For most, February is not a time for riding bikes. The balmy summer months provide far more pleasant conditions for packing in the miles, and hours more daylight to boot.
But skipping out on February, and on the winter months in general, would be a mistake. Yes it’s cold and muddy, but at least the roads are quiet if not deserted (no tourists), and the trails while being sloppy are free from handlebar-grabbing bracken and other undergrowth. Embracing a bit of cold hardship brings its own rewards.
In the spirit of this the Drosi team recently gathered on a crisp morning at the height of Winter for a ride of our ‘Dee Valley West’ circuit.
This was mainly a jolly, but it also gave us an opportunity to stress-test some of our hire bikes before the busy season. These bikes do quite a bit of work, but beyond the compulsory ‘ride around the block’ following cleaning or fixing, we don’t get to give them a good run out too often.
These Planet X e-bike conversions are our workhorses, and easily our most popular hire-outs (everyone loves a motor). But being e-bikes, and well used ones at that, they require more love than your average bike. We were listening out for creaks, squeaks and any overly loud angry-bee sounding motors- classic symptoms of a poorly e-bike.
The Dee Valley West circuit is a great little ride, taking in some of the best quiet lanes and easy forestry gravel within reasonable riding distance from Llangollen. At 17 miles and 2-3 hours it packs a decent punch for most riders, especially considering the 1750ft (533m) of climbing involved. But the climbing is worth it to experience excellent views of both the Dee and Ceiriog valleys, as well as a fantastic moorland-into-forest descent down to Glyndyfrdwy. Of course on one of our e-bikes these hills are far more manageable, and the day can be made even more civilised by stopping at the Berwyn Arms in Glyndyfrdwy for a pint, or the Chain Bridge Hotel on the canal coming back into Llangollen. Why not take the whole day and stop at both for food and drink, returning to Llangollen jolly, refreshed and with a life-affirming ride under your belt?!
On this particular February morning we didn’t stop for refreshment, partly as we needed to get back to open up the workshop, but mainly as any winter-outdoor-goer knows, consistent movement is the key to warmth. The first hill out of Llangollen certainly warmed us up; at 1 mile long and a 14% average gradient the Gwernant is a bit of a pig to get up on a bicycle, and even with a motor on full beans, you know you’re pedalling. But the views across the top were fantastic, with that clear crispness in the air that only a winter morning can give you, and jolly conversation all-round.
The rough tarmac eventually turned to forestry gravel in Ceiriog forest, rutted and wet but perfectly manageable on any mountain or burly gravel bike setup. Weaving between puddles of un-knowable depth kept us on our toes, and thus it was a true pleasure to hit the tarmac again at the cattlegrid on the top and freewheel down the fast straight-forward descent into Glyndyfrdwy.
The final pedal along the river was a perfect finale to the ride, even with its occasional steep little climbs it trends downhill, and the full-to-bursting banks of the River Dee provided that perfect atmosphere of rural North Wales. We returned to the workshop along the canal from Horseshoe Falls feeling energised and grateful for such a perfect winter’s morning.
Feeling inspired to give this route a go? You can find it, and other routes on our website with the option to download it as a gpx file for easy navigation.
Don’t have a bike? Hire one from us and have a proper explore of this beautiful and often overlooked part of North Wales.
Happy riding folks!
Written by Scott Gurnett, 2025