Anyone done it?
I'm doing part of it in a couple of weeks.
Day 1: Knighton-Rhayader (31 mi)
Day 2: Up to Llangurig and back to Rhayader (57 miles, 1900m climbing)
Day 3 = day 1 in reverse
Is singlespeed vaguely sensible or bonkers for this? I'm a regular singlespeeder - happy for c.1200m rides at home, found it ideal for the South Downs Way over 3 days including 1 day with the same altitude/distance stats as day 2 above. But they were only SDW climbs, not Wales; short and fairly steep is OK, but not really long sustained climbs if they're genuine low gear gradients for like a 400m altitude gain. Then again, I'm also totally happy with getting off and pushing for a while to stretch the legs, and it's not a race. It's a mixed ability group in which I'm one of a minority who ride regularly.
So I'm erring on the side of keeping the bike singlespeed, as it is currently. Nuts or vaguely OK? What say you?
I’m looking at doing it next week - weather depending. Staying in Rhayader and Llangurig.
No idea about steepness but expect around 1,000m elevation a day.
Why are you not doing all of it?
I've done it a few times over the years carrying luggage(saddle bag, backpack full of clothes/ food/ tools spares)
Normal itenary , Rhayader first night, Llangurig 2nd night then mach on the third.
Wouldn't fancy it on a single speed laden up with kit! Can think of a fair few climbs that will become walks! (Depending on fitness)
Last time I rode I went on my 150mm full suspension with 2.4 and 2.5 tyres and felt massively overbiked, 29 er hardtail would be a much better bet.
Definitely enjoyed having sram gx eagle 1 x 12 (52 x 32 front) made energy conservation a lot easier on some of the steepest climbs, especially with saddlebag and fully laden back back.
Hardest day is day 2, some big climbs.
Day 1 has a few big climbs which are mostly near the beginning and towards the end, think it took around 3.5 to 4 hrs to get to Rhayader from Knighton going at a pretty steady pace ( not pushing hard up the hills)
The ground being dry obviously makes a huge difference aswell as knowing the route, so less stopping to check navigation.
I did it in a day. It's good.
As to singlespeed - I wouldn't singlespeed for anything other than track racing, so I'm going to go with no 😉
I know a guy who does lots of long ITTs and he singlespeeds, and he pushes a lot. Doesn't appeal to me. I did a ride with him on similar terrain in October. He's a much better climber than me generally, and he shot off up the climbs. But when it got too steep, he got off to push, and I reeled him back in again. So I don't think it's a great idea from a speed point of view at least. It's also not great from a sociability point of view if you are the only one, because you won't be able to ride with geared people much of the time.
I did it with Phill and Polly from MTBWales. Same itinerary as @sri16v but with our luggage transported. So your route would be less climbing. Even so I do remember some long old slogs on Days 1 and 2 (and 3 but doesn't look like you're going that way). I haven't SS'd for years, and I was glad of my 1x11 back in 2017.
We did ride it during a famous storm tho. So ground was sodden and winds were gale force on the tops, mostly in your face so not sure any memories of the route I can offer will help!
Fair play for doing it in a day @molgrips.
I wrote a thing: https://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=3962 - WARNING, it's very sweary from the title onwards!
We're doing it like this for ease of starting and finishing at the same place, I believe, although I haven't been involved in organising it and I read there's a minibus return available. Maybe the A-B will appeal as a future trip. I'm quite looking forward to the idea that our big day starts and finishes in the same place so no luggage. That may help sway me to singlespeed. That and that I don't need to do anything to the bike, for which I have minimal available time this/next week.
I wrote a thing: https://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=3962 – WARNING, it’s very sweary from the title onwards!
Uh oh.
OK. If there's any significant weather coming I think I should bite the bullet and fit gears. But if it looks good I probably won't. I note that our circular second day has some slightly tougher numbers than the traditional TCW day 2 of 3.
I've just realised that chain slap damaging my nice paint is a good reason to keep it singlespeed. What a tart.
Went for gears and oh boy am I glad I did. I am not in any way fit enough for a big day of that without. There would've been a lot of walking on day 2, which was also wet. Never had a putoline treatment last less than 2 days before.
We also did it last week over three hot days. The ground conditions were perfect - a little too hot for my liking.
Stayed at Rhayader and Llangurig and did it over three days.
The route was much better than I expected, a bit of everything really with 50km, 70km and 50km days - with between 1,100m and 1,700m elevation days.
I would recommend a geared hardtail/short travel full suspension for the job!
I'm a regular single speeder and regularly do rides with 1000-1500m of ascent around the hilliest part of the SDW...I'd take gears for the Cambrian Way too! I did it on a loaded/bike packing gravel bike and although I'll ride anything on it, it was pretty rough and better suited to an MTB!
Our second day was a loop, about 88km and 2100m climbing. We didn't do the western end of the TCW. I don't think I've ever done 2000m climbing on mtb before and right now my fitness is pretty moderate, but there was quite a lot of tarmac on all three days and the rest was nearly all double track. So there were quite a few fast miles but there were also some long slogs of climbs that for my legs needed to be "sit and spin".
We saw a few folk on gravel bikes. It was maybe half gravel bikes and half mountain bikes we met, albeit a small sample. I'd say we did nothing that technically requires a mountain bike but for the sheer distance on reasonably rough ground, plus carrying a bit of kit, I was glad of the comfort of it.
Wonderful views and just a lovely place to be. And a swim in the river at Rhayader after the first day was a great pleasure, although my bib shorts maybe not so much for the locals.
I'm glad we didn't have three hot days. Our first day was roasting hot and if our second had been like that I'd have really struggled. Our day 2 was wet but only raining intermittently, although forecast had been heavy rain. Day 3 mid teens and overcast. Pretty good conditions all in all.
Bit of thread resurrection rather than starting another...
Hoping to do this soon and just after a bit of advice:
1. Water. Its everywhere in Wales but equally what source do folk use for refilling their bottles (more for route after Rhayader)? Honestly, I'm use to more south-east riding so taps and stores for refilling but that's not option on the tcw unless I'm missing where the taps and stores are!
2. Tyres. More xc focused is better than trail/enduro tyres? Got some rekon race on my 29er which I'm hoping will be just enough but could stick a forekaster or bigger if needed
Water filter. I lik ether Water-To-Go bottles because they claim to filter viruses too and they're bottle cage shaped. Don't be tempted to drink unfiltered water from a stream no matter how sparkling, there's always a dead sheep upstream in Wales.
Tyre choice will make minimal difference unless you're going for a FKT.
Tyres. More xc focused is better than trail/enduro tyres?
I did the trip last year and left my draggy sticky trail tyres on (Specialized purgatory). Another in the group had Mezcals. Both appeared fine (his ebike on the other hand did not like the water crossing!).
