Afan Sand

wheezee
wheezee Posts: 461
edited June 2011 in Routes
I was at Afan last week in the rain with a couple of mates, and was astonished at the amount of sand that got into the bikes. One trip round the wall, and there goes a set of pads. Spent most of the weekend taking things apart, regreasing pedals, getting things running smoothly again. My top tube was given a new matte finish after being completely rubbed down from the wet sand stuck to my shorts.

How do you lot get on with riding these trails on a regular basis? I certainly wouldn't fancy a used bike that's spent much time in that area.

Comments

  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    It wasn't that bad, but they tried to smooth the trails all over using sand and all as packing material as people struggled on bitz of the climb(No idea why) so it's a relatively new problem.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    tbh, i've never really noticed it to be a problem..yes i can go through a set of pads in 2 or 3 rides but as for taking everything apart after 1 ride? nope :lol:

    i've had my bike for 2 and a half years...i've gone through quite a few brake pads (to be expected) but had no other problems at all apart from changing the bearings in the rear end once...a spray of wd40 and all's good :lol:
  • wheezee
    wheezee Posts: 461
    Thewaylander wrote:
    It wasn't that bad, but they tried to smooth the trails all over using sand and all as packing material as people struggled on bitz of the climb(No idea why) so it's a relatively new problem.


    You're joking? I thought it was the local soil.

    I imagined it was the wet sand that was being washed over us that was the main problem, and that in the dry it would stay where it was.
  • anjs
    anjs Posts: 486
    You should try riding at Swinley then when its been dry. Its like being on the beach
  • wheezee
    wheezee Posts: 461
    I have ridden at Swinley (Bracknell, right?) No problems whatsoever.

    I exaggerated about the pads.. they were part worn already, but it did take the shine off (the paint, literally) our afternoon there. I shall probably wait for a good dry spell before I go again.

    Fantastic fun, though.
  • Mojo_666
    Mojo_666 Posts: 860
    wheezee wrote:
    I have ridden at Swinley (Bracknell, right?) No problems whatsoever.

    I exaggerated about the pads.. they were part worn already, but it did take the shine off (the paint, literally) our afternoon there. I shall probably wait for a good dry spell before I go again.

    Fantastic fun, though.

    My bike came back from Afan on Monday with a new matte finish, I might have ot break out the T-Cut.
    My 1 and only Bike
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    To be honest they seem to be making more and more of a mess of Afan monthly at the moment, i'm losing my will to ever ride there.

    Only time i end up there is when someone tells me to go there cos they want to ride it lol.
  • Silversladey
    Silversladey Posts: 450
    Thewaylander wrote:
    To be honest they seem to be making more and more of a mess of Afan monthly at the moment, i'm losing my will to ever ride there.

    Only time i end up there is when someone tells me to go there cos they want to ride it lol.

    They seem to be insistent on pressing the self destruct button at Afan, The trail is over used and a victimm of its own success.

    Cwmcarn has been simplified over the last year, especially the last month. The climb has been really smoothed out.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Aint it just.. really sucks ass used to like having to dab when i wasn't on the ball. Now it's all easily clearable with minimal effort. :(

    Ok thats silvers im off i'm sulking! lol
  • d00m
    d00m Posts: 160
    The sand has definately ruined the paint on my mongoose, it isnt the thickest paint to start with, so cant go for t cut!
    At the moment its got more helicopter tape than paint on, but the c+s and wheel bearings are in regular need of attention.

    Could use a bit more gloopy mud really... like on that bit that takes you from the wall to windy point.
  • wheezee
    wheezee Posts: 461
    Tremendous amount of grip around there, though. I was prepared to be wheel-spinning and slithering about in the wet, but not an ounce of energy went to waste.

    The loose heap of gravel roughly fashioned into a track leading to/from the carpark and café was a b@stard though. I was straight off the side of that on the way back.
  • wordnumb
    wordnumb Posts: 847
    A couple of weeks back I had to ring out a pair of (nonwaterproof because I forgot the sealskinz) socks I'd worn around W2. They made a crunching sound from all the collected sand.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    I'm guessing it's part of the drainage for the "repaired" sections" to be honest, and when i say repaired i meaned ruined and made smooth :(

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