The Trek Beast Unchained

Images from previous events

 

The Trek Beast Unchained is Coed y Brenin’s biggest challenge ride and the largest participation MTB event in the forest park’s annual calendar. We want to take you beyond the challenge of ‘The Beast’, an epic ride that will test your skills and endurance. 

The event is brought to you by Trek, the world’s biggest bike brand and Dyfi Events the creators of the Dyfi Enduro. The Trek Beast Unchained fuses majestic big mountain scenery with superb forest singletrack in an awe-inspiring epic loop of trail riding. 

Choose your challenge:  The event offers multiple route distance options of increasing technical challenge. 

 

Route Profile

THE 2023 ROUTE PROFILE WILL APPEAR HERE WHEN AVAILABLE

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Remember, you don’t need to choose a route before you start, you can decide when you hit the route split if you want to finish or continue on to complete the 35km route. 

 

Who is the event for?

Skill level? – The event is suitable for riders who can ride confidently on red graded trail and are able to tackle some black graded sections.

Fitness level? – There is a 25km and 35km route both with a significant amount of climbing and descending. Select a route distance that offers suitable challenge for your personal ability.

Age? – You must be aged 16 years or over on the date of the event to ride either route distance, there is no upper age limit. Riders of 14/15years may ride the event accompanied by an adult parent or guardian. Terms apply, please read the additional information below.

Bike? – A well maintained and serviced MTB in good shape and suitable for tacking red or black trails. Any decent hardtail will do, full suspension might be desirable if you want a smoother ride as its rocky in places. Your brakes must work well and be able to stop you on steep slopes, any quality set of hydraulic disc brakes will be just fine.

E-Bikes? – E-bikes may be used but must be UK legal. E-bikes are required to start as part of the Ebike start wave.

Helmet? – A good-quality, well-fitted helmet (to BSEN1078 or Snell B90) is a mandatory requirement to enter any of our events. It’s also just common sense. We also recommend wearing a pair of full finger cycling gloves and some trail friendly knee protection. There are many styles available today that can comfortably be worn on longer rides and offer a significant degree of additional protection in a fall.

Weather? – The trails at Coed y Brenin are all-weather and being in Wales, Coed y Brenin is used to seeing a drop or two of rain so there is very little in the way of weather that will prevent the event from running. Any changes to the event, event start times or course route/status will be publicised either on the event webpage and emailed to participants or as notices at event sign on.

When? – The planned start window will open from *9.30 to 10.30. (Times to be confirmed closer to the event).  There will be a course cut off time for the longer route, riders who do not making the split point by this time must finish at the short route finish. If you intend to attempt the longer route and are concerned about time it is best to try to start as early as possible in your start wave. The cut off time will be published closer to the event date.

The price? – £37.50 plus eventbrite booking fee. For this you gain entry to the event, covering number board with RFID timing chip. All finishers will receive an event memento. If coming by vehicle, please note that you will need to pay for parking (£7/day). 

The Format – A Staggered Start

The event is a staggered start format, riders are individually timed with timing starting the moment each rider crosses the start line. Riders may start at any point during their allocated start wave opening times. The staggered start format offers a more relaxed feel to the event and allow better opportunity to enjoy the many sections of quality singletrack trail that the route offers.

The routes….

Beast Mode (25km)

A shorter loop but still ample challenge for most, at 25km it’s a slightly less beastly beast to tackle. This event provides a good opportunity for those looking to try their first MTB endurance challenge or who are looking to gain experience on route to tackling longer/tougher endurance challenges in the future.

Mega Beast (35km)

Our longest distance challenge builds on Coed y Brenin’s best known and most challenging route “The Beast”, reworking and reimagining to make an epic mash up of some of Coed y Brenin’s best trails with a few extras from off the regular route maps.

So what is the event?

The event is brought to you by Dyfi Events, the creators of the Dyfi Enduro alongside partnering brands. The Beast Unchained unleashes the best trails, old favourites and a few new faces from in and around the UK’s Original Trail Centre, Coed y Brenin. It’s an epic mix of rugged rocky MTB trail fused with lashings of superb, flowy forest singletrack and a hearty dollop of Snowdonian mountain ambiance. An awe-inspiring epic mashup of some of Wales’s best trail riding to challenge and delight in equal measure.

The format is a staggered start, timed, non-competitive MTB challenge ride. It is open to riders 16 years and over but riders aged 14/15yrs must be accompanied by an adult parent of guardian aged 18+ (The parent must sign a waiver agreeing to remain with the child on the ride at all times).

If you intend to ride the event on an e-bike, your e-bike must be a UK road-legal motor assisted electric pedal bike. No modified, chipped or derestricted bikes are permitted, likewise any bikes upgraded via a kit that have throttle operation are not permitted. All E-bikes must be declared on entry and must depart during the declared E-bike start wave times.

14/15 year olds are permitted to enter the event as long as they are accompanied by an 18+ parent, guardian or allocated responsible adult with consent from parent or guardian. An additional waiver is required, and the responsible individual must agree to remain with the young person they are accompanying at all times during the event.

 

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MTB Skills Sessions with Pedal MTB

Alongside the Beast Unchained event through the support of event sponsors Beics Brenin and Event Partners Pedal MTB we are bringing a great new addition to this year’s event.

Through both Saturday and Sunday, Pedal MTB will be holding a series of short MTB skills sessions designed to give you a chance to gain some help, tips and useful pointers to level up your riding under the watchful eye of a skilled and qualified MTB skills trainer.

The hour (to hour and a half) long sessions will focus on 3 important aspects of bike handling, you can join for the full set of 3, or just 1 or 2 sessions. They are all individually bookable and running on both Saturday and Sunday of the event weekend. Just don’t forget your times if you are riding in Sunday’s Beast Unchained or accompanying children in the Mini Beast challenge as some sessions will clash with these events.

More information on the 2023 skills sessions will be released closer to the event.

 

Mini-Beast MTB challenge

More information about the 2023 Mini Beast event will be released this spring when tickets go on sale. 

This years event will be different, open to all and designed as a fun cycling challenge suitable for recreational riders, novices, accompanied children and families. The Mini Beast will be a great opportunity for all the family to get out and ride together. There will be routes of  around 5km, 11km and 14km of varying challenge level. 

 

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PARKING – PLEASE NOTE

Changes to parking arrangements at Coed y Brenin have now come into effect. 

This means that we are no longer able to offer free parking with our events at Coed y Brenin. The landowners NRW have changed parking arrangements and a new number plate recognition enforcement system is now in operation on site. Full day parking is £7, payable prior to exit at the ticket machine outside the Visitor Centre main entrance. Parking ticket revenue is used to maintain trails at the centre and therefore plays an important role in ensuring that the trails remain in good shape.

No overnight parking is permitted.  Full parking information can be found at https://www.beicsbrenin.co.uk/visitor-centre/

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Also on the event weekend:

Our event partners Trek will be on hand showing some of their latest bikes and kit. Their support helps us deliver the event and make sure we give all our riders an enjoyable experience. 

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