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It’s been a while (like 5+ years) since I’ve ridden Penhydd, is it rideable on a CX bike with 33mm tyres?
This isn’t a willy waving exercise, I know it’d be quicker/faster/more enjoyable on a mountain bike but the wife and I are in Wales on holidays and with a 4 month old in tow we were only able to bring one bike each from NZ, a Bronson and the crosser. We’re similar heights so we can swap bikes. All the paraphernalia that comes with a mini human like a car seat, pram, travel cot means it’s already a logistical nightmare!
Until now we’ve taken it in turns to ride, but my Mum has offered to babysit. I’ve managed a solo lap around Cwm Carn and Whites Level on the MTB which is a lot rockier than I remember hence checking Penhydd isn’t the same?
FWIW we’ve got around Brechfa Gorlech (red) on the CX this week and up and down the gap with minimum dramas.
Friendly? No.
Could you get through? Of course.
Would you have a better ride elsewhere in the area? Definitely!
You could ride it, but you may not enjoy some of it. The shorter Blue trail starting from the same place may be more fun on a CX bike.
A lot of isn't as rocky as Whites. Compacted trails, smoother but bumpy.
I wouldn’t fancy Penhydd on a hardtail, let alone a CX bike. There’s one section towards the end where it has a lid of rocky drops into rock garden type bits. It wasn’t too bad on my 170/160mm bike, but my mate on his 140/134 Kona didn’t enjoy that bit too much. The rest of the trail wasn’t too bad, but still quite bumpy. You’d get round it with care, but I can’t imagine it being enjoyable.
Ive only been been to Afan twice so have only done a couple of trails, but there must be a better on han Penhydd for a CX bike I’d imagine.
Can't you hire half decent mtbs from the glyncorrwg bike shop? Last time i rode it it was very loose and rocky with no soil betwen the cobbles. I'd not like to do it on a cx bike, would rather either spend the money on hiring or ride a natural loop that would be more cx conducive. it bein so dry probabl a lot of natural options. plus by me the braken is dying down already (beacuse of the heatwave/drought?)
Thanks all, will let you know if I give it a go although a hire bike sounds like a good option, chur!
Penhydd is meant to be the easiest red at Afan, I've never had the pleasure of riding a CX bike, but I've seen them in all sorts of places.
The 'problem' with Penhydd is that the middle section (used to be called Hidden Valley when it had trees, but now it's something else) doesn't seem to be able to hold soil at all so it's all just rock, but not rock that's fun to ride, more like riding over corrugated iron, only more unpleasant if anything.
The last section has some small drops and loose stuff, but it's fine for even a Muggle like me. SaxonRider who's also cautious rider like seemed to enjoy it on his rigid plus bike.
The ‘problem’ with Penhydd is that the middle section (used to be called Hidden Valley when it had trees, but now it’s something else) doesn’t seem to be able to hold soil at all so it’s all just rock, but not rock that’s fun to ride, more like riding over corrugated iron, only more unpleasant if anything.
Yeah that was the bit i was thinking of.
I've done it on a rigid 29er, it was unpleasant, but then I was trying to go fast.
Can’t you hire half decent mtbs from the glyncorrwg bike shop?
This would be my plan 👍
The only bits of Penhydd that I remember being any good, would be properly rubbish on a cx bike. The rest might become better or might not. Blue Scar could be good though. Actually, can't remember anything specific about the wall but it'd be better than Penhydd I reckon.
I don’t fancy the Y Wall descent on a CX bike. Maybe CX friendlyness is inversely proportionatal to MTB funess and the wall is cracking.
I reckon you'd spend all your time fixing pinch flats.
When the trees were there I think it would have been fine, if a bit bumpy.
But now, it's pretty nasty even on a hardtail. It's fine on a FS. And I'm perfectly happy to ride the rest of Afan on a hardtail (apart from the new black section but that's more about the rider).
I think actually the other trails would be a lot nicer on a CX bike.
I don't think it would be conducive to a fun cycle ride. I 'd hire one.
Btw I love the sidewinder(?) bit on Penhydd.
Btw I love the sidewinder(?) bit on Penhydd.
I like that too, I don't know why really, it's nowhere near steep enough for a down hill section and some of the tight turn murder what little momentum you get, but I still love it.
Maybe because it's one of the very, very few official bits of trail left in South Wales with trees.
I don’t fancy the Y Wall descent on a CX bike. Maybe CX friendlyness is inversely proportionatal to MTB funess and the wall is cracking.
I’ve ridden the Wall on cx bikes both before the trail centre was there and after. (The ‘Wall’ is actually the bridleway which runs from the skills area down to the valley floor.) Neither could be described as fun. Not difficult though.
I haven’t done Penhydd on the cx, but I was there on my 150mm trail bike a few months ago and still felt beaten up. It’s very rough and I’m not sure why.
Bluescar on a cx? I reckon that my brakes would explode.
If you're going to ride something on a cx over that side I'd say choose Blue Scar over Penhydd. Blue Scar is more graded material, whereas Penhydd is more natural, therefore rockier. Saying that the climb up won't be that much fun as it's also fairly stoney in places.