Dusty

Just finished a short bikepacking trip to the far reaches of the Freestate.

The Sishen to Saldahna Iron Ore Railway ride is iconic. +- 900km MTB or Gravel bike It is a bikepacking route, so sleeping kit etc needed. Needs to be done in the cooler months imo. As hard as you want to make it. Anywhere from 5 days to 10 days of riding.

That is an amazing photo!

Why not permatubes for a commuter?

I wouldn't risk a drive all the way there at the moment until I have something definite. A saying about a brewery comes to mind.....

Awesome photo!

That is a very good question and worth thinking about. I have done some bikepacking in some pretty mountainous places in the last couple of years. On these trips I have be running 1x, and on a couple of occassions I have missed my 2x and even 3x sytems of times gone by. I have been caught short on the ups and downs.

Very good prices. Has anyone used them?

Magalies area?

I may be wrong, but I think a couple are farms/water points along the way provide accomodation if you wish to sleep. They seem to be selling the race a "need to carry nothing" event.

As you point out, you certainly wouldn't need #2 and #3 for this event. The extreme endurance lights have more than enough battery power for 2 nights in that area, and bikepacking bags wouldn't be needed with so many water tables. A camelbak to carry a jacket in??

I've done a bit of bikepacking and gone the flat bar, hard tail mtb route as that is what I had at the time. We tend to ride for 10 plus hours a day so the more relaxed geometry and fatter tyres suits our trips. If I had to do it again and I was a med frame size this is what I would get. https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/396521/cotic-solaris-price-drop It's in the classifieds at the moment. I would look to add a Lauf fork and it would be my dream tourer. And if you are a large size frame this ticks all the boxes for me. https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bikes/403549/lynskey-ridgeline-titanium-large Neither of these bikes would work with all panniers, but would be great bikepacking rigs. The Lynskey even comes with a dynamo hub!!

Farrnus, are there any plans down the line to have a boost rigid fork? Perhaps with the HT that you are developing?

Must be an amazing towbar

Anyone got a Solaris Medium that they are wanting to sell? (29)

Sometimes bikes get to be carried and pushed. Race to Rhodes 2014

A documentary on this race came out last night.

Some pics from the 1000 Miler from Jhb to CT in 2018. It is being held in August this year along with a 2000 Miler. Hopefully we are allowed out by then! This is a self-supported bikepacking event, which in my opinion, is well worth doing. It used to be held in June/July, thus the chilly temps. This is proper 'big sky' country.

All good in my experience

Some pics from bikepacking in Rwanda in Feb whilst doing the Race Around Rwanda. This is an amazing place to ride a bike. Completely safe and cheaper than doing a stage race in South Africa (flights, accom, food all taken into account.)

When we are bikepacking and run out, vaseline does the job. Use an old pair of bibs

Another throwback. Bikepacking in Lesotho this time last year.

Just a throwback to our Sishen to Saldanha bikepacking trip.(aka the Johann Risik Ride)

I'm the same. Non-travelling safe days not happening from last month already.

Sad for you BigDL