Llandegla worries!!

Strawceri

Hello,

My OH wants to take me to Llandegla on the beginner’s route (blue). I am bit worried it might be a bit too much for me as I am still not very confident on my bike, especially on faster downhill sections.

Can anyone, who has been, tell me what I am letting myself in for and if you think it will be a bit too much for me. We went round Llyn Brenig today, I was okay but I wasn’t very fast, my OH had to keep stopping to wait for me to catch up and my bum was KILLING!!!!!

I have a Trek 4500 WSD hard tail, which I think is a good beginner’s bike. Will this hold its own round the trail?

Thanks, Ceri x x

Andy B

Don't worry, take it at your own pace, If someone has to wait they have to wait, the more you ride the faster & more confident you will get. relax when riding, look where you want to go & the bike will follow.

I've done the red & it's easy for a red route no really technical sections at all, so the blue will be doable, if there's anything technical it will be roll-able, it was on the red

it's the right bike for the ride, it would even take the red route in it's stride too

As for bum ache, either the saddle isn't the right one for you, or you need more time for the saddle & your bum to get used to each other. Padded shorts will help.

Strawceri

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go then.

Padded shorts didn’t help today, hopefully my bum and the saddle will become friends one day!

x

Mrs Toast

In terms of your bike, you'll be fine, my first trip to Llandegla was on my 4500 WSD, and it handled the red route just fine.

Llandegla is certainly one of the easier trail centres - even on the red, there's nothing that can't be tackled just by keeping your weight back and rolling over stuff (apart from the second lot of northshore, which must be walked. WALKED, I TELL THEE!)

I've not ridden all of the blue route, but the very first section of it is shared with the red - the red eventually splits off to the left, and the blue carries straight on. It's gradual downhill, with berms and small humps, but nothing that can't be taken at a nice steady pace.

Blue routes, when they're designed correctly, are actually a great way of gaining confidence and skills - I wish we had one local to us, I pootled around on the green routes which were fireroads, then had to go directly onto the red! :P

If there's anything that you're not sure of, or you think looks a bit iffy, don't be afraid to get off the bike and walk it to get a good look at it from all angles before riding it. If you're still not sure, don't be afraid to walk it, full stop. To get better you do need to try new things and push yourself, but confidence will come naturally over time and with practice - only you can be the judge of what pace you're comfortable with.

Which leads me onto (if Ditch Witch doesn't get there first) - ride at your pace, not your OH's. Don't feel compelled to try and keep up with him, don't feel compelled to try and ride everything he does!

antshybrid

just puttin my two penneth in, take your time and get to know the bike and your own abilities. if your mates have to wait for you, well so be it! it gives them chance to have a breather!! its about enjoying yourself, not breaking your neck trying to keep up!

Ditch Witch

Amen, Mrs Toast!! It can't be said too many times

Take it at your pace, don't let him push you and you'll have a great time, if not sore as hell the next day

Strawceri

Thank you for all your advise. The results are in Llandegla Blue Run is fun but hard.

The up hills were a killer and the down hills were STEEP!! My OH flew down the hills and round the corners with the greatest of ease, I however couldnt get off my breaks! Oh my god its fast... I did fall off going quite fast and got a nasty puncture haha !!!!! We fixed it (when i say we i mean HE fixed it) and i was back on track but a bit more wary!!!

It was good, I really enjoyed it. Cant wait to go again

Ceri x x

Ditch Witch

\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/


Chuffed to bits for you

dsmiff

I have been doing the blue the last few weeks with my youngest, got to say it's actually faster than the red and the black, some REALLY fast straignt downhill sections on there that are quite bumpy as well. If you just do the red and the black, it's worth going back up for a run down the blue.

My little lad came off on the big berm right by the cafe, was a bit too low on the berm and the bike washed out from under him, he was wearing a full face and pads, but came away with a gash down his thigh and handlebars in his ribs

Ditch Witch

Ooof, poor little mite Was he brave?