MTB Snowdon

[TACottle]

Supposed to be going to Snowdon with some mates in a few weeks time.

Unfortunately, my bike was stolen a couple of weeks back - and the bike I've ordered won't be in stock until after the Snowdon trip

So, can anyone recommend any decent MTB hire places near Snowdon? Also any decent routes!

Cheers,

Tom.

[2ky]

Depends where your staying really.

Framed cycle co. in Llanberis might rent out bikes, if not they'll be able to advise you:

http://www.theframedbicycleco.com/

If your staying near Betws Y Coed you might find a couple of places if you google it, you've got the Marin Trail and Penmachno in that area so there should be quite a few places.

[wobert]

Betws Beics in B-y-C does bike hire IIRC.

[TACottle]

Yeah near BYC.

Would be renting for just a day and want something reasonably decent!

[Mr Gearchange]

One of the trail centres will be able to rent you one i would have thought - coed-y-brenin is probably the closest. I was there last week and did Snowdon on Tuesday

Just make sure you have the rules - from April - October you are limited to the amount of time you can spend on the mountain if biking. IIRC (but worth checking) you have to start your descent no later than 8:00am - or no earlier than an hour before sunset.

We did the Llanberis path this time - which is the longest continuous descent in the UK and is properly quick and huge fun - but you need to be coming down early or late (esp at the weekends) otherwise the multitude of walkers ruin the ride down.

Oh and it's still covered in snow and properly fking freezing at the top. Minus 7 with the wind chill when i was up there - didn't want to hang around on the top.

[TACottle]

Cool cheers man - I didn't even realise Coed Y Brenin was that close. Only 45 mins away from Betws Y Coed.

I've heard good things about it!

Mates I'm going with probs aren't as keen or experienced MTBers as I am. How does CYB fare for noobs?

I dragged them to Cannock which they all said they thoroughly enjoyed and completed all without any real issue. I found Cannock a bit XC and boring for my tastes.

[Mr Gearchange]

Cannock is pretty boring - little 'flow' and a lack of elevation makes things dull. Brenin is much better

[Kermit power]

TACottle said:

Cool cheers man - I didn't even realise Coed Y Brenin was that close. Only 45 mins away from Betws Y Coed.

I've heard good things about it!

Mates I'm going with probs aren't as keen or experienced MTBers as I am. How does CYB fare for noobs?

I was there last Friday with my kids, aged 13, 10 & 8. We rode the Blue Minotaur trail and the little red fox trail - not sure what it's actually called, as it's something Welsh!

There was plenty of fun to be had, but nothing really overly challenging for a newbie, and it is a lovely setting.

The red is a reasonable step up from the blue, but if they get discouraged by the uphill rock garden at the start, you can reassure your mates that that really is the hardest bit of the trail. It's a bugger trying to get restarted going uphill on a rock garden when one of your kids stopped in front of you!

If it's the same as it was when we were there, btw, there comes a point on the red when you turn left out of a section of singletrack, climb up a fire trail, and get confronted with signs that don't include the little red fox, plus another sign pointing to a diversion on another trail because of tree felling. Just ride past the little lump of bushes in front of you (the path splits and rejoins round it), and you'll see the next sign for the little red fox.

I didn't really look at the hire bikes, as we had ours with us, but the website has Trek X Caliber hardtails at £25 for the day (but then you're stuck with a 29er! ), Trek Fuel EX7 full sussers for £45, or Santa Cruz Tallboys or 5010s for £75, so plenty to choose from.

[Craikeybaby]

I've hired a bie from Beics Brenin before.

I enjoyed CYB, I did the shorter red route and thought it was a bit harder than Cannock, but that was after my mate OTBd and broke his jaw on the Blue Minotaur trail.

[Mr Gearchange]

Just reaquanited myself with the rule.
No bike allowed on the mountain between 10am-5pm from 1st May to 30th September.

To be perfectly frank coming down when the paths are festooned with walkers is st - you have stuggled up the mountain with your bike for 2-3 hours all for the reward of an incredible teeth rattling, white knuckle descent - which is then ruined as you have to creep down around all the tourists and it wasn't worth the effort of getting to the top.

Start very early and you will have a great ride down.