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On 7/26/2022 at 7:11 PM, shaper said:Consider hiring a bike for your race as will likely be cheaper
Oh no, I love mine too much 
10 hours ago, Duane_Bosch said:There are self storage facilities in Geneva and Zurich (don't know where you are flying out of)
Zurich has luggage storage at the airport but the pricing is... Um.... Challenging.
Like the previous poster said. First prize is probably to get a fellow saffer to lug the bike back for you. You'll have to avail yourself of the luggage rates of the airline. I did this for a friend in 2019 and he paid 90Euro. We flew Turkish and that is the standard bike charge. so 2 bikes = 180 Euro. Which is actually ok. With some airlines the wording is somewhat vague and you don't actually know what you are in for when you arrive at the airport.
Yes it is usually 90-150 EUR with normal airlines, Qatar does it for free! I fly a lot with my bike... just did not want to put the trouble on anyone so was exploring options.
11 hours ago, esCape-ist said:Best would be to find someone else that is doing the race as well (there must be other South Africans going), and ask them to fly your bike back with them, and you pay for their excess baggage. If you use any of the courrier options, the bike will need to go through customs and you will be charged import duties.
Yep I am doing it with my partner who is flying back to CPT straight after. I did not ask him because I was sure he would get in trouble with customs carrying 2 bikes...?
Maybe not then it's a really good option
Hi all,
It might be a bit of unusual question. I am doing Swiss Epic in August this year (and I know they'd probably give you a big race bag and that would end up with more luggage than even I'd come with).
The problem is, I need to go to Warsaw and then Ukraine for a couple months afterwards (probably fly to Warsaw and take a train from there - yes, you can get in just not by air), and that logistic includes a lot of stopovers / transport changes, it's a long hard way already. I will not need the bike or any of it there.
I was wondering if there is a way to send my bike back to Cape Town once I'm done with the race and then go ahead with my small luggage? Would make things a ton easier....
I checked a couple companies, I also checked what UPS charges online - it is more than a round trip to get to SA and back!
Anyone done something like this? Like shipping your bike to here from elsewhere?
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks,
Kate
This was the first race I've ever done on my steel gravel (read - commute, lol) bike - and it went sooo well!
Everything - the venue, the scenery, the support & the company on the route!
TBH was a bit hesitant about signing up for a 100 miles with the bike that I've never ridden on the gravel, really - just commuting from Sea Point to Woodstock through town) - so for me it was supposed to be a go or no go kind of thing. Smart people would've signed up for 50 miles to try it out first probably, I've never been that.
It was a painful and rewarding experience. I've got some weird disc brakes on it and drop bars do not really help to break and control it properly (and neither do slick tyres), thus the downhills were really slow, scary and oh they hurt. It might be the case of me not skilled enough for that, too. But on the good side of things, I do think gravel bikes go faster on the flats and climbs, and it's a much more enjoyable experience to realize all your effort goes where it should.
Completed in 7:43. The only part of my body that was aching the next day were the hands from being constantly beaten by the bars for over 7 hours, otherwise all surprisingly fine.
Looking forward to other gravel events now 
3
God! That is HOT!
These bikes really come alive when you mix the gravel and tar in one ride. Once you've experienced that (which I'm sure you have), you realise why gravel bikes really do have a niche of their own...
Thank you
Yeah it's good enough to go from the tar in town and around to the gravel on the mountain e.g. Blockhouse and back. Hard to find friends though that would bear with me on the road (road bikes too fast!) and on the trails (MTB is a different story). But good to just get out there and ride without much thought...
A true test will be, Amarider 100miler next weekend. And a good chance to love or hate it! 
Any gravel bikers from 'upcountry' doing this. The organisers say it is perfect for G-bikes. If I manage to do OK on the Berg100 this may be a logical final ride before I go into winter hibernation.
I am thinking but I'm scared! Never done such a long distance on my G-bike. Maybe there's still time to try...
(not from upcountry tho )
Rode pass you in your last 5km. Felt like a dog not being able to help. At such a tough race, even if everything goes well you tend to lose your sense of humor at bit. Well done for not giving up. Most people would have pulled the plug in your situation. Ditto for the commitment to go back in 2019. Personally, the longer races doesn't suite me, but there is something special about this one. I'll be back for more torture, but it is definitely worth it.
Hehe thank you, I do not think anyone could help there really...
It would have been the end to the race if that happened like half way through, but not after you're done with 99% of it.
This year I had more sense of humour than back in 2017, the hardest part being the last 15 km - mentally, when you're counting down like 15...14...13... okay, 10 is nothing...like another commute to work - and then those sandy rolling hills materialize making your pace soo slow.
For me this is the only 100-miler done so far (but quite a few 100+ km rides and races) - I do agree this is special, there's something magic in that Cederberg.
So yes - 2019, hoping and training for 8h 30m
Was riding 3 passes with two friends - one on an MTB and the other one on the proper road bike. Thus, my Escapade is faster than the fromer but cannot compete with the latter so I was a good balance between the two of them
Steel does give you an interesting feeling - it likes strong legs since it's hard to get it going - but once done, it's the beast which is hard to stop.
And on the other days I just commute...
5
Well... yeah... that angry lady trying to ride the flat was me.
Really sorry if I didn't sound very nice to passers by trying to tell me that my rear wheel is flat 
Was going 2nd until like 99 kms...then 3rd - which is also quite OK for a race like this. On my final 10 km sprint, like 4 kms from the finish line my Crossmark just exploded giving me a shower of cooling sealant, and that cut was unrepairable. Well you don't really wanna run after 157 km ridden, all with your bike and in your cycling shoes - unless you are some weird version of an ironman 
...thus, in that stupid state of mind I was hoping I could still ride it - but smth told me to stop killing my bike so ended up hiking up & down which took me 20 minutes longer - and took my podium away
Well that happens, and I still shaved off 1 hr from last year's time - knowing the route with its neverending climbs does help.
I did enjoy every minute of it though (except for the last 20 ones where I wanted to cry) and will definitely be back next year!
Well done to all the hard minds who finished, especially the ladies. There were many more this year!
5
Heavy Days, thanks for that perspective.
What avg speed were you doing? 10 - 15km/h? Thats actually doable. hmmmmmm
You need to go on the average of 16 kph (or faster) if you want to fit in 10 hrs - because you have to stop at the water points and if you decide to cramp 
That was about it, here's my strava:
2
9 or 10 hours on the bike, potentially in big heat - with 3000m ascent - I'm hesitating - maybe I'll do the Amarider 100 miler which sounds a little easier. I'm going to give it another week of mulling it over before deciding.
Hey I wasn't here to scare everyone off! I was very careful with the pace then because I was riding on my own, haven't done that of a long MTB ride in a while - and didn't wanna die in the middle of nowhere
Yeah it was 10 hrs I see now, out of the 8 ladies who started (lol) we were the two official finishers. Could for sure do better I guess.
https://inthebunch.co.za/2017/04/cederberg-100miler-results/
2
Riding solo this time....hoping for nice company along the way
Though "never again" was what I said last year, I will do it again this year probably. Hopefully on my new Cotic bike 
The route is absolutely beautiful, and the race support and catering is really good!
Took me around like 10 hours last year (but I can't say I was really fit - and it doesn't really help when you don't know the profile and the terrain - so not sure how hard & where to push)
Wanna beat my time by at least 1 hr!
Hi all,
I know this has been brought up a couple times before but I'm giving it my own try.
Looking for a regular group / club / riding buddie(s) in and around city centre though able to commute to any other meeting point on my own if I don't have to hit N1 / N2.
Mostly interested in weekend morning rides around Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch and Tokai starting around Gardens, CBD or early Southern Suburbs as well as weekdays morning coffees. Most of the people I know are either too far away or do not seem to have that level of dedication 
And it feels sad and unsafe (they say) to ride out there alone, so would be great to know something happening regularly or meeting someone that keen
as well.
My fitness level is here https://www.strava.com/athletes/3613202 and on racetec / saseeding Normally pushing harder during the week and when there are races so normal weekends are more about longer rides and some fun on the trails.
Kate
I think there's a group that leaves 5.30am from Sea point pool every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
Never joined them but they are always there when i brave the cold mornings...
I guess this is ATC Multisport club - they actually start from Virgin Active Point parking. You can buy a 200 R / per year membership and join them. It's a nice ride for any level, I did it before, just not always aligned with my training plan.
It's my first time there. So do not know what's gonna happen but sounds like a proper endurance event.
Staying in Clanwilliam, driving home from Ceres. All those spectacular areas included I guess.
Kaleo Manor was hosting Tankwa Trek - such a nice venue. It also has some crazy singletracks several kms before the finish so I wonder if they gonna include that here.
I am See you there
Hi guys, I'm keen, too.
Table Mountain / Kirstenbosch / Tokai are favourite areas on week days & week-ends. Can be slower of faster - I'm easy on that. Just sad and unsafe riding out there alone.
Bootleggers is a fav place for a coffee stop
My work hours are flexible but have to be in the office between 10 and 3, taking my bike with if going to ride.
My whatsapp 071 179 9139
Kate
Hi there,
I'm looking for just 1.... if there are any? Please 
Hi Kate
I'm keen and would like to look into this.
Maybe chat on whatsapp and see if this could work.
0839756097
Hi,
Sorry that was a busy day. Let's chat sometime tomorrow, will add you in whatsapp
There may be some mitigation for wearing a yellow bracelet, BUT there is nothing that will save you from the eternal damnation that the other transgression you confessed to, deserves
I finished the 2013 one on 26er if that helps me a bit 
And my partner was riding a 26" hardtail.
I was looking at the bike stats from 2013 and, it seems from your words like the suppressing majority of the riders should be getting that kind of damnation here or there, as I'm not sure which part of the "Riding a 29" S-Works" statement you are referring to 
Shipping the bike to SA from Europe?
in Share Your Ride & Travels
Posted
Thanks so much, will check it out!