Black Mountain

Airwave

Me&a mate are going to ride it on the A4069 same as the TOB,later this week.From the bottom to the top what would be a decent ave.speed.I was thinking 8-10mph?Also how busy does it get with traffic?

Pross

It's not a very busy road, as for average speed as always "it depends" sorry. When the race went up yesterday a large part was into a strong headwind. It isn't a very steep climb. I'd be happy with 8 - 10 mph up it but I'm not very fit at the moment, it also depends how far you have ridden before hitting the climb.

DaSy

Like Pross said, it's really pretty quiet. I often ride it from the Brynamman direction, and can usually make bottom to top only being passed by a couple of cars.

It's not steep, but the wind does whistle around on it, so headwinds can be the main thing to overcome.

Not sure what route you are doing, but I usually combine the Black Mountain with a loop that takes in The Devils Elbow on the Sarn Helen road. Done from Heol Senni to Ystradfellte, it is a beautiful climb on an almost untouched road, the best view in the area for me.

starlet_gt

Theres not much traffic on that road, as the poster above said, I also ride it from the Brynamman direction and sometimes you don't see a single car up there.

Airwave

Thanks for the info.Sounds nice&quiet.We'll be going from north to south on the A4069.Looks like the wind will be NW on Friday so should be a tailwind over the right shoulder.But expect it swirls around a fair bit so it might be a bit tougher on the exposed sections if it's still a bit gusty.What's the Devil's Elbow like?by name it sounds like it might be a bit of a stomp.

DaSy

It's a fairly stiff climb in the last couple of km's, climbbybike has it at just over 11% for the last 2 km but my Garmin 705 shows short sections quite a bit steeper than that.

Airwave

Thanks Da Sy.that's a nice looking climb.Think that'll be one for a future trip to Wales for us.

Airwave

Went over the Black mt yesterday.What stunning scenery good views in all directions.It was a really nice climb,steady gradient lets you really get into a good rythem all the way to the top.Ave speed from bottom to top was 10.9mph,but the conditions were very good.I could see it being a nightmare on the wrong day.We'll be going back to try out some more welsh mountains as we have'nt got anything over 900ft around here.
This the route we didhttp://connect.garmin.com/activity/49428020only a short one.Next time we'll do 60+miles.

Grifteruk

Did the "black" today as part of my 74 mile solo loop from swansea after going over cray resevoir which is a tricky hill itself. It's a regular route but today was tough after 2 weeks off !

Did it the same way as the tour and I think this is the better/harder side. Wind made it more difficult today but at least it was dry. Every time I start to tire I take a look at the view to give me a boost.

still the black is nothing like the "the globe of the world" from the Vuelta today. Now that's a climb !

jackfeeder

It's a great climb, I like the first bit by the river on your left and the bend over the little stone bridge as it ramps up around that corner - sometimes I go from Swansea up over Ammanford (Garnswllt) way then up and down and back up the Black Mountain and back home up the Betws mtn (that's a killer) and Felindre etc etc. Hard 1/2 day that one. Quiet roads apart from a few idiots (aren't there always).
DaSy - Which route do you go from the Black Mtn to go over Heol Senni way. Done the Devil's Elbow (must be steeper than 11% surely) a couple of times but can't think how to link the 2 routes.

DaSy

jackfeeder wrote:

DaSy - Which route do you go from the Black Mtn to go over Heol Senni way. Done the Devil's Elbow (must be steeper than 11% surely) a couple of times but can't think how to link the 2 routes.

I do a few different routes, starting from Neath, out via Birchgrove and over the Black Mountain and continue on to Llangadog, right in Llangadog and head for Llandovery, then out via the A40 to Trecastle, Sennybridge and Defynnog. In Defynogg go left onto the A4215 climb and then descend and look for the signs to Heol Senni on the right (I think I take the second road signed to Heol Senni), left onto Sarn Helen and the Devils Elbow, through Ystradfellte then back down the old Glyn Neath road and back to Neath.

I sometimes extend this and once in Glyn Neath I head out to Hirwaun and over Rhigos and Bwlch and back via Cymer and down the Cimla into Neath.

Another nice route is to do the above, but once over the Black Mountain and down the other side, instead of going on to Llangadog, I turn right at Tywnllanan and head through the Beacons, skirting the Usk Resovoir, to come out at Trecastle on the A40, then follow the rest of the above route back.

chrisw12

Da sy, that's one hell of a route there, especially the extended route over Hirwaun etc, would make a great sportive!

How many miles does that work out at? Being a Rhondda boy I could do the route you suggested but start at the bottom of the Bwlch.

DaSy

Chrisw12 - it's about 75 miles for the shorter one, and about 90 miles if you divert over Rhigos and the Bwlch.

A stop in Llandovery at the cafe where all the motor bikers go is a bout halfway, and always nice, followed by a bacon roll and cuppa tea at the van at the top of Rhigos makes it a nice day out.

jackfeeder

Cheers DaSy - I can picture it now. I know those roads after doing the Dragon and The Tour Of The Black Mtns, it's like a combination of them both plus a bit of the Merlin ride, good training rides those two.
There's also the Sarn Helen sportif which covers a lot of those roads as well.
No need for a new sportif round here, we can put together our own 'fun' day out easily.
Anyone on here doing the Bristol Belter?

davic

Hi There,
my in-laws stay in upper brynnaman and I will be down from bonnie scotland for chrimbo. Obviously i don't know the area but will be bringing me bike anyway - I'd be really really grateful if you could point me out a few routes - 50ish miles with plenty of loft would be about perfect!
cheers
david

jackfeeder

davic,
have a search online for those sportives above and download the route maps (Merlin & Sarn Helen sportives cover a lot of that area) - you can put something together from that lot.
Or if you go down the Black Mtn towards Llangadog there are loads or small lanes that can be quite tough - especially round Carreg Cennen castle. Or head up towards Llandovery and turn off at Llanwrda, leads to Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
Just get an OS map of the area and have a look at the posibilities!

Grifteruk

I agree on the lanes around carreg cennen castle they are good and you can find some real steep sections (short and sharp) in that area. The castle itself has a great cafe stop if it is open. Very good carrot cake !