Ralltgoed MTB Ride
A Stop-Start Winter for Thursday Night Rides
Our Thursday night MTB rides have been a bit hit and miss so far this year. The dark nights, cold temperatures, and particularly the wet, windy conditions have kept enthusiasm low. One week it was just Lorraine and me; the following week I turned up and no one else was there. I still rode, but just did a quick loop of the easiest route we do.
It was faster on my own, and I knocked about 20 minutes off a typical group ride time. I set it up as a segment on Strava just to see how long it took. That evening it came in at 40 minutes and 27 seconds… tantalisingly close to the challenge of dipping under 40 minutes.
A Perfect Evening in Corris
Last week, the weather finally changed. It was dry and sunny and had been for a couple of days. Daytime temperatures had reached 20ºC on Wednesday and around 15ºC on Thursday, and the days were noticeably lengthening. There was no wind, and it looked perfect. I couldn’t wait to get out on the trails.
So much so that I couldn’t wait until our usual 7 pm start. I arrived early and decided to have a fast blast around the Ralltgoed loop before the group ride. Sub-40 minutes was definitely on the cards, and this was my chance. I’d even brought my faster, lightweight hardtail rather than my full-suspension trail bike.
By the time I started, the temperature had dropped into single figures, but with no wind and clear skies, it felt cool rather than cold. I was only wearing shorts and a light short-sleeved top—ideal, as I’d soon be generating some heat of my own.
Chasing a Sub-40 on the Ralltgoed Loop
I set off, and almost immediately the faster rolling bike and a bit of effort had me a few seconds ahead of schedule. This quickly grew to nearly a minute, and by the time I left the road and headed onto the forest tracks, I was already two minutes up. The sub-40 target was looking comfortable.
I kept the pace high. Not flat out—I don’t really do “flat-out” these days—but a solid, committed effort. The gates (at least six of them) were a nuisance as always, breaking rhythm and costing time. The little bridge didn’t help either, but by the turnaround point I was four minutes ahead.
At that rate, I wasn’t just looking at sub-40—I was heading well under 35 minutes. I flew down the descents, touching 32 mph, cleared the next couple of gates efficiently, and was still gaining time. Just one final descent remained before the road section, where I could really press on and squeeze out a few more seconds. I felt strong and had plenty left for the finish.
I set off from the last gate, picked up speed… and then felt the rear wheel squirm.
Puncture.
I stopped to check—sure enough, the tyre was soft and getting softer by the second. No riding that out. The sealant had dried up, so it was off with the tyre and in with a spare tube. It didn’t take long, but even a quick fix costs minutes—more so with a tiny pump and a tyre stubbornly stuck to the rim with old sealant.
The sub-40 was gone.
Unfinished Business
With the bike rolling again, there was no point chasing it, so I cruised back towards Corris to meet the others. My moving time was 33:14. With a hard push on the final road section, it might have dipped close to 32 minutes—but with the stop and an easier finish, the total came out at 44:27.
Not this time.
But I’ve got unfinished business with the Ralltgoed loop.
By now it was dark and properly chilly, so I layered up and joined the others. It turned into another very pleasant ride around the forest tracks of Corris—good company, steady pace, and a reminder that it’s not always about the clock.
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Nex time but as you say it’s not all about the clock it’s having fun that matters