Mountain Biking in Wales

[Zmass]

Hoping to head over to Afan Forest for a couple of days at the end of the month and need to stay one night.

Has anyone got a recommendation for accommodation? Is there an area where a lot of bikers stay and so it's a bit like après Ski in the evening? Failing that just somewhere which is near a decent pub!

Would look at anything really - hostel, b&b or hotel.

Any suggestions most welcome.

Cheers

[julesGB]

Always stayed here Afan Lodge on previous visits. It has everything you've asked for plus secure bike storage, great food and a bar. You can ride directly to the trails from the lodge, too. Rooms are spacious, clean and they're well set-up to cater for mountain bikers.

Have fun!

[S10GTA]

Second the Afan lodge. Stayed there a few years back, it was great.

[duff]

Afan Lodge looks nice but is often booked up and quite expensive. For B&B, Bryn Teg is basic but convenient.
Green Lanterns is short drive from trails but has a bar/restaurant and more importantly always has availability when I call at the last minute after checking the weather!!

[Zmass]

Afan lodge looks good but fully booked. Maybe try that next time. Booked into Green Lanterns which also looks good.

Thanks a lot for suggestions. Will let you know how we get on!

[Zmass]

Just got back from Afan and had two great days' riding. My legs are feeling it today! I also realised my Giant Anthem with 4 inches of travel is only just up to some of the descents there. I might have to consider getting something bigger if going back there more often.

Green Lanterns guest house was great. Very friendly and fantastic steaks in the adjacent restaurant. Highly recommended - thanks duff! Saw Afan Lodge on the way through - also looks well worth trying.

Llandegla next in 3 weeks!

[m_cozzy]

What trails did you ride and how are they? I've heard bad things about diversions and the like, ie whytes final descent is now the climb?
I'm off there for 2 days in September staying at the lodge, was planning w2 day1 and skyline day2, but with reports of skyline being too much fireroad these days was thinking cwmcarn on day2 instead.
How was the afan bike park?

[Jimbo.]

Zmass said:

Just got back from Afan and had two great days' riding. My legs are feeling it today! I also realised my Giant Anthem with 4 inches of travel is only just up to some of the descents there. I might have to consider getting something bigger if going back there more often.

Green Lanterns guest house was great. Very friendly and fantastic steaks in the adjacent restaurant. Highly recommended - thanks duff! Saw Afan Lodge on the way through - also looks well worth trying.

Llandegla next in 3 weeks!

A 4" bike is more than enough!

[joema]

4" would be ok with a trance though? Anthems a bit xc race based.

The new whytes descent is good and the old dh that is a climb is fine. Few diversions but the wall is still there. Could do bike park Wales or brechfa on day 2

[NIIKME]

Booked up for afan next weekend, and for some reason we decided it would be a good idea to stay at a B&B in Bridgend before driving on to Afan with a hangover on Saturday. Can anyone tell me more about Bridgend?

[joema]

High suicide rate?

[TheGreatSoprendo]

It's a medium sized market town, close to the M4 and pretty handy for Afan - just head for Maesteg and keep going North. It'll take about 25 mins by car. The nightlife is pretty lively, perhaps a little too lively for some in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings!

If you're of a slightly more mature persuasion and like decent ale, best to stick to The Oldcastle and The Coach (voted the best pub in Wales - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/20-be... Both are towards the southern end of the town centre. For something more lively, Molloy's irish pub is decent, or you can try The Railway or Cody's at the northern end of town. Cody's is open until about 3 or 4am, or at least it was when I last set foot in there a couple of years back! I take no responsibility for sights you might see or fights you may become embroiled in...

There's a few decent restaurants in the town centre which do good food at reasonable prices. I can recommend these:

http://www.oldcottagebistro.co.uk/
http://www.pocopoco.co.uk/
http://zianinarestaurant.com/
Franco's - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g18...
http://lastradaitalian.co.uk/

Anything else you need to know?

[NIIKME]

Brilliant thanks for info.
Yes, a more mature night out sounds about right, none of that clubbing mullarky, though my only concern is we are sleeping in a weatherspoons! I didn't know they did B&Bs.
I shall report back for the benefit of all..........

[ratbane]

The "top end" of town (Bridgend) is the most savoury. As previously said, The Coach and Oldcastle are good (The Coach is my local). Also Cabo Roch is ok, and the lounge in the recently re-opened Five Bells is good.

The Ashoka is one of the best Indians I've ever been in, and as previously PocoPoco, Francos, Zia Nina, Old Cottage, La Strada are all very good.

If you are over 14 yo, don't venture towards the opposite end of town

[P-Jay]

Jimbo. said:

Zmass said:

Just got back from Afan and had two great days' riding. My legs are feeling it today! I also realised my Giant Anthem with 4 inches of travel is only just up to some of the descents there. I might have to consider getting something bigger if going back there more often.

Green Lanterns guest house was great. Very friendly and fantastic steaks in the adjacent restaurant. Highly recommended - thanks duff! Saw Afan Lodge on the way through - also looks well worth trying.

Llandegla next in 3 weeks!

A 4" bike is more than enough!

Not sure it's "more than enough" 7" freeride monster would be "more than enough" because you'd never get the swine to the top or around the tight bits, although you can ride Afan on pretty much any quality bike, just ride within your own and your bike's ability.

Despite what the marketing people might lead you to believe travel isn't everything when it comes to Afan and centres in general, the only really rocky bits are the old worn-out sections, of which there are very few - the black run on White's being the obvious example - it's fkED right now, some call it "natural" or "proper trail" but I've been riding there for nearly a decade and IMHO it's just worn out and over-due a refresh.

No, grip is what you need for modern trail centres, something like a 2.2 - 2.4 sized tyre is ideal if you plan to take it easy and chat your way to the top and race down (like 99% of Trail Centre Riders), almost all the corners are smooth, bermed and wide so if you get your corning right you can really fly down in nice flowy arches.

[anonymous-user]

The most fun I've ever had at Afan was on a Specialized Epic which had about 100mm travel, there are some sections that would be nice with more travel but if its set up well suspension and you can pick good lines, less is more. Afan is great, I dont get there often enough given Cwmcarn and FoD are a hour closer!...

[Rolls]

pablo said:

The most fun I've ever had at Afan was on a Specialized Epic which had about 100mm travel, there are some sections that would be nice with more travel but if its set up well suspension and you can pick good lines, less is more. Afan is great, I dont get there often enough given Cwmcarn and FoD are a hour closer!...

Agree - my superlight was perfect for wales. 100mm travel front and rear..
More than that and it gets a little boring as you can just ride over stuff!