Die Burger MTB 2014

[Gerlach]

Moet ook nie vergeet waar ons moes wag soos by Helshoogte en nog plekke om deur te gekom het nie waar dit gebottel nek het. Daai verander ook jou tye baie.

Daai groepie wat van Kayamandi af kom wat op die Spes bikes gery het "so jong groepie" , het hulle gatte af geval onder in daai laaste draai by Helshoogte. Ek het op hulle af gekom, toe is hulle besig om bars reg te trek en wiele en goed.

[rock]

Kudos to udxcob for doing the 60km on a RIGID SINGLE SPEED.

Much respect, my friend.

 

can I at least get a tip of the hat for the 42km singlespeed (with a squishy fork and 6 weeks off the bike)

 

been rigid, would much rather have some travel over gears any day. Respect to him going RSS.

Edited August 4, 2014 by rock

[Pure Savage]

This is my second MTB race, my MTB cleats on the shoe keep coming undone. I thought I fixed it when I put lock tight on the thread. Anything else that can be done? Think the only reason it did not come all the way out was that the screw must have been tight against the pedal itself.

[alleyne]

I had an awesome race doing the 60km and thought the course was great. Was a bit frustrating the few times we got stuck in the bottlenecks but starting from E I knew that was going happen. I just took it easy from the start and wanted test the legs out doing 60km on a mtb.

 

Had some good chats with fellow riders and one hubber (name forgotten ) and witnessed some great falls into deep mud

[eelvio]

I did 42km, my first race, the bottleneck was frustrating at Helshoogte, although it was "festive" and the mud was ok, you could see some areas were well ridden before we got there but you could get through with a little "technical" skill. The hills were tough and most people walked them at some stage. I haven't walked for more than 6 months in my recent rides but a little cold and a slightly swollen knee and that was me walking again.

 

I think the most frustrating part is people riding at different speeds on both sides of the road, I mean surely keep left pass right applies, especially up hills where people could stop at any moment? Like really slow people riding on the right. That and changing lines on corners without looking. Also I would have liked a little more single track as that was where I was faster and had to hold back, having said that maybe I would have been more frustrated if there was.

 

All in all I enjoyed the vibe and the race, except for the one A#shole that pushed the queue at the area going under the road toward the finish, not the metal bridge. There were lots of us that could have pushed through and made up a whole 5 more seconds. Complete chop so far back on one of the longer routes probably.

 

Did anybody else have a discrepancy?

 

I did 42km Strava read 40.7km and 1208 of climbing but I am not sure Strava is so accurate.

[milky4130]

I think this may have something to do with tagging yourself when you enter the starting shute. If I understand it correctly, it starts timing you from that moment. Your started your Garmin when you started riding, right?

 

This tag system sucks.

NO!! i entered the chute at least 10mins before we started off, my time started at 8am & not 7:50am, my finishing time on my Garmin corresponds to my finishing time on their website. its quite a cool timing system, i like that adventure of where you actually physically have to tag yourself in.

[milky4130]

Tip# Guys, if your Strava readings are out for your elevation, try using the "correct elevation" option just below the actual elevation value. Mine read 600m for the 75km, after I corrected the elevation it automatically adjusts it after a couple of minutes, i think you have to log out first. My new elevation figure is 2243m

 

Edited August 4, 2014 by milky4130

[Piston ZA]

This was my first MTB race (the 50km) after only having my bike for 2 months, and I learnt a few things on Saturday: 50km is a lot farther than I thought - there is no shame in pushing up some of the hills (I only pushed up twice) - when your legs are like jelly, remember to unclip both pedals to avoid falling over at a waterpoint - when the marshals say this is the last climb, they are f*&$ing lying - when the marshal says there is only 10km left, they are f@$#ing lying - I have to train a lot more before my next race.

 

But most of all I learnt that I love my bike and I love riding. I really enjoyed the event and look forward to a lot more.

[Donovan Le Cok]

This was my first MTB race (the 50km) after only having my bike for 2 months, and I learnt a few things on Saturday: 50km is a lot farther than I thought - there is no shame in pushing up some of the hills (I only pushed up twice) - when your legs are like jelly, remember to unclip both pedals to avoid falling over at a waterpoint - when the marshals say this is the last climb, they are f*&$ing lying - when the marshal says there is only 10km left, they are f@$#ing lying - I have to train a lot more before my next race.

 

But most of all I learnt that I love my bike and I love riding. I really enjoyed the event and look forward to a lot more.

 

HaHa. This was my probably around my 100th cycle race and I still haven't learnt that when someone says it's the last climb, it definitely isn't the last climb... And when someone says it's 10ks to go, there definitely isn't 10ks to go...

[udxcob]

Kudos to udxcob for doing the 60km on a RIGID SINGLE SPEED.

Much respect, my friend.

 

Shot Buddy, my calves are tight today

Edited August 4, 2014 by udxcob

[Donovan Le Cok]

This is always one of the best races of the year. I had a good ride despite two crashes on the slick surface. The grip levels could only be described as like trying to ride on frozen bars of soap... My front tyre was slightly over inflated which probably contributed to the crashing.

 

Anyway finished 18th in the 75km with a time of 3:38

[Matts 300]

 

 

Shot Buddy, my calves are tight today

where you the guy riding the white mongoose?

[milky4130]

Ok so this is what you guys are talking about when you say "held up on the single track"

 

[milky4130]

 

Shot Buddy, my calves are tight today

thats legendary G, you've raised the bar now.

[Wannabe]

where you the guy riding the white mongoose?

 

Nope, white Inbred On-One.

[Wannabe]

Milky, you should have taken a pic on the other side of that ravine entering the ST (your first pic at Hels). That whole section (except for that last bit in the pic, over the culvert and up to the armco) was completely rideable (I know, I rode it ), but there was a whole long line of people waiting for the walkers to exit, so that you could enter it. And seeing that I started in E, most, if not all, were guys with "better seeding start groups"

 

See, this is where the query arises about the seeding system (if any) that was used.