2015 Bouckaert-Soenen Road Funride

[DJR]

We started in E and the first Marshall u saw was on the R44,which is odd for PPA.

We started somewhat later and had marshals at literally every intersection. We had several motorcycle marshals come past us also. (But I must add, we started a bit later.)

[Thor Buttox]

We started somewhat later and had marshals at literally every intersection. We had several motorcycle marshals come past us also. (But I must add, we started a bit later.)

I need to clarify - directional marshalling was superb. I was talking about bike Marshall and the route officials were very pleasant too

[DJR]

I need to clarify - directional marshalling was superb. I was talking about bike Marshall and the route officials were very pleasant too

Ha ha, where I ride the bike marshals and race officials are not needed, we just ride, no matter how often we call it a race

[Thor Buttox]

Ha ha, where I ride the bike marshals and race officials are not needed, we just ride, no matter how often we call it a race

Well, to be fair, it only really became a tiny issue later in the race when we bumped into the slower riders from the short route, and of course they wanted to stick with the faster group coming past, and it was actually cars causing a few scares, as we were all close to the yellow line. Before then it was extremely pleasant with no funny business cos the groups were small. Gotta give props to the little guy whirring away at 300 revs a minute, too. He must have flown up Botmaskop cos I never saw him again after that. Small, light little bugger!

[Johny Bravo]

Purported 47km Mtb race was an utter disappointment. First of all, it was just 41km.

Lots of climbing was promised, and delivered, but that's all. Absolutely no challenge (except for the last big climb after the last waterpoint, that tested us a bit)

 

NO SINGLETRACK AT ALL. Race was run on gravel roads and Jeeptracks. Only thing it tested was your climbing prowess. The first few and the last few Km was all on tar.

 

NOT WHAT I ENTERED FOR!! A real pity, as I'm sure there must be brilliant singletrack there that could have been used.

 

Feel really done in, should have entered the 126km road race, at least there I know what to expect.

There is a massive amount of singletrack in that mountain, and we rode straight past all of them. Biggest dissapointment was the tar road descent from the Taal monument. There are fantastic trails running right next to the tar road, why were they not used? Instead of all the tar road riding we could have done a little bit of Rhebokskloof singletrack or something. I get to ride it everyday so wont complain too much. Well organised, but the guy who laid out the route is a utter ****.

[Dicky DQ]

Purported 47km Mtb race was an utter disappointment. First of all, it was just 41km.

Lots of climbing was promised, and delivered, but that's all. Absolutely no challenge (except for the last big climb after the last waterpoint, that tested us a bit)

 

NO SINGLETRACK AT ALL. Race was run on gravel roads and Jeeptracks. Only thing it tested was your climbing prowess. The first few and the last few Km was all on tar.

 

NOT WHAT I ENTERED FOR!! A real pity, as I'm sure there must be brilliant singletrack there that could have been used.

 

Feel really done in, should have entered the 126km road race, at least there I know what to expect.

Unfortunately it is the way almost all MTB "races" are going, they are catering for the wannabe (Could not miss this one), who is an awesome MTB'r in his mind.

 

Then when real MTB rides come along everyone bitches that it was too technical/difficult/rocky etc.

 

MTB is the new golf did you not know. Spend 110's of k on bike but does not get ridden. (generalizing here of coarse, but that is the way it seems to me.)

[FARMBIKE]

I find the pricing structure absurd

R280.00 for a late entry vs R120 for early entry for ppa member... and I am still looking for the water tables....and bad route markings..as well as the missing 5km....ok maybe they were gone because I also had to start way at the back since I am not a ppa member....I do not complain because I choose not to be a ppa member, but I think the gap is too big !!

 

Distance Early Entry PPA Members Early Entry Non-Members Late Entry PPA Members Late Entry Non-Members

47 km R120.00 R160.00 R240.00 R280.00 36 km R120.00 R160.00 R240.00 R280.00 13 km R70.00 R70.00 R100.00 R100.00

[Wannabe]

Well, I'm not anything special on a Mtb (nor a road bike) and never claimed to be, but I am very very disappointed in what was dished up for us this morning. 

[Berry]

Results up

[DJR]

I find the comments re. the MTB routes interesting, mainly because I have practically given up doing any large 1 day MTB races a few years ago.

 

I found that if they included good single track then it caused so many bottle necks and you could not enjoy riding the single track, whether it was great or not. If they didn't include a decent amount of single track, the route was boring. Either way, I felt let down.

 

I understand the difficulty from an organisers point of view. You can either have a small race with single track or a big race with dirt roads and jeep track. I have not managed to find a sweet spot between the two.

 

So, now I ride MTB on my own or with a few friends and almost all my racing happens on the road bike. At least there you know what to expect. Multi day MTB races are a bit different, I think because the average MTBiker that ride them is a bit more technically savvy, so you do get to enjoy the single track (yes, I know there are frustrations also).

[-cK-]

There is a massive amount of singletrack in that mountain, and we rode straight past all of them. Biggest dissapointment was the tar road descent from the Taal monument. There are fantastic trails running right next to the tar road, why were they not used? Instead of all the tar road riding we could have done a little bit of Rhebokskloof singletrack or something. I get to ride it everyday so wont complain too much. Well organised, but the guy who laid out the route is a utter ****.

I almost thought I was riding the wrong route when I hit that descent because I knew that last year we were diverted off the tar before that descent onto the single track...

 

Oh and if memory serves me right the portage part last year was that steep climb before the taal monument but managed to ride it out this year round but yes even last year there was no notice I saw showing the start thereof only saw a board at the top stating end of portage I think...

[Skubarra]

I find the comments re. the MTB routes interesting, mainly because I have practically given up doing any large 1 day MTB races a few years ago.

 

I found that if they included good single track then it caused so many bottle necks and you could not enjoy riding the single track, whether it was great or not. If they didn't include a decent amount of single track, the route was boring. Either way, I felt let down.

 

I understand the difficulty from an organisers point of view. You can either have a small race with single track or a big race with dirt roads and jeep track

I agree 100%. If I want to ride singletrack I go ride the local trails at my own time without having to be patient with the stumbling noob holding me up or the singletrack hero sitting on my tail.

 

When I enter the local funride I prefer little or no singletrack and enjoy the ride for what it is. Riding in new&different places and testing my endurance.

[Pure Savage]

Rode as part of the invitational. Forgot about the CSA card vibe and forked out another R35.

 

Pretty happy the team managed to cross the line in main bunch except for one that had a seat slip.

 

Pace was pretty quick here and there, averaged 40,3 ish.

 

Whole bunch road well and had plenty of marshals.

 

New venue was good, just would have liked the finish line a little further away from the corner.

 

Glad I entered.

[CleatsnCleavage]

Thank you Johnny Bravo you read my mind. To the PPA - I move to JHB next week and was a choice this weekend to either ride Rhebokskloof or do this race. Knowing that Paarl has awesome trails I chose the race. Well it was a sufferfest and no fun at all. I wont recommend this race to anyone. The PPA just create an easy route for them and they couldnt give a toss about rider enjoyment. Do Buffet Olives or ride with the Paarl MTB guys to learn what this area is about because today was a waste of time.

[Johny Bravo]

Thank you Johnny Bravo you read my mind. To the PPA - you bunch of &(^#) heads as usual. I move to JHB next week and was a choice this weekend to either ride Rhebokskloof or do this race. Knowing that Paarl has awesome trails I chose the race. Well it was a sufferfest and no fun at all. I wont recommend this race to anyone. The PPA just create an easy route for them and they couldnt give a toss about rider enjoyment. Do Buffet Olives or ride with the Paarl MTB guys to learn what this area is about because today was a waste of time.  

We actually rode together for a while today. You were ahead of me going down to Fairview, before climbing, or walking in my case, back to the Taal monument. 

[CleatsnCleavage]

We actually rode together for a while today. You were ahead of me going down to Fairview, before climbing, or walking in my case, back to the Taal monument. 

Ahh ok, you should said hi...then again i had lost my SOH km ago. Also my front tyre has some kind of slow puncture so I kept losing control on those steep downhills, had to stop 3 times during the race to bomb it. Really sucked out there today, think I should change my primary discipline to road I seem to be a whole lot better at that! And I also walked up that last ****** crazy mountain...jaysus. I see some oke had his bike stolen "locked" to a bakkiee...hahhaaaaa who are these people that still do that.