Trans Karoo 2015

[Mads]

Wat ń nice event! Well orginized, great CP's and great support from all the supporters. Thanks guys! Now a question for the riders, what GPS unit model did you use in this event? The phone did not last and the Polar did also not make it. Please give me feedback, I will have to look into something that can last longer!

 I used the Garmin 500 last year. Lasted for 230km .....but I rode slow. 

Edited April 27, 2015 by Mads

[Da Vinci]

Wat ń nice event! Well orginized, great CP's and great support from all the supporters. Thanks guys! Now a question for the riders, what GPS unit model did you use in this event? The phone did not last and the Polar did also not make it. Please give me feedback, I will have to look into something that can last longer!

Hubby used a Garmin 510. Had it plugged into a power monkey til CP1 but even by the end he still had 40 odd % left and they were out for 15 hours. He even ran the "training buddy" screen as well to check the ave pace was above the mini us at all time.

[Smurfy]

Hubby used a Garmin 510. Had it plugged into a power monkey til CP1 but even by the end he still had 40 odd % left and they were out for 15 hours. He even ran the "training buddy" screen as well to check the ave pace was above the mini us at all time.

Awesome, glad he finished. Thet lied to you at the presentation, we had baby potatoes at CP3.

   

Hope he is ok today, was a long day in the saddle. Next years up ride awaits us.

[Da Vinci]

Ja I know - he said! It's ok we had potato salad on Sunday [emoji39]

Ummmm he went riding with us at Conties on Monday! In for a sports rub now tho.

Well done to u and your brother! Heard them announce Vivian coming in while they were having super [emoji6]

[CleatsnCleavage]

Heard from a friend who is a pretty serious cyclist and Epic finisher that he had a terrible race due to lack of food at the waterpoints, how can a race of this distance not prepare properly? Someone send the organisers to Joberg2C immediately

[Marius]

I had one baby potato at the waterpoint, you seriously don't need to stop for food if you have enough calories in your energy bottles.

[Marius]

I used a Garmin 510 - had 48% power left after the race:P 

[Reg Lizard]

I used a Garmin 510 - had 48% power left after the race:P 

Dis net omdat jy te vinnig gery het

[Da Vinci]

I had one baby potato at the waterpoint, you seriously don't need to stop for food if you have enough calories in your energy bottles.

I saw a fair amount of food at the points and we were waiting on riders at the back of the field. The potatoes were the bit of savory needed from the drinks bottle sweet as hubby can't do sandwiches so we packed them in the boxes and had at the car but they really didn't eat nearly as much as they expected too. Rode on a combo of Powerbar mix and rehydrate ( mainly to make the water taste a bit better). A bar or 2, some biltong and droewors, 1 Hydrogel and that was it.

Other than the lack of potatoes they seemed to have all the bases covered - dunno about 1 and 3 but 2 and 4 looked well stocked.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Da Vinci

[Slowbee]

No man peoples! We need decent ride reports. Something that takes longer than a mouthfull of brew to read through.

[Smurfy]

CRAP, the check points had enough to eat. Marmite sarmies and wors... @CH2.  

Potatoes, chicken, wors, bread, tomato, cucumbers.....@ CP3. Didnt use CP4 as our backup was there. Lekker Potjiekos at the finish. MORE THAN ENOUGH FLUID AT THE CH POINT. There were lots of cyclists that dehydrated due to lack of fluids. Cant ride 55km(between point 3 and 4) with one water bottle. Race was well organised,  i any complaints look at your own planning. Was my 3rd tour and will be back next year.

[Guest Karma]

No man peoples! We need decent ride reports. Something that takes longer than a mouthfull of brew to read through.

 

To start my mini-review, I DNF. OK so that's out of the way.

 

1. I really feel there must be at least 1 or 2 more water tables. Not everyone sips a mouthful every 100km. 65km between 2 points was maybe just too much.

2. The roads are very very boring. if this is your kind of thing, great, certainly wasn't mine. 

3. A couple of people, including myself, complained about feeling nauseous and stomach related issues, vomiting etc...not even going to carry on....

4. At least one of the water tables ran out of water.

5. The free dinner (yes, included in entry cost) was a bowl of chicken bones and rice. Please, rather leave it. 

6. The free breakfast the next morning, was a sandwich that contained tomato, prepared the previous evening, thus a soggy meal.... No thanks. 

 

At an entry price of R1000, you expect more. 

 

See the above as my list of excuses, but I won't rush for an entry again, just did not deliver. 

Edited April 28, 2015 by Karma

[DikBuffalo]

Have to agree with Karma....65km between water points in the Karoo is just asking for trouble. I know a couple of riders that pulled out because of dehydration. Just a table with water (no food) would have worked.

Breakfast the morning of the ride, a cup of oats, come on guys, you can do better than that. No rider briefing for anyone out of town - you have to arrive in Cape Town two days before to attend!

Loved this race the year before, but sorry will not see me next year, will rather go ride 36One

[Smurfy]

Gotto agree with the brekkie. I did ask about the possibility of a water point between points 3 and 4. Had my camelback and 2 water bottles with me for this is/was a very long stretch. Even buddied a solo rider half way from CP2-3 with water as he only had one bottle. Hope that the stomach aches were not as a result of the food. 

[Blackheart]

That was my second TK and the timing of the headwind made it brutal, loved it though.

That sunset was it's own reward.

 

On Food & Drink:

 

I didn't find the distance between water points too far.

It's clearly shows on the route map where they are - plan accordingly.

Your hydration is your own responsibility. From previous experience I use a Camelbak Racebak and a large bottle. So that's almost 3 litres. Plenty.

 

I had no issue with the volume of food either, there always seemed enough to me.

 

The supper was really good.

 

The breakfast was a disaster, very disappointing. The one morning you've earned some grease...

 

The Rest:

 

The EMO guys were amazing as always.

 

Did anyone see any photographers on route - I didn't notice.

 

The Format:

 

A bit concerned for the future of the race when a rider who has a team working for him can win the 'solo' category. 

I know i'm going to get flak for that, so just to be clear - i think the winners time was incredible, and i'm sure he and his team trained and worked very hard to nail it. I have only respect for their achievement.

I'd just like to see in future editions, perhaps a further split in categories: Team, team of 2, solo (as in true on your ace), just to keep the spirit of tackling those big spaces alone alive.

 

 

 

 

 

[Da Vinci]

I didn't ride it so won't comment further than to say that we were made well aware of the fact that there was no water points between cp3 and 4 so our riders made provision for that. At the briefing we attended in Cape Town but also on the info provided in newsletters and on line (as Smurfy said he did mail them to double check as he was concerned - I'm sorry but I didn't ride but I poured over all the info that was provided to make myself aware of conditions etc and I feel it is you as rider who needs to take ownership of these things)

I was told that a bakkie was sent ( by the organisers I think) out to check on riders perhaps needing water between the 2 points. They met up with our riders about 12kms from CP4.

As for the race briefing - being in Cape Town we were lucky to be able to attend the one at CW but I agree that there should have been one held at Jupiter too.

Traffic control at CP 4 would also have been a good idea - quite a fair amount of traffic using the road besides the supporter vehicles ( tho I know from experience that even if you request (and pay for it) it doesn't always arrive!!)

 

Unfortunately the pics don't do it justice: