Cwmcarn

jsync

Hi,

I'm planning on doing the red route at Cwmcarn this weekend on a Rockhopper, is it (or me for that matter) going to be up to the job? Is there anything I need to know? And finally can anyone give me an update on the conditions there as I keep on hearing about flooding in Wales.

Thanks muchly,

Kev

Welsh_Wizard

Hiya mate. What skill level are you?

I am beginner and do the full Cwmcarn route (Twrch) on a hard tail (GT Zaskar) regularly. It's just down to riding the trail to your level. I'm sure that there will be plenty of people who can ride down it quicker than water flows, but for everyone else, it's a trail that is forgiving.

The actual downhill track itself I haven't tried yet.

Dont forget to hit Airstream 1 & 2 when you get to the top !!! Priceless fun !!

jsync

Thanks for the reply.

I've only been riding for 9 months or so but am reasonably confident. It's reassuring that you ride a HT there too and it can be taken at my pace. I'll check out airstream.

Thanks,

welshkev

you can ride everything on a hardtail mate, nothing there you can't do. if you've never been there before don't be put off by the climb, imo the toughest start to a ride of any trail centre i've done. once you get to airstream it's pretty much all downhill

Welsh_Wizard

Speaking of how you get to the top.. Are you using the uphill service or riding ??

If you ride you can either ride the Twrch uphill on the dedicated uphill section which is fairly gruelling to be honest. Technical as fcuk. Or you can blow up the fire road which is just a grind. Once you get to the top I usually do Airstream 1 & 2 a fair few times before hitting the trail back to the car park.

jsync

I plan on riding up as you don't get any better / fitter without pushing yourself. I may keep the fire road bit from the other guys as they may want to do that!

Is it well sign posted at the airstream bit? Once that bit is completed is it obvious how to loop back and do it again?

Thanks,

The Northern Monkey

all well signposted, the trail head is at the back of the carpark on the right

the climbs aren't that bad, probably 3 tough, steep rooty/loose climbs that will challenge you but you're rewarded at the end lol.

At airstream, there are 2 routes. The one on the right is the red, the left the black.
The red is really swoopy and tight, but the black is more open with a few jumps, but its all rollable and there is nothing to catch you out.
when you get to the gate at the bottom of airstream, turn around and go back up through the carpark and through a big gate onto some fire road. It takes you back to the start

jsync

That's great, thanks for the info.

Hopefully we wont get lost!

welshkev

jsync wrote:

That's great, thanks for the info.

Hopefully we wont get lost!

no chance of getting lost dude (famous last words )

CycloRos

The twrch is a brilliant red and quite unlike anything else i've ridden. The first climb is brilliant, techy and loose in places and seems to go on forever! But that descent! Wow! Definitely take the black route to the left its awesome , I had to proper reign myself in after the third or fourth 2 wheel drift before I did myself some damage top trail!

jsync

Well, I did this on Saturday and made it back in 1 piece, very well sign posted and maintained.

Great track although the initial climb is a killer. Did the red airstream once and the black twice.

And all this on a rockhopper, although I think the reba upgrade helped!

There was the minor issue of torrential rain from the outset which meant cycling up a foot deep river and then skating on my face on the big orange berm before the last downhill bit.

Thanks all for the lowdown.

Kev

Welsh_Wizard

Glad you enjoyed. Are you local to that area or visiting tourist??

jsync

Just a tourist (albeit a very wet one), a mates parents live there so we took advantage of their hospitality.