The Munga 2016

[Slowbee]

remember, I am doing this as a once off. So want to try stick to equipment I have. Dont want to buy stuff just for one race. A dynamo is like over kill for one ride.

[BarHugger]

remember, I am doing this as a once off. So want to try stick to equipment I have. Dont want to buy stuff just for one race. A dynamo is like over kill for one ride.

But that's what it takes......sacrifice......if you have any intention of finishing this then you need to do what needs to be done......

[The Munga]

remember, I am doing this as a once off. So want to try stick to equipment I have. Don't want to buy stuff just for one race. A dynamo is like over kill for one ride.

If you don't want to go the full dynamo hub setup, then i would make sure i have a battery system that works, and not rely on solar panels etc.

 

The most critical device is your GPS. Without it, you are stuffed! A simple Etrex 20 is reliable and then all you have to do is carry some decent batteries, like the Lithium Ultra. All the Race Villages are in towns where batteries are available, unless you arrive at midnight and don't want to hang around! Then you need to carry enough for this eventuality. A better option than a solar panel to charge is a boost battery like the Amped. But this will only work with a 520 or 810 Garmin or similar, in other words one that doesn't require batteries. The upside to this is that you can recharge the pack in the villages while you sleep.

 

The next most critical device is your front bike light. For my first couple of Freedom Challenge races i used the Hope 1: http://www.hopetech.com/product/1-led-light/ 

 

Its an old light but bombproof and bright enough with 4 x AA's. Some guys used the charge type of lights but then were dependent on spending time in the villages. So i guess a starting point would be to decide how much time you will spend in each race village, and plan accordingly.

[Shebeen]

nice idea !

 

I wonder if you could plug this directly into a GPS? and run the GPS off the panel during the day ? ok you might be a bit lost if it clouds over - but then a power monkey could cover that.

 

Shebeen, was thinking more along the lines of how to power the GPS I have rather than having to buy one.

 

 

As far as i can see you can charge the 705 with an OTG(on the go) cable. this is essentially the power cable with the tx/rx lines missing from the usb. i would go for a battery back like the Amped one - you can charge phone as well, get to the stops and recharge it and phone/gps at same time. AND they are damn handy in general life so not really a race only purchase

 

 

If you don't want to go the full dynamo hub setup, then i would make sure i have a battery system that works, and not rely on solar panels etc.

 

The most critical device is your GPS. Without it, you are stuffed! A simple Etrex 20 is reliable and then all you have to do is carry some decent batteries, like the Lithium Ultra. All the Race Villages are in towns where batteries are available, unless you arrive at midnight and don't want to hang around! Then you need to carry enough for this eventuality. A better option than a solar panel to charge is a boost battery like the Amped. But this will only work with a 520 or 810 Garmin or similar, in other words one that doesn't require batteries. The upside to this is that you can recharge the pack in the villages while you sleep.

 

The next most critical device is your front bike light. For my first couple of Freedom Challenge races i used the Hope 1: http://www.hopetech.com/product/1-led-light/ 

 

Its an old light but bombproof and bright enough with 4 x AA's. Some guys used the charge type of lights but then were dependent on spending time in the villages. So i guess a starting point would be to decide how much time you will spend in each race village, and plan accordingly.

for me the best option for this sort of race is indeed something that takes AAs. Can totally back up those hope lights, they weren't exactly cheap but were really well built and reliable. not sure if they're still made - maybe someone here has one lying in a cupboard?

AAA batteries piss me off, they're a third of the capacity, 60% of the volume and 50% pricier than AAs!

[Monark]

Get rechargeable aaa batteries and use the power bank to charge them?

[Slowbee]

I am going to try the power monkey thingy with the GPS on a ride. I know I can get about 18hrs on the GPS if I dont fiddle with it to much.

 

If I take into accoun the ride strategy I could get away with charging the power monkey up at the rest stations to keep the GPS going. That way it is only one item (ok 2 if you include the cell phone) that you risk forgetting if you are to tired.

[Slowbee]

So I was on my bike for the first time in ages and it was great. Mind you only 20km, but we have to start somewhere right.

 

I need to get my head round some planning issues. Please check to see if this makes any sense.

 

1100km in 5 days. That is 220km per day. Now lets say I want 6 hours rest per day. Maybe 4 in the rest areas and 2 hrs while out on the road track path. That leaves 16 hrs riding per day. That means one needs to ride at 13.75 km/hr, so make it 14km/hr. 

 

Is this asking to much to be riding at 14km/hr ? with such little rest and navigation?

 

John won it last yr in a time of 2 days 21 min = 22km/hr (give or take a few minutes), but he is a machine. 

 

Again, yout thoughts

[The Munga]

So I was on my bike for the first time in ages and it was great. Mind you only 20km, but we have to start somewhere right.

 

I need to get my head round some planning issues. Please check to see if this makes any sense.

 

1100km in 5 days. That is 220km per day. Now lets say I want 6 hours rest per day. Maybe 4 in the rest areas and 2 hrs while out on the road track path. That leaves 16 hrs riding per day. That means one needs to ride at 13.75 km/hr, so make it 14km/hr. 

 

Is this asking to much to be riding at 14km/hr ? with such little rest and navigation?

 

John won it last yr in a time of 2 days 21 min = 22km/hr (give or take a few minutes), but he is a machine. 

 

Again, yout thoughts

Firstly, John won it it in 2 days and 21 hours, so 69 hours. This translates to about 15.5km/hr, believe it or not! He slept a total of around 4 hours. If you decide to sleep 4 hours a night that's 20 hours, meaning you have 100 hours left to ride 1070km, this then equates to 10.7km/hr. Thats it!

 

People don't realise the compounding potential of time. If you keep rolling along at just 11km/hr, for 20 hours, you still get to sleep 4 hours a day and finish the Munga!

 

Lets say you want to sleep 6 hours at each race village.Thats a total of 30 hours meaning you have 90 hours left to race. That equates to an average of 11.8km/hr. This is still very doable considering the type of terrain.

[SwissVan]

So I was on my bike for the first time in ages and it was great. Mind you only 20km, but we have to start somewhere right.

 

I need to get my head round some planning issues. Please check to see if this makes any sense.

 

1100km in 5 days. That is 220km per day. Now lets say I want 6 hours rest per day. Maybe 4 in the rest areas and 2 hrs while out on the road track path. That leaves 16 hrs riding per day. That means one needs to ride at 13.75 km/hr, so make it 14km/hr.

 

Is this asking to much to be riding at 14km/hr ? with such little rest and navigation?

 

John won it last yr in a time of 2 days 21 min = 22km/hr (give or take a few minutes), but he is a machine.

 

Again, yout thoughts

Your bank a/c is almost empty, time to start banking those miles.

Good luck, preparation prior to the event seems more stressfull than the actual event but will pay off in heaps on the day

[Slowbee]

Yep, the bank is almost empty

 

But my main question has now been answered.

 

Everywhere I ride, everything I do, needs to centre on being able to do long rides at 15km/hr and keep it slow and steady. Time in the saddle on the weekends. During the week - it will be shorter rides with some intervals built into them.

 

Those intervals will consist of hill intervals, and also longer type intervals on flatish roads (wind dependant of course).

 

For July the aim is to be able to get into am 80- 90km ride with little effort. For August that needs to get up to 140-150km ride without to much effort. Then September ride up to 200km easy.

 

So for now the plan is to be able to ride the double century route (200km) at about 15/16km/hr keeping my heart rate in zone 2 sometime at the end of August early September. We are away for 3 weeks in September. When we come back, look towards building up to doing 2 laps of the 4 passes. This will mean some night time riding - but it will be what it will be.

 

What are you other guys planning ?

[Pure Savage]

Yep, the bank is almost empty

 

But my main question has now been answered.

 

Everywhere I ride, everything I do, needs to centre on being able to do long rides at 15km/hr and keep it slow and steady. Time in the saddle on the weekends. During the week - it will be shorter rides with some intervals built into them.

 

Those intervals will consist of hill intervals, and also longer type intervals on flatish roads (wind dependant of course).

 

For July the aim is to be able to get into am 80- 90km ride with little effort. For August that needs to get up to 140-150km ride without to much effort. Then September ride up to 200km easy.

 

So for now the plan is to be able to ride the double century route (200km) at about 15/16km/hr keeping my heart rate in zone 2 sometime at the end of August early September. We are away for 3 weeks in September. When we come back, look towards building up to doing 2 laps of the 4 passes. This will mean some night time riding - but it will be what it will be.

 

What are you other guys planning ?

 

We rode 300km at a pretty chilled pace for our end of summer send off, that took us 11 hours, really chilled, stopping for hot cross buns and beer. At the end of the day we were a lot less tired than the likes of the DC or even the one tonner. Think we clocked up a 27 average all day with three punctures.

 

If you dont go  in the red you can tick along. 

[Slowbee]

savage, what would be your average for doing the 4 passes route ?

[Pure Savage]

savage, what would be your average for doing the 4 passes route ?

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/26291159

 

4:47 , but that was a fair few years ago, probably 4:30 now. 

 

Forgot to add the actual thing you asked, 27km/h

[Slowbee]

do you think you could do two laps to my one ?

 

have a race of sorts ? Start at same time and you have to lap me ? I will idle along as I normally do and you have to "catch" me ?

 

If I average say 15/16 then you need to do close to double that for a bit more distance? it works out at what 140km per lap ?

 

Edit: make it a fun thing with a fund-raiser aspect on who will win ?

[Shebeen]

Yep, the bank is almost empty

 

But my main question has now been answered.

 

Everywhere I ride, everything I do, needs to centre on being able to do long rides at 15km/hr and keep it slow and steady. Time in the saddle on the weekends. During the week - it will be shorter rides with some intervals built into them.

 

Those intervals will consist of hill intervals, and also longer type intervals on flatish roads (wind dependant of course).

 

For July the aim is to be able to get into am 80- 90km ride with little effort. For August that needs to get up to 140-150km ride without to much effort. Then September ride up to 200km easy.

 

So for now the plan is to be able to ride the double century route (200km) at about 15/16km/hr keeping my heart rate in zone 2 sometime at the end of August early September. We are away for 3 weeks in September. When we come back, look towards building up to doing 2 laps of the 4 passes. This will mean some night time riding - but it will be what it will be.

 

What are you other guys planning ?

DC is probably a damn good training event/time to get up to speed for Munga, BUT i wouldn't use your time as a marker of fitness. What's better for Munga, feeling good at an 11 hour finish or feeling good at a 8 hour finish....

a group ride with drafting, dynamics, unevenly shared workload means that the time isn't that much of an indicator. uh mean you all get the same time, are you all equal fitness?!

 

if you can do more than your share at the front and still finish with a bit in the tank then you'll be on the right track for munga. 

[Slowbee]

mtbgr8, sorry when i said the DC route, I was referring to doing it alone. and not on race day and not with anyone else.