BikePark Wales

[Tony]

Going to BPW next Monday 20th, and taking my emtb for the first time. Anyone else going?

 

[LukeSi]

It's on my list of places to go. It looks absolutely amazing!

 

[cozzy]

Went last week. Quite a few trails shut. The ride up was pretty grim despite having the ebike. My knees were shot by early afternoon before my 2nd battery had expired.
TBH I wont bother going again till the uplift is in place, but it made a nice change to get back to wales.

 

[Andy__C]

Heading there on Friday.

Does anyone know if you are able to give your bike a top-up charge if taking a break over lunch..... are there any free power sockets to do so?

 

[apac]

Heading there on Friday.

Does anyone know if you are able to give your bike a top-up charge if taking a break over lunch..... are there any free power sockets to do so?

I was told whilst there yesterday that there are chargers. I didn’t see them myself, it just was a passing comment from another biker. Give them a ring and ask.

it was nice n quiet due to no uplift buses, but I agree with @cozzy it does become tiresome getting up the hill.

it was my first visit (shamefully I only live a 25 minute drive away), and I was there from 9am to about 1pm. I only have one 500wh pack, which was quite low before I left. I had two offs, the second one was quite a hard slam on my head and upper body. In a bit of pain today. If I stop hurting I could well Be there for next Monday as long as it’s not pissing down.

I can’t believe that Popty Ping is only a blue trail! lol. I did mainly flow trails, I think I will be looking at doing some tech trails next time.

 

[MrSimmo]

I went on Saturday, was only about a quarter busy compared to normal. A few points I found:

- Uplifts are shut (they apparently reopen on the 25th July).

- Dont take the beast of burden climb - it uses too much battery, climb up the left hand gravel track/fireroad - take the signs "To the climb" and then branch off and follow the gravel travel which brings you up to the start of Popty Ping & Terrys Belly. You can keep going straight ahead to follow it round to the other part of the hill where Vicious Valley etc start.

- Cafe is only partially open (fully opens 25th July apparently), cold bagettes, coffee, tea, beer.

- Pretty much all the blacks are shut, as were Root Manuva & Watts Occurring (Reds).

- There are power sockets around the back of the cafe building, you need permission from the workshop to use them. There's only 4 I think so be prepared not to be able to use one just in case.

- Gravel climb took me on average 20 minutes, uplifts are 20-25 minutes so same length of time for me.

- A lot of emtber's on Saturday had range anxiety. My mates 500wh Levo ran out on the last climb, my 700wh had 39% left and I was in trail mode all day. Different weights/riding styles etc but hopefully gives you an idea of range. Both did 6 climbs and 6 full descents.

 

[Tony]

I went on Saturday, was only about a quarter busy compared to normal. A few points I found:

- Uplifts are shut (they apparently reopen on the 25th July).

- Dont take the beast of burden climb - it uses too much battery, climb up the left hand gravel track/fireroad - take the signs "To the climb" and then branch off and follow the gravel travel which brings you up to the start of Popty Ping & Terrys Belly. You can keep going straight ahead to follow it round to the other part of the hill where Vicious Valley etc start.

- Cafe is only partially open (fully opens 25th July apparently), cold bagettes, coffee, tea, beer.

- Pretty much all the blacks are shut, as were Root Manuva & Watts Occurring (Reds).

- There are power sockets around the back of the cafe building, you need permission from the workshop to use them. There's only 4 I think so be prepared not to be able to use one just in case.

- Gravel climb took me on average 20 minutes, uplifts are 20-25 minutes so same length of time for me.

- A lot of emtber's on Saturday had range anxiety. My mates 500wh Levo ran out on the last climb, my 700wh had 39% left and I was in trail mode all day. Different weights/riding styles etc but hopefully gives you an idea of range. Both did 6 climbs and 6 full descents.

Thanks for that heads up, very useful info

 

[Andy__C]

Much appreciated for that write up, super helpful.

Hoping to get 7 laps out of my 700w battery then - but will certainly take the extension lead and charger with the aim of a top up over a coffee and sandwiches.

I'd heard that the Beast if Burden is not the most efficient climb... I've done that a couple of times on the old bike and it's a long track- that last route across the top on the rockier/sandier trail completes the drain. Will definitely be looking for the more direct route up - rhe DH push up trail looking at the map.

 

[samdb]

Heading there on Sunday. Taking a new Levo SL so completely unsure about whether a 320Wh battery will last, or a 35Nm / 240 watts motor will cut it on those upward trails. Anyone taken an SL yet? @Rob Hancill?

 

[N9VNS]

I’ve been there today. On my normal bike not ebike as I’ve decided to hold off until the 2021 models come out. I’d say there were probably more ebikes than normal bikes there today. I was really surprised. My brother came with me and he’s always been against ebikes but after today he’s totally converted and wants one himself too. Everytime one came flying passed on the climb up I got so jealous ?

 

[Doomanic]

Does anyone know if you are able to give your bike a top-up charge if taking a break over lunch

Yes you can, but...

are there any free power sockets to do so?

Free? At BPW?
It's £5 to charge for any length of time. Best bring your own charger and a lock.

 

[galaga187]

Just wondering if its worth a trip up there before the Uplift reopens? @Doomanic how did the lads you know get on last week?

 

[Doomanic]

It was awesome, with loads of eBikes apparently.

 

[Merthyr Martyn]

Went last week. Quite a few trails shut. The ride up was pretty grim despite having the ebike. My knees were shot by early afternoon before my 2nd battery had expired.
TBH I wont bother going again till the uplift is in place, but it made a nice change to get back to wales.

There’s a short cut take the climb till you reac the fire road turn right climb up over the tunnel on the first bend turn left this climb brings you out on the split in the trails near willy waver two options turn left this will bring you out to the start of the final rocky climb or turn right climb fire road for 250 meters turn left this takes you up towards A470 bear right follow this track like a narrow fire road turn left at the end this takes you to the top
This seems complicated but it’s not
I live and I’ve had an ebike for years you can beat the bus up doing this short cut
Hope this helps Martyn

 

[samdb]

Heading there on Sunday. Taking a new Levo SL so completely unsure about whether a 320Wh battery will last, or a 35Nm / 240 watts motor will cut it on those upward trails. Anyone taken an SL yet? @Rob Hancill?

For anyone wondering how BPW was with a Levo SL (maybe this is better in the Levo SL thread...) then it’s pretty much the same as a FF Levo. It used about 20% per climb to the top with a mix of eco and trail. I managed about 6 runs with the last couple joined lower down. Had an awesome day!

 

[samdb]

There’s a short cut take the climb till you reac the fire road turn right climb up over the tunnel on the first bend turn left this climb brings you out on the split in the trails near willy waver two options turn left this will bring you out to the start of the final rocky climb or turn right climb fire road for 250 meters turn left this takes you up towards A470 bear right follow this track like a narrow fire road turn left at the end this takes you to the top
This seems complicated but it’s not
I live and I’ve had an ebike for years you can beat the bus up doing this short cut
Hope this helps Martyn

Hi Martyn, I tried to follow this route but failed miserably. Any chance you can redline it onto the trail map or Google Maps? I think it would be super helpful for folk. ?

 

[apac]

For anyone wondering how BPW was with a Levo SL (maybe this is better in the Levo SL thread...) then it’s pretty much the same as a FF Levo. It used about 20% per climb to the top with a mix of eco and trail. I managed about 6 runs with the last couple joined lower down. Had an awesome day!

that’s about what I had out of my 500wh ff levo ?.
Do you think the SL will be more nimble on the BPW trails than a ff?

 

[Merthyr Martyn]

that’s about what I had out of my 500wh ff levo ?.
Do you think the SL will be more nimble on the BPW trails than a ff?

Hi Martyn, I tried to follow this route but failed miserably. Any chance you can redline it onto the trail map or Google Maps? I think it would be super helpful for folk. ?

I’m not sure how to do this I’m more than happy to do it if somebody could assist me

 

[apac]

Try copying the bpw map from their website Onto your device, and then using a drawing app or similar to draw lines over it.

 

[samdb]

that’s about what I had out of my 500wh ff levo ?.
Do you think the SL will be more nimble on the BPW trails than a ff?

Whilst I didn’t ride an FF, we compared notes at the end of the day and a 17kg SL is a very different experience! Much more agile. It’s the sweetspot for me - gamechanger.

 

[Andy__C]

So I have a great day at BPW last Friday. The trails were running really nicely, the place was very quiet compared to a "Usual" Friday.

I was on my 700w Levo expert and managed 9 runs but certainly needed an hour or so top up (for the £5er!) early afternoon. I was doing a mix of the full beast of Burden climb and going via the DH push-up that MrSimmo suggested. I did 5 DH route climbs and 4 Beast of Burden Climbs.

The DH climb that Mr.Simmo suggested is waaay shorter but also a waaaay more challenging climb. I don't mind admitting having to dab a few turbo stretches and only managed a non-stop climb once as it is pretty steep and loose and I span out a few times climbing and had to push to find a gentler gradient to re-start again.

After 9 runs I was absolutely crackered! That is without a doubt the most workout I've had on the Levo, great fun though! I ended the day on the new green kermit trail as runs 7 and 8 were getting a little sloppy.

I could have scraped 7 runs on one charge on the 700w batttery - I'm about 90kg and used Eco for probably 85% of the climbing.

 

[samdb]

I’m not sure how to do this I’m more than happy to do it if somebody could assist me

One way might be to take it from Strava?

 

[apac]

.

So I have a great day at BPW last Friday. The trails were running really nicely, the place was very quiet compared to a "Usual" Friday.

I was on my 700w Levo expert and managed 9 runs but certainly needed an hour or so top up (for the £5er!) early afternoon. I was doing a mix of the full beast of Burden climb and going via the DH push-up that MrSimmo suggested. I did 5 DH route climbs and 4 Beast of Burden Climbs.

The DH climb that Mr.Simmo suggested is waaay shorter but also a waaaay more challenging climb. I don't mind admitting having to dab a few turbo stretches and only managed a non-stop climb once as it is pretty steep and loose and I span out a few times climbing and had to push to find a gentler gradient to re-start again.

After 9 runs I was absolutely crackered! That is without a doubt the most workout I've had on the Levo, great fun though! I ended the day on the new green kermit trail as runs 7 and 8 were getting a little sloppy.

I could have scraped 7 runs on one charge on the 700w batttery - I'm about 90kg and used Eco for probably 85% of the climbing.

I'm 47 and an overweight 87kg. The park took its toll on me for sure ?. i slammed haRd and had a bad fall and my right chest n shoulder are still hurting a week later. Im hoping they restart some tuition sessions soon. I wonder if the do one on how to fall off better? ?

 

[Doomanic]

Just keep crashing, you’ll soon work out the best way to do it...

 

[galaga187]

Just keep crashing, you’ll soon work out the best way to do it...

Leading by example ?

 

[Maxb]

A. few of the BPW regular ebbers have given suggestions for the best routes to climb back up on I have had. been to bpw. A few times but could not workout which was the best route up.

I have attached a trail map so. any suggestions for a route. Up would be great ?

 

[N9VNS]

Just a reminder to be careful when you do go guys. Had an off up there last week, turns out I’ve fractured my scapula (shoulder blade) and damaged a load of ligaments in my shoulder and arm. Happened on popty ping which is a blue trial too. We were having great fun sessioning the table tops at the end of the day before heading back up to the top for one last ride down to the cars. Overshot one of the jumps landing to flat and ended up going over the bars and shoulder first into the berm ?
No bike for a while.

 

[Maxb]

Just a reminder to be careful when you do go guys. Had an off up there last week, turns out I’ve fractured my scapula (shoulder blade) and damaged a load of ligaments in my shoulder and arm. Happened on popty ping which is a blue trial too. We were having great fun sessioning the table tops at the end of the day before heading back up to the top for one last ride down to the cars. Overshot one of the jumps landing to flat and ended up going over the bars and shoulder first into the berm ?
No bike for a while.

Good luck with your recovery shoulders take. A long time to recover just come back from 6 months off the bike with a shoulder injury ?

 

[apac]

Just a reminder to be careful when you do go guys. Had an off up there last week, turns out I’ve fractured my scapula (shoulder blade) and damaged a load of ligaments in my shoulder and arm. Happened on popty ping which is a blue trial too. We were having great fun sessioning the table tops at the end of the day before heading back up to the top for one last ride down to the cars. Overshot one of the jumps landing to flat and ended up going over the bars and shoulder first into the berm ?
No bike for a while.

I feel your pain. I too am nursing a shoulder injury from a blue trail. The compacted ground is Hard!

 

[urastus]

.


I'm 47 and an overweight 87kg. The park took its toll on me for sure ?. i slammed haRd and had a bad fall and my right chest n shoulder are still hurting a week later. Im hoping they restart some tuition sessions soon. I wonder if the do one on how to fall off better? ?

The French had that worked out decades ago