TRAIL BLAZERS
A little less conversation, a little more action, please. So sang the King, Elvis Presley.
A common theme among those who have appeared in the Trailblazers series is that they are do-ers. People who have made things happen. In North Wales a group of riders are heeding the King’s words and turning conversation into action.
The small town of Betws-y-Coed is a focal point for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes in Snowdonia. Mountain bikers probably know it best for the nearby Gwydir Trail – previously known as the Marin Trail – a 25km loop that harks back to when trail centres were the next big thing. Despite a few upgrades over the years to keep it relevant, the trails that riders are looking for today lie elsewhere in the woods that surround Betws.
There’s been much talk about wild trails in Wales in the past year or so. As we’ve previously reported, there are signs that Natural Resources Wales, who manage much of the land the trails are built on, is open to working with riders to find a way for those trails to exist in a more formal, managed state. It’s an exciting idea that has the potential to safeguard hundreds of trails and expand Wales’s trail network massively.
But it’s not a done deal. Trail Collective North Wales is one of a few newly formed trail associations who is taking the initiative to make sure that mountain bikers in North Wales are represented and show its willingness to have conversations and take action.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
Bu hikaye Mountain Bike Rider dergisinin Summer 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Mountain Bike Rider dergisinin Summer 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Best places to ride with your kids
Five top venues to keep the nippers entertained this summer
CANNONDALE MOTERRA NEO CARBON 2
It’s got more suspension tunes than a Hitchcock movie, but will this Moterra thrill us or chill us?
100% GLENDALE GLASSES
When it comes to eyewear, having a large lens not only offers a lot more protection from trail splatter, it puts the frames further out from your field of view, allowing you to focus on the terrain in front of you. The Glendale is absolutely vast, and actually has a lens size akin to a full downhill goggle, so you literally can’t see the top or sides of the frame.
DMR STAGE 2 MTB RAIL SADDLE
DMR's new Stage 2 MTB Rail is one of those new/old products. The shape and construction are identical to the existing Oi Oi saddle, but the company has wrapped it in a new skin and added some harder-wearing reinforcement to the edges. It's also toned down the lairy graphics; this saddle only comes in plain black.
STRAIGHT TORQUING - GUY KESTEVEN
Has tech taken the hard work and fun out of mountain biking, or should we embrace evolution and roll with it?
STORM FORCE
Manon Carpenter may have retired from downhill competition, but her new role as a trail advocate is achieving results far beyond the race track
SWEAT AND SLATE
We ride 140 miles through Snowdonia on Cycling UK's newest and gnarliest long-distance trail
HEAD SPACE
New guidance reveals how to spot concussion, and how best to treat it
LATE SUMMER LOVIN'
Classic UK holiday hotspots that really shine when the crowds have gone
HOT STUFF
WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MONTH