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Noice!
Is it an EV ?
thats a bit of an upgrade! 😊
If the weather gets really hot (I know.... it's Wales) surely it's going to be like sitting in a greenhouse in the back of that? Also, it doesn't look like it's electric to me. Isn't it going to kill all the little fluffy squirrels with its great big belching diesel engine?
Looks really cool though. Went there last week but they weren't using it.
It takes an age to get everyone loaded up because it takes something like twice as many riders as the usual vans, but mainly because the trailer uses a totally different system for attaching the bikes and most people don't know how to use it, so takes forever.
I guess as it beds in and is used by more people it should improve
It's chuffin awful to be in , it was a sweaty shite box in December and it's way more sweaty and shite last month .
Don’t those big ol windows open?? Terrible design if not!
Nope , there's a single roof vent.
Rumour has it that they came close to rolling it down the hill in Feb/March when they got a bit gung-ho about it's capabilities.
I went in it in April...looks good but felt slower than the usual minibuses & took a while to load. Getting the door open at the top from inside isn't very intuitive either...i failed but then actually, over the day, i didn't see any passengers manage to open it
Yeah fits loads more people so takes a lot longer to get going which is pretty annoying when you've got limited time. Also pretty sweaty inside and gets smelly with the bodies. But the mounting system was tonnes better for the OH's extra large 29" Bird which is just as big as an extra large santa cruz despite some bloke's insistence on not letting us use the other sort of 29er slot.
They needed something a bit more robust than the transits, they seemed to be falling apart as you drove up the hill. They must have spent a fortune on repairing them Wouldn’t want to find I had bought one of them off some forecourt in the valleys😮
How much does a chairlift cost, group buy?
looks good, but everyone I know who's used it says it's like going to hell in a handcart. Takes ages to arrive (it can't turn around where the vans do) ages to load and is painfully slow getting up the hill.
Oh yeah, did anyone say hot yet?
Where's the angry Northerner from here who thought that this was all part of some sort of BPW conspiracy to slow down the uplift system?
JP
AWD 4 ton? Eww. Aren’t they just an ancient Bedford with a plastic cab? Bet it does 8mpg.
Edit: oh it’s a daf. Still bet it does 8mpg.
Asked one of the uplift drivers about it one evening. Apparently it used to be a fire engine
This has been done a couple of times on here.
Holds more people than the transits but is slower and a lot less comfortable.
I want a go! But I think possibly just one go. Even if it's rubbish, it's exactly what I'd want if I was running an uplift.
jjprestidge
Member
Where’s the angry Northerner from here who thought that this was all part of some sort of BPW conspiracy to slow down the uplift system?
Might have been me? There's no conspiracy... It's just blatantly obvious that fast turnaround and uplift isn't anywhere on BPW's list of priorities. It's a purpose built uplift venue where the uplift doesn't start at the bottom, says it all really. And the more they build, the further the trailheads and exits get from the uplift and dropoff.
I'm sure it's purely coincidental that the longer it takes you to get back to the pickup, the more tickets they can sell per van though.
None of this is stopping us going back again, even though it's a bit of a jog from Edinburgh.
uk bike park had much better vehicles back in the day. I don't know if they still use them in their current iteration (was just an old defender last time I went)
Slow and hot. Avoid.
Time runs to get transits
I just hope I don't have to endure it during my trip there in August.
You could probably buy a new transit for the extra it'll cost to run that thing for a year.
To me, it's more a marketing gimmick, than a practical purchase.
It's an old 4 wheel drive Leyland DAF, which given the relatively miniscule number produced, parts are either likely to be obsolete, or very expensive. Most parts are verging on obsolete even for standard Leylands of that era, let alone odd ball spec ones.
I'd guess the H reg plate is probably pretty accurate, as if they'd gone newer than 91/92, then it would never meet the requirements for passenger use (ABS became mandatory for all vehicles carrying more than 16 passengers in 91/92, whereas it only became mandatory for rigid HGVs in 2001/2, so very few HGVs were specced with ABS prior to that, and it would be far too prohibitive to have it retrofitted).
Being 4 wheel drive, it'll have drum brakes all round, so braking performance will be verging on piss poor.
And I'd guess it will probably consume 3 to 4 times the fuel a Transit will (I'd guess at best you'd be looking at mid-teens for MPG).
I've chatted to the lifties at BPW and Antur Stiniog about the transits as run a Transit myself and apparently they aren't bad reliability/breakages wise considering what they go through. That green mobile coffin looks grim though.
I feel the need to correct a couple of assumptions here.
It’s an old 4 wheel drive Leyland DAF, which given the relatively miniscule number produced, parts are either likely to be obsolete, or very expensive. Most parts are verging on obsolete even for standard Leylands of that era, let alone odd ball spec ones.
There's still enough of them lying in military disposal yards that you can get any parts you need. Not cheap relative to car parts, but for lorry parts they're entirely reasonable.
The big advantage is that they won't need many parts. These things are built to be abused by squaddies with 4 tonnes on the back, trundling up and down a fire road with a couple of bikes in the back won't hurt them. One of those will last longer than many, many transits doing this kind of work.
Being 4 wheel drive, it’ll have drum brakes all round, so braking performance will be verging on piss poor.
Say what now? Air over oil drums, like the vast majority of lorries. Weak they are not, they'll have you through the windscreen if you're not belted up.
And I’d guess it will probably consume 3 to 4 times the fuel a Transit will (I’d guess at best you’d be looking at mid-teens for MPG).
Fair enough, they do like a drink. 16-17 mpg on the road, so probably half that grinding up and down a fire road.
Daft question - is it possible to ride up? That looks like no fun at all to me.
It isn't fun to be in, much rather be in the transits. Lucked out only the once out of 9 lifts on our last visit where that was our ride when we got to the front of the queue, 14 year old laddo was well up for it till he'd tried it. Best seats are still the two up front next to the driver in one of the transits.
Say what now? Air over oil drums, like the vast majority of lorries. Weak they are not, they’ll have you through the windscreen if you’re not belted up.
The vast majority of lorries have not had drums fitted for a long time. That Leyland would probably be some of the last generation to even have drums on the rear, as the LF that essentially replaced that series had discs all round to meet the then required braking performance around 2000.
Part of my apprenticeship was spent learning how to adjust brake shoes to get lorries to pass brake performance tests, and even the modern 7.5 tonne 4wd things we still deal with that have drums are piss poor compared to the equivalent 2wd versions with discs.
Daft question – is it possible to ride up? That looks like no fun at all to me.
It's a couple of years since I went to BPW. Didn't use the uplift and we were generally faster that the vans (taking into account waiting/loading times). Also means you get to the top out of sync with the masses of people falling out of the vans.
We didn't die either.
You can ride up, its not too bad a ride. Follows a trail of singletrack and takes about 20 mins. 30 if your not too fit. I normally ride up the first time to wake me up and warm up my legs. But Id have to be way fitter to do it all day and still properly ride the DH trails in a fit state.
It’s a couple of years since I went to BPW. Didn’t use the uplift and we were generally faster that the vans (taking into account waiting/loading times)
Say what? With all respect there are some fast folk out there but I can't see how you beat the uplift bus. The first climb for a quickie must be 15/20 mins and an average rider 25/30mins?
Unless uber fit reckon after the 3rd run most would be struggling.
masses of people falling out of the vans
And that's a problem? Once everyone disperses at the trailheads, you hardly see any other riders.
Hard to see how you'd know you were faster than the vans too - you'd have to see who was getting on and wait for them at the top!
Not comfy, very hot and sweaty in winter and takes ages whilst holding up the mini buses! I was relieved it wasn't running few weeks ago when I went, although last few times Ive been its broken down during the day causing longer queues...
Daft question – is it possible to ride up? That looks like no fun at all to me.
I probably pedal more than I use the uplift, but I only live 30 mins away so I don't need to make a day of it.
The official climb is okay if you like climbs, the fire road that runs next to it makes it easier / quicker.
Once you get the lay of the land you can make the whole thing more efficient.
TBH despite living down the road in Cardiff, I go maybe once a year, it's not my favourite place to ride.
Looks bloody horrendous.
Im sure they have a good reason for running something that's slower and less pleasant that the transits, can't imagine what that is though.......
Im sure they have a good reason for running something that’s slower and less pleasant that the transits, can’t imagine what that is though…….
Please expand on that comment. I'd love to know of the reasons?
Its fine. Less legroom than a ryan air flight though. Inner tubes to hold the bikes on is far more efficient than strap faffage. As for riding up? No thanks.
dickyhepburn
Subscriber
Slow and hot. Avoid.
Time runs to get transits
Worst Haiku ever, not even a third line?
Sweltering lift up
A DAF, muddy bodies drives
in spite of the cafe.
Was on it in April and I thought it was OK TBH. Will be there again on Sunday, and don't care if I'm on it or not. Far rather be in there than having to ride up.
I was there last Friday, did 10 runs...9 were uplifted in a Transit and once in the beast. Sat in the corner under one of the fans and it was fine. Didn't seem much slower than the Transit but then it wasn't completely full.
Maybe I'm just not that fussy
I was in it on Saturday, when the sun shone it was awful in there. Stank and was very hot.
I’d have thought the bmcc approach was more economical and less problematic. Fast tractors with a customised long trailer that includes seating. Covered for some weather protection but open ish so no heat or smell problems.
+1. Seems to be good design (never personally)
Covered for some weather protection but open ish so no heat or smell problems.
remember the last BPW thread? people complaining that there wasn't enough shelter for their delicate temperament.
Ahhh the good old days.... before it was BPW I remember being driven to the top of Gethin in an old bus, the driver managed to clip a rock swinging it round at the top and bashed in one of the side panels...
And then there was the joy of being sat shivering on hay bales Riders and bikes all piled together in the back of a tipper truck... </wistful memories>
Considering the turnover of BPW (do they get subsidies too?) I'd have thought they could do better than that environmental catastrophe on wheels. looks like capacity per truck has been judged preferable to frequency, reliability, serviceability and emissions...
TBH I think uplifting should be as much of an "Agricultural" an experience as possible, after all we're meant to be playing at rufty-tufty outdoor gnarrlyness a bit more exposure to the elements on the way up might help toughen a few people up... 😉
Daft question – is it possible to ride up? That looks like no fun at all to me.
Imagine that? riding a mountain bicycle up a hill? It'll never catch on... It's extremely possible and in some ways more appealing now, considering how pricey and over subscribed the fun-busses there are.
personally I'd rather do a day of "pedal and plummet" at BPW than queue to ride up in that sweaty behemoth. But that's just me...
I've never been to BMCC when it's been bad weather but I don't think it'd be the same lovely experience as it is in the sun, sitting in the back covered in dust making tractor noises and imagining you're in that episode of Postman Pat.
Why do these threads always attract the nutter/angry contingent?
A few points:
The new vehicle didn’t seem particularly slower overall than the Transits when I was last there.
Riding up is a fairly boring and miserable experience unless you’re a Lycra type and/or STW pootler on the descents. It’s not a loop, so unless you like riding up the same bit of track 7 times in a day I fail to see why you wouldn’t get an uplift.
If there were some sort of conspiracy to slow the whole system down I doubt BPW would have spent considerable effort and time widening the access road recently.
JP
As I'm a fully paid up member of the transit crew, a driving god and someone who's dad was an ex rally driver I would love (Just a 1/2 day mind) to drive those transits up the hill. All those folk who polish and fettle their bike after every ride would be begging for the slow truck after a few rides up with wrighty.
Kenneththecurtain doesn't just work on them.....he actually drives one of those dafs through choice - and maintains it him self.
How ever his other vehicle is an ex military ambulance that is more rust and silicone than metal.
There now. One run in the biggun. Hell.
Like something out of Tenko.
Not been to BPW but, the from reading the above maybe there is a missed oppertunity.
Put air conditioning inside the transport area and a real time video feed of the trails - or if that is too dodgy/illegal/expensive, at least a looping video of some go-pro footage or similar.
Blimey there are some delicate little snowflakes out there.
How hot and sweaty would you get actually riding up the hill? (heaven forbid)
Nowt wrong with the truck itself - I might even have assembled a bit of it during my apprenticeship. Leyland DAF T244 - about 4500 built for the MOD plus others for electricity boards etc (civilian ones still went out with the roof hatch, gun mounts and camo hooks - just not painted green). Brakes were full air drums (not air over hydraulic).
They remained in service for a long time with spares support so probably one of the more practical ex-military propositions. You can still buy pallets of stuff and rebuild kits from MOD auctions (I've certainly seen NOS cabs and axles which would probably be the more model specific bits). A number of parts were shared with the 45 series which are still easy enough to find. Almost nothing common with the LF.
There is something different about closed space hot. You can stop if you're not riding but you can't easily take of clothing when jamed in a truck.
Riding up is a fairly boring and miserable experience unless you’re a Lycra type and/or STW pootler on the descents. It’s not a loop, so unless you like riding up the same bit of track 7 times in a day I fail to see why you wouldn’t get an uplift.
TBF Sitting in a van is fairly boring and miserable too, but I don't think anyone pedals up at BPW because it's some sort of life defining experience, it's simply that it's not that hard and it's ~£30 cheaper so after a couple of pedal up visits you're almost feeling flush enough to buy food at their cafe. You certainly Don't have to be a "Lycra type"...
Of course the smart way to do it is pay your tenner, winch to the top, do a blue or red to the fire road, repeat a couple of times, then a full run down for a snack. After elevenses pedal back up, do a couple more halfway runs, then maybe two or three full top to bottom runs (obviously with the need to pedal back up each time) till your spent. Maybe if you still have the energy and there's a space, pay for a single lift up to finish off the day?
Honestly the uplift isn't essential to enjoying a day at BPW, its nice to be able to get more runs in and save the energy that winching uses up, but the "Grunt:Reward Ratio" if you pedal up is actually pretty good.
TBH it depends what you want from your day. If BPW is local then pedalling up makes total sense. If it's a rare visit then you want to get the max out of the day and for most people that means uplift. Nothing wrong with either.
almost feeling flush enough to buy food at their cafe
Dont find the cafe that expensive compared to getting a burger or hot meal anywhere else!