Welsh Ride Thing 2012

[Ian]

whether a track actually exists / is rideable / is now a road / is now a meteorite crator the size of Salisbury

I would rate the probability of each of those as follows:
50% | 50% | 0% | 0%

[99percentchimp]

I rode a couple of tracks/BOATs on M'n'B that suggests some decent pre-event research might be needed to keep team morale high... they looked fine on a map but on the ground....... some of the brideways were ace though!

[barney]

Aha glad you mentioned memory map as I just discovered I have the maps for that area in 1:50k

As a first stab (ignoring the rogue GR in the numberings)

4, 1, 18, 16, 15, 14, 13, 17, 6, 5, 7, 10

Comments welcome as I have never been there!

How fanatical does one have to be about not riding on footpaths? I live in Scotland and we don't have this concept

ha, restless thats the same route as ours (and I dare say a few others). when you bump into 3 numpty's scratching their heads say hello. :D

[restlessshawn]

cool, I'll be solo on a black inbred (coz my friends are all useless), do say hello coz I might be going mad after a while solo :)

just finished mapping it at 72.4 miles (116km)

griffdowg, this is kina my plan for 5,7,10

[trickyname]

Just finished my route, although it all depends on the weather...
All the GR's, 230km with 7800m climbing!
I know i can manage the mileage, but i dont know whether I can handle the climbing, especially with gear on the bike as well.
Just kinda joined the dots, but of course if it all goes tits up I can always miss out a loop.
And yes that is using the odd footpath, but more than likely I will be pushing up those anyway, so I'm not so worried about the red sock brigade.
Better get some training in!
:D

[griffdowg]

cool, I'll be solo on a black inbred (coz my friends are all useless), do say hello coz I might be going mad after a while solo :)

just finished mapping it at 72.4 miles (116km)

griffdowg, this is kina my plan for 5,7,10

There isn't a route shown on either OS map but Google Earth does show a distinct fire track :D good work.

I looked at the cut back early on and if you take on a 250m section of firebreak you can cut 3-4Km off this section (if required).

I may be joining you on this leg also then.

G

[restlessshawn]

Seems rude not to do 7 really

I might bivi near that wee loch Sunday night depending how the day has gone

[griffdowg]

I might bivi near that wee loch Sunday night depending how the day has gone

Its a Llyn! not a Loch the midges might get you there.

[Nick]

We rode some of that forest road last year, it's a good fast track. We spent the night near the Llyn, it was very damp (rained all night) but not too bad for midges. You can't actually get to the shore (we couldn't see a way).

[Bearbonesnorm]

You can't actually get to the shore (we couldn't see a way).

There's a path directly from the north of the llyn ... after about 50 yards there's a small flat spot under a tree, just big enough for a couple of bodies

[griffdowg]

http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/b ... _calc.html

Thought I would post this to help out those not use to planning routes. I have just been tweaking numbers in the distance calculator to see whats achievable in longer daylight hours for the WRT.

Most of you will have your own ways etc. but thought it may be useful to some.

G

[restlessshawn]

What tyres are people running for this? Not knowing the area at all I am not sure, though most of my route should be on forest type tracks by the looks of it.

Usually run 2.4 ardent front and 2.25 crossmark rear on the Inbred but thinking this might be hard work on the road links and . Have various Maxxis tyres laying about! Could go 2.25 crossmark front a 2.1 crossmark rear

[chris n]

Tweaked my route after changing my mind about which bike I'll be bringing:

WRT3 by cnarborough, on Flickr

Slightly shorter than before, with a more roundabout route to Lake Vyrnwy so I'm not there too early. I'm also going to miss out on the Berwyn ridge - too high, too hard.

What tyres are people running for this?

35mm Small Block 8s 8-)

[Taylor]

Crossmark Rear and Ardent Front

[pedalhead]

Yep that's a great combo, though I use a LUST Crossmark as I've sliced loads of the normal ones. It's heavy as hell but fit-and-forget. Doesn't even need sealant (although I still use some).

[didnothingfatal]

My route is crap! Starting again haven't really focused on it,spent to long focussing on Scotland trip :?

[Taylor]

Just ride it man.
I made my route on day one and have only adjusted it by ~400 metres since.
First route is generally the best.
Unless your looking for more exposed hills on 45 degree angles?

[didnothingfatal]

I'm thinking that, never been on the Plynlimon plateau

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm thinking that, never been on the Plynlimon plateau

If you end up there this year then you're very, very lost

[didnothingfatal]

I looked at the grid refs and thought the grid refs looked uninspired

[Bearbonesnorm]

I looked at the grid refs and thought the grid refs looked uninspired

That's the luck of the draw ... sometimes the darts fall somewhere interesting and sometimes they don't

[didnothingfatal]

I have a route, features most of the grid refs you sent out, just lacking inspiration currently, just enjoying riding the new bike too much :)

[Ian]

It's not so much the location of the grid ref's as the route you pick between them.
I'm looking forward to some great riding in a couple of weeks for sure :)

[restlessshawn]

Crossmark Rear and Ardent Front

What sizes? coz they are very different beasts (I have all of them)


I need to double check my route to make sure I haven't included any of they perilous places people mention!

[griffdowg]

Tweaked my route after changing my mind about which bike I'll be bringing:

What tyres are people running for this?

35mm Small Block 8s 8-)

what bike you taking Chris?

im running 40mm Smart Sams on my Salsa 8-)

G