Is the route technical?...

[GoLefty!!]

4 pages and no one has a clue yet..... disappointing day on theHub.

[ViperTrail]

Try posting in a Golf forum B)

[GoLefty!!]

Look,

 

 

not sure how its possible to take a golfer seriously.

 

Firstly they talk to balls....(Also known as addressing the ball)

 

it generally goes downhill from there...

[porqui]

GoLefty it looks like generally the thechy stuff also goes downhill.

 

One man's fun is another mans tech.

 

To OP after your expletives - I ask you WHERE does one go for skills training.

Here in CT there are no regular skills clinics available.

[G-Unit]

Look,

 

 

not sure how its possible to take a golfer seriously.

 

Firstly they talk to balls....(Also known as addressing the ball)

 

it generally goes downhill from there...

I spend quite a bit of time talking to my balls on a bike... as I try to sack up to attempt something above my pay grade.

 

This is the basis for improvement... A skills clinic will get you all the theory, but in the end you will be the only person who can actually man up and try it.

 

This is something golfers never have to deal with.

Edited July 3, 2014 by G-Unit

[Brian Fantana]

The main problem is marthon/half marathon type races (XCM).

 

One of the race organisers here in the Eastern Cape has a technical and endurance grading system in one:

 

http://www.mountainevents.co.za/about/mtb-course-grading-system

 

If all the trails in SA are graded and marked as per IMBA standards and race organisers are familiar with trail grading, they can actually colour code the route profiles. On the profile the line can be red where the trail is challenging enough and green where it is gravel road or jeep track. Drop offs, rock gardens or jumps can be indicated with a black diamond or similar. The colour coded route profile will indicate the technical difficulty as well as the physical (strength/endurance) difficulty through the distance and gradient indicated.

 

This problem will persist in years to come, but it is up to trail owners/managers and race organisers to tackle this problem and make it work.

[arendoog]

Last year there was 6weeks of discussion after Van Gaalen,s and how tough technical it was and riders got hurt ext .This year it was a Mtn race that was sofend and the after race discussion did not even make 2pages .Why ! Because it wasn,t challenging enough .There is a part of mtb ,ing where walkingis the only option to get you to the next section .In a70km event ,walking a couple of meters makes the differance to betweena challenge and just another dirt track event

[niterider]

Over here we also have a trail grading system (not the IMBA one, I don't know why) - http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/mountain-bike-track-grading-system/

 

Typical marathon races seem to be similar in difficulty to SA, ie accessible to anyone with some off-road experience. No organiser wants to be airlifting bodies off a mountain. They're probably a mix of grades 2-3, with a little grade 1 and a little grade 4.

 

Enduro races that I've done are predominantly grades 4 and 5, with a little 3 and occasional 6. There is always a chicken line though, around gap jumps for example.

 

But I guess people's skills can only match their local trails, so if all they are able to ride is boring dirt roads, anything more than that is going to seem technical. Around here all the family friendly trails are grade 2 with the occasional bit of grade 3. My local trails are a mix of grades 3 and 4 with a smattering of 5, and I'm guessing that's what most trailbuilders here are aiming for (its certainly mostly what we build at our club).

 

Comparing with Cape Town trails, I'd say Tokai is mostly grade 2 and 3, with some 4, and a little bit of 5 and 6. Durbanville is mostly grade 2 and 3 with some grade 4 (the Cape Cobra downhill at Hoogekraal would be a grade 4, for example).

 

So as an organiser you need to decide, are you trying to appeal to the biggest number of people you can? Or are you trying to run an event on trails that are built at a certain standard, and entrants must adapt to that.

[Brian Fantana]

GoLefty it looks like generally the thechy stuff also goes downhill.

 

One man's fun is another mans tech.

 

To OP after your expletives - I ask you WHERE does one go for skills training.

Here in CT there are no regular skills clinics available.

 

Clinics will only teach you that much, unless you dedicate an hour or 2 per week to train your skills and apply theory on the trail, a clinic on its own won't make you a better rider.

 

The following videos have helped me a lot over the last two years, but the key was to train, train, train and apply theory on the trail.

 

A quick and fun way to improve your skills exponentially is Pump Track riding. Find your nearest one and ride it once a week for 30min or so.

 

 

 

 

 

[MTB hooligan]

This is easy, similar question to consider, do tattoo's hurt, yes. Does the route have technical sections, yes. If you see three arrows showing down head up bum back and hold on.

[Thor Buttox]

As long as the route is marked appropriately anything should be Ok. EG, if the Old Hoogekraal Widow maker wasn't marked in a race, it would be stupid, and irresponsible, but if there is a massive sign saying 'Drop off' or 'Danger' I'm happy. It's only hidden things that I can't see until I'm flying over my handlebars that bother me too much.

[Matchstix]

GoLefty it looks like generally the thechy stuff also goes downhill.

 

One man's fun is another mans tech.

 

To OP after your expletives - I ask you WHERE does one go for skills training.

Here in CT there are no regular skills clinics available.

 

I am available to take you out if you like to give a few pointers.

can also contact Daniel from i-ride africa or Chris Nixon

 

The Fabien Barrel clips are helpful.

 

 

back to the topic.

grading a route is very hard, I have found that even with rock climbing the grading of routes of the same difficulty will be different based on how good the climbers in the area is.

for example the cape town routes grading was much lower for the same route in gauteng.

 

if someone complains the route is too technical I have found it is usually riders towards the extended end of the age spectrum. that are truly scared of falling.

 

I rode the de doorn PPA event in May and the triple down arrows was there for every dirt road downhill. It looked like they had a quota to use for the event.

I do get why especially for noobs. However by pointing out there might be something dangerous around every corner makes the rider which is scared to fall already, even more nervous on something that's not dangerous and he ends up falling from being nervous and twitchy and bombs out his confidence even more.

 

bottom line you will always have someone that will complain that it is too technical.

maybe ask the guy that complains and get him to grade the route.

[TALUS]

Here is another confounder: I know Groenkloof well and will go through most spots at a reasonable clip. Some local races that I rode a few times I would also get better/ faster than those that I have never seen before BUT the race organiser / routemarker does know the route well. I actually learn to trust the markings of the race as I go. Call it "the middle of the pack test". If the middle of the pack rider needs to be warned then a sign is needed.

[Naas Vermaak]

Well I must say I've actually learned a lot going thru all the posts and thx to all who participated so far!

 

As an organiser we can never be too cautious with route descriptions and marking of the routes. Having said that, my next race that I am organising (19 Oct 2014 - Voet van Afrika MTB Enduro - yes it will be tough!!) I will cater for all levels with available options to each - needless to say the "chicken runs" are gonna hurt in terms of time taken to complete the race

 

...back to the drawing board...

[Naas Vermaak]

GoLefty it looks like generally the thechy stuff also goes downhill.

 

One man's fun is another mans tech.

 

To OP after your expletives - I ask you WHERE does one go for skills training.

Here in CT there are no regular skills clinics available.

 

Come to Bredasdorp I'll sort you out in a morning - bring old bike, arm and knee protectors and the will to learn ..

[worriesnot]

Well I must say I've actually learned a lot going thru all the posts and thx to all who participated so far!

 

As an organiser we can never be too cautious with route descriptions and marking of the routes. Having said that, my next race that I am organising (19 Oct 2014 - Voet van Afrika MTB Enduro - yes it will be tough!!) I will cater for all levels with available options to each - needless to say the "chicken runs" are gonna hurt in terms of time taken to complete the race

 

...back to the drawing board...

okay, but will it be technical?!?

jokes aside; thanks to guys like you that we get to have some fun from time to time, and ride something different from our usual training rides.

thanks and keep up the good work!