El Duderino

Ma Se Plaas?

You had an actual bicycle. Luxury! In my day we raced downhill on cardboard boxes with helmets made from dried watermelons. (with apologies to Monty Python)

Is there a way to watch live coverage of the event. I'm not a GNC+ subscriber

Karcher for me too. Have had one for years to keep paving and roof of house clean. Worked perfectly. Would not use one on my bicycles though.

https://bikenetwork.co.za/

Sorry I missed this one. Great to see an ex-KZN boy take the win.

It was my first one, so can't compare. I've heard from other peeps that previous events had lots of quality Singletrack. Enjoyed the event but disappointed by dearth of Singletrack. Post race beer was awesome 👌

I did the 80km. Not much Singletrack. Nothing worse than cresting a brutal climb and being rewarded with a long jeep track descent.

Darling DBX at Darling yesterday (27/05/23)

Sorry, dude, I've already changed my tyre set up for tomorrow's race at Darling (Darling DBX).

I fitted a Panaracer GravelKing SK+ 700x50mm tyre on a 29er rim with an internal width of 30mm, no issues. Ran this set up at Ronde von Riebeek on my rear. So, unless you have 40mm ID rims, you can fit a gravel tyre.

I just did the Ronde von Riebeek gravel race on my full suspension MTB. I don't have space, or a compliant wife for a third bike, so it had to do. I fitted a Panaracer GravelKing SK+ 700 x 50mm (2.0) on my 30mm ID 29er rim on the rear and a Maxxis Ikon 2.4 on the front. It was comfortable I found the combination rolled pretty nicely. I will put the Panaracer on front and back for my next gravel outing. Great tyres...not cheap though. Go for between R890 and R1000. would recommend them as gravel specific tyres on a 29er MTB.

Yep, Cascades is Greg Minnaar's playground...the PMB trails are where the GOAT 🐐 learned his craft.

Absolutely 💯 agree. Karkloof is awesome. And people who think its just smooth, manicured singletrack, need to visit there and ride Batchelors, Sisonke, Keira's, Sid Vicious or Skyfall and many others and then come chat. Not to mention Howick trails that are all part of the same network. I'm glad you mentioned Cascades, because I've found nothing in the Wes Kaap that can compare to the arse-puckering steepness that you get at Cascades. Cascades is probably the steepest, most technically demanding trails I've ever seen. Awesome place. But, yeah, overall it's hard to beat the Winelands for variety, volume and overall experience. We are spoilt in the Wes Kaap!

I've just come out of my post-race coma and thought I'd give my race report: I did the 100 miler. I'm pretty new to endurance events, having done mostly Gravity/Enduro racing since 2015 until I moved to Cape Town at the end of 2021. So this was a farken long race for me. I did it on my full suspension MTB, which usually has trail/enduro tyres for my general riding. I swopped these out for a 2.4 Maxxis Ikon at the front and a 50mm (2.0) Gravel tyre on the back end. I was ready to roll with the fast dudes. I was close to the front at the start, and there was a friendly atmosphere and lots of cheerful banter. I was ready to roll slowly off the start and continue the banter, but when the race started, the manne just raced off in a cloud of dust. I managed to catch the back of the group on the tar road (which wasn't closed to traffic btw), when a huge crash happened right in front of me. Two riders went down really hard, and I barely missed one of them. One of the riders looked seriously injured. When I got going again, the main group were nowhere to be seen. I caught a small group on gravel bikes. They all had "Autism" jerseys on. I sucked their wheels for quite some time. They had a SUV following them. I thought I was at the back of the field and the SUV was a sweeper. Then the SUV started handing out cokes and donuts to the riders. I never got a coke or a donut. These okes had their own support vehicle. I was lank disappointed. The donut-fuelled gravel bros dropped me on the next climb (it was a slight uphill, really). I was now completely alone with just miles of dusty road ahead of me. I made it to waterpoint 2 and nearly hugged the lovely lady who offered me a hotdog. That was the best hotdog I've ever had. My energy levels were really flagging at this point, but I set off for water point 3. Waterpoint 3 was not the oasis of treats I was expecting. A short dude was standing next to a table with what looked like paper shot cups. He said: "would you like some weed?" I said, "I don't smoke weed." He looked at me funny. So, I said, "but I'll have one of those tequilas." He said, "it's weed, not tequila." So, I looked at him funny and rode off. Found out later he was peddling Heed, not weed. I made it to the end. My Garmin said 157kms. I was lank disappointed. I'm going to draft a letter to the organizers asking a 2% refund for my race fee. I paid for 160kms, not 157. After the race I could not find the Belgian Beer, but did have one of the best burgers I've had in a while. Overall I really enjoyed the race and have no complaints, besides being offered weed and being shortchanged 3kms. I did it in 7 hours and 40 minutes and will do it again. And, no, I'm not buying a gravel bike. Thanks to the organizers, I'll see you all next year.

Where are these advertised cos I would like to join the next one.

Pics from 160km Riebeek Kasteel Gravel Race on 20/05/2023.

I think the main reason for marathon types avoiding Jonkers is not that it's technical but that it's that you either riding up a steep hill...or down one. What I've heard...not sure if true as I've not ridden there.

Fair comment. Since moving to CT, I sold my trail/enduro bike (Yeti SB) and bought an XC/DC bike as I was doing long rides and not much enduro riding. The people I ride with here tend to prefer the longer, slightly less technical stuff. So, they not fans of Jonkershoek, DH/Enduro Trails at Tokai etc. So, that's why I've never been to Jonkers, the people I ride with here don't really like it. They prefer Banhoek Valley, Oak Valley etc. As regards the enduro at Jonkers, I was going to do the event on the original date, but it was cancelled. And I can't do the rescheduled one as I'm doing the Darling Breweries Extreme MTB Race that weekend which I had already signed up for. Would love to ride Jonkershoek at some point. I've only heard good things. Except from XCM bros who tend to avoid it. I guess that's the allure of KK...it has something for everyone, even the gravel bros. 😁

I've ridden Karkloof. It is MTB heaven. I did SA Enduro champs there over two days, I think we did 9 stages in total, and still did not see all the trails that KK has to offer. KK is great for long marathon type rides (SA Marathon Champs have been held there), has plenty of enduro trails which will test your skillz properly and even has DH trails. There's also plenty of XC type riding. It's hard to beat KK. I've haven't been to Jonkershoek, so I can't comment on how it measures up to KK. I've done a few enduros since I've moved to the Western Cape, and ridden places like Tokai, Banhoek, Hoogekraal, Paarl Trails, Bottleray Trails and Oak Valley and they're all excellent...but I'd pick KK over all of them every day.

Signed up for the 100 miler. Haven't trained for it. Have not done any long rides over 55kms on MTB training for this event. Longest ride on MTB is 109kms, Karoo to Coast. I trained for that and did some long rides. Seriously questioning my choices right now!!!!

I came here for an argument, and all I got was some grade A whining: That's not an argument, it's just a contradiction:

It's disappointing when you make your best comment ever on Bike Hub and then the thread gets removed. And now I can't even go back and admire my handiwork. Sad face.