[Closed] So, Blade....

exactly the same as how we felt, we wont be rushing back but have been to Cafell twice now and much preferred that to Blade.

Oh. I'm there this weekend and was really looking forward to riding it. Sounds like the kind of trail I hate. 🙁

Did you do the section between helter skelter and the final descent? There's a pretty good fast and swoopy section through trees followed by an old school section along the edge of a ridge although these are punctuated by yet more climbing. That said, there is a lot of winch for meagre amounts of plummet on this trail. Nice to have more options at afan though.

Scott, do W2 instead. Much more bang for your climb! Now that's how you make a great trail centre trail.

Chop, did the whole route. Yes, there were some nice sections but overall, just, well, meh.

Not ridden the trail, but I quite like the other stuff.

Going there tomorrow, planned on doing Blade with the Skyline extra. Makes me think I should just do my usual W2 now 😕

CFH, just read your post after my irrelevant little UK hip hop retrospective.

In a perverse way, I quite want to ride sections such as "The Twister!" if it's just a dull false flat climb! Call me weird...

Oh. I see. We were planning this soon too!

Ned, The Twister wasn't awful it was just that it was yet more up on a trail that seems to do nothing but up. Just didn't feel as balanced as other trail centre trails. Hell, not even as balanced as my local loop, which is basically half up and then half down. Blade felt like almost all up for very little down.

Is it downlift only trail? Do you have to book?

😆

I did also find myself thinking that it may be the first dropper post specific trail. Every time you think about dropping your post, it goes back up again! Cue swearing, mashing of gears and raising of post!

Are the climbs at least interesting singletrack?

I wasn't a fan either. I hate ST climbs though, I actually prefer fireroad slogs.

Yeah I like W2 but fancied something different. One of the things I have always loved about afan is that it is not "dropper specific" - you know what is a climb and what is a descent. I even enjoy the climbs on whites level.

How is penhyd nowadays? Worth it?

The original climb from Glyncorrwg to Windy Point remains one of the best singletrack climbs in Wales. The rest were either OK, Heartburn for example, or dull, such as Breath Taker and the final climbing bit before the last DH.

Compared to W2? Not good enough, imho. OK, so Y Wal has fireroad climbing but again, it's a more balanced trail.

Ned - I remember when blade used to flog his records in the street outside Camden market. He was one of the nicest guys in hip hop. I still have a couple of the white label singles I bought off him.

so true about dropper specific trail, by time we got to final descent we couldn't of cared less because of how many false starts there had been!

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(Sorry - couldn't resist.)

CF - you're spot on about the climb up to windy point.

Don't think I'm going to bother with blade now. This has made me sad.

PJ, amazed that it took so long!

Scott, sorry if I made you sad! Others may love it, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. W2 remains the pick for me at Afan. Haven't tried the revised Penhydd or any of the other new stuff at the older centre yet.

Well, I thought it was okay when I rode most of it (diversions in place) a couple of weeks ago. I did think it was designed for a full suss rather than a xc hardtail. I rode W2 first then blade. There is no reason you can't do both....the climb only takes 30-45mins to get to the top.

Blade was/is just a cheap fob off paid for by the co putting in the windfarm - looks like they have done the cheapest job possible.

Slightly off topic, but if you're in the Afan area the Margam Park xc world cup trails are definatly worth a look too and just off the M4 too 😉
Oh and Cafell is definatly better than Blade 😯

I've been riding there for years, before it became a 'trail' destination.
I rode the blade last sat & thought it was bloody good, how about a bit of positivity gang.
There was only one 5 min fire road climb & the rest was all singletrack.
For a great convenient 2 hr ride & all it costs is £3 parking, I came away thinking that's bloody good.
Had my fix & loved it!

last weekend I did all the trails at afan(bar skyline but heard that was closed), my favorite is w2, but blade comes very close, but then again I do like climby traily bits. I do think the blade descents could be better, but then again you are comparing them to the graveyard and zig zag on y wal, which would be hard to beat!!!

Rode it with a few mates a month or so back and in general have to agree with cap'n flash. We lost track of the times we joked about when we were going to get a break from the relentless climbing and actually get to enjoy some downhill. There was one good section after windy point, you crossed a wasteland of tree stumps and then back into the woods, it was a good technical section with a steep rock-lined gulley towards the end. I would also agree that the final descent is very good, it's very different to the other trails and a bit more challenging. That said we're going back in a few weeks time but won't be returning to blade.

I rode the blade yesterday in the rain and the wind and I have to say I thought it was a good trail. For context, I really don't like the new Penhydd (except for the old bits like Sidewinder and Dead Sheep Gulley) and didn't enjoy Cafell much.

First descent (beacon view?) I was worried we had another roller-y, BMX type trail. Into those woods tho, it was slimy and fun. Yeah it's a long climb back and then goes on a bit to get to the last descent but 'the rock' I thought was great and we finished on the revised 'jet lag' which had my legs completely screaming.

I quite liked the ups an downs on the same sections - really rewarded some strong pedalling. It's a tough trail tho especially in those conditions - already some of it is very cut up in some sections.

The Wall is still my favourite, but loved riding Whytes again. Not done that for years. Strange without the trees but still brilliant and it does feel you get more downs for your climbing. Even enjoyed climbing Whyte's twice on 1x10. Agree that's one of my fav trail centre climbs (but like elevator as well on the wall).

So I'm a definite Yes and look forward to riding it again when it's not blowing stinging rain at about 40 MPH! Maybe I'll try that new one at Cwmcarn again some time, but that really didn't do it for me at all.

Obligatory bike lying down in between rain showers pic

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Did Blade last weekend. Really like it. Don't really see what all the negativity is about to be honest. It's a trail - it has climbs, it has wiggly bits, it has fast bits, it has rocky bits. It has some great views. It's not necessarily going to be anyone's perfect trail but what trail is? Just get out and enjoy what's there rather than moaning about why it isn't exactly how you might want it to be.

Went to Afan for a couple of days earlier this month. I liked Blade and the new Penhydd. Afan isn't designed to be a DH Trail Centre so visitors should expect a variety of climbing as well as descending. Blade has a good level of challenge with the excellent techy climb, some linking singletrack sections which need good fitness and technique to maintain flow, and the the final descent which requires nerve and technique to tackle the drops and switchbacks (it's as difficult as the Black Run on Whites Level in my opinion).

I always liked Penhydd and it was an absolute pleasure to ride Sidewinder and Dead Sheep Gulley again. The new sections show promise and should be good once time has bedded them in and given them more character.

I'd agree that W2 still gives the best all round experience at Afan, but the new trails also add the greater variety the valley very much needed. I hope to be back soon.

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is now

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Not done it yet but several people I know who have, said pretty much the same things. Except one, who lives for climbs.

I did the Raven trail at Brechfa last weekend, and felt much the same about that. Don't get me wrong, the descents and features are very good, but 80% of the time is spent climbing, and dull tedious climbing at that. Not to mention there was a section flying *down* a fireroad losing loads of height! Waste when there's space beside to have put a nice trail. I loved the switchback descents. Some nice flow singletrack though over too quick and back into climb. Really liked the ending. I'd struggle to go back though given the tedious climbs. It doesn't pay off with the descents in my opinion. And I should add I don't hate climbs, just I hate the majority of the ride being tedious and pointless.

Back at Afan though, Penhydd... love that. Yes climbing, but it pays off, and I've finally got to do it after it closed so many years ago the first time I went there. Combines well on the same day with the Wall.