First Ride - Afan Argoed The Wall

bilabonic
bilabonic Posts: 299
edited November 2010 in MTB beginners
Hi All

Just been on first ride up afan argoed - the wall. Struggled a bit up hill but enjoyed the downhill esp the last zig zag section.

Only prob was soaking feet !!!!

I got flats, how do i keep my feet dry ??

Cheers
Specialized Epic FSR Carbon Comp
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Comments

  • Stu T
    Stu T Posts: 127
    Sealskinz Socks
    I wear Lycra because I like the way it feels
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    nikwax on the shoes.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    AFAN ROCKS!!! went there a mounth or so a go! it would e worth investing in a pair of leather style cycling shoes... i had this problem but found a pair of black trainer/school shoes which are grippy in the wet, stiffish sole and nearly submergable but best of all are about a tenner :D
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • slowslowslow
    slowslowslow Posts: 488
    Endura overshoes. Nice
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    Ive tried over shoes and on my V8's there not very good the studs rip into them.. but with my spds defo
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    Ignore everything that says about shoes as water always comes in over the top.

    Good water proof is the way, Even good old bear grills says the best water proof boots fail du to gaps, but good socks always work, and keep you snug.
  • underdog
    underdog Posts: 292
    Nothing to do with wet feet but do whites level next, much more interesting climb than the wall and (this is often debated) a better decent too.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    And ignored cos the locals know your worng :p
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    whites level is better in my opinion god that accent kicks ass!!
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Whites is far better though I think zig zags is as good as anything on Whites but the rest of the wall isn't as good.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    and this guy has the same bike as me you can not argue 8)
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • underdog
    underdog Posts: 292
    Thewaylander wrote:
    And ignored cos the locals know your worng :p

    That makes no sense since I am far more local to the place than Newport :lol: Besides windy point is better than anything on the wall, also the complete lack of fireroad on whites makes it a million times more enjoyable.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    they're all good now just shut up and ride :lol:

    but the wall is better
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    The wall decent is only less fun that Whites if you ride it like a girls blouse, which to be fair most people seem too which bemuses me cos you have to crank it like a nutter then it becoems wicked fun.
  • Stu T
    Stu T Posts: 127
    Just do W2 then you get both :roll:
    I wear Lycra because I like the way it feels
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    Thats my solution lol, This year started to find standard trails too short. by the time you started you were done.
  • Stu T
    Stu T Posts: 127
    Thewaylander wrote:
    Thats my solution lol, This year started to find standard trails too short. by the time you started you were done.

    Know what you mean. 2 years ago the Wall was a day ride, now it's a quick trip after work (BST ONLY). can do it 3 times a week awesome.

    Off topic but why does anybody park at the forest centre anymore??? You have to pay Penhydd's closed, The Single track for the Wall there is closed, and now there's the diversion down the footpath!!
    I wear Lycra because I like the way it feels
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    HardtailsFTW! wrote:
    whites level is better in my opinion god that accent kicks ass!!
    Did you actually mean "accent" or "ascent"?
    Not being picky, but both of them could make sense down there :lol:
  • Stu T
    Stu T Posts: 127
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    HardtailsFTW! wrote:
    whites level is better in my opinion god that accent kicks ass!!
    Did you actually mean "accent" or "ascent"?
    Not being picky, but both of them could make sense down there :lol:


    Yeah the glyncorrwg accent is horrible!!!! :roll:
    I wear Lycra because I like the way it feels
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    lol urm the climb :oops: its a good way to wake u up in the brisk welsh air :D
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    Whites climg is lovely, it's not particularly steep it cruises up smoothly with out much technical challenge. One of the nicest rider friendly climbs in the country?
  • miss notax
    miss notax Posts: 2,572
    Thewaylander wrote:
    Whites climg is lovely, it's not particularly steep it cruises up smoothly with out much technical challenge. One of the nicest rider friendly climbs in the country?

    Eh? I think the Whites Level climb is quite technical! I agree that it's lovely, but if you're not used to riding that sort of stuff it's definitely challenging.

    And I'm not suggesting that I can't ride it before anyone leaps in with that!! :wink:
    Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away....

    Riding a gorgeous ano orange Turner Burner!

    Sponsor the CC2CC at http://www.justgiving.com/cc2cc
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    Whereis the technical bit though i dont get it?

    Its pretty much smooth, and single track?
  • miss notax
    miss notax Posts: 2,572
    There are some pretty tricky rocky bits to climb over - honest!

    Maybe it's because I learnt to MTB recently that I remember this stuff better than people who have ridden for years and years (Notax never thinks of Whites as being particularly technical either), but if you're not used to riding over rocky bits it is challenging! Honest :D

    Anyway, just my humble optinion! I know you're local to it so slippery welsh rock is all taken in your stride!!
    Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away....

    Riding a gorgeous ano orange Turner Burner!

    Sponsor the CC2CC at http://www.justgiving.com/cc2cc
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,593
    bout to say i can hardly ride on mud these days as i never see any lol.

    I guess maybe your right, but have ridden alot off differnet climbs and i still rate Whites of one of the easiest most pleasent climbs there is, the only thing that i get people struggle with is potentially that its nearly 6km ong to the top.

    Cwm is a tougher climb, and when i ride Machen thats worse still.. Rocks ledges and all sorts to trample up and over.
  • miss notax
    miss notax Posts: 2,572
    Yeah, I consider Cwm to be quite a tough climb too!

    Not saying it's not worth it (I love it!), or too tough (it isn't), but if a MTBing friend asked my to describe it, I would say it was pretty technical.

    Again, that's not to say I don't give it a bloody good go these days! But I can still also remember the 'delights' of walking up great chunks of it :roll: :lol:
    Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away....

    Riding a gorgeous ano orange Turner Burner!

    Sponsor the CC2CC at http://www.justgiving.com/cc2cc
  • d00m
    d00m Posts: 160
    White's climb was quite challenging when I was riding my hardtail, but with full sus its easier to keep spinning away without rocks and drops interrupting your rythm :o

    Zig zag is the best descent, then darkside.
  • HardtailsFTW!
    HardtailsFTW! Posts: 34
    Yeah I agree that its what your used to :D

    Down here in devon just riding to and from the shops you end up slipping and sliding in the mud.... but i disagree that whites wast smooth singletrack if you want that come down to haldon we have lots of that stuff :wink:
    29er=Satan

    Hills? what hills? oh balls those hills :(
  • Tom Barton
    Tom Barton Posts: 516
    To whoever asked about the parking, park at rhyslyn car park further down the valley (where the footbridge over the weir is), just turn left off the main road and drive under the old railway bridge and turn right. Its free and all you miss is a stretch of fire road.
    Lapierre Spicy 516 XTR custom (2013) -http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12932332
  • underdog
    underdog Posts: 292
    Tom Barton wrote:
    To whoever asked about the parking, park at rhyslyn car park further down the valley (where the footbridge over the weir is), just turn left off the main road and drive under the old railway bridge and turn right. Its free and all you miss is a stretch of fire road.

    and the wall finishes there, so much shorter ride back to car :lol:

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