TET Wales - Strata Florida to Barmouth

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Great video, no youthful drama ;-) Despite the boggy conditions and inevitable lie-downs. Wonderful lanes, so typical of Wales. Perfect terrain for small bikes. Went to TET South and Midwales last September on my Beta Alp 200, loved it. Don't recognize all of your passages, which means I have to come back. Cheers, Günter/Nürnberg

[@mervjames6183]

I’m glad I’m not good enough to attempt these trails I can just watch you much respect

[@tedmagnum6968]

I just spotted my mate Lynchy parking his XR600 into a tree stump :) I did this last weekend (although we went down Bastard lane). It was rather muddy !! Good fun.

[@Rupe]

It was a particularly good bit of parking. What a lane.

[@chrisparker5435]

Stunning scenery on the final two trails! Nice to see the old Syncro ploughing through Strata. 👍

[@steveh100]

This is the video to watch if you need to no how tough some trails can be, I'd be well out of my depth on most of that, great effort and good skills. Brilliant watch.

[@icklepob88]

Haha, I love the bikes response for you calling it a prick. "Right then, off you get"

[@gregmather1702]

Good video this mate. Cheers

[@Amanda-ih7wv]

Love this, great Sunday morning watch 😜

[@esmeben]

Cracking ride, love the parking of the XR into the stump 🙂

[@LynchyIan]

That was me, strategic parking, to help the others 🙄👍

[@jondavies4027]

Fairplay boys great video , and I think you all had a blast!!

[@TheBigBraap]

Great ride, with a few giggles along the way - enjoyed that👌

[@obionecoyle3295]

Looks like a full enduro event 😱. Good job 👏

[@wil.linssen]

That looked just the right side of arduous. Some hilarious moments in there

[@Rust_valley_adventures]

My favorite trail apart from adding the tetty in to it, to make it a proper 7-8 day trip, you lucky strata wasn't that deep,its usually up over the front mudguard when it's had a few days of heavy rain 😅 happy Valley is real good fun 😅😅

[@Rupe]

Yeah, you do have to be careful with your timing. I've seen a CRF 300L being washed down the river in one video.

[@Rust_valley_adventures]

@@Rupe strata pretty local to me, we used to ride it all year round , now we on the big adv bikes we not there that much but we still go there now and again on the big adv bikes and our 600cc enduro bikes when we get together for a 7 day trip

[@ogasi1798]

Rupert, a tip for the downhills as you say you struggle - it sounds as though you are cruising with clutch in - well if that is the case then NO - go up to at least 2nd but better 3rd or 4th and let the f'er roll, the engine will do all the braking you need and you will have so much more control, brakes become irrelevant my friend - line choice becomes 2nd nature - happy valley was bad this weekend eh hahaha , i did it too and got caught in the wide open in that lovely hail rain storm in the afternoon

[@Adameftube]

Guessing this was long after the rain free summer we had a while back? Should have packed the oars. 😀Loved it.

[@LynchyIan]

Fabulous weekend 😁👍👍

[@ogasi1798]

word of advice to anyone who isn 't aware - water and your motor are not mates so while iit is fun going deep you better make sure you don't suck any in, we had a mates brand new beta 350 rr get drowned at this last bonfire weekend up near barmouth, it completely ruined the afternoon loop as we had to get to a petrol station, struggle to find oil, dragged carpet out of a skip, lying in the pissing down rain for 90 mins while changing the oil several times in order to get something that looked ok inside the engine. If you are unsure - FIND A WAY AROUND THE WATER - it's your bike though, and your money

[@Rupe]

Agree. Always good to know the wading depth of your bike, and if in doubt, walk the crossing first.

[@gnarlybadger690]

Hi Rupert, was this recently, we're heading that way on the 18th this month just trying to gauge conditions. Enjoyed watching 👍🏻

[@Rupe]

Yep, just two weeks ago.

[@haznkaz]

Wet slate and tree roots are worse than ice but we all like a challenge 😂

[@OllieMoto]

Excellent riding effort dude. A great example of why riding tired sucks too! 😂

[@Rupe]

Been there too many times! Must. Get. Fitter.

[@AlpineTreeCare]

@@Rupe E Mountain bike is the way forward here.

[@Rupe]

@@AlpineTreeCare This is worth a watch for big bikes vs small bikes in Wales: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKKUlZJplL-nrsU

[@AlpineTreeCare]

@@Rupe Thank you, I look forward to it 👍

[@RhysPenry]

Looks great I'm planning on doing this route soon is there anyway you have the trail downloaded so I could use it ? Thabks

[@Rupe]

@@RhysPenry It’s freely available (along with thousands of miles of routes around most of Europe) from the Trans Euro Trail website. If you Google Strata Florida, you’ll find where it is and the best place to join the TET to ride it.

[@SaddleSore]

We make it look so easy!!

[@Rupe]

Raw talent.

[@Ed_cetera77]

Starkes Video. Respekt für Strecke und Bedingungen.

[@Rupe]

Vielen Dank! Es war ein schönes Wochenende. [Thank you, Google Translate]

[@bencole4272]

Great video. At first it looked like the kind of track/byway i do on MTB/eMTB, reminded me of parts of Sarn Helen in South Wales but it quickly got a bit too gnarly for that 🤪 Will have to google "TET" never heard of it before.

[@nealbuschman895]

Some serious lanes there 👏👏👏

[@thepeakybiker]

this is ace mukka keep this good work up

[@Rupe]

Thanks! Always good to get a bit of encouragement.

[@twowheeledadventuresuk2739]

Hi Rupert - Is it generally rideable all year, and by the I mean that the rivers aren't too deep? Found a lovely campsite in LLandloes and wanna go back and do that part of the TET hopefully before easter. Thanks for sharing.

[@Rupe]

I’m no expert, but I believe it depends more on the weather than the season. It can be unrideable in the summer if there’s been a lot of rain. This happened a couple of weeks after we rode Strata: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2HakHyfg5eDntE

[@jameswalker9107]

Strata Florida was my first off road ride/swim 😂 What’s the sat nav you have on your bike please

[@Rupe]

It’s the Carpe Iter tablet. Very good (I have a detailed video on it on my channel).

[@TheHuskyGreenlaner]

Very good 👍

[@kenduro007]

Amazing how could I get the route

[@Rupe]

It’s freely available on the Trans Euro Trail website.

[@CarparkCarl]

This both makes me scared of Wales, but also I so want to go as well...

[@Rupe]

It’s a lot of fun, definitely worth trying.

[@CarparkCarl]

@@Rupe Definitely looks like it from the video! Thanks for sharing :)

[@ogasi1798]

it's fine mate - very enjoyable at high speed, careful going at slow speeds

[@slackpantz2628]

Hello guys I'm wondering if it's possible you could share your route with me?? Did that route a few years ago in a group and I'm trying to retrace it butt can't ping point it on any of my route finder apps 🤦‍♂️ it's a great ride that one

[@Rupe]

@@slackpantz2628 It’s already publicly available as it’s part of the UK Trans Euro Trail (have a Google if you’re not aware of it). We picked up the route near Cynghordy and headed north.

[@KillianRM23]

This route is on the gpx route of the tet or is custom? Heading to fishguard from dublin on Thursday and riding up the TET back to Holyhead for Sunday. Should be a hoot on some T7’s 😂

[@Rupe]

Yes, I think. The UK TET route was updated in the last week, but I believe most of the changes were to the Tetty Trail.

[@stevenrees6015]

I've got a modded crf 300 rally and a modded husaberg fe350, which one do you think I should take on this trip?

[@Rupe]

I think the 300 Rally has a slightly higher air intake, so that’s probably a little less likely to drown…

[@Itsthejourneynotthedestination]

3.33 in, is the guys name Tim, always goes to Iceland in the summer ??

[@Rupe]

Yep! I’ve been to Iceland with Tim before (and I’ll be going again this summer).

[@Itsthejourneynotthedestination]

@@Rupe very nice chap, did our Iceland trip, he still riding a 640 KTM

[@Rupe]

@@Itsthejourneynotthedestination I think he’s still got it, yeah. He doesn’t always take it to Iceland, though.

[@davidstewart2694]

How far in to the strata loop is it till you get to bastard lane?

[@Rupe]

By road it’s maybe only an hour, but on the TET route it’s much longer. It does lots of looping in between, so it was the next day for us.

[@AlpineTreeCare]

Amazing how that Honda just digs in and gets on with it! I've been looking at 690's et. al. but maybe I'm missing something? Great video as it shows just how hard the TET is in places. So CRF300 or 501? 🙂

[@Rupe]

A tricky question. The 690/701 isn’t much heavier than the CRF300L, but it obviously has a fair bit more power. And that particular 300L has improved suspension. I may be biased, though - I’m getting a 701 (although I’ll likely still use my FE450 in Wales).

[@AlpineTreeCare]

@@Rupe Thanks. My heart says either Gasgas (some great deals on the new es700) or KTM 690R. I will have to do a lot of road work and this is where the Honda doesn't fit. I've a Tiger 900 Rally but this is just too big for the types of trails you were riding! I think they maybe too technical for anything other than a dedicated enduro? Cheers.

[@Rupe]

@@AlpineTreeCare I would take a 690/700/701 on those trails, but I think I’d leave anything heavier at home. I know a few people who’d happily try them on bigger bikes (HP2 Mav and Ollie Moto to name a couple). Depends on your skill level - and confidence!

[@AlpineTreeCare]

@@Rupe Well that's good to hear, although your skill level is way more than mine. I think I would soon get bored with the Honda but always remain scared of the others. Scared is good! Thanks again for your thoughts. I look forward to seeing the 701.

[@52yamahar1]

My 350excf 2020 is great fun on these trials, great mix light and powerful 💪🏻

[@lazysloth1000]

Would this be possible on a Yamaha t700 ? Looks alot for a adventure pig of a bike aha.

[@Rupe]

Depending on your skill level - Strata Florida definitely (done it with people on big old GSes and an 1190r), Bastard Lane maybe (easier going down/clockwise), Happy Valley probably (it’ll be hard work, and much easier if it’s dry), Kings Road will be a slog (easier going south than north).

[@lazysloth1000]

@@Rupe thank you for that advice might plain something soon!. I am not new to green lanes and enduro but everything is different when you to enduro bike to bigger adventure bike aha

[@MegaTommyb123]

Think I passed you yesterday at pont scethin I was on 990 going up

[@expatbiker6598]

I wouldn't have been able to go 2 work Monday morning. Boss, me sick. Arms, back, bicep and legs. On the positive, I slept like a pig. 12 hours.

[@2WheelsChannel]

Kudos for going up bastard lane in the wet 🙌. Those who tried it in those conditions know the challenge😅 Did you know beforehand and planned it in that way?

[@Rupe]

We knew we’d be heading up it - we delayed our lunch/fuel stop so we wouldn’t have to do it with full tanks and bellies. 😃 That bit towards the top is deceptively tricky - looks like nothing on camera.

[@52yamahar1]

This route looks good fun, how many miles did you clock from point to point ?

[@Rupe]

Hard to say, but I’d guess around 170 miles as filmed (we did maybe 80 more miles on the road to get to the start point, and perhaps 50 miles to get back at the end). Worth noting that the TET route has changed a bit since this was recorded.

[@theenduroguy3772]

love your horn!! hahaha

[@Rupe]

The horns do make falling off much better.

[@carlselby4866]

Is the bridge still open at barmouth.

[@Rupe]

We didn't go that way, unfortunately. But the newly updated TET route (last week) goes a different way now - more inland. It actually goes along Kings Road - the bonus lane at the end of my video.

[@carlselby4866]

@@Rupe yer i think its closed another lane lost.

[@juliansaunders6163]

And I thought it was tricky on quad 🤣

[@dynamotightstar3472]

That looked very wet mate! 😱 Is that water colour due to the local iron content in the rock or does it smell like sheep and cows? Is that a T2.5 doing those lanes? That's seriously impressive!

[@Rupe]

Didn’t smell of sheep or cow, but I *may* have been distracted by the possibility of drowning. I think both of those vans were 4x4 modded - but still a bold choice to take them along there. I’m going to have to move to Wales at some point. I love hills.

[@ktmtravels3727]

S'peat!

[@anthonyrussell5884]

Get a lighter bike 350 enduro with a bigger tank , you ploughed through it tho bet you was sore after your trip .. fantastic scenery

[@Rupe]

It's a 450 enduro - and weighs 1.5kg more than the FE350. Not sure that'll make a significant difference!

[@silvioperugini5890]

definitely not I ride I would do by myself especially this time of the year... well done tho

[@stevenlewis9047]

That place is a nightmare

[@thra5herxb12s]

You are causing a lot of damage to these trails by trying to ride them this time of year.

[@eman19487]

Enjoyed the video, DEFINITLY not for me, Masochists only.

[@Rupe]

🤣