[Event] NISSAN TRAILSEEKER #3 Van Gaalens

[Li Mu Bai]

Tough race, but then many many races in the magaliesburg area are very technical in nature.

If you are a regular trailseeker rider, VG stands out as the only true mountain bike race in their 5 race boquet, the others are dirt dashes (havent done Hakahana, so maybe its good too).

This certainly would fool people into giving it a go thinking "how hard could it be"

It was my first trip to VG, as always a well organised race. Good start, good batching, water tables well manned and stocked, route marking was fine.

The route was tough. technical climbs made you work, the technical decent was very hairy. If you were not very fit, you certainly would not have enough confidence to ride everything, and in trying too, may found yourself mangled in the rocks. Technical riding needs a LOT of fitness, specifically upper body.

I was good for 60km, but then BONKED HARD as the heat climbed up to well over 30 degrees. It was a very long final 10km for me. I hydrated well throughout, ate my potatoes and gels, but the previous nights upset stomach took its toll.

No need to dumb this race down, its a good one. Tough and technical, will suck when its rainy and muddy, and will suck when its hot and your fitness levels aren't up to scratch.

To advendurance, well done , but dont list it as 66km on the route description, when its 69km hahaha.

Those last 3 km can break minds when its your first one and you are done.

[GrantK24]

1st time at VG... glad I only did the half... Thought I was fit, a bit buck starting in 'B'... did a fair amount of walking, punctured with 9kms to go (Its time for tubeless?), lost my sense of humour with slipping gears for the last 8kms but then just enjoyed a slow ride to the finish... I am the fittest I have been on a bike, thought I would have my best result in a Trailseeker = 2h32 :whistling: ... VG knocked me down a peg or two

[Mackie]

What crap, sorry dude but this is absolute BS

 

1. HTFU

2. If you cant ride it, walk it

3. make sure you carry enough hydration for yourself and fill up at the stops if need be

4. Get some technicals skills or go ride a skinny wheeled bike on the tar

 

Dont even think of dumbing down a great route because some people cant ride it.

 

I thought it was perfectly managable, I loved every second of my 69,8km it was a proper mountain bike race, not a dirt road race

I'm 100% in agreement, why should we have to ride routes that are designed for the newbie underskilled rider? When there is plenty oppurtunity to sharpen your skills.

Go on a technical skills course, read magazines, watch You Tube, I learnt the hard way, I never whined to anyone, I made a point of getting better. VG is not only a race venue, open through out the year, go and practice, it is no-one but yourself that is responsible for your safety and technical skills.

[Mackie]

yes but ... perhaps its only fair to warn people more at the start, considering a lot of them are newbies, and don't know what they don't know.

 

As I said, the 10 mins in the pens could have been used for this, instead of that Johnny trying to make empty conversation

and say what as the warning, "Ladies and Gentlemen, unless you are not sure yet, please take note that this is a mountain bike race, there are rocks, some single track and you may at some point have to k@k bricks, have a great ride"

[Swift01]

I'm 100% in agreement, why should we have to ride routes that are designed for the newbie underskilled rider? When there is plenty oppurtunity to sharpen your skills.

Go on a technical skills course, read magazines, watch You Tube, I learnt the hard way, I never whined to anyone, I made a point of getting better. VG is not only a race venue, open through out the year, go and practice, it is no-one but yourself that is responsible for your safety and technical skills.

The Rae website even describes it as tough and technical. The 40km is designed to help you brush up the skills. Way less technical than the 70km but still had a few good sections. Rather do a season of that before going large....

Oh and loved your photo yesterday, mackie bails down a hill leaving his bike at the top but still takes a photo from where he stopped rolling of his bike at the top...... We never stop learning. Part of the game :-)

[ChUkKy]

ok sean we get it you got skills, some of us are still in the early phases of mountain biking so what seems to be easy for you is rather difficult for newbies, and to THE COWBOY LOOKS LIKE YOU THE ONE THROWING YOUR TOYS OUT THE COT

 

Im not a skill master, like I said... if you cant ride it... walk it

[Grondpad]

If I can share my opinion on the race:

 

I think that this race is really an awesome all round MTB route. It has it all. Nice long climbs like Greek church, steep climbs like the concrete strips and the section thereafter, sand to kill the humour, fantastic decent where your skills are rewarded and when you are absolutely hammered, you get a nice flat part to make some distance up and recover. Then at the end you have fantastic single track and lastly you have that one part to discuss around the braai which in this case was “jou blixem”.

 

I really want to congratulate Eric from VG’s and then the Trailseeker team for this event. The water points were great (banana loaf, marshmallows, Pepsi, PowerAde, banana, chocolates). I did not even stand in a line to get a beer afterwards. Top notch event!

[Swift01]

and say what as the warning, "Ladies and Gentlemen, unless you are not sure yet, please take note that this is a mountain bike race, there are rocks, some single track and you may at some point have to k@k bricks, have a great ride"

May be some if the other dirt roadie type races should NOT use 3 down arrow boards, so when a real MTB race uses them, people know they are going down hard and rough......

[rouxtjie]

I'm 100% in agreement, why should we have to ride routes that are designed for the newbie underskilled rider? When there is plenty oppurtunity to sharpen your skills.

Go on a technical skills course, read magazines, watch You Tube, I learnt the hard way, I never whined to anyone, I made a point of getting better. VG is not only a race venue, open through out the year, go and practice, it is no-one but yourself that is responsible for your safety and technical skills.

Can't really argue this, tis true, vg is open(well at least 70% of the trail) year round, you can go and practise these descents and climbs but when you go to vg over the weekend there are only 20 cars max in the park, go to NF and there are at least a 100.

[dirtrider]

Just what I needed on a monday morning . Did the race last year so not to sure how it was this year but I heard rumours that is was tougher than the Monster . Awesome they should make all the races like that , so what if we loose a few woozies , it may actually be good for the sport .

[DIPSLICK]

Im not a skill master, like I said... if you cant ride it... walk it

SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER WALKING A SPORT CALLED HIKING, AND NOT MTB

just my opinion sean

[ChUkKy]

ok sean we get it you got skills, some of us are still in the early phases of mountain biking so what seems to be easy for you is rather difficult for newbies, and to THE COWBOY LOOKS LIKE YOU THE ONE THROWING YOUR TOYS OUT THE COT

 

dont you come talk here in lowercase, WE DONT UNDERSTAND YOU

 

Speak UPPERCASE only

 

reis myt

[rouxtjie]

...

 

I really want to congratulate Eric from VG’s and then the Trailseeker team for this event. The water points were great (banana loaf, marshmallows, Pepsi, PowerAde, banana, chocolates). I did not even stand in a line to get a beer afterwards. Top notch event!

Yes the man is a legend, changing anything ito the race will make it worse imo...

[VicanZA]

This was only my BB gun...

I wont mock him for what he wore becaus thats what I wore on the day

 

VG and The Monster are my favourites, dont dumb them down

 

question which one is tougher the monster or TS VG? all the hubs hard men can reply to this...

[DIPSLICK]

dont you come talk here in lowercase, WE DONT UNDERSTAND YOU

 

Speak UPPERCASE only

 

reis myt

carefull skills king that might be considered RACIST and PERSONAL ATTACK you lucky i am in a good mood not to hit report

[ChUkKy]

SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER WALKING A SPORT CALLED HIKING, AND NOT MTB

just my opinion sean

 

Monday

Dips opinion = 0