Machynlleth Mach 1, 2 & 3

tofu21
tofu21 Posts: 359
edited July 2011 in Routes
Hello,

I'm arranging a weekend away to Machynlleth. Doing Mach 1 and 2 on Sunday and Mach 3 on the Sunday.

I've never been there before so I'm looking for a bit of adivce.

What are the trails like?

Can anyone recommend a good campsite close to Machynlleth?
Are there any good doggie friendly places to eat/drink?

Thanks
Simon

Comments

  • dan shard
    dan shard Posts: 722
    I did the cli machx trail a while back. Absolutely fantastic! It has one of the longest single descents of any trail centre in the UK aparently, almost to the point of being the size of a DH track. REALLY good fun and very fast. Just be carefull though, theres a few "poo yourself" moments. When you get to the top of a steep brow and the path suddently turns left, in fromt of you is a 15foot drop...make sure your brakes are working well! lol

    Theres also a shortcut back to the top of the last descent that adds some really good single track and a northshore wall that you dont see on the normal route..its worth doing the full trail and then taking the shortcut to capture it all...and dont forget to hit the little jump in the car park when you come off the trail :D
  • tofu21
    tofu21 Posts: 359
    I was going to give the cli machx trail a miss because I'm a bit of a jessy!!!!

    I don't do jumps or huge drop-offs.
    :cry: :oops:
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    You're not supposed to ride off the huge drop he mentions :lol: Don't ask me how I found that out :oops: . Turns out there's an enormous arrow saying "go left"

    Climachx is really good, the final descent's got a couple of decent size features and if you're not at least a reasonably comfortable rider it might not be for you but you don't need to be a radcore downhiller or anything.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • dan shard
    dan shard Posts: 722
    Northwind wrote:
    You're not supposed to ride off the huge drop he mentions :lol: Don't ask me how I found that out :oops: . Turns out there's an enormous arrow saying "go left"

    Climachx is really good, the final descent's got a couple of decent size features and if you're not at least a reasonably comfortable rider it might not be for you but you don't need to be a radcore downhiller or anything.

    Completely agree. Theres nothing in there thats real hardcore, just very fast and fun. We did Coed Y Brenin the day after and that was far more difficult imho
  • tofu21
    tofu21 Posts: 359
    hmm, now you've complicated things....

    I'm half compitent on a bike. I've done Mountain Mayhem for the past few years, Llandegla a bit, Marin trail, Penmachno, lots of stuff around cannock etc...

    Is it more Stumpy FSR than Epic teratory then?
  • tofu21
    tofu21 Posts: 359
    "The last descent is the longest in Wales and features rocky jumps; watch out for the 'eye of the needle'; a huge jump with a narrow landing between two trees on the other side."

    Hmm don't like the sound of that...
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Quit moaning, go ride it and enjoy. No point telling yourself "I don't do this" or "I don't do that".
    Why not? Get some practice and make yourself a more well rounded rider. Who knows what you'll be capable of in a few years time.
  • tofu21
    tofu21 Posts: 359
    Just been watching the video on their website and it doesn't look any worse than the other trail centres I have ridden.

    I'll see how the plans pan-out and and how it fits in with Mach 1, 2, & 3.

    Any idea on good places to eat and drink that are doggie friendly?
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    tofu21 wrote:
    "The last descent is the longest in Wales and features rocky jumps; watch out for the 'eye of the needle'; a huge jump with a narrow landing between two trees on the other side."

    Hmm don't like the sound of that...

    I'm reasonably sure you could do all of Climachx with both wheels on the ground (one of the guys I was there with probably did)
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Growmac
    Growmac Posts: 117
    Climachx is a great fun trail. I had a massive stack there and snapped my rear mech hanger a couple of years ago. Didn't hurt myself as I was padded, but it was clearly sods law as I'd just been yelling to my mate that I didn't think much of the 'very dangerous' description in our guide of the last descent.

    Tried to change line, stuffed the front wheel into a crack in the rock garden and when for a flight into the undergrowth. That'll learn me!

    Like all trail centres, most stuff trivial if you're going slow enough, and the rest you can just walk round. Great fun, would recommend it.
    1994 Clark Kent F12; 2004 Mount Vision; 2011 Canyon AM 7, 2012 Canyon Torque FRX 6, a unicycle and a Brompton.
  • Where are my stabilisers?
    Where are my stabilisers? Posts: 979
    I did the climachx trail and loved it, I found the rocky bit a bit hard but the rest was great - can't wait to go and do it again!

    The left turn nearly caught me out though... I was looking at the arrow and it kind of didn't register what it was trying to tell me :lol:
    http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/ ... lurLT2.jpg

    http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss9/ ... c611a8.jpg
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    I've done the Mach trails - although a few years back now. They are OK: just old fashioned XC riding. Lovely scenery. Fair bit of climbing, on Mach 3 in particular. Some of the climbing is on grass so not so good if it's been wet. Lots of height lost on roads or double track. Only vaguely technical bit is the chute which I did in the dry so it wasnt actually very technical at all. Would be tougher in the wet. We'd been waiting for it all ride then when it was over it was a case of 'was that it?'

    Dont have any great expectations and they are all a nice ride in fabulous scenery.

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