unlocked my rear suspension and put the travel up to full for the Energy section though :oops:, locked the bike down on the fireroad after the black section and was so excited about the prospect of more single track I forgot to unlock it all ).

One other thing, if you do White's there's and optiional Black run bit, not too bad, I rolled most of it OK but did bottle the steep rocky slope at the end. If it's wet it's pretty daunting (well I thought so anyway). If you're not over confident it might be worth missing this bit.

Watch the table tops at the start of the energy section on White's as well, they get bigger, also caused me a loose bowel moment but I did clear them.

andyturner28

The Whites black run is OK as long as you got your weight right back on the final bit and cary a bit of speed, unlike me last time when i went over the bars in my most pathetic crash so far :roll:
I don't think we did Penhydd but the wall is easily doable for a novice as you can roll everything, but if he dose that ok then definitely do Whites as well. The climb is pretty much all singletrack and the final DH section is absolutely brilliant, even in the torrential rain when we rode it! I can't wait to get back there this year, and i'll hopefully have a Pitch Pro this time too rather than a HT

canada16

Got a new chain and new panaracers fire xc's and the bike is clean and lubed.

What time should I get there to do the wall and penrydd?

Thanks so much guys you have been such a great help.

Did an aa route finder and its only 49 min from my house, so not as far as I thought.

But first time will probably take 2 hours..

Thanks again guys, and wish us luck with the weather.

mbnut

Start early... do Penhydd and then have a cuppa and do the wall, it is a long slog to the start of the wall climb proper and then its a long fireroad up but once up there its good and the final descent will wear you out at the same time as making you smile...

You'll then be hooked and there'll be no stopping you going there... 49minutes away...you lucky **** its 3 and a half hours for me at 90 all the way and i still drive over just for the day sometimes...

Enjoy and don't let the weather put you off... its great no matter what mother nature throws at you

christk

Car parking is £2 at Glyncorrwg and £2.70 at Afan. No other charges

canada16

I dont know why I dont go by myself sometimes.

20min to cwmcarn and 49 min to afan

I must be stupid, but hate riding by myself.

I have met a couple people in the newbie section, but my problem is, either book a day off work or go saturdays.

I do feel guilty as its the only time me and the missus http://www.joemande.com/wp-content/uplo ... an-fox.jpg

Get to spend with each other.....

But she doesnt mind, at least im not moping around the house.

riceybiker

you will see me fore sure! end of may or begining of june... gotta dodge work!

and no you don't pay to ride the trails... although you do have to pay to park your car... can't remember if it was 2 quid or 5 quid for the day ... but here is a little cheat, if you camp.... park your car next to the tent and don't pay parking. but if you go up to the other centre in your car you will have to pay for parking. you can ride to either centre using the old railway line... which is not as bad as it sounds... it is a tarmac path about 6 foot wide that runs between both centres and beyond and worth the amble. great scenery.

P-Jay

. All the trails are great at Afan, if you're gonna grade them for technicall-ness

Penhydd
The Wall
Whites
Skyline

Skyines only the hardest as it's 45Kms long and the final descent is AWESOME, big stone staircases, nice woops you can get some air on, the lot.

There's nothing out and out dangerous at Afan. There's no nasty surprises around blind corners or massive hidden drops. The bits of woodwork on Whites have all been built with that grippy sandpaper type stuff on them. The optional black run has got some bigger stuff on it and there's that short-sharp-steep bit, which isn't as steep as it looks, it just the angle change from the short steep climb up to it.

You can also mix and match the odd bits. Like do Penhydd and right at the end skip the very last section and do the first bit of single track for The Wall instead which is much better to ride when you're all loose and dialled in at the end of a ride rather than the start.

If you fancy an out and out adrenaline blitz you can do the whites climb, then down the Black, back to the top up the fireroad and down the skyline final descent

Thewaylander

Glyncorweg isnt actually much further up the valley its about 10 minutes or so in car max just so ya know.

And you may see me and my mates about there at points, im 20 minutes from cwm and 40-50 minutes from afan too

Thewaylander

Glyncorweg isnt actually much further up the valley its about 10 minutes or so in car max just so ya know.

And you may see me and my mates about there at points, im 20 minutes from cwm and 40-50 minutes from afan too

canada16

Well

My daughter broke her arm on friday night.

She fell down a couple steps, so the doctors had to put pins or wires on her bone she is only 3.

So never made afan, and I have to work for 2 saturdays on the trot.

Will give some feedback, so gutted, as got a bunch of new stuff and even new pads just in case and tyres.

At least my daughter is ok.