The Ouzo

10 000%, First point of call would be your current doc, second point of call if you dont like what your doc says is a second doc. But I'm sure you know this and are just looking for some reassurance from people that have had similar. My un educated thumb suck opinion is that you should be fine. But i know sweet F-All about these things so dont take my opinion as anything but crap.

that right there is easier said than done. Have you seen how much more harassment woman and old people get? Like I said in one of my earlier posts about this event, I sat in my car and watched people arriving and getting ready, and it was clear these guys know who to target and who not to.

Partly agree but mostly disagree. the last thing you are thinking about after a hard event is crime. If they could secure the stadium etc. for Soweto Marathon, there is no reason the same thing cant be done for 947. If I recall, the fake car guard issue was there last year too. Its not difficult to chase these guys out, just requires additional man power on the ground at all times.

Agreed. Not as many as previous years (when I went through douglasdale/bryanston the usual supporters were not there). But the ones that were out were appreciated. I saw a bunch of cyclists at the top of Jan Smuts cheering people on, wasnt sure who they were, so could possibly have been DD. As I ride in non branded kit i dont get much individual cheering as I used to when my kit was smeered with branding, but going up hyde park they were playing music and they happen to be playing the tune I use as my ring tone, so I sat up and did a little vibe thing with both hands that got me a shout out. For a brief moment it gives you a bit of extra energy.

but what were they doing so far ahead of me ? i.e. they must have started much much earlier than me and they never passed me anywhere. Actually I've overlooked the shorter route. It may very well have been shorted route riders.

I doubt they dont care. Safety issues like this puts their event in jeopardy. As much as i think their Admin around the event was rubbish this year, I seriously doubt they will ignore safety issues surrounding the event.

I've been going to Kyalami since I was a kid in the early 80's. The roads around there were never the bottle neck to get in or out, it has always been the entrance and silly narrow roads inside.

Allandale has improved, but the entrance to Kyalami has stayed the same. The open fields around Kyalami where we used to be able to park has become residential developments. So that parking is gone. I dont disagree on the location and safety aspect of FNB, even NASREC wont be much better. But the alternatives suggested here will not work either.

Exactly. On Sunday there would be ebikes coming past on the hills, hit the down hills or flats and we would fly right by. honestly in this race the only time they'd be quicker is in the lower end of the Alphabet. Once on the M1 there would be no way a restricted e-bike could stand a chance, average speed along the M1 even half way down the Alphabet sits in the upper 40s, with some stretched seeing us sitting at over 60km/h. By the time we turn off the M1 they'd be so far behind i doubt they'd be able to make up the time on the climbs coming back. (which make me wonder why I was passing clearly unfit people on e-bikes on the return leg)

if it was easier you would not have motivation to get fitter/stronger. I've had many 947 over the years where I've had to simply climb off the bike for a few minutes to let the HR come down. I've sworn at the hills. I've cried on the hills. Guess what, I'm currently the fittest I've ever been and finishing 2 hours faster than my first one, and its still not easy. Its just faster. Lets not drop the pass mark to 30%

* Moving this to Kyalami is NOT the answer. We used to start and finish there. It is a nightmare logistically. If you think parking is bad now, try kyalami on for size. * were you guys not on bikes ? how was the parking far from the start for you ? I purposely parked in one of the further parkings, its really not an issue. CTCT the parking is even further away. * They have tried venues in the north, Steyn City is a ball ache, Woodmead drive offers no secure near by parking, kyalami is a massive bottleneck to get cars in or out. Its simply a case of beefing up security at the current venue. A venue that was built to handle 10s of thousands of people going in and out.

This, and the previous attacks that were happening at Riverfields, I am convinced it is the builders in the area. The attacks only started happening when they started building that complex, and now I see some more land near by is advertising that they are putting up a complex.

exactly. My first one in '98 was a killer. Included climbs like Blue hills and Jan Smuts and many others. I went in under trained and barely made it to the finish. I vowed never to ride a race again under trained.

I'm going to be THAT guy. If it was easy then everyone would do it. Whats next, shorten the comrades because not everyone can complete that distance ? Its "Jo'burgs toughest race", lets not dumb it down. If you want easy they have the short route that you can do.

no the entire cost of doing the event is not cheap. The entry is one part of it, costs of fuel to and from the venue twice. Nutrition on the day etc. It starts to add up. But given the cost of other races and everything else these days its not terrible, but certainly not for everyone. But people make a plan. I arrived early, so sat in my car watching everyone arrive and start preparing. In front of me an old box shape corolla (circa early 80's) pulls in with 4 bikes on the roof with very much a "maak 'n plan" roof rack. 4 Gents get out and start preparing their bikes and kit to ride. Even casually changing a tube on the one bike. In contrast, right next to them a car and 2 double cabs, each with 4 MTB hanging on tail gate covers, pulls in, and I watched as this group, all dressed in the same kit , started preparing.

it was HOT. Had half a bottle of drink at the car. Went through another half a bottle of water waiting in the starting pens

Out of the 19 I've done since 1998, this is by far the easiest and nicest route. Never like any of the clock wise routes. The anti clock wise ones from the early years had brutal never ending climb after climb after climb. It felt like there was no rest between the climbs. this route atleast has enough time between each climb to rest the legs.

I disagree on Kyalami. Getting to and from the venue was always a pain. (not half as bad as steyn shitty though). But moving it more north might make it closer to get to for more people. But then we lose that lovely stretch of M1.

re: beam pattern. OP said he is NOT riding in the dark, so in my opinion beam pattern is much less of an issue.

my experience tells me otherwise. when i dont have the flashing rear on I find cars pass me a lot closer than when i do have it on. Since getting lights, i never ride without them (except for races). So when the rear does go flat because I've forgotten to charge it, i notice right away how cars pass me closer

Earlier years were much more brutal (the years before they started taking us on the freeway). What made this year bad in terms of cramps etc. was the heat. Prevailing winds means it assists up the hills going back. For the not so fit they now have the short route. I suspect that has also taken a good few thousand participants away from the long route.

Lumens wise you dont need much, for the front anything around the 200lm is fine. You just want to make sure its got both flash and constant modes (at max lumen) and that the run time at max exceeds your planned riding times. For the rear 75lm is more than enough, again, as above, check run time @max lumen flash mode.

Just incase anyone thinks I was taking it easy

They demanded money from me too. Told him politely where he can stick his request.

Firstly apologies to the guy right near the start that recognized my name from the hub and said hi. I realize I wasn’t that friendly. I was trying to stick with the Club 100 guys at the time. I burnt all my matches on the M1 Again. managed to stay with the bunch all the way to Kyalami. Even doing my turn on the front a couple of times. after turning off of witkoppen I bunny hooped the first speed bump and my right calve turned into a ball of glass. nursed it from there. then left quad decided to cramp at the top of Hyde park. So most of the second half was spent nursing my legs. still better than playing golf.