Squier

Those long transition stages are going to bite, especially when the elements also play their part - like they always do in the Western Cape. Great route. Loved the amount of trails of 2025. This is completely different again but definitely Epic.

I finished my first Epic on Sunday. It was brutal in every sense of the word but also the best riding (trails) I've experienced. The max for Wednesday was forecasted at 39. I recorded 46 on my Garmin. My partner was pulled by the medics at wp2 and sent to race hospital. Ended up finishing alone. It was a war zone out there. That day would have been a super tough day even in mild weather. It was almost all single-track. I went past a guy completely unresponsive on the trail. Marshall's were already there but access would have been a problem. Likely that it could have been Ronny. (RIP) That day stands out as the toughest, but all the other days weren't far off...

I mostly ride alone too. I love riding in a group but fitting riding in between the kids' activities means that I need to ride at different times than the usual Saturday mornings. I run Garmin Live Track and hope for the best... It is what it is.

Vrystaaaat!

Anyone been able to enter?

I always serviced my Lefty at Cogent Industries in Pretoria East. Jacques is really good!

Did the Chardonay. Had a blast!

Go out to Buffesldrift and hit the Bufuni trail. It combines the Buffel and Nguni trail and should give you about 85km and a more than decent workout.

I have no gripe with e-bikes in these events. I do however agree with the OP to some extent. When you enter an event like Sani2c, take the time to invest in your skill set. You already don't have to spend the same amount of time training as the other riders, so take some time to get your level of skill to a decent level. No one expects you to be Greg Minnaar, but be competent enough to navigate normal mountain bike terrain, like riding over a rock, or riding a switchback. At the end of the day it's not just about the riders being held up behind you, but you're also adding significantly to your own experience and enjoyment of the event.

Ride in Peace Cois. Sincerest condolences to friends and family. This entire thread is a beautiful tribute to his courageous fight.

Tranquilitas is superb riding! Need to go back and spend a day rock climbing as well, which we missed out on the last time.

Mine took two days for delivery.

I was on the South Coast early December last year and the missus and I joined a group ride at the Burry Stander Bike Park, led by Charl, Burry's dad. Even though his memory sometimes fades in between the rat race, over there it is very much alive and still celebrated daily. The shop is filled with Burry memrobilia from Cape Epic jerseys to his London 2012 skinsuit, pictured below. On top of every climb and down in every valley floor there was talk about how fast Burry did that section. This was his training grounds. The locals are still asking Charl to upload Burry's Garmin files to Strava. He just smirks. I guess he knows what a special athlete his kid was. He doesn't need KOMs to prove that.