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Hi
Taking the Girlfriend for her first time riding in Wales this weekend, was planning to do the Dragons back 30 k at Coed Y Brenin. Recent training rides with her in the Chilterns suggest this may be too hard for her. Anyone recommend a 20-30k route in the area that may be easier...more scenic the better. Thanks
there's plenty of choice at coed y brenin other than dragons back?
Climax in machynlleth is worth doing if your passing, but its not long. maybe 15km ish
Couple of laps of MinorTaur instead? Or that and the much shorter but still red Cyflym Coch, so if it does turn out too hard it's not so far to ditch out of it.
Alternatively a lot of people (including me) started out by doing the Marin trail at Gwydyr forest. Bit of an old school suggestion but hey.
drummer. - there are some good routes for beginners on [url= http://ridenorthwales.co.uk/ ]Ride North Wales[/url]. You'll definitely find something that fits the bill. Alll through some fantastic scenery
We camped near Ruthin last summer, and did a few of the 'moderate' routes at a leisurely pace to suit Mrs Binners, who doesn't ride to regularly, and isn't mad keen on trail centres.
If its her first time then maybe a bit of open country, with some nice rideable stuff may be a better option than a trail centre full of GGGNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR Audi driving weekend warriors 😉
That's great guys. thanks for all the info, I think I might go 'open country' with a bit less gnarrrr !
Ride up to Pont Cyfyng then take the bridleway S to Dolwyddelan then back via Sarn Helen
Mostly easy tracks and fantastic views of Moel Siabod
Couple of beginners I know have loved the Marin Trail. Theyre not so fussed about 100% singletrack and quite enjoy the forest roads for a break and a chill out. Lots of places to stop, beautiful scenery and nothing too techy or scary. From memory I think it's about 24km
Sorry guys, but I disagree about the Marin trail - I don't think it's suitable for beginners.
I say this as a girie mtber who has a) ridden the Marin recently (and loved it!), b) who was taken to Cwncarn for her first mtbing trip, and c) is now a mtb coach who spends A LOT of time dealing with terrified girls who were scared sh!tless by their partners taking them to unsuitable places in the first instance.
Huge generalisation, but guys tend to fall back on a mis-spent youth messing around on bikes, so even if they are mtb beginners they have this back-up knowledge. Lots of women don't have this experience....
Please, please take her somewhere within her capabilities and don't try and do too much 🙂
First loop of Penmachno is very do-able, I'd have thought. Certainly not Marin ail. Coed y Brenin offers good intro trails. Wales is a big step up from the Chilterns.
Being from the area I would say Coed y Brenin.
You can start small there and work your way up. The Cyflym Coch is a good trail, takes in all the fast and flowy bits of all the big trails. You could have a mess about on the MinorTaur first to get her skills up and getused to the place and then head on to the Cyflym Coch.
I ride with my other half a lot, she is ok but you have to realise that you wont have the ride your way, black and fast! Do it at her pace.
There are some cracking rides on the North Wales coast above Conwy that are really goot to ride and the views are outstanding. Do you have a GPS? I could knock up a route on memory map and send you the file.
I don't think I'd take a beginner to the Marin. In some ways it's almost perfect- views, interesting things to look at... But I think some of the riding would be too much and quite a lot just wouldn't be very interesting without pace, and the climbs were dull and orrible enough even with my super honed legs. I love it but I'd look elsewhere
I'd consider the length of ride based on the total ascent she's used to more than the distance. Unless you habitually hunt out every ascent and descent locally then 30k in that part of Wales will be much tougher than 30k in the Chilterns!
That Video looks brilliant even watching it with no sound at work !
Thanks for all the tips so far ...thinking about this ride from Binners link ...?
[url= http://ridenorthwales.co.uk/english/routes-detail.asp?rtype=8 ]Viilage Tour[/url]
The video is hilarious - did the rounds a few weeks ago - but I dare any mtbing girlie not to cringe at some bits as they think back to when they learnt to ride 😉
The Marin trail is closed for the day on the 6th for so me event