Great weekend away (CYB and cli machx)

dan shard

Just back from a top weekend away. Did the cli machx trail on Friday, then did the MBR at Coed Y Brenin today.

The MBR was crazy, very technical and I had an off right at the end (black teeth section?)

Thankfully I was padded up, otherwise I honestly believe Id still be in A&E. Burst the o rings on my forks, took a big gouge out of my knee and elbow pads and still ended up feeling like Ive been run over by a bus.

Top weekend though, and a great centre. I was shocked by how quick it gets technical too, straight out of the car park, theres no big fire road to get you warmed up, its straight into proper tough uphill rock garden.

Anonymous

Glad you enjoyed it. I have been told that the reason Coedy gets that technical that quickly, is to deter people who aren't ready, from heading out and being hurt miles away from the center, where it's hard to get medevac.
It must work, because I've seen a ton of people get off within the first 100 feet or so, and walk back to the cafe, grumbling and moaning, usually about "too rocky".

Where did you crash? the end sections of the MBR are just a horrible place to come off!

_jon_

How did you find the final (really long) section of cli machx? I thought it was pretty good and quite scary in places.

Surprised how quiet the car park was (only one other car whan i left).

dan shard

lol
Its certainly a deterant for the learner thats for sure.

It was right at the very end, probably 20yds from the road back to the cafe on that really tough rock garden. Theres a left hand bend on the rock garden around 16" high (ish). Hit it too fast and my front wheel started to wash out, skidded sideways off the end of the rock garden sending my superman stylie over the top. Landed chest first on the corner of some rock and the bike "flew through the air" according to my mates. Couple of summersaults later I came to rest at the side of the trail laughing.

Took 10mins or so to start aching, but now I feal...quite tender to say the least!! lol

would have been a a different story without the pads though

dan shard

_Jon_ wrote:

How did you find the final (really long) section of cli machx? I thought it was pretty good and quite scary in places.

Surprised how quiet the car park was (only one other car whan i left).

Very good indeed!! We went back and looped that section too. You can turn left half way up the fire road and take a short cut back to the last descent. That adds some more seperate single track to it which is very tricky including a nobbly northshore section(similar to the old one on the red run at llandegla thats been ripped up) and a nobbly northshore very tight berm round a tree that goes almost vertical.
As well as some standard northshore thats around the width of a scaffold board

There was only two other cars there with us too. Almost feels like a secret gem of a trail

_jon_

I'd never heard it mentioned on any forum before, just picked it almost at random from a guide book. Surprised it's not more popular. Would definetely do it again on my next trip to Wales.

I did notice a northshore berm when on the last section and wondered where it came from, must have been part of that shortcut you mentioned. From what I remember though, I might need to pad up myself if I decided to attempt it!

Anonymous

Climachx is Near Penmachno, isn't it? That's probably why it's not so popular. I don't think it's possible to build a more "out of the way" trailcentre on earth

Oh, and F-ing OUCH, I know where you mean, and I can only imagine how much a fall on that section would hurt!

frogstomp

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Climachx is Near Penmachno, isn't it?

It's nearer to Nant Yr Arian.. at Machynlleth

Anonymous

ARGH, I did it again. I KNEW it was Machynlleth, I was trying to TYPE Machynlleth, but my brain keeps going "Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno "
Dammit.

I kid you not, I've actually started driving to Penmachno for a job once by mistake. I was told Machynlleth, I had an email saying Machynlleth, Hell, I even knew it was at the Tabernacl in Machynlleth (such a thing does not exist in Penmachno), but my brain just has those two places short circuited somehow :oops:

Briggo

dan shard wrote:

lol
Its certainly a deterant for the learner thats for sure.

It was right at the very end, probably 20yds from the road back to the cafe on that really tough rock garden. Theres a left hand bend on the rock garden around 16" high (ish). Hit it too fast and my front wheel started to wash out, skidded sideways off the end of the rock garden sending my superman stylie over the top. Landed chest first on the corner of some rock and the bike "flew through the air" according to my mates. Couple of summersaults later I came to rest at the side of the trail laughing.

Took 10mins or so to start aching, but now I feal...quite tender to say the least!! lol

would have been a a different story without the pads though

If it was right at the end of MBR, it would be Black Steps, the bit just before you can cross the bridge to go to the Tawr route?

Love that section, infact I love all of MBR.

dan shard

Briggo wrote:

dan shard wrote:

lol
Its certainly a deterant for the learner thats for sure.

It was right at the very end, probably 20yds from the road back to the cafe on that really tough rock garden. Theres a left hand bend on the rock garden around 16" high (ish). Hit it too fast and my front wheel started to wash out, skidded sideways off the end of the rock garden sending my superman stylie over the top. Landed chest first on the corner of some rock and the bike "flew through the air" according to my mates. Couple of summersaults later I came to rest at the side of the trail laughing.

Took 10mins or so to start aching, but now I feal...quite tender to say the least!! lol

would have been a a different story without the pads though

If it was right at the end of MBR, it would be Black Steps, the bit just before you can cross the bridge to go to the Tawr route?

Love that section, infact I love all of MBR.

Thats the one, yeah it is great. First time there and certainly not the last. Top place

dan shard

yeehaamcgee wrote:

ARGH, I did it again. I KNEW it was Machynlleth, I was trying to TYPE Machynlleth, but my brain keeps going "Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno Penmachno "
Dammit.

I kid you not, I've actually started driving to Penmachno for a job once by mistake. I was told Machynlleth, I had an email saying Machynlleth, Hell, I even knew it was at the Tabernacl in Machynlleth (such a thing does not exist in Penmachno), but my brain just has those two places short circuited somehow :oops:

I really want to try penmachno this year. Ive heard loads of people saying how good it is....whats the synopsis on it? is it a tight technical like cyb, a huge big mountain natural like nant yr arian or a smooth fast flowing like degla? (or a combintion of all)??

Briggo

Penmachno is different, its quite technical, not massively free flowing in a lot of it, mostly big rocks to slow you down.

I like it, it certainly feels like you're in middle of nowhere and has a natural feel too it, the second loop feels like a slog bit still worth doing. The first loop has some very nice flowing sections at the end of it before you split off to the second loop.

And the end decent is awesome.

Anonymous

I don't remember any bog rocks on Penmachno, really. It's basically a classic XC route through the wilderness. But it's so well sculpted that it hasn't aged at all.
It's what mountain biking dreams are made of for people who read Mint Sauce

shx8000

I also heard that the reason it was so technical at the beginning was to put people off that couldn't ride.
I actually covered a small distance chatting with a chap, he was riding a little slower waiting for his missus (as was I lol). There was 8 riding in his group, but then after first bit of the trail, 6 of them rode back to the centre.

Briggo

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I don't remember any bog rocks on Penmachno, really. It's basically a classic XC route through the wilderness. But it's so well sculpted that it hasn't aged at all.
It's what mountain biking dreams are made of for people who read Mint Sauce

I aint talking massive rocks, I'm talking about plenty of rocks (fist sized) on many sections on the second loop that slow you down, but I liked it as it added the extra level of technicallity, something you just don't find on usual man made trails.

popstar

I've found Penmachno a bit old school, very pedally but there are some sweet sections to ride. But scenery and remoteness of it does make up for it. Not sure if it's worth driving all the way there just for that trail though. CYB is old school too, but is much much better.

As for rock gardens in Penmachno, please don't joke that much. CYB has got some thin idea on how rock gardens should look like but guess that's as gnarly as Trail center can go. Surrey's hill or even Aston hill roots are more gnarly though, and thats SE England!

dan shard

yeehaamcgee wrote:

I don't remember any bog rocks on Penmachno, really. It's basically a classic XC route through the wilderness. But it's so well sculpted that it hasn't aged at all.
It's what mountain biking dreams are made of for people who read Mint Sauce

Its officially made it on to my'to do' list this year...Once my broken rib has healed