K2C tech tips for first timers?

[Ratty]

Make sure you got a good bottle cage!!! The first fun downhill, most of the concentration is spent avoiding all the water bottles that have fallen out.

 

Weather can change suddenly, don't rely on the weather reports. Make sure if its cold you have the correct clothing, if its hot, plenty of liquid. Lots of people were suffering from dehydration when it was over 40 as they didn't expect it to be that hot. I stopped at the Diep River and dipped my feet in the water and covered my head. Also filled my camelback up with the ice cold river water and it made a huge difference. I was passing loads of people going up the next climb who were trying to find every little bit of shade they could.

 

Concordia (sp) is the last hill, give it your all going up there. Its mostly free wheeling to the finish after that.

 

And others had said, be carefull on the downhills. People are tired after over 10km's of downhill and make silly mistakes. Both times I've done it, there were broken bones from falls at the bottom.

[Ceres]

I'm a bit new to mountainbiking and just can't seem to get the tyre pressure just right. I either run too soft and compromise rolling speed or run too hard and risk traction. So what would be ideal for you guys who weight around 60kg. Oh and I'm on the normal clinchers, not tubbies.

 

Except for the first climb and downhill its flat gravel road so I will be riding a little higher pressure than normal.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Ceres

[Guest Smimby]

Old Wapad is narrow (twee spoor pad) with a high middelmannetjie, very rocky on all sides, so take care up and down. Be ready to walk / push a bit, as there is no way to remount and get pedaling again after being forced to a stop and with the whole road full of people pushing.

Very rocky down the other side, so be very carefull.

After that, nice gravel roads. A few good, long climbs, one killer descend (loooong way down into the valley) and then one hell of a climb out the other side.

Eat and drink lots (stop at waterpoints), and most importantly HAVE FUN.

 

O yeah, prepare for a cold shower at the finish, there is enough showers, but hot water does not last long.

Last year the old wapad was graded, and wide but the down was a bit interesting....

[Guest Smimby]

I'm a bit new to mountainbiking and just can't seem to get the tyre pressure just right. I either run too soft and compromise rolling speed or run too hard and risk traction. So what would be ideal for you guys who weight around 60kg. Oh and I'm on the normal clinchers, not tubbies.

 

 

 

If you are on tubeless you can use this guide......It is a bit on the hard side but should suffice for this race

 

your weight in LBS devided by 7 = X

x-1 = psi for front

X+2 PSI for back

 

I am gonna ride at X psi not +2 or -1....as that is what I ride offroad.