Afan Forest Park - worth a visit?

jordan_217

I'm visiting my Father-in-law this w'end and can't fit my bike in the car. Afan Forest is a 30-40 min drive so thought about heading over there on Saturday and hiring a bike from Skyline Cycles.

Is Afan a good place to ride? With no local knowledge I'd be relying on signposted/easy to navigate routes but I'd still want a challenging ride rather than a few 5m loops of the 'yellow' trail or similar. Any particular trails to follow? Some hills would be nice!

Skyline cycles - anyone know if this is a good place to hire a bike? Looks like they offer an Orange Crush or Orange Five.

Thanks in advance

jimothy78

With 8 separate trails, plus plenty of double-loop options (including the classic W2), yes, it's a good place to ride. Plenty of threads in the "routes" forum - here's the latest, to kick you off:
viewtopic.php?f=20007&t=12963209L

if you want to check out the options before you go:
http://www.cognation.co.uk/trails/afan

jordan_217

jimothy78 wrote:

With 8 separate trails, plus plenty of double-loop options (including the classic W2), yes, it's a good place to ride. Plenty of threads in the "routes" forum - here's the latest, to kick you off:
viewtopic.php?f=20007&t=12963209L

if you want to check out the options before you go:
http://www.cognation.co.uk/trails/afan

Very helpful! Thanks very much

benpinnick

Skyline is fine for bike hire. I would suggest picking up a full suss and doing W2.

VolatileMike

I did whites on HT over the weekend. at times uncomfortable, but that's more down to my skill level. It was still great fun though. A FS would be more comfortable but it is fine on HT.

Thewaylander

And skyline cycles is a great shop with friendly helpful guys. so you will ahve no issues there.

rockmonkeysc

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding. I really don't know why but getting stuck behind slower riders seems to happen a lot more at Afan than any other trail centre.
The final descent of Skyline is ok and Penhydd used to be good but the rest is about as much fun as a canal tow path.
Even the drive there is sh1t and the cafe isn't too good either.
Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding. I really don't know why but getting stuck behind slower riders seems to happen a lot more at Afan than any other trail centre.
The final descent of Skyline is ok and Penhydd used to be good but the rest is about as much fun as a canal tow path.
Even the drive there is sh1t and the cafe isn't too good either.
Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

You need some joy in your life.

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding. I really don't know why but getting stuck behind slower riders seems to happen a lot more at Afan than any other trail centre.
The final descent of Skyline is ok and Penhydd used to be good but the rest is about as much fun as a canal tow path.
Even the drive there is sh1t and the cafe isn't too good either.
Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

You need some joy in your life.

Thats why I ride BPW, Cwmcarn, FoD, Haldon and lots of other places and NEVER go to Afan anymore.
I'm not a fan of Afan, did I mention that? Not my favourite place to ride.

cooldad

I'm sure they miss you.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

I'm sure they miss you.

Yep. I get begging emails asking me to ride their trails every day. Constant requests to do video shoots to promote their trails.
No matter how many high class escorts they offer of how much high grade Columbian nose powder they offer I'm just not going back.
I'm sure you understand that I have my principles to stick to.

apple eater

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding.

It is about as much fun as a canal tow path.

Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

I agree, we did the wall and it was all climb (except a tiny bit of slow downhill at the end) and no fun as a reward. The blade at glyncorrwg is by far the worst trail i've ridden.

try brechfa and gorlech, it amazes me how quiet these two are but everytime i go and speak to people they are loving the places.

Afan is hugely overated. I was going to go back for one last chance and try the refurbished penhydd trail but have decided not to bother.

cooldad

apple eater wrote:

try brechfa and afan,

Afan is hugely overated.

You sound confused.

benpinnick

apple eater wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding.

It is about as much fun as a canal tow path.

Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

I agree, we did the wall and it was all climb (except a tiny bit of slow downhill at the end) and no fun as a reward. The blade at glyncorrwg is by far the worst trail i've ridden.

try brechfa and afan, it amazes me how quiet these two are but everytime i go and speak to people they are loving the places.

Afan is hugely overated. I was going to go back for one last chance and try the refurbished penhydd trail but have decided not to bother.

I rode the blade for the first time on Saturday, and I thought it was great! Mind you it was nice and dry and I could see how it might suck badly in the wet.

Definitely will be going back. Afan had been a bit meh for me for a while but the new blade really raises the bar I think. Its got a good climb (Ok its whites/Skyline but still a good climb) Nice bike-parky section over the top, some insanely twisty single track after then that descent.... I can understand if you don't like rocks you wont like it, but everyone at the UKGE this weekend I spoke to loved it.... its so punishing at full speed... just the way a trail should be. I also know my way around a bit better now.... lots of extra new lines been cut for the UKGE that if you are willing to go of piste add some huge variety, including the mentally steep stage 4 (splits off the wall).

Thewaylander

apple eater wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Afan suck hairy dog balls. The trails are just really boring. There is nothing interesting in the riding.

It is about as much fun as a canal tow path.

Go to any one of the other south Wales trail centres for much better riding.

I agree, we did the wall and it was all climb (except a tiny bit of slow downhill at the end) and no fun as a reward. The blade at glyncorrwg is by far the worst trail i've ridden.

uhm Y wal is extremely fast at the end, in fact living in south wales i would without hesitation say its the fastest trail in S.wales. dont get me wrong i love all the trails you mentioned but your comments on Y wal are just plain wrong.

foxc_uk

I'm having a hard time believing some of these posts, I love the Blade trail, and it's nothing like a cans, towpath... In fact we've been known to do trips to sth Wales specifically to go there.