Antor Stiniog?

Lowride

I've not been here before but have been to practically every trail centre in Wales, a few of the Seven Stanes in Scotland and Morzine. I went to BPW last week and now some of my mates are thinking about going to Stiniog next month.

I was talking to a lad at work today who's not been but alot of his mates have. He said that's he's been told the place is a "bike wrecker". TBH I thought BPW was on the whole quite tame, I've watched some videos of Stiniog on YouTube and it looks a step up from BPW. When my mate said bike wrecker I think he meant it was'nt as man made as some places and alot more gnarly

Opinions please, I don't claim to be a down hiller but after BPW I'd like to get into it a bit more. Is it quite an unforgiving place? What are the trails like?

welshkev

yes stiniog is a huge step up in terms of harshness. but in saying that my favourite trail was 'the black' at stiniog. blues and reds are all rollable, but have some drops and jumps in them.

when I was there I saw 2 zestys being carried down the hill as they'd smashed their rims (no jokes) the worst I got on my spesh big hit was a puncture.

i'd recommend you running your tyres at a higher pressure to avoid your rims getting dinged, but other than that, have fun, it's awesome 8)

mcnultycop

When I went there was a snapped frame, one guy who was repeatedly puncturing with two tubes and a downhill tyre (on a HT), I snapped a mech hanger and one guy lost a tooth. I felt battered for a week after. It's brilliant (and I only did blue and red).

Stanners79

I went earlier this year and it was definately a Step up from what I'm used to down in South Wales on all the red runs here.

There are quite a few step downs on slopes which aren't big but certainly look a lot bigger when you're going down.

I did the blue all day and varied the ending and that was more than enough and still had great fun.

Uplift on the weekend was superb, if you're up for it you can pretty much go straight off one run onto a waiting bus. I've never been so tired in my life at the end of the day!

welshkev

Stanners79 wrote:

I went earlier this year and it was definitely a Step up from what I'm used to down in South Wales on all the red runs here.

!

i'm not 100% but I think stiniog is graded DH runs which are different to graded XC trails.

grant43

went in march on my commencal hardtail with my mates was great fun,terrifying but brilliant at the same time definitely recommend it

DCR00

welshkev wrote:

Stanners79 wrote:

I went earlier this year and it was definitely a Step up from what I'm used to down in South Wales on all the red runs here.

!

i'm not 100% but I think stiniog is graded DH runs which are different to graded XC trails.

Yep. The blue is not like any xc blue I've ever ridden.

Stiniog is brilliant. I usually fit DH tyres when I go, but a mate rode there on single ply without issue

Lowride

5-6 of us are going on Friday 13th (bad idea?!) I'm still running the DH tyres and tubes from Morzine on my Remedy

Butterd2

I went in the summer with my brother on a Giant Trance X and Yukon, we were definitely on the 2 most "lightweight" bikes that day and 2 of maybe half a dozen not in full face/body amour.
However we had a great time sticking to the Blue and Red trails (I believe you have to be wearing full face to do the blacks officially).
I would put the Blue on a par with the Black downhill sections at Coed y Brenin but obviously more relentless.
Both bikes held up fine and we are both 15-16st and no punctures on Hans Dampfs (tubeless) and Nevegals (with tubes)

It was one of those things I enjoyed more after the event once I knew I was safe, but I will go back.

Lowride

Well I've been now, really enjoyed it. The staff and esp the uplift driver were awesome!

We drove down thursday afternoon, took 3.5hrs, and stayed at a travle lodge in Porthmadog. We did twelve runs, there was four of us and two other lads turned up late morning. The weather was horrendous! At the start of the runs the rain was coming in so hard it actually hurt your face! I could hardly see any of my mates because of the mist and when I got my bike off the trailor the wind got hold of it and I nearly smashed one of them in the head. Luckily after lunch the mist had gone as well as the rain, still stupidly windy, shame because when you do even a small jump you were getting knocked sideways

I did a small section of the black, climbed up onto it where the bridge goes over the red & blue but other than that just did the red and blue. I'm glad I went to BPW before Stiniog as it would be a bit tame after Stiniog. I'd say the blue at Stiniog is on par with the black at BPW.

Would I go back, fo sho!

fielonator

My mates and I rode Stiniog in October, all on trail bikes. The day before at Llandegla was a good warm up after a summer of smooth berms at swinley. The day spent at Stiniog was fantastic! No breakages apart from my rear derailer cable, but three of us spent the drive back to the hotel searching ebay for DH bikes.

The guy at the sign in desk said the blue was like a normal trail centre black. I think I'd agree, it was pretty full on but something you could improve on until you felt like you were racing. The other guys rode the red and bit of the easier black, while I stuck to the blue and had a blast all day.

Highly recommended.