Bikepark Wales you gona go or no??

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  • 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! "
  • 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.
  • 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
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    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.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    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 spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    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
  • Couple of lads went today, apparently Vicious Vally is just pure mud/slurry...
  • Yeah Vicious Valley is pretty nasty atm, id only go near it with some nice mud tyres.
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    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 :)
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • '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.
    1999 Scott Vail - Work commute
    2015 Giant Anthem 27.5 SX - Weekend riding


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  • Lowride
    Lowride Posts: 214
    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
    ________________
    Specialized til I die
  • Lowride
    Lowride Posts: 214
    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!
    ________________
    Specialized til I die
  • ednino
    ednino Posts: 684
    I've been going there with a 100mm hardtail lol :lol:

    But I like to ride up the beast of Burden & don't ride the black routes
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    ednino wrote:
    I've been going there with a 100mm hardtail lol :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
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    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
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    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
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    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.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    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
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    Anyone been recently? Would like to go again but want to know how the runs are holding up in this weather!
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    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
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    Thanks - better than I thought.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]