POST 360One review

[tunariaan]

I did my second one this year and what a great race it is!

I decided to ride with my wife since i can't make my Sani race in a few weeks due to work commitments.

We started well, rode strong, before checkpoint 2 she started feeling bit weak

At checkpoint 2 we had some nice lasagna, had a lekker shower and then we both got extremely tired, so tired that I was actually falling asleep on my bike.

So we stopped and napped next to the road for about 2x20min until my wife was shivering from the cold , we carried on till sunrise.

I was still extremely tired and she not as much, I stopped right there and then and slept like a dassie in the sun for another 15min or so.

We started feeling better with the sun coming out.

I was trying for us to ride a sub 20 but with all this stops I knew it wasn't going to be.

Then suddenly Rooiberg pass was next.

Last year I battled a bit here and as soon as I started I switched on the GOOD **** switch in my brain and said that you (I) will kill this hill today.

I went onto bigger gears similar to my SS bike and just rode as hard to the top in 36min.

Its amazing what a positive mind can do.

I waited at the top for Thea and then we cruised onto Calitzdorp where we had some nice Ostrich meat and potbrood.

This was a bad time for Thea and her legs simply was not there.

She rode Epic a few weeks back and that's probably why.

It was also getting SUPER hot at this stage, 40'C plus on my Garmin.

Luckily we had a small river for the next 20km's or so and we were topping up on cold mountain water and stopping in the shade to cool down.

Then the never ending hills came x4 of them.

I felt strong but Thea was in a bad place, not nice to see her like this.

From here on wards we rode water table to water table stopping in the shade all the time when we were getting too hot.

 

With the last water point at about 21km to go we stopped, topped up the water, gave a Valoid to a fellow sick rider and then i was suddenly nearly THERE time,

Anyway we finish, saying never as everybody does, but i will be back next year for my 3rd and last, riding my SS

 

The good points,

Starting a hour earlier and riding at great temperatures at night time

Good water points and friendly people

Getting the back of Rooiberg pass in a bad state,, adding some fun to the open roads with a bit of technical riding.

The food at Calitzdorp

The burger and the cold beer at the end

Nice looking medals

And riding it with my wife

 

The not so good

Big prize money going to relay teams, the race is actually about 360ne distance

The should rather call it 2x180 relay or 4x90 relay

Riding the full distance is whats it's all ABOUT

I can understand the sponsors point of view about getting pro riders out here and getting the publicity but this is 36One afterall!

 

Man up and ride the whole thing.

thanks again to Dryland and 36one for a great race , see you next year

who else rode it?

[ScottCM]

 

The not so good

Big prize money going to relay teams, the race is actually about 360ne distance

The should rather call it 2x180 relay or 4x90 relay

Riding the full distance is whats it's all ABOUT

I can understand the sponsors point of view about getting pro riders out here and getting the publicity but this is 36One afterall!

 

Man up and ride the whole thing.

thanks again to Dryland and 36one for a great race , see you next year

who else rode it?

 

Amen , totally agree, thats why i haven't done it yet, on my list for next year or the year after.

[ScottCM]

is this race do-able on a Hardtail or does one need a DS? Obviously the DS would be a lot easier / Nicer on the arse. Would just like to get info from people who have done this race already, Thanks

[Dominik]

Awesome feedback there and review, I totally agree with you and we were actually talking about it the whole time regarding:

Big prize money going to relay teams, the race is actually about 360ne distance

The should rather call it 2x180 relay or 4x90 relay

Riding the full distance is whats it's all ABOUT

 

Well done to you and your wife

[Velouria]

What a tough ride! Certainly the toughest "normal" event I've ever ridden. Going to need a few weeks (or months) before I even contemplate doing it again. To each and every finisher - well done.

 

And before we get too carried away about prize money etc - I think it's a good idea to lure the pros out. Us normal people don't do these races for the prize money (I'd be a very hungry cyclist if that was the case) - for us it's all about the experience. And if that means having to get the pros so that they can get the media coverage, so the sponsors can get value, then so be it. As long as I get to ride my bike in a well organised, well thought out event. Well done Dryland and 36One.

 

Riding the full distance is whats it's all ABOUT

 

And let's not turn our noses up at the people that only rode half the distance - 180kms with all that climbing in the heat is an achievement in its own.

 

is this race do-able on a Hardtail or does one need a DS? Obviously the DS would be a lot easier / Nicer on the arse. Would just like to get info from people who have done this race already, Thanks

 

It's mostly dirt roads, so a HT is fine. There was a section from about 220km to 260km where I would have killed for a DS - quite a bad, rocky, loose road surface.

[tunariaan]

HT is fine, you bum will take a beating no matter what bib or cream or bike you use.

[Slowbee]

What a tough ride! Certainly the toughest "normal" event I've ever ridden. Going to need a few weeks (or months) before I even contemplate doing it again. To each and every finisher - well done.

 

And before we get too carried away about prize money etc - I think it's a good idea to lure the pros out. Us normal people don't do these races for the prize money (I'd be a very hungry cyclist if that was the case) - for us it's all about the experience. And if that means having to get the pros so that they can get the media coverage, so the sponsors can get value, then so be it. As long as I get to ride my bike in a well organised, well thought out event. Well done Dryland and 36One.

 

 

 

And let's not turn our noses up at the people that only rode half the distance - 180kms with all that climbing in the heat is an achievement in its own.

 

 

 

It's mostly dirt roads, so a HT is fine. There was a section from about 220km to 260km where I would have killed for a DS - quite a bad, rocky, loose road surface.

I hate to point out normal and Velouria, do not go in the same sentence.

 

Is it manageable for a backmarker type person to do ?

[leon_pro]

I hate to point out normal and Velouria, do not go in the same sentence.

 

Is it manageable for a backmarker type person to do ?

 

Yes it is manageable for back markers.... I am by no means a racing snake, we were last, in a time of 29hrs.

 

As long you can make peace with the fact that your are going to be spending long time in the saddle. YOU CAN DO IT.

 

SLOW AND STEADY .... pace yourself and you will finish.

[tunariaan]

Yes slow and steady if you are not a racer

Water table to water table..fitness is not such a huge factor..come mentally prepared and you will finish

Congrats to all the finishers

[Undun]

Amen , totally agree, thats why i haven't done it yet, on my list for next year or the year after.

 

I Did the whole ride.

AWESOME EVENT!!!

This is not only a race but also A SERIOUS ENDURANCE EVENT.

People coming into this ride ( I mean THE WHOLE 361km's) be ready and prepare in advanced.

42 degree heat this year was a no joke situation.

Training: Ride Breedts Nek 5 times in a row from the farm to the small shop and...treat each time over the top to each point as a water point. when you can do that then do 361 solo.

361 is the Big Brother to the Trans Baviaans:)

 

Thanks again Dryland.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Undun

[Undun]

Yes it is manageable for back markers.... I am by no means a racing snake, we were last, in a time of 29hrs.

 

As long you can make peace with the fact that your are going to be spending long time in the saddle. YOU CAN DO IT.

 

SLOW AND STEADY .... pace yourself and you will finish.

 

WELL DONE SLOWBEE!!!!!

[Pusher]

Is a 29er the steed of choice?

[Undun]

Is a 29er the steed of choice?

No not only 29ers

Use a 29 or 26er, but do long, long rides on what ever you choose.

There was a mix of both as well as some of the new 27.5's.

[Velouria]

My race report is here. Took me a while to get over this race and come up with something nice to write. But now, I'm already thinking about next year.

[ScottCM]

My race report is here. Took me a while to get over this race and come up with something nice to write. But now, I'm already thinking about next year.

 

Well written and congrats