Bikepark Wales you gona go or no??

j_l

So the time has come, you lot fizzing about it or, whatever......?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... bOuFqBeoH4

it does look good from the various films that are on the interweb.

http://www.bikeparkwales.com/

welshkev

i'm not going to go this weekend as it'll be rammed. but i'm going to go one evening next week and then i'm booked on the uplift on sept 1st

DodgeT

Had a look at the trails map (on phone so couldn't see lots of detail) and couldn't help but think, it all looks very short. Whether or not you link up a few of them to get to the bottom?

Be interesting to know what you find Kev, please report back.

That said, 3.5hrs drive compared to 1.5 to stiniog, I know where i'll be getting my fix. Although would be good for a change, just would have to be an overnighter.

welshkev

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbOuFqB ... r_embedded

rockmonkeysc

I'm entered in the first downhill race there in mid September. Looks like it should be good fun. Im hoping the old Gethin DH track is still open.

j_l

I have a couple of client meetings later in September and have made provision for early appointments so I might give it a go, it would be nice to hear what people think after some have been.

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I'm entered in the first downhill race there in mid September. Looks like it should be good fun. Im hoping the old Gethin DH track is still open.

you got a link to that? I though the first race was the welsh champs, but i'm away that weekend

Green Meenie

Heading up Saturday and maybe Sunday to join the chaos.

The runs may look short but they are still great fun:)

welshkev

Green Meenie wrote:

Heading up Saturday and maybe Sunday to join the chaos.

The runs may look short but they are still great fun:)

is that you steve?

Green Meenie

Maybe......

What gave it away ?!

welshkev

Green Meenie wrote:

Maybe......

What gave it away ?!

the name after you called your bike that on fb the other day and the fact that you've ridden there already. 2 and 2 did equal 4 for a change

Green Meenie

the name after you called your bike that on fb the other day and the fact that you've ridden there already. 2 and 2 did equal 4 for a change

Well done, youve earned an extra Haribo on the next ride out.

rockmonkeysc

welshkev wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I'm entered in the first downhill race there in mid September. Looks like it should be good fun. Im hoping the old Gethin DH track is still open.

you got a link to that? I though the first race was the welsh champs, but i'm away that weekend

It's the Welsh Champs that im doing. I find it a bit odd that the Welsh Champs is a regional rather than a national race. Last time I told a Welsh person that Wales is a lovely part of England he got most upset.

jimothy78

welshkev wrote:

is that you steve?

I spotted him too (your getting too predictable, steve)

of course, this means an end to all those "my idiot friend steve..." posts :roll:

cooldad

But we can start 'your idiot friend Steve' posts.

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

welshkev wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I'm entered in the first downhill race there in mid September. Looks like it should be good fun. Im hoping the old Gethin DH track is still open.

you got a link to that? I though the first race was the welsh champs, but i'm away that weekend

It's the Welsh Champs that im doing. I find it a bit odd that the Welsh Champs is a regional rather than a national race. Last time I told a Welsh person that Wales is a lovely part of England he got most upset.

I thought that was the weekend of the 4th/5th October? I may be wrong though

b45her

Green Meenie wrote:

Heading up Saturday and maybe Sunday to join the chaos.

The runs may look short but they are still great fun:)

i've ridden 1 of the blues and 1 of the reds on the volunteer uplift day, the runs are fairly long with the average rider taking 7-9 minutes to get down the blue and around the same for the red, the way the place is designed it is quite easy to mix and match different trail sections or if you like ride part of the way down then pick up the climb back to the top.

welshkev

b45her wrote:

Green Meenie wrote:

Heading up Saturday and maybe Sunday to join the chaos.

The runs may look short but they are still great fun:)

i've ridden 1 of the blues and 1 of the reds on the volunteer uplift day, the runs are fairly long with the average rider taking 7-9 minutes to get down the blue and around the same for the red, the way the place is designed it is quite easy to mix and match different trail sections or if you like ride part of the way down then pick up the climb back to the top.

so are the runs longer than cwmcarn dh then?

YeehaaMcgee

7-9 minutes? that seems seriously long.

welshkev

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

7-9 minutes? that seems seriously long.

that's what I was thinking, it didn't take me that long to get down stiniog and those runs are fairly long...well it did the 1 time I got a puncture near the top and I had to run down with my bike, but even then i'd say it only took me 10-15 mins

DodgeT

Bearing in mind the trails are listed from roughly 0.5km to 1.5km long and that Stiniog runs are around 3 - 4 mins, but 1.5 / 1.7km ish, something doesn't stack up there.

Unless as I mentioned, you can perhaps keep swapping onto different lines to make a big run, don't really see how though.

rockmonkeysc

The DH track looks like it uses most of the old track, ehich is very good. I cant see a run being any more than 3.5 mins.

pesky_jones

Be awesome if it was 8-9 mins. Could just go slower

YeehaaMcgee

I don't think the runs in Portes Du Soleil were 10 minutes long even, and they've got some serious elevation changes there.
Also, although it's not a DH course, even the entirety of coed y brenin's Addams Family sections don't take that long to cover, again, with some serious elevation loss.

pesky_jones

You'd be so farked by the end of a 10min run thinking about it.

Stevo_666

I'm booked in for an uplift in a couple of weeks time

Looking at the map you need to take at least 2 runs, sometimes 3 to get down and it can be up to 5km top to bottom depending on route choice - seems to be quite a few options when you get to the two sets of fire/access roads that cut across part of the way down:
http://www.bikeparkwales.com/trails

If they reckon you can do 12 runs in a day I'm going to be absolutely knackered at the end. 10 runs at Cwmcarn at 2km a go was pretty tiring.

Stevo_666

Anyone been? Would be good to get feedback, favourite runs etc.

(Yeah I know, it's only been open 4 days but no harm in asking...)

jimothy78

Yes, I've been (yesterday morning), and know quite a few others who have been, too.

As a relative newbie (especially to this kind of thing) I decided to work my way through the blues and then introduce a bit of red into the mix.

Did three "laps":
1. Beast of Burden - Melted Welly - Blue Belle - Bush Whacker
2. Beast of Burden - Sixtapod - Locomotion - Willy Waver
3. Road climb - Viscous valley - Bonneyville - Blue Belle - Norkle

Had a brilliant time, trails were very well put together, with a fair bit of variation thrown in, even among trails of the same grade - some very bermy and smooth, others more technical and rough. Didn't use the facilities, as was short on time. Each lap took around 45-50mins including climb, map-checking and other faff. Climb took me about 30mins (singletrack) or slightly less if you take the road option.

spr wheelie

I might be able to get there thurs.
was the climb a bit of a lungbuster or generally an easy climb?
also if your not booked on the uplift is there availability to buy the one uplift at a time or are they proper full?

jimothy78

spr wheelie wrote:

was the climb a bit of a lungbuster or generally an easy climb?

Depends what you're used to, I guess. Not as technical as Cwmcarn, for instance, but still a proper (mostly singletrack) offroad climb. Obviously, the road climb is easier although still fairly steep in places.

also if your not booked on the uplift is there availability to buy the one uplift at a time or are they proper full?

No idea, but seeing as the uplift shows as fully booked weeks in advance I'm guessing they'd be stupid not to have sold all the spaces they have available. Every bus/trailer I saw go past was loaded to the gills.

Stevo_666

jimothy78 wrote:

Yes, I've been (yesterday morning), and know quite a few others who have been, too.

As a relative newbie (especially to this kind of thing) I decided to work my way through the blues and then introduce a bit of red into the mix.

Did three "laps":
1. Beast of Burden - Melted Welly - Blue Belle - Bush Whacker
2. Beast of Burden - Sixtapod - Locomotion - Willy Waver
3. Road climb - Viscous valley - Bonneyville - Blue Belle - Norkle

Had a brilliant time, trails were very well put together, with a fair bit of variation thrown in, even among trails of the same grade - some very bermy and smooth, others more technical and rough. Didn't use the facilities, as was short on time. Each lap took around 45-50mins including climb, map-checking and other faff. Climb took me about 30mins (singletrack) or slightly less if you take the road option.

Nice one, ta. That's the sort of feedback I was after. Plan is to do a couple of warm ups on the blues then crack on with the reds and see how I get on.