Helpmytrap Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 X-King sure has the grip and lowish rolling resistance you want for front tire, however the sidewalls are rubbish, even in the Protection guise. The X-King cost me a top 10 at Tulbagh, again in Wellington and around 25minutes at Rooiberg - all sidewall scuff marks that just continue to leak air. Rubbish tyre. Rooiberg was a properly tough test of skills, those marbles kept the downhills really interesting!Racing Ralph Snake Skin for the win. Ovenboi 1
jcza Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 Racing Ralph Snake Skin for the win. Agree with you, however yesterday on a funride up & over breedts this happened. If I summarize my punctures over past 2 years it looks something like this: Geax - 5Crossmark - 2RaceKing - 1Racing Ralph PaceStar - 1Racing Ralph SS - 2 I've done the most milage on Ralph SS but your luck can change at any time.
typhoon Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) I had a great race...was much tougher than i was expecting. I managed not to puncture this time...which makes a big difference. Nice riding a lot of the way with you Mike.Was a real mtb race!Route was a little different from last year, but most enjoyable.Trying to ignore the flu that was starting, made things a little tough, kept the heartrate in the red most the race.Cramping from about 60km's in wasn't fun, but finished 71st, which i'm happy with.Yay for the little wheels... The two Ultra guys that came past me just after the tech zone were great, "track" warning came way in advance and allowed plenty time to find a space to move over, which wasn't that easy on the descent after tech zone. Man was there a lot of people walking around with slings afterwards! Rooiberg left me with a nice little surprise in the rear tire that i found while washing the bike, 1cm devil thorn. very worn Crossmark on the back held onto it tightly, so it didn't come out before the finish.needless to say, the wheel is now flat after pulling it out, sealant didn't help. sheesh... the dust!think just about everyone was coughing and spluttering during and after the race! Edited June 18, 2013 by typhoon
Tim_Fair Posted June 18, 2013 Author Posted June 18, 2013 Hi Guys, Well done to all who completed Rooiberg this weekend! Check out the great event pics here: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.510895705630968.1073741832.150125061708036&type=3 Photomarx - http://www.photomarx.co.za/
Tim_Fair Posted June 18, 2013 Author Posted June 18, 2013 PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release – no embargoDATE: 18-06-2013 "I love it when a plan comes together.”Nico Bell (Westvaal/Bell Cycles) could be forgiven if this phrase from the ever popular television series, the A-Team, crossed his mind as he won the MTN Rooiberg ultra-race (105km) on Saturday (15 June).This victory, his first ever in the MTN series, has been a long time in the making.Bell’s winning time was 4 hours 21 minutes and 21 seconds. Matthys Beukes (Scott) was 2nd in 4:27:34; Gawie Combrinck (Westvaal/Bell Cycles) 3rd in 4:29:59; Darren Lill (Cannondale/Blend Properties) 4th in 4:41:343 and Johann Rabie (NuWater) 5th in 4:41:46.Bell’s name has been mentioned since last year whenever pre-race favourites were discussed, but for a plethora of reasons, he always seemed to run out of luck at crucial moments in almost every race. To his credit he refused to become despondent. In fact, he just became more motivated.It should be mentioned that Bell left nothing to chance.Bell and his trusted sidekick, Gawie Combrinck, sat down and carefully planned the best way to ensure a victory at MTN Rooiberg.“I asked Gawie to put his body on the line to make sure that we keep racing at a fast pace for the duration of the race. In this way we can make sure that a rider who drops back will not be able to join up again.“I want it to be a race of attrition in which only the strongest riders will survive,” said Bell last week when asked about his plans for the MTN Rooiberg race.That was exactly how Saturday’s race played out. For the first approximately 20 kilometres, Beukes was the rider who set the pace that enabled him to win the king of the mountain prime.The moment he started to slow down, Combrinck went to the front to set the pace. He did such a good job that, after 60 kilometres, there were only a few riders left in contention to take the victory. Bell waited for the steepest climb of the day to start playing his cards. He tested the strength of his rivals with short bursts of acceleration, but refrained from any major heroics.On the seven sisters climb after the first tech zone, the real fun began when Bell attacked. Beukes tried for a while to keep up but, realizing that he was fighting a losing battle, he wisely decided to consolidate his second place.The entire event took place in the Rooiberg conservancy and inevitably there was numerous encounters with the resident wildlife.According to Beukes, they had to stop and get off their mountain bikes at one stage during the race to give a herd of Impala and Springbok the right of way. “It was exciting but also slightly scary.” Lill nearly landed up with a Springbok landing on his back while they waited for a herd to pass while Combrinck had a close encounter with a kudu while they were racing down one of the trickiest descents.London Olympic gold rower Matthew Brittain commented after the race "Only in Africa, the front group stopped and waited for the herd to pass without a comment and just continued racing after they passed!" reminding of the famous Paris Roubaix where riders sometimes have to stop for a train to pass mid race, but with African flair.“MTN Rooiberg was definitely a race of a different kind. Not only did you have to watch out for loose rocks all the time, but you also had to be on constant alert for what might jump out of the bush,” said Combrinck.Bell said without hesitation that the MTN Rooiberg was one of the toughest races of the series so far.“I had flash backs of the first stage of the Absa Cape Epic. Riding through the thick loose sandy sections and over the loose rocks were not easy. You really had to keep your wits about you.”Robyn de Groot (Need Sponsor) also achieved a cycling first by winning the MTN Rooiberg women’s 75km race. Yolandi du Toit (Bizhub) was 2nd and Yolanda Speedy (ASG) 3rd.ResultsMens (Ultra Marathon)1st Nico Bell 04:21:212nd Matthys Beukes 04:27:343rd Gawie Combrinck 04:29:594th Darren Lill 04:41:435thJohann Rabie 04:41:46 Women (Marathon)1st Robyn de Groot 03:42:442nd Yolandi Du Toit 03:44:213rd Yolanda Speedy 03:54:25Ends. For full results and more info visit www.nationalmtbseries.com Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalmtbseries Find us on Twitter: @mtnnationalmtb
Tim_Fair Posted June 18, 2013 Author Posted June 18, 2013 Did you see the Croc at #MTN|Rooiberg? He did! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151522715422659&set=vb.150125061708036&type=2&theater
Tim_Fair Posted June 18, 2013 Author Posted June 18, 2013 Video: Darren Lill laughs about almost colliding with an Impala. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151522736092659&set=vb.150125061708036&type=2&theater
typhoon Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 Agree with you, however yesterday on a funride up & over breedts this happened. If I summarize my punctures over past 2 years it looks something like this: Geax - 5Crossmark - 2RaceKing - 1Racing Ralph PaceStar - 1Racing Ralph SS - 2 I've done the most milage on Ralph SS but your luck can change at any time. Pulled this nice little sucker out my very worn Crossmark rear after the race while cleaning my bike...Pumped all the slime out the hole it left...
jcza Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 Pulled this nice little sucker out my very worn Crossmark rear after the race while cleaning my bike...Pumped all the slime out the hole it left... I also found 2 of those in my front wheel. Stans sealed one but had to plug the other one.
Francois Pienaar Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 Thanks for the vids and pictures guys. Keep 'em coming!
Helpmytrap Posted June 18, 2013 Posted June 18, 2013 Pulled this nice little sucker out my very worn Crossmark rear after the race while cleaning my bike...Pumped all the slime out the hole it left... I never remove thorns, saves me the hassle of plugging them.
Tim_Fair Posted June 19, 2013 Author Posted June 19, 2013 Video: Casual chat with 1st and 2nd place riders at MTN Rooiberg https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151522770097659&set=vb.150125061708036&type=2&theater
Helpmytrap Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Tim, who was the woman taking photos at the start? More specifically in the A batch chute, it was a dark haired woman.
Tim_Fair Posted June 19, 2013 Author Posted June 19, 2013 Tim, who was the woman taking photos at the start? More specifically in the A batch chute, it was a dark haired woman.Hmmm, good question, I am not 100% sure, but I know that there was a lady by the name of Gerda with short dark hair, who was taking photos throughout the day.
amoryns Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Hmmm, good question, I am not 100% sure, but I know that there was a lady by the name of Gerda with short dark hair, who was taking photos throughout the day.seker die chick van cyclenationhttp://cyclenation.co.za/index.php/mtb/mtb-news/mountain-bike-galleries/item/10354-mtn-rooiberg-gallery
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