Skubarra

Not a particular big fan of technical stuff on gravel races but that jeeptrack next to railway wasn't too bad... Rode that road from Delico to town a few weeks back and it was rutty as hell, think its quite a busy road, but maybe the ruts would have softened up a bit with all the rains...

For a slower rider probably around an hour + the stretch from McGregor to Lords is another 30min drag/climb

Cannot say I particularly enjoyed the singletrack on my gravelbike, worried that idea might catch on with other gravel organisers 🤣 But yes, unique and challenging route, definitely one of the more interesting races around. Also, weather was kind to us...

There was also a cut-off at 14h00 at Lord's Wines, they didn't allow you to attempt the climb if you arrived after the cut-off. We saw a number of riders still riding towards the venue when we left just after 14h00

Don't quite follow your thinking - 360km route, the sketchy river sections you mention maybe 1km of the route? You will maybe lose a few minutes compared to the mtb on those short sections at most? Just to clarify - I dont think the short sections where you will be faster on a mtb outweigh the rest of the route where you should be faster on a gravel bike. And if its really bad on those sections you will be slow there on a mtb as well. In my limited experience of riding in mud (limited because I really try to avoid it if I can 🤣), thinner wheels just deal better with mud & water so if I know its going to be muddy I opt for the gravel bike.

go to the website, the annoying spinning wheel is only on the app

eish thats scary - seller with lots of 5 star ratings - would not expect that... So the bike "hasn’t been ridden much." part of the sales pitch also not true?

good point!! In my mind the climb only started at lord's but I remember now that section - quite a few wheels came off there last year...

The gravel section from Lord's Wines to the start of the tar climb long but not particularly steep. The tar climb to the finish venue is shorter but steeper than Hans se Kop, you'll be pushed to your limit there...

Slippery slope that one, just because one person associated with a business or brand is a sadistic troll on social media doesn't mean the other people in that business share that stance. Can be counter-productive.

I see they changed the first part of the route, we dont go through town anymore, now basically an out and back on the Piketberg gravel road. Pity 😞 the part they cut out is a lekker road. I assume it was difficult to get traffic permission to take the starting groups from the venue through the whole town.

where did you see that? no updates on website or social media that I have seen?

No I actually agree with you (except maybe for Swartberg which is about 40% - 50% tar?, for me only the Swartberg downhill at the end was nasty on the thinner tires) Think we are lucky that we have good gravel surfaces around CPT and for most nearby events 45mm would be perfectly fine

That is like 90% of the races 🙈

honestly not that close to the SAPS that it would be a deterrent, closer to Morningstar which have seen a number of attacks on cyclists over the past few years. With the benefit of hindsight an incident that maybe was waiting to happen, though I don't blame anyone involved for thinking they were safe inside the shop.