gemmerbal

Training for long rides is an interesting topic. In my prep for Munga, I focused on 4/5 2hr rides in the week mostly in zone 2 with intermittent maximal efforts on these rides. On weekends I’d do longer rides and I only did a handful of 200km plus rides just to get comfortable sitting on my bike for 10-14hrs. Learning how to feed properly is very important as well. If you get your base fitness up you should walk the 100miler I reckon. Watch as much of Mark Beaumont’s videos as possible, he is the king when it comes to LOOOONG distance riding. Also check out Benkie’s social media posts, he shares lots of useful info. Good luck OP! PS: ive done 1 Munga so I am by no means an expert. But i finished it comfortably so i guess my training was in the right ball park, fwiw.

Ive done many 200km + rides of mixed surfaces. Im based in Brackenfell and have done Worcester and back via Bainskloof and Eensaamheid, thats about 235km. Lots of options in and around Wellington as well. You can also go out to Theewaterskloof and Steenbras dam via Franschhoek or go around Rooiels. Loads of options, no need to get a roadbike as long as you are happy to roll on your donkey.

Maybe OP is the Uchoober 🤔

Ah yes, now I remember! Lekker, we should have taken a photo together, you could have been in my blog 😉 I know exactly where you lost your gilet because I too had to get off my bike and walk around that big mud bath. I still thought, jeez, someone lost a black gilet, maybe I should take it with me in case… sorry man, I didn’t pick it up, my bad. Sounds like you had a tough race with all the physical challenges you had. Share the rest of your journey!

Well done in completing it, I had such a blast I cannot wait to get back to the starting line, even if it means struggling with my hands for a while! What still lingers with me is just the simplicity of actually doing the event: ride your bike, stop, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat. The first couple of days back home I felt as if something was missing, I needed to be on my bike surely? But once the adrenaline wore off and I started to feel the aches and pains from a 100hr ride, I was happy to be lying around the house for a day or 2, but that feeling didn’t last long! Look, its an easy mistake to make if you are tired. Alex/Lip was very explicit about this section before Britstown and in hindsight I can understand why: if you are tired and not concentrating and end up weaving across the road in front of a truck its not going to end well. That road was very busy when Harko and I did that section and there’s not really anywhere to hide other than the service road next to the railway. Wind? Let me tell you about wind… 🙈🌪️🤣

I was leaning towards just klapping a set of drop bars on my dual suspension. I like the geometry of my Merida 96 and my fat bottom needs to have full suspension. I have previously (& subsequent to Munga) thought about getting a hardtail and converting it into a monster gravel cross (sufficient tyre clearance for 2.4 tyres) with a suspension fork at the front and obviously some drop bars. This is probably still a good option although it must be said I cannot justify having 3 bikes in my garage, it just makes no sense to me. Plus I like my Merida, it took me long enough to go from a hardtail to a DS (bought the 96 in January 2022 specifically for the Munga and traded my hardtail). Yes, it makes me cringe when it starts to rain as it did on that ride between WP4 and RV2 when I think about the muck that's potentially creeping into the pivots, and the suspension services can be costly if you are not careful (and ride Fox with replaceable parts) (I do prefer training on my roadbike for base miles which also helps to minimise the hours on the suspension), but set up correctly it's a great bike. The groupset is also easy enough to solve as long as I stick to 11spd. It is with 12spd that things can get silly expensive in that the only real options out there are AXS or Ekar (Ekar is obviously 13 spds - have you seen the Curve bike with the Ekar groupo on Instagram today???). That is until Shimano makes the expected 12spd GRX or a DI2 12spd MTB derailleur which could potentially be coupled to an Ultegra or Dura Ace shifter if the software allows. It's a lot to ponder, but for me, for now, I am going to try and source a drop bar and give it a try on the 96. After that, who knows what is next...

Thanks Tyrone, appreciate the response. To your point regarding the hand issues that I am still experiencing: I agree with your sentiment that flat bars are not designed for a 100+ hour ride. I would go further and say that not many bars are, and I will go even furtherer by saying the bar-ends I had on was probably my biggest mistake as the calluses/pressure points on my hands are exactly where the ulnar nerve passes thorugh, thus resulting in the numbness between my pinkie and ring finger. I did buy aero bars shortly before the race and gave it a shot but I couldn't convince myself that is was a good idea simply because I had no control over the bike while testing them on gravel and given that Munga is 99% gravel, it made no sense to me to go with them. It also posed more problems insofar as giving a feeling of it cluttering my space behind the bars and also me needing to find other places to fit my garmin, light etc etc. In short, it just caused more problems. That brings me to your point about gravel/drop bars: this for me is the only logical solution and I am already investigating the options available for Munga 2.0 As you point out we have limited options available to us, even less if you want to do a test fit by popping into a brick-n-mortar store. But this is the only way forward for me I think. I have come across some options, but again, its online only so how do you know??? Cheers for the feedback! And let me tell you, I reckon if you can do the Grit, you can do the Full Monty. Come, you know you want to...

It’s a pleasure. Things get interesting at Britstown, blog to follow soon!

Awesome! Wish I could say that I remember all the faces I met along my journey, but sadly I’m not blessed with a photographic memory. Was that WP2 where I came in after dark? The waterpoint just before Vanderkloof? How did the race go for you from there? I’ve been back on the bike since, mostly my roadbike though. More hand positions 🤣

next blog is up, it's slow going as I consult Strava Flyby for accurate times. no point in writing a flawed story afterall... https://tieniemaree.blogspot.com/2023/01/rv1-vanderkloof-rv2-britstown.html

And here i was riding on the road to avoid the snakes in Botties… FML

Ja it seems there were more curious people about. For me the best snake is the one thats nowhere in my vicinity! 🤣

Prolly was me 😉. When i rode past it the first time it was lying in a different position so ja i dont know if it was dead or not. Given how close i passed it the first time i consider myself a lucky escapee. PS: i was in my Munga SPCA kit, on my roadbike though.

On the side of the Rooiels road going towards Kogel Bay, I was out the saddle grinding and only saw it when i almost rode over it 😱. It didnt move, i however did. Pretty sharpishly 🤣

@stringbeanLooking at the floods the Tankwa experienced a week after the Munga, and from what I’ve heard from people that have been there since, the roads are rough and broken up. I wouldn’t tackle that on anything other than a dual suspension bike. But thats just me, with my 100kg frame. I ran a 36 oval with 10-51 gearing for Munga and it served me fine, if that helps. The road drags gradually uphill so I don’t think anything more than that would be necessary. Enjoy!

The pins and needles in my fingers started late on the 2nd day of riding (i think, the rest of the blogs will confirm). I am still sitting with numbness in between the pinkie and ring finger in both hands as I type this. My understanding is that its an ulnar nerve compression. Its not a major issue insofar as being able to type and work a computer mouse as I have full mobility, however typing in my usual fashion with all fingers is slightly compromised. Its not uncomfortable or painful, its just a bit of a nuisance if I’m honest.

I am trying my hand at writing blogs, this seemed the most obvious in order for me to share the many photos and videos across multiple platforms. Episode 1 is up and running, please have a look and let me know if you guys are experiencing any problems viewing the content: https://tieniemaree.blogspot.com/2022/12/1-windmill-casino-to-rv1-vanderkloof.html

By the time i got to Bainskloof i was out the saddle kapping a sprint, it just felt so good to be on tarmac after riding over corrugations for the best part of 4 days. I managed to do a PR up Bainskloof with over 1000kms in my legs 🤣🙈 I am working on a race report, typing is still a challenge with numb fingers not hitting the correct keys and all. Lots of videos and photos that i shared on the whatsapp group, not sure how best to upload onto the thread?

Interestingly the 2022 reach for a large is significantly more than the 2019 large. Reach is obviously something that can be tweaked by changing the stem. As mentioned though, for longer rides generally longer wheelbase would be more of an advantage. Hta is also visibly different so there might be more to consider.

I stand corrected about the suspension travel 🙈 https://www.merida-bikes.com/en/bike/archive/1985/ninety-six-rc-xt

The longer wheelbase will be an advantage on longer rides such as Munga etc. Im 1,79 and i just did the munga on my large 96-4000. You can always go down to a shorter stem and/or bars with a slight rise as the stock merida comp bars are pretty flat. After munga ive started fiddling with my setup because of numb fingers. The 2022 96 hta is slightly more slack than the previous models and im pretty sure it has 120mm suspension travel, making it a bit more downhill friendly than my 2019 96. I wouldnt swop my bike for anything if im honest but i have to admit the tyre clearance at the back is a bit limiting as i cant go bigger than 2,25 when paired with my 25mm id rims. But as i said, lovely bike. Congrats on your purchase.

Official race time: 4d 20h 53m. Super chuffed but nursing a very tender bottom and some floppy fingers with no sensation. What a ride that was, as dark as yesterday was, today was the exact opposite!

lekker post, I will do a similar one when time permits. For me, Ouberg pass is where the only real life threatening obstacle is located. I did a Sutherland to Padstal recce there earlier this year and from what Alex has said last night, the pass is washing away rapidly and the chances are good that this MIGHT be the last Munga to go down Ouberg as the local municipality has stopped maintaining it. If what he is saying is true, going down that pass at night, tired and with an ever encroaching drop off on both sides in some places, is going to take some serious focus. Good luck and see you at the finish line!

In the last week we have had 2 anonymous donations: 1 of R5000 and another of R700, pushing us over the R25000 mark. If these were made by some of the good people on the Hub, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

In the last week we have had 2 anonymous donations: 1 of R5000 and another of R700, pushing us over the R25000 mark. If these were made by some of the good people on the Hub, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.