Bikepark Wales you gona go or no??

The Northern Monkey

From BPW after my complaint about the uplift...

"Thanks for your feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed it, we are sorting out a sensible queuing system that should be in place within the next two weeks! "

rockmonkeysc

I got a place in the Welsh Downhill Champs next month. The track looks like it should be fun to race.
It will be interesting to see how they cope with 160 racers plus spectators, there will be even more for the BDS race next year.

The Northern Monkey

Nearly booked myself on but don't really have the money... which track is it on?

Both the blacks have good places to stand ad the top and bottom, but I can see the middle section being a bit quiet!

Stevo_666

Majski wrote:

Just got back from 2 days uplifting here. Some good news and some bad news.

Initially we were dissappointed by the trails as everything seemed a bit man made. But this isn't the case at all - you just need to get onto the blacks. The dragon run is absolutly fantastic all the way down with a few options but really fun. However, it's the only trail that warrents taking your DH bike there - the majority of trails would be best on a short travel bike or even a hardtail. Next time I go i'll take the jump bike as well as the DH.
All in all though the trails are fun..


Some stuff isn't as good however. The uplift is crap. Firstly it doesn't pick you up near the car park so you end up taking camelbaks with you, the turn around time is awful and frequently we'd be waiting 20-30 minutes for a bus. As mentioned, no one queues properly and people without uplift passes were getting on in front of us even when we had passes. We ended up getting 7 runs in both days which is really poor compared to most other uplifts. You even get more at Inners and I thought that place was bad.

Hopefully these are teething problems and wil get sorted out. All in all it's a fun place to ride and i'll be going back.

I was there yesterday - different experience.

It had tanked down with rain the evening day before and overnight, so some of the trails held up really well but a couple suffered - parts of Vicious Valley (or might have been top end of Bonneyville?) were a mudfest and Dai Hard was hard work as you couldn't get the speed up to do the jumps justice. Agree, you don't need a DH bike - I was on a 160mm bike and it was fine, but no harm in overbiking as there's only any real pedalling on a couple of the blues. Tried my mates DH bike and it was still great fun.

Uplift was very good - there was only 1 bus on and we did 13 runs, I am knackered today. No hanging about, off the trail and straight back on, max 3 mins waiting - when we stopped part way down the bus was sometimes already there. The pick up location was a pain, I ended up carting a 2l bottle of water down there to see me through and just left it on the bus. Seems like they've sharpened up on queue jumpers as the driver was stopping people getting on until all the day pass people were sorted - even kicked a couple off the bus when two turned up really late.

Best runs for me were Wibbly Wobbly, Coal Not Dole and Willy Waver (only a blue but top fun). Will definitely be back if we can get booked - no spaces until November now :shock: but some of the trails might get iffy once the rain starts to kick in more in the autumn.

Stevo_666

Anyone been there during second half of the week just gone? Would be good to know how the tracks are holding up in the wet.

welshkev

Stevo 666 wrote:

Anyone been there during second half of the week just gone? Would be good to know how the tracks are holding up in the wet.

I haven't been, but I did see a friend post on fb that dai hard isn't holding up too well

The Northern Monkey

Couple of lads went today, apparently Vicious Vally is just pure mud/slurry...

Green Meenie

Yeah Vicious Valley is pretty nasty atm, id only go near it with some nice mud tyres.

Stevo_666

Looks like they've got some work to do on a couple of trails (Dai Hard and Vicious Valley) if they're going to be useable over winter. They weren't too good last Monday and it had only rained once the day before. Either that or I'll have to up my game and get on The Dragon run

booldawg

'Bikepark Wales you gona go or no??' for a rider than southern England this makes is slightly nearer than Afan..why wouldn't I. Maybe try it next year and get a car-ful over.

Trial park wise I've ever only done Glentress (as my in-laws live nearby). Want to try the new bits a Swinley before the months out as that's only about 25 miles away.

Lowride

I went for the first time on Wednesday, LOVED IT!

I've got a 150mm front/rear Trek Remedy, BPW is the perfect place for it as a DH bike would struggle with a few climbing sections (from car park and from the end of a couple of runs). There was one lad on the uplift using a DJ bike, as said, you don't need a DH bike.

No idea how smooth the uplift runs at the wkend although my mates went and said there was three buses running. I went on a Wednesday and there was only one bus (16 spaces) and it ran faultlessly. 10-15min drive up, 7 minute ride down and then the bus appears after a couple of minutes. We did ten runs, could have done maybe 12-14 max but it gets dark real quick in those woods.

Advice for somebody who has'nt been is get there early as the car park is not that big, probably just like the first lowest car park at Llandegla. And also ask yourself how many times will you bike 2.8 miles to the top for 7-10 mins of DH if you don't have an uplift? Plan in advance and get on the uplift. You can do unbooked uplifts for £4 a go but only if there's a space, ppl booked have priority so you may have to wait a while.

I can't wait to go back in the new year, I really enjoyed it there and I don't often say that. It was my first uplift day and a cool experience wearing full armour and a full face helmet. Not all totally necessary but no armour at all would probably be asking for trouble IMO

Lowride

Notax wrote:

Thanks, £4 sounds good value compared to £30 for the day pass - unless the day pass gives priority? Will probably ride up a few times and then catch the bus if there are spaces...

Day Pass gets you priority. We did ten runs so only £2.50 a run, could have easily done twelve.
Only any good if you book in advance though and that means about a month!

ednino

I've been going there with a 100mm hardtail lol

But I like to ride up the beast of Burden & don't ride the black routes

jimothy78

ednino wrote:

I've been going there with a 100mm hardtail lol

But I like to ride up the beast of Burden & don't ride the black routes

Yep, all the reds are definitely do-able on a hardtail, although it takes its toll on your rear wheel in places - I haven't looked at the blacks yet, either, though...

jairaj

Hi All,

Is it worth going to BPW if you don't have an uplift ticket? Just treating it as trail centre ride ride up and down a few descents and then head home?

jimothy78

Yes, absolutely. There's always loads of people riding up. I'm going on monday with a big bunch of other people - most of them are booked on the bus, but there's a handful of us who are going to be riding. We might not get in quite as many runs, and might stop for a few more breaks, but you can still get a ton of riding in. Plus, by not having to just go straight to the bottom to meet up with the bus, you can be a bit more creative about what sections you string together - either using the fireroads to connect up with trails that don't "naturally" link up with the one you're on, or just riding halfway up/down the hill and looping round, rather than always doing top to bottom then back up.

benpinnick

Was there yesterday, most trails are holding up fine, but Dai Hard was basically unrideable, as were some of the other blacks (Half cut I think), Vicious valley was fine on Trail King tyres. No problems there.

Personally FWIW I took a hardtail and a 140/150FS, both were fine but it was more fun on my hardtail - its quite pedally if you want to go fast and only the rock gardens (of which really only the blacks have any of note) slow a hardtail down. Anyone on a on the day/per ride ticket yesterday would have been able to get every uplift I was on.

jimothy78

Out of interest, Ben, what was the condition of the less natural (blue and red) trails like?
Based on my previous experiences there, I was wondering about running an ADvantage as a rear tyre, and an Ardent up front, but if it's getting muddy, that might not be the best choice - What do you think?

Stevo_666

Anyone been recently? Would like to go again but want to know how the runs are holding up in this weather!

jairaj

I was there last week and trails were holding up well, just the odd muddy section. A few puddles so you're going to get a bit wet even if its not raining but most of the trail surface is amoured or made from rock slabs so was fine with plenty of grip.

But my local trails are a swamp so anything compared to that is going to be great for me.

Stevo_666

Thanks - better than I thought.