A5 Bangor - Betws-y-Coed

[drossall]

Anyone know what this road is like on a Saturday? We're visiting my mother-in-law in Llandudno, and it looks like I might get kicked out on my bike while the girls go shopping

There's an obvious loop around the minor coast roads to Bangor. I can see that there are some B and minor road alternatives most of the way from there to Llyn Ogwen if I need them, though I'd sooner try to get into a rhythym on the climb. I know the road through Trefriw back up the Conwy valley. It's just a matter of whether the A5 section is reasonable.

[Canardly]

I used to travel this road at weekends on way to Bangor uni. Lots of peeps park alongside the margins near the lake and towards Bethesda when out walking. ByC is always rammed. Also some think its a racetrack. Lumpy but you knew this already.

[Jasmine]

It's fine.  It's used by quite a few cyclists.  The gradient from Bangor to Llyn Ogwen is reasonably steady.  The road is quite twisty in places, so there are places where a cyclist can't be passed, but they aren't that long, and the traffic isn't that heavy.  As Canardly says, there will be lots of cars parked (illegally) on the verge once you get up to Llyn Ogwen, but that isn't usually a massive problem. Llyn Ogwen-Capel Curig-Betws y Coed is mostly fast downhill.  I prefer the A5 to the minor B roads, simply because the surfacing is better.   

[Si S]

^^Agree with all that. I used to ride it regularly about 10 years ago. Always enjoyed the back road to Llyn Ogwen but not sure what the surface is like these days.

[Karla]

My old club's regular weekend trip used that road on a Saturday.  It's fine. 

[drossall]

That looks like a consensus then. Thanks all