Fanylion Mountain Bike Team
Official site of the Fanylion Mountain Bike Team. Includes mountain bike ride guides, gear reviews, bike maintenance, team reports and rider profiles of the Fanylion Racing Team.
Brecon Beacons, Nant-Yr-Arian
April 24, 2004, South Wales
FanyLion are blessed on a glorious April morning with almost tropical sunshine, IN WALES?!?!! The team meet up in Brecon town centre then convoy to the trailhead. At first it looks like Steve has led us on another of his wild goose chases into the back country of Wales but no, the team are soon ordered out of their cars and into action, parked on what can only be described as a T junction.
Within minutes bikes are assembled however it takes a little longer for everyone to have a good peruse of the Club International that Fany the Lion brings to every riding weekend. Once Steve has dished out our new High5 products (benefits of our latest sponsorship deal), the pre-ride photo taken and Steve’s eyesight taken another bashing we are off on the start of a 26 mile loop of the Brecon Beacons.
Things start well but after a couple of wrong turns we are getting close, fellow mountain bikers come flying past from the opposite direction covered in mud and grinning like Team Techno at a real ale convention. We are soon on the trail proper and a pattern develops as we begin the first climb of the day; Shortbread inevitably takes the lead with Hodgson in close pursuit (will he ever live down the Loriaz incident?!), Shorts in Winter, Chris, Niall (both new riders looking good: new members perhaps?) and Techno form a pack with Mastiles showing the benefits of a good winter training programme in close attendance. Somewhat further back Cliff Diver myself and Sheldon are sweating and gurning, trying to remind ourselves why we do it.
For those who rode the Yorkshire Moors last summer things began to follow a familiar pattern when we reached the top of the climb, with Hodgson scratching his head but trying to look like he knows where we are going. As usual a short tirade begins where he will question our sexuality and then demand that the best way to avoid getting lost is to continue to ride forward in search of some non-existent sign or marker. With the weather turning in a star performance the issue of where we are and how far it is to a decent downhill section is forgotten as we plod back and forth over a few cattle grids/gates in search of the path of the righteous.
Over the first ten miles or so we climbed gently, gaining altitude all the time, though nothing warranted much whooping or gurning. We reach the top of the climb to find a few motocrossers plus several gangs of bikers mincing around in full lycra pose we are in need once again of Hodgson’s guidance. Ignoring his map, Steve takes off after one gang of riders on the assumption that they will be on the same ride as us (this would of course have nothing to do with the abundance of female riders in their group). A mile or so down the trail Steve decides to check that they are on the same ride only to be told that they are not, so we about turn. Luckily for Sheldon, Danny and myself we are suitably far enough behind the group to be able to watch the team make a mighty U-turn and plod back up the hill towards us.
We are then rewarded for our first hours work, and a fan(y)tastic rocky descent leads us down into a forest and the Team rip it up on a boulder strewn doubletrack with ledges, ruts and gullies. Shorts in Winter takes the award for the finest dismount of the weekend with a perfect over the bars tumble into a muddy quagmire. Without a scratch he was back on his Heckler in no time to resume the pace at the front of the pack, although slightly weighed down by the 15kg of mud covering him from head to foot.
A short road section lead us to a fine waterfall where we rested for a while, taking in the peace and tranquillity of the day. Unfortunately all this peace and tranquillity was too much for Hodgson who couldn’t resist getting on his bike to fidget about and take different lines down the rocks to the waters edge. Unfortunately without Team Ra with us, sun stops were never going to last long enough and the team soon remounted and set off again.
As we headed off road again, we climbed up the rear of Fan Y Big, our slow ascent made tougher by the sun beating down on us from the sky. We regrouped at the top, unaware of the delights that awaited us over the ridge. Fan Y Big dropped away to our right and we found ourselves at the head of a long bowl of a valley and to our left a rocky, technical trail of erection inducing stature wound it’s way down the valley side. The Team didn’t need telling twice and we set off at break neck speed, bouncing over boulders, off ledges and skipping over water bars trying their best to rip our wheels off.
At the bottom we regrouped and everyone argued as to whether we had just ridden the best descent in Wales. With the jury still out, we rode back to the cars for the strip down and 50minute drive to Aberystwyth.
After a quick S.S.S. at the hotel the team went in search of beer, steak and women. Unfortunately we have to make do with a curry and what would appear to be a Shrek convention in every bar. Fair to say that by the end of the evening we have given up looking for a fit bird and are just trying to see a nice body part!!
The next morning breaks out bright and sunny to the disbelief of the FanyLion veterans and after a good breakfast we are off to the way marked trails of the Nant-Yr-Arian. Getting the bikes ready in the car park Techno lives up to his name and ‘whacks up the oorbs’ on a bit of Underworld only for the local jobsworth granny to march up and demand we turn it down because we’re spoiling her view of the car park!!
After sending the old biddy away with a flea in her ear the team take off around the ten mile course full of energy, after a short climb joy is unconfined as the first switchback descent is upon us. Flying down through the trees and scree it’s balls out time for all and sundry. Large debate at the bottom of the track as to which is better, the waymarked singletrack trails or the unknown natural routes of the map reading world. I for one am a big fan of the singletrack business but there are plenty who would burn me at the stake for such thoughts.
The next hour followed a similar pattern of fire road climb followed by tear-arseing it downhill through the trees or waste land only broken up by technical difficulties. (For me it was burning out the old break pads, respect to Mastiles for ordering everyone onto a new set. I just didn’t buy two pairs!)
The final section back to the car park saw everyone at full tilt so much so that another lap was ordered of the team. Alas for me the ride was over, so along with Sheldon and Cliff Diver we instigated a short session of bunnyhopping and posing whilst the others sweat it out one more time.
For me, Nant topped Coed-Y-Brenin but that could have a lot to do with the weather and general high spirits of the weekend. Respect to Shortbread who won the most riding and most driving awards hands down, having ridden Glentress on the way down from Scotland on the Friday night, then endured a nine hour return drive home to northern Scotland on Sunday. Also, welcome to Niall and Chris, who showed fine ability to take the piss, question Steve’s sexuality and ride a bit as well.
Next Ride: Afan Enduro. See you there.
10-Ton Kona, out.
Riders present
Team 10 Ton Kona
Team Starkey
Team Cliff Diver
Team Shortbread
Team Mastiles
Team Hodgson
Team Techno
Team Shorts in Winter
Significant Others
Chris Raven (friend/lover of Shorts in Winter’s)
Niall Davidson (friend of Shortbread’s)
Enjoyment level
Fan Y BIG!