Brechfa

miss notax

We are up in Wales this weekend and I am seriously contemplating a trip to Brechfa on one of the days.... I've ridden it once before about 2 years ago and it was a NIGHTMARE - the red trail was well out of my comfort zone and I ended up walking down a lot of it :oops:

But I like to think that i've got a bit better since then (and I have a bike that I feel more comfy descending on)!

Anyway, just wondering what people's thoughts are as mine are clouded by memories of dragging my bike down crazy berms!

What's the blue like? Less mental? And is the red really techy? Is it all rollable? I have pushed it from my memory....!

Cheers

njee20

Not done the red, but everything on the black is very rollable, so I doubt there's anything on the red that requires proper commitment!

Whilst I enjoyed the black, I thought the blue/green was more fun, very fast and flowing!

miss notax

Thanks, that's good to know! I just remember it all being so BIG :shock:

Perhaps i'll give the blue a blast and then contemplate the red / black

njee20

The red starts from a different place, although you can join it halfway round. The black had some very large berms, and a couple of slightly hairy decents, but even with some fairly mediocre skills rode it all on my race bike.

Silversladey

I rode the Red last Autum and found the final descent a bit bonkers,
there are switch backs with big berms and a steep chute at the end, probably a bit harder than the black at Whites Level, I had to take a courage tablet :oops:

The Green and Blue were amazing and you can divert on to the Black at the end for a bit of fun 8)

miss notax

Silversladey wrote:

I rode the Red last Autum and found the final descent a bit bonkers,
there are switch backs with big berms and a steep chute at the end, probably a bit harder than the black at Whites Level, I had to take a courage tablet :oops:

Yep, that was my experience a few years ago (except I had run out of courage tablets!) :shock:

It was that chute at the end that really got me - I ended up walking / sliding down it with my bike. Although i'm certain I could get down it (close eyes / hang on), I couldn't shake the thought that I would just end up in a snotty heap right at the bottom! If you take it at any speed the compression must be mad... :?

Silversladey

miss notax wrote:

Silversladey wrote:

I rode the Red last Autum and found the final descent a bit bonkers,
there are switch backs with big berms and a steep chute at the end, probably a bit harder than the black at Whites Level, I had to take a courage tablet :oops:

Yep, that was my experience a few years ago (except I had run out of courage tablets!) :shock:

It was that chute at the end that really got me - I ended up walking / sliding down it with my bike. Although i'm certain I could get down it (close eyes / hang on), I couldn't shake the thought that I would just end up in a snotty heap right at the bottom! If you take it at any speed the compression must be mad... :?

The guys from the South Wales rides thread will confirm i am pretty rubbish going down hill, But cause it was a trail centre ( and i had met up with a local rider, and didn't want to lose face ) i just closed my eyes and went with it.

I find with trail centres it can look a lot worse than it really is, and its best to just go for it

miss notax

Yup, wise words!!

gcranston

I did all of Brechfa's routes a few days ago, including the Cwm Rhaeadr (definitely worth a visit) one up the road. My impression was that in terms of technical difficulty, there wasn't as much between them all as I expected!

The red is mostly easy firetrack climbs, and I reckon the descending is all absolutely fine, at whatever speed is comfortable, with a couple of exceptions: 2/3 through is a very steep fast slope thing coming up the other side of a little valley, and the very last bit is possibly a bit hard to control without a bit of speed. My other half managed it all fine after looking at these bits, whereas she'd had to walk down a year ago.

The blue/green was a lot more interesting than I thought they were supposed to be (not been on many though!). Similar climbing, some even more challening than the red. All the descending is smooth and flowing, over good distances, and so there is potential for a lot of speed. Combined with a slightly damp, slightly loose gravelly surface, I was actually more scared than I had been on any of the other trails. For those that normally do blacks/reds, I'd recommend thinking about the blue/green as well if there's time, its a quick satisfying blast.

miss notax

Thanks gcranston - that's really helpful

(and I am encouraged that your other half rode bits she didn't the last time - I am hoping to do the same!!)

Cheers!

Thewaylander

hey Blondie

Brechfa I would say the black overall isnt as technical in its decents as the red from the times i have been there, But i do love its it's like a long BMX track.

My advice is if your going to do a single trail, the Black is more normal trail riding with really nice steep climbs and flowing singletrack and some awkward fun bits. The red on the other hand makes no attempts to pretend its not a man made trail and takes advantage of that with lots of berms table tops and interesting little features,

but for for me there some of the better man made trail center type trails in S.wales

miss notax

Hello

Interesting, thank you! I might drag Notax around the blue and the black then.....!

Is the food bus thing that used to be the Drop Off cafe meant to be at Brechfa now? Or have I just imagined that?

Thewaylander

Was always there, just a case of if its open, last time i was there it was parked outside the black. but did hear a rumour it wasn't in situ at the moment.

gcranston

I thought the black's descents probably were a stretch beyond those of the red... from my other half's feedback. Much as I enjoyed it, there were quite a few bits she found a bit too scary to come down, i.e. a too steep and loose, and therefore dangerous to try and do slowly/while trying to brake.

Let us know how you got on!

miss notax

Thanks guys

Rode the blue and the black at Brechfa - not too sure about the blue (quite tricky jumps for a blue I thought....). The black was good though, although I probably walked down about 50% of the steep berms :oops: Nice trail though, and with hindsight is probably the only one at Brechfa that I would ride again!

mac_man

If it's this one.... it looks a complete blast...

meep meep...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pDu6ivDqRs

Faaaaaaast.

Thewaylander

you didnt ride the gorlach?

See i think the red is one of the best trail center trails of all time. But everyone is different and I find afan a bit boring these days

miss notax

Thewaylander wrote:

you didnt ride the gorlach?

See i think the red is one of the best trail center trails of all time. But everyone is different and I find afan a bit boring these days

I rode that the last time I was there (and my legs couldn't cope with the blue, black AND red in one day!). The red wasn't for me though - I can see the appeal, but I prefer a more 'natural' looking trail

For me, the black was a good combination of natural-type singletrack, techy bits and some great descents which is more my thing!

Thewaylander

Fair play i can understand that

i guess i figure living here if i want natural feeling trails i go ride some natural trails if not i hit the berms and bumps for the trail centers Glad you had fun though Blondie my next one i aint ridden of the trail centers is Nant y Arian

gcranston

sounds like you picked the right ones then! Definitely worth doing the black (and not being put off by the colour), even if you think you might have to walk down a few bits. You'd have missed out on an excellent, and slightly rawer looking trail. Slightly more natural looking as you say. I know what you mean, I think I prefer natural looking trail/surroundings too. I think Cwmcarn's quite good for that, sometimes making it quite trickly.

Thewaylander

Have to admit I never really considered cwm to feel that natural.. some trails do but Cwm is very very groomed