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I've had a search and cant find any other threads about this - have any of you done Afan on a 29er hardtail? I've got a Superfly Elite with 100mm travel.
Previously I've been down there on my 130mm travel felt full susser (which I could take). I'm doing the 24/12 24 solo a month after wales and plan on using some long days in Wales as a good training session, I would rather use the Superfly as thats what I'll use in the race but dont want to cripple myself!
Any thoughts from people with experience of a 29er and full suss at Afan?
Never ridden there, but with 100mm travel on my Inbred, Cannock's Monkey Trail was good fun. Not really the tool of choice if doing that type of trail all the time, but the bike took it in its stride.
I ride Afan all the time on my orange crush, and I've seen a man up there once on a cyclocross bike! So I'm sure you will be fine on your 29er.
I have ridden it a few time on a Scandal 29er with 100mm Rebas. Was great fun but I prefer Afan on a full sus like my old Kona Coiler.
I think you'll have more fun on the 130mm bike and it will be harder climbing up so prepare you for the 24/12.
Both completely doable on a HT. No reason to thing slightly bigger wheels would change that.
MTFU
perfectly do-able with a rigid jones and one gear so you'll have no problems with gears and 100mm of squish
You will die, simple as that.
If you're not riding with at least 143mm of travel front and rear you won't get round. You might just make it half way if you stop 20 times to eat Haribo and pork pies. Though that might not be enough.
Cheers, And thanks to Bez for a post which was both constructive and broadend my knowledge of acronyms 🙂
MTFU
This.
It's a pretty smooth trail centre, you honestly think even 5 laps of Afan will compare to a 24 solo!?
I'm not just relying on a weekend in Afan to get me ready for it!
Just using it as a good four days of eight hour rides in a row, which I would not get to do at home. Was thinking that it'll be good to get more time in on the bike I will be using in the race and that the descents are all good skill building on a HT. I'll take the HT and flog the Felt!
And with the money I will buy some pork pies and Haribo's as advised by Sofatester!
Yep, as above, 100mm hard tail 26" was completly fine. 29" can roll over the moon so you'll be laughing
I'm not just relying on a weekend in Afan to get me ready for it!
I didn't say you were, just wondering what you thought was at Afan/Cwmcarn that you thought you'd need more bike for?
As you don't tell us which tyres you had on the 130mm travel felt full susser when you previously rode there, or which tyres you will be using on the Superfly Elite with 100mm travel, I don't see how anyone could possibly let you know if the bike you own and have ridden in other places will be any good at a place at which you have previously ridden a different bike.
Felt - 2.1 Maxxis Advantage setup as tubeless
Superfly - Nobby Nic 2.35's as Tubeless
As you don't tell us which tyres you had on the 130mm travel felt full susser when you previously rode there
Surely that's fairly irrelevant when the place is rideable on a 'cross bike!?
irony, people, irony
The wheels will definately explode...and your body parts will be scattered in the breeze.
Surely that's fairly irrelevant when the place is rideable on a 'cross bike!?
Rideable is a broad word though. There's riding and then there's [i]riding[/i]
yep, one involves mrs transapp and one a bike.
Oh, I get you. woops 😳
Felt - 2.1 Maxxis Advantage setup as tubeless
Superfly - Nobby Nic 2.35's as Tubeless
Pressures? Rubber compound?
How wide are the bars on the two bikes?
Rode a friend's 140 travel 26" wheeled trail bike round Afan. Others were on full sus trail bikes. Fun. My friend rode his hard tail 29er and he was the fastest of all of us by a long way. He flew past big travel downhill rigs up AND down, but then he's always fast. Take the bike you like riding. There's nothing too tough at Afan. I'll be taking my rigid 29er this spring.
there's riding and there's riding and there's pussying about because you think you need 5mm more travel or different tyres
opt for one of the first two
He flew past big travel downhill rigs up AND down, but then he's always fast.
not a good comparison at all tbh.
big travel downhill bikes at Afan? even on the decents there is no need. you'd be faster on a ht
not a good comparison at all tbh.
big travel downhill bikes at Afan? even on the decents there is no need. you'd be faster on a ht
Fair enough, I just mean that an HT 29er is a good choice and can be the quickest thing to ride at Afan in the hands of a fast rider 🙂
It's only doable and enjoyable on a 69er everyone knows that!
I thought 29ers had been banned from Afan/Cwm Carn due to the risk of sudden explosions causing injury to innocent 26er riders also on the trail.
They're OK to use at some of the more northern Welsh centeres though as they're not bothered about people getting hurt.
I once took a 29er to Afan ......and I'm still here to tell the tale. .....but I won't bore you.
You will be awesome ....
singlecrack - MemberI once took a 29er to Afan
Must have been before the ban.
They're OK to use at some of the more northern Welsh centeres though as they're not bothered about people getting hurt.
that's because there are no Welsh folks in northern wales so they don't care if johnny english gets killed. All you will hear is a low drone of a brummy or the constant high pitched annoying squeaks of badly adjusted disc brakes or scousers as they both sound the same 😀
Cheers everyone,
Miketually - The tyres are a black rubbery sort of compound, the bars on the felt are about shoulder width and the superflys are about elbow width, does that help?