Stephan

It's mostly gravel. There is one fun single track section on private land which is also part of the Hart & Bos race happening on the 26th.

This is total BS. We cannot let them win. How do we solve this? Or do we just accept the risk, ride in groups, avoid hotspots, be vigilant and carry on? I was mugged two years ago. Its a k#k experience, and I got off very lightly, but this new trend of thugs pulling guns, pangas, etc. is very concerning. There must be something we can do?

Any recommendations for (mostly) gravel road route options north-east of Cape Town longer than 50km please? I've looked at the "durbanville to philadelphia" thread. Any more? Is Klipheuwel area safe? What would be the best starting points? Hoogekraal, Bootleggers Durbananille, Melbosstrand?

From August to date, all have the same MO. Either stolen from a car, or chain / cable cut from where bike was parked. Be careful out there. https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2433/cannondale-scalpel-si-carbon-2-2020 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2422/specialized-epic-2019 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2410/scott-900-rc-comp-duel-suspension-2018 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2372/avalanche-tempest-275-hardtail-2015 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2360/merida-road-racer-903-2009 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2322/scott-aspect-2018 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2312/specialized-stumpjumper-evo-2022 https://bikehub.co.za/stolen-bikes/2303/schwinn-moab

Help me understand this. If I understand the events that unfolded, then you rode past a group of say 15 riders. This guy chased you down (i.e. rode ahead of his mates), forced you off the road and assaulted you. As this was happening, at some point the entire group must have come riding past and would have seen what was unfolding, or already happened (i.e seen you bleeding on side of the road)?

Thanks everyone for the help. Very much appreciated! Herewith the latest route plan. Day 1 Peregrine to Stanford (no changes, same as above) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391745 Day 2 Stanford to Elim (no changes, same as above) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391836 Day 3 Elim to Bredasdorp via Cape Agulhas (big changes to avoid the tar road between Bredasdorp and Struisbaai. Route now follows a more direct path south through, what appears to be a rideable old access road, then a anti-clockwise route via Struisbaai to get back to gravel roads to cut out the tar back to Bredasdorp) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391939 Day 4 Bredasdorp to Witsand via Malgas (no changes) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391988 Day 5 Witsand to Stilbaai https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392024 Day 6 Stilbaai to Gouritz (big changes thanks for comments above, the last bit along the coast is optional, but goes up to the point where there appears to be a fence on Google Maps) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392063 Day 7 Gouritz to Hartenbos (start point changed to Goutitz) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392095

Thanks Rob. That's very helpful. There is also a Strava segment there, called Old access road North and it is used relatively often. https://www.strava.com/segments/16567770

Hi @Rob Mortimer thanks for the info about the Struisbaai to Bredasdorp tar road. Looking on Google street view I see what you mean. Not keen to ride narrow tar roads with no shoulder. Do you know if this route from Elim to Agulhas is possible? Strava shows heatmaps along this road, but on Google Maps it looks very unused and very sandy. https://www.strava.com/routes/3025005267738765906

Thanks everyone for your help. @Skubarrare. the river road NW of Stilbaai, is it this one? I've now changed the Day 6 route to follow the main gravel road. I don't know the owners of the Gouriqua Nature reserve unfortunately, but I am not keen to head inland to Albertinia and cut out Gouritz completely. About the wind, yes good point. I learned this lesson last year and am definitely better mentally prepared for this. As for dates, current plan is to do this between 17 and 23 Dec. Thanks @MongooseMan for the advice!

Day 1 Peregrine to Stanford Day 2 Stanford to Elim Day 3 Elim to Bredasdorp via Cape Agulhas Day 4 Bredasdorp to Witsand via Malgas Day 5 Witsand to Stilbaai Day 6 Stilbaai to Vleesbaai Day 7 Vleesbaai to Hartenbos

Last year I did the published Cross Cape route over seven days, starting from Franschoek ending in George. This year I would like to explore the coastal area, starting either in Grabouw or Gordons Bay, ending in Hartenbos just before Xmas. I am not familiar with the entire area east of Stanford and south of the N2, so I used a combo of Strava heatmaps and Google maps to find roads and plan routes, but its impossible to know if there is a fence or gate somewhere that could result in a 50km detour, so I thought I would ask the Hub community for advice, comments, suggestions, etc. to make sure this route is possible. Or maybe I am missing a gem of a section or road somewhere and need to edit the route. Any tips welcome. @Skubarra I'm counting on you for the sections closer to Stilbaai. 🙂 Day 1 Peregrine to Stanford https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391745 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024953645903472210 Another option is to start in Gordons Bay and do the coastal route along Clarence Dr via Rooi-Els, Bettys, Kleinmond and sleep in Hermanus. Day 2 Stanford to Elim https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391836 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024953791888405074 Mostly follows the Cape Cycle Routes Overberg Meander route. Day 3 Elim to Bredasdorp via Cape Agulhas https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391939 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024953960581141430 Day 4 Bredasdorp to Witsand via Malgas https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41391988 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024954109932288950 Day 5 Witsand to Stilbaai https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392024 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024954248133197394 Day 6 Stilbaai to Vleesbaai https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392063 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024954382169874376 Day 7 Vleesbaai to Hartenbos https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41392095 https://www.strava.com/routes/3024954521418305462

Wow. Wow. Wow. That was an epic finish. Huge respect to AZ. With way less sleep he came from behind and took it at the finish line. Absolutely gutted for Benky. This is going to hurt for a long time, but considering his accident not so long ago and that he didn't really train for this race (AFAIK he wasn't planning for it, but decided to enter because of the quality of the field), he was AMAZING! Keep your head high Kevin, you were an absolute beast.

50km to go for Benky, and I think he is being caught by AZ? Hope not. Tracking is a little delayed.

An open letter to Benky 😉 Dear Kevin, when (if) you read this, pllllleeease on your next visit to Cape Town, can I organise an evening social event where you tell us about how you prep for a race/ride like this, but then more interestingly, how do you plan your strategy and what goes through your mind as you ride 2750km. The longest solo bikepacing ride I've done is 560km and that was tough. The Rhino Run just blows my mind. See you in Cape Town. Beers on me! 🙂

Everyone who is doing this ride is a legend. Amazing stuff. With 500km to go for the leaders, what is a realistic ETA? Friday late afternoon / evening, assuming another quick nap sometime tonight?

Bliksem! 😱

Haha, exactly the same for me. Kevin is a machine!

Why is nobody talking about this? What a race! Benky and Abdulllah from Aus seem to be changing the lead every few hours, but they are way ahead of everyone else after 1675km . Still more than a 1000km to go to Windhoek. https://rhinorun.cc/maprogress-race-tracker

This look so epic. Didnt know about this at all, but now I am hooked. Dot watching for next week..... 🙂

https://forum.bikehub.co.za/topic/189907-cross-cape-on-my-ace/page/2/#comment-3851994

OK, figured out the price. Its R97 for a day permit until end Oct, then R100 from 1 Nov. https://www.sanparks.org/docs/parks_table_mountain/tourism/other-tariffs-tmnp-2022.pdf Hope we can buy at the gate....

Taking a group of friends around southern suburbs trails. Keen to show them Tokai. Where do we buy day permits? Price?

Forgot to add, I also looked at Rapidé, but their website has been showing "out of stock" for a very long time.

I'm looking to upgrade my current wheel set on my XC bike. I ride mostly marathon/xc/trails. I don't do downhill or enduro or jumps. Rider weight is 85kg. I've done some research into alloy rim options. Below is my short list. No idea what current availability is like though, but keen to hear what people would recommend? Lyne AMP 30 V2, 32 hole rim which seems to be built tough for trails. 6061 Alloy. 30mm internal width. 545g. R1500. Pulse, 28 hole rim for XC/marathon racing. 28mm internal width. 465g. R1500. Stans Arch MK4, 32h rim suitable for XC/marathon and trail riding. 6069 alloy. 28mm internal width. 481g. R1900 – R2350. DT Swiss XM481, 28 or 32 hole rim which seems to be tough as nails and suitable for almost anything except enduro/downhill. 30mm internal width. 465g. R2550 – R2850 M502, 32 hole rim for general MTB and trail use. 570g. 30mm internal width. R1800 – R2000. Race Face RaceFace ARC30 Offset, 28 or 32 hole rim, suitable for almost anything. 6069 alloy. Various width options. 30mm is 525g. R1850 – R2160.

Question for the wheel builders I got my hands on a Hope Pro 4 rear hub with 32 holes. My current wheel set has 28 spokes. Can I replace my current 28 hole hub with the 32 one? Will the lacing work?