For years Cycleshack have been organising informal weekends of riding at Bike Park wales and other venues - our East Grinstead shop was the main centre for this, but we've decided to expand and do all-Cycleshack weekends - why don't you give it a try? Get to know other Cycleshack customers and the friendly Cycleshack staff and share a coffee.

This weekend is an informal group trip where anyone is welcome - we're not 'organising' a trip for you, it's like a club - turn up as you please. People of all abilities come, from mountain bike beginners to experienced riders. There's always someone to ride with! It's a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, we have a chat at the cafe, people go off on rides and come back for more coffee and lunch, and everyone does as they please. There isn't any guiding or instruction, just go out with anyone and give it a go!

We normally just set a date and most people stay either at one of the mainstream hotels, or get an AirBnB, or even camp at the site outside town. We'll meet for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights if you want to eat with a group, and generally the vibe is very relaxed.

Spring 2025's trip will be on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April. We'll be based at the Premier Inn and the Travelodge, Merthyr Tydfil.

This isn't a profit making trip, because we aren't organising anything for you! We will however book your uplift ticket if you want us to - the bookings open exactly 3 months ahead at midnight, and we have someone poised as a coiled spring to get tickets at 12.01 a.m.

We'll be doing an information sheet about the park and Merthyr, accommodation and so on - please get in touch with Sam Winter in the Eastbourne shop.

Bike Park Wales have an accommodation page, which helps local businesses and accommodation, click here

Bike Park Wales is an amazing place to ride, a large part of which is that for about £54 a day (this varies a bit) you can get uplift to the top of the hill as many times as you like! A fleet of minibuses with trailers takes riders to the top, where you can choose from over 40 world class trails to ride.

It would be helpful for us if you could let Sam know whether you intend to come - as it's an informal trip this doesn't really matter too much, but it does help us to have a rough idea so we can book a dinner table, put people in touch with each other if they want, take enough spares and so on. Just send him an email at: sam@cycleshack.co.uk or call 01323 368457