A bikepacking tour of Wales

This video is about a "Tour de Wales". Simon and I set off on a bikepacking trip across Wales, cycling home from Abergavenny. But getting to Abergavenny in the first place wasn't straightforward as you will see. Encounters with rams on the road and pyrotechnics at the campsite make for a memorable trip.

[@trooper2221]

Thanks for the video, wonderful to see Wales from afar, cheers from Oklahoma

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you for watching and commenting. Glad you enjoyed the video. All the best from the UK...🚲

[@stephenbrown5844]

Cracking down hill tune boys,, deep blues😉👍♥️🇬🇧them pads need a clean😂😂fantastic adventure boys,,,,, 😊

[@davidbenson735]

Yeah, I found this tune (Overdrive Ride by Dan Lebowitz) free to use on KZbin audio library and felt it matched the downhill footage very well. Swapped out the pads - much less noisy. Glad you liked the adventure...thanks 👍🏻

[@alexanderlawson1649]

I always carry spare spokes when touring. On one tour I had nine break in my back wheel, it was a nightmare. I had built the wheel myself with old spokes that were so stressed they just were not up to the job. So I invested in a pair of wheels from SPA Cycles, they were not cheap but the pro builders there did a super job. I toured thro northern Europe/Scandinavia for 3 months on those wheels, 3,350 miles with a full camping load, panniers front and back, many miles on rough gravel roads. Not one issue with those wheels, they are as true today as the day I got them. I dont regret spending the money to get a pro build on proper touring rims with top quality hubs and spokes.

[@davidbenson735]

Good advice that 👍🏻. I think I'll get some spare spokes and tape them to the top tube on future trips.

[@stephenjones1320]

Really enjoyed your video, excellent scenery and has inspired me to get back on my bike, I'm 60 and have needed inspiration and motivation to get me going again, thanks so much, really enjoyed 👍

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching my video and commenting Stephen. I sometimes find it hard to motivate myself to get out on my bike, especially if the weather is foul. But once I set off I soon realise how great it feels. Happy future cycling to you...🚴🏼😀

[@speterson6292]

Lovely…you had paper maps! How I hate the little maps on my bike GPS device.!

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you...👍🏻 Yeah, Simon always takes the relevant pages from a road atlas and has them handy in a waterproof cover on his front bag. It certainly helps when planning any alternative routes along the way.

[@jameslowe2979]

Great film that really enjoyed it. Loved the dry humour too, very good

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot James, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting...👍🏻

[@dj0004]

Thank you for documenting this Eric Trip gents, contrats ! 👍

[@davidbenson735]

My pleasure, thanks for your appreciation...👍🏻

[@stephenind859]

I've done Newport to Bangor - but we stayed in pubs, correctly anticipating wet weather. It was a great ride and the cycle routes are good. Only one gripe: the train connections to get home - I booked spaces on the boat train, the only direct train to Euston, and then they just turfed everyone off in Northampton or somewhere. Similar experiences on other trips. Best to avoid trains if you possibly can, especially if more than 2 of you.

[@davidbenson735]

I agree, taking bikes on trains isn't always straightforward. Some operators insist on you booking a space, others don't allow you to book. I tend to design trips around cycling home rather than relying on a train to get me home with my bike.

[@theexplorer6813]

What an adventure. Amazing effort and brilliant running commentary, the maps and planning your route was a nice touch.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot 👍🏻 It was a tough one in places but a thoroughly enjoyable journey. Glad to hear that the commentary added to the video, and hopefully keeps the viewer engaged. Cheers.

[@dappledorchard5691]

I cycled the Elan Valley last year and used the same detour. The views were spectacular! Great video lads 👍

[@davidbenson735]

Well done...👍🏻 Yeah, it's an awesome route. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@km4089]

Really enjoyed your video, looks like you both had a great trip, (apart from those steep uphill climbs 😂). Thanks for sharing.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot. Pleased to hear you liked the video. 👍🏻

[@grumpy-dad3701]

It's amazing some of the finds you come across when riding through the countryside. Not when it's pissing it down that is

[@davidbenson735]

Yeah, I think we are very lucky living in the UK, there's a lot of great countryside to explore...👍🏻 Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Eric-rt6tg]

Must have been a great trip. Must go cycling in the UK Wales myself. Such beautiful countryside roads. Enjoyed it, can’t weight to go on a trip again now. Greetings from an old bloke from the Netherlands.

[@davidbenson735]

Yes thanks, it was a great trip but very tiring at times. As you probably know, there aren't many flat roads in Wales. Hope you have a great trip when you cycle through Wales again.

[@paulwoods3487]

Great trip and great video mate Thanks

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching the video Paul, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a tough ride this one, but well worth the effort. Cheers...🚴🏼

[@davesolobiker5601]

Excellent trip with a mix bag of weather and good cafe stops 🚴‍♂️👍

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you. It was a tough but very enjoyable trip, a bit of a challenge at times, but we got through it unscathed thankfully. The cafe stops certainly helped. Cheers.

[@ianross-bain3515]

This was great lads. Some ideas for next years adventure.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot...👍🏻 I hope you get chance to do this epic route.

[@Tomanart]

Great video and well done to you both

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks very much...👍🏻 Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@welshbikepackingadventures]

Great adventure! I've subscribed! All the best 👍

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks Mark. Happy bikepacking 🚵‍♂

[@thepurplepanda1194]

lovely video!

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you, glad you liked it...👍🏻

[@mattlast4093]

just watched it again, brill vid !!

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot Matt. I thought it was only me that watched my videos more than once...😂 Glad you enjoyed it again...👍🏻

[@johngrattan6343]

Great tour, I live in Aberystwyth so know most of those roads.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for that 👍🏻. It must be great having such wonderful cycling roads on your doorstep.

[@st1ffee]

i enjoyed that im about 40 mins from the Brecon beacons so my plan is to park there and explore on my e bike and find somewhere to camp,ive not biked and camped before so looking forward to it.

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you. Enjoy your trip.

[@grahamskilling2147]

Thanks for sharing

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching, cheers 🚵‍♂️

[@dooley-ch]

I always carry a couple of "Fiber Fix Emergency Replacement Spoke" packs. They have got me through a couple of tours.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for that, I'll take a look at that product 👍🏻

[@GmRingo]

Nice one. I need to get on my bike again!

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks 👍🏻 Yeah it's a great route.

[@TheCoopsvids]

Nice one guys 🚴🚴👍🏻👍🏻

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching and commenting...👍🏻

[@davidharris4062]

Devils Gulch was opened two weeks ago

[@davidbenson735]

Blimey, that's taken a while. Must have been a substantial blockage.

[@isabelled8441]

Fair dinkum to you both. The Bwylch Y Groes and the pull from Bala to Llangynog over the Berwyn Mountains are big pulls. No wonder you fueled up with those big breakfasts.

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you 👍🏻 That was the strategy, you can't beat a big breakfast to fuel your day! But I'm not sure that the steak slice followed by cake in Dinas Mawddwy was a good idea, just before tackling the Bwlch y Groes climb...🤔

[@isabelled8441]

@@davidbenson735 .I live in Oswestry and these passes are a bit of a Mecca for us local riders. They are tough enough on a good road bike let alone fully laden , Chapeau.

[@davidbenson735]

@@isabelled8441 Thank you again...👍🏻

[@julian7842f]

great video, i went to builth wells last year, great little place. Ive always wanted to go ona. bike tour/camping trip, but i have fear of my bike being stolen whilst sleeping. How and where do you lock your bike when camping, as there isnt always somewhere it an be locked to etc?

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching and commenting, I'm glad you enjoyed my video. As for bike security when bikepacking, I must admit it was something I was concerned about when I first started going on these trips, but soon realised that the areas where I was camping were low risk, being rural. If I'm with a mate we lock 2 bikes together. If I'm on my own I lay the bike next to the tent and thread the lock around the tent pole, so if someone tried moving the bike I'd feel the tent moving. I hope you manage to do a bikepacking trip as it's such an enjoyable thing to do. All the best...🚴🏼

[@WalkandWalks]

great content

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you...👍🏻

[@tommyclarke2007]

Lovely spin gents in nice countryside. Could you tell me a little about your bikes please ? Steel / aluminium? Tourers or gravel ? And tyre size please? I have to retire my old Carlton and need a replacement. Tend to cover similiar terrain Thank you & keep on peddling 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️

[@davidbenson735]

Hi there Tommy. Firstly, thanks very much for watching the video and commenting. My bike is a Pinnacle Arkose 4 which is an Evans Cycles brand and classed as a gravel bike. It has an aluminium frame and carbon fork. The gearing is SRAM Rival with 42 chainring and 11-42 cassette. Tyre width 37mm. I have recently upgraded to a Ribble gravel bike with titanium frame and carbon fork. Gearing is lower - Shimano GRX with 40 chainring and 10-46 cassette. Tyre size 40mm. I hope this information is of use. All the best and happy cycling...🚲

[@tommyclarke2007]

@@davidbenson735 that’s very helpful, thank you. Basically I can use a gravel bike to replace my tourer.

[@user-rc5fi3jl4t]

素晴らしい

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you...😀

[@Iceni_Paul]

Brilliant video, and some parts of Wales that I know so well. The Campsite at Ynyslas definitely brings back memories, I stayed there in 2007, I remember all the toilets in the block had no bolts to lock the doors, we had to take a tent peg each time we needed a wee to replace the missing bolt. Is the site still run by the local Doctor?

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks very much for watching and commenting. We had a great time cycling this route, one to do again I think. Yeah the campsite was a bit basic, I don't know about the doctor, we just paid cash to the lady in the farmhouse. Happy cycling...🚴🏼

[@colinwellman9480]

Seemed a great ride, those hills looked really tough. That breakfast seemed enormous, lovely! I wondered what the noise was coming down that hill. Was there something wrong with the brake or are they normally that noisy? Thanks for an enjoyable video.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for that 👍🏻 The really tough hill Bwlch y Groes was unplanned and took us by surprise. We had to weave our way up it! Yeah, we were pleased with all the breakfasts the Welsh cafes provided, especially the enormous one. The problem with the brakes was poor quality brake pads, I have now replaced these for better ones. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks.

[@atopdesigner]

@davidbenson735 I enjoyed that and kudos for getting up those hills fully loaded - I've ridden that area on many occasions without the luggage and that was hard enough! Just a comment on the disc squeal - you may well know this, but discs should be pumped on and off on steep descents rather than held on as you seemed to be doing (by the noise). Holding them on will overheat the discs and lead to brake fade (and no brakes), as I found out coming off Long Mynnd down into Church Stretton soon after getting discs! Alarming to say the least!

[@colinfrench3033]

You did really well on those hills, and on an11 speed on the Pinnacle. What was the gearing?

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks Colin. The gearing is a 42 chainring with an 11-42 cassette so my lowest gear is 1:1 which is good for the climbs.

[@peterscott7140]

Beware! Gospel Pass (at 7:25) is Blue Moon Werewolf land.

[@davidbenson735]

Blimey, I didn't know that. Good job we went up there in daylight. Thanks for watching the video and commenting.

[@peter236uk1]

Just found you enjoying the channel can I ask what bike you are using ta

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks, yeah the bike is a Pinnacle Arkose 4 (from Evans Cycles), aluminium frame with carbon forks. This is fitted with a 1-by SRAM Rival groupset which has a 42 tooth single chainring up front and a 11-42 cassette on the rear. Glad you are enjoying the channel 👍🏻

[@mattlast4093]

great vid, really enjoyed it, especially as my fave place is wales/ north wales, what was the name of that first camp site? cheers

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks a lot, I'm glad the video showed what a great place Wales is, and what an interesting journey we had. The first campsite was Boatside Caravan and Camping Park near Builth Wells.

[@simonhawker9277]

we dont have to buy tickets for our bikes here in victoria oz, at least i never have and no one ever asked for it, grate video thank u

[@davidbenson735]

Yeah, sometimes it can be a real pain travelling with a bike on trains in the UK. Glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for your comment...😀

[@hikerwoody182]

Excellent 👏 do you know the total weight of your bike and gear? also wondering what tyres you use because you never know what surface you'll be on

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks very much for watching and commenting. I've not weighed the bike and gear together but my best guess is about 18 kilos total. The tyres I have fitted are WTB Riddler 37mm with innertubes. They are fast rolling on smooth trails but have a decent enough tread to give grip on rougher stuff. Cheers.

[@Bikepacking]

Cool is there a reason you prefer tradation cycle touring setup for touring rather than a bikepacking setup

[@davidbenson735]

I'm a bit of a traditionalist bike tourer, not really caught up with the new bike packing setup yet, but I believe that panniers give more room for gear and are more stable compared with the bag attached to the seat post. Maybe I'll try the modern setup and see how I like it. Thanks for watching the video and commenting. Happy bikepacking...🚴🏼🏕

[@Bikepacking]

@@davidbenson735 for the bikepacking setup is more stable than panniers setup more stream line dont have to worry about weight distribution

[@davidbenson735]

I intend getting the bike packing bags for my hardtail mtb cos some of the routes I want to ride are too rough for a gravel bike.

[@TheShittyCyclists]

Great video matey👍but you need to switch stabilization on your camera will make all the difference🚴🏼‍♂️👍

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching the video. I've got a new camera with better stabilisation so that should help going forward. Thanks for commenting. Happy cycling...🚲

[@allseeingotto2912]

Great trip . Have you got a route map of where you traveled?

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks for watching the video. Probably the easiest way would be to look me up on Strava David Benson, Warrington And look at entries for w/c 23/5/22 Cheers

[@alangoffin3599]

Great video what bikes did you ride the trip on 👍

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks 👍🏻 My bike is a Pinnacle Arkose 4 (Evans Cycles brand) fitted with SRAM Rival groupset, 11 speed with 11-42 cassette and a 42t chainring. I use 37mm WTB Riddler tyres. My friend's bike is a Sonder Camino (Alpkit brand) fitted with Shimano Deore rear mech, 10 speed with 11-42 cassette and a 38t chainring.

[@mattlast4093]

@0:15 is that charge spoon saddle in the foreground? sure looks like it? ;-)

[@davidbenson735]

I know what you mean, it does look like one, but it's actually a Velo 368 saddle. Very comfy.

[@mattlast4093]

me again, sorry to be a pain, but what were the names of all the camp sites in order? ( if thats not too much to ask ) cheers ( as they all looked pretty nice & cheap too ! )

[@davidbenson735]

1st night - Boatside Camping near Builth Wells 2nd night - Ty Gwyn Campsite at Ynyslas near Borth 3rd night - Bwch Yn Uchaf Campsite at Llanuwchllyn near Bala 4th night - The Durham Heifer Campsite near Bickerton Cheers

[@mattlast4093]

@@davidbenson735 cheers pal, might see you on the road sometime

[@olafjensen4508]

Nice

[@davidbenson735]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video...👍🏻

[@TheYohtube]

When I load my fairlight faran gravel bike up just like yours it handles like a pig. It shimmys all the while but it can't be frame flex can it? How do you and your buddies get on with loaded road bikes?

[@davidbenson735]

Hi Steven. My loaded bike sometimes get a wobble on at slow speed but it seems surprisingly stable at higher speeds. I have tried to distribute the weight evenly across the length of my bike by putting the Jetboil stove and gas canisters in the handlebar bag and my power banks and other heavy electrical stuff in the frame bag. I have noticed that on very steep inclines the extra weight in the rear panniers can give a feeling like the front wheel is lifting. My mate Simon has a big bag on his handlebars and has now fitted carriers to the forks to distribute the weight better. I must admit that the first time I rode a fully loaded bike I was quite worried about stability, but I seem to have got used to it now.

[@bobalinga]

Nice tent. What is it? That looks like a great ride.

[@davidbenson735]

Hi there, the tent is a Wild Country Zephyros 1, although I think they may have altered the design slightly on the latest version (at the ends). Thanks for watching and commenting...👍🏻

[@bobalinga]

@@davidbenson735 thankyou for answering. I'm looking for a new tent for bicycle touring

[@olafjensen4508]

Get you fit, that terian. I think it would kill me off.

[@davidbenson735]

It is up there with the toughest rides I've done, made especially harder when carrying the brick-sized flapjack along too...😂 Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@shropshirecycle]

Great video, shame about the trains, seems to be a issue with cycling and getting the train

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks 👍🏻 With trains and bikes I try to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

[@davidharris4062]

Gegin Fach = Little Kitchen

[@davidbenson735]

That's great, I've seen quite a few Gegin Fachs in North Wales. Now I know...👍🏻 Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@steveelkins52]

costs?

[@davidbenson735]

Campsites average out about £12 per night. Breakfasts, lunches and cafe stops about £20 per day. Dehydrated evening meals are approx £8 each. Works out at average £40 per day for everything. Obviously, could be cheaper if wild camping and didn't have cooked breakfasts and cafe stops.

[@sidekick6.6.6]

Train holidays

[@davidbenson735]

Yeah, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We got unlucky this time. Thanks for watching.

[@bushcraftdadgary5381]

Good vid guys, loving the scenery. So, trains! A necessary evil that i try and avoid as much as possible when planning a bike packing trip. Check out a vid called Bike packing a tail from the trail, channel name, Bushcraft Dads. i think you'll like it. These days i tend to take my bike in my van to where i wanna start, and figure out a way of doing a round trip. The trains are to unreliable, and don't have anywhere near enough space for bikes.

[@davidbenson735]

Thanks 👍🏻 You are so right about the difficulty taking bikes on trains. Some rail operators insist you book a space, whereas others don't allow you to book. On the trains where you have to book, there are usually only 2 spaces, so this can be a problem if you are travelling in a group. I try to look for routes that only require a single train journey, and mainly start with a train journey to the bike tour and then cycle home, rather than risk getting a train home at the end of a tour. I watched your video "Bike packing a tail from the trail" - very entertaining, thanks for the recommendation 👍🏻

[@sidekick6.6.6]

Push bike hoilday starts with train use ya legs no trains

[@davidbenson735]

Yeah, since then I've been looking at possible cycling routes starting from home. As for trains, when it all goes to plan, it's definitely better starting with a train journey and cycling home rather than the other way round.

[@AwesomeAngryBiker]

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