Tygerberg trails - newbie question

[T-Bob]

Nutrition is essential for become a good climber yoh

 

And you'll need a good coffee and a chow to iron out any 'issues' after.

[Mamil]

Do you guys seriously reckon someone who struggles with the stairway to heaven climb could deal with the 500 odd meters ascent of the conties blue? 

 

I wonder if once you've reached a certain level you forget what it's like to not be fit and scared of a rockier section? Cheeky corners will also hurt someone who cries on the stairway. When you first start mtb, a switchback whose exit is lower than it's entrance by half a meter and has pitted braking marks in it is a terrifying prospect and as a just on intermediate rider who has to concentrate on staying relaxed on the bike through that section I don't recommend it for the OP's partner.

 

Conties green might be a good and very easy introduction to singletrack but it's only about 7km long and has very little climbing - enough for an unfit noob to cope with AND you can have the carrot cake.

[SiriS]

LOL   ok...will put the relationship to the test one more time and pace her up StH. Gotta break this voodoo asap.

 

Good insights all-round, txs. You definitely forget how terrifying this whole thing is in the beginning.

Edited April 24, 2017 by SiriS

[MTBeer]

Do you guys seriously reckon someone who struggles with the stairway to heaven climb could deal with the 500 odd meters ascent of the conties blue? 

 

I wonder if once you've reached a certain level you forget what it's like to not be fit and scared of a rockier section? Cheeky corners will also hurt someone who cries on the stairway. When you first start mtb, a switchback whose exit is lower than it's entrance by half a meter and has pitted braking marks in it is a terrifying prospect and as a just on intermediate rider who has to concentrate on staying relaxed on the bike through that section I don't recommend it for the OP's partner.

 

Conties green might be a good and very easy introduction to singletrack but it's only about 7km long and has very little climbing - enough for an unfit noob to cope with AND you can have the carrot cake.

coffee shop to mast is only 230m so I don't think Blue is 500m

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Do you guys seriously reckon someone who struggles with the stairway to heaven climb could deal with the 500 odd meters ascent of the conties blue? 

 

I wonder if once you've reached a certain level you forget what it's like to not be fit and scared of a rockier section? Cheeky corners will also hurt someone who cries on the stairway. When you first start mtb, a switchback whose exit is lower than it's entrance by half a meter and has pitted braking marks in it is a terrifying prospect and as a just on intermediate rider who has to concentrate on staying relaxed on the bike through that section I don't recommend it for the OP's partner.

 

Conties green might be a good and very easy introduction to singletrack but it's only about 7km long and has very little climbing - enough for an unfit noob to cope with AND you can have the carrot cake.

Conters climb is MUCH more sedate than the Stairway climb, MAMIL. Plus she doesn't need to ride everything - there's no shame in walking something which is beyond your skill level. There's also the jeep track to come back down if Cheeky Corners is too much to handle. The climb to the top of blue is around 300m gain. Add in the small climb back to the top of Cheeky corners and it's around 350/375m. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

coffee shop to mast is only 230m so I don't think Blue is 500m

coffee shop to mast, down revised and kloof then back up to do Kloof again is 368m. So if you consider the climb back out of blue is around the same as a hike-a-bike to the top of Kloof, 350m or so is around the total climbing if you do climb / blue / cheeky corners. 

Edited April 24, 2017 by Myles Mayhew

[MTBeer]

yes checked the number again. Coffee to top of Blue is 200ish, so would reckon you're right at about 350m, but I reckon possibly even a bit less.

coffee shop to mast, down revised and kloof then back up to do Kloof again is 368m. So if you consider the climb back out of blue is around the same as a hike-a-bike to the top of Kloof, 350m or so is around the total climbing if you do climb / blue / cheeky corners. 

[Mamil]

Looking at my strava i see contermans blue and green together is 535 .... always feels much more than that to me. Just to be clear though when we say starway to heaven we talking about the stretch from mineshaft to the bench where the dorstberg descent ends? That's less than the conties blue?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Looking at my strava i see contermans blue and green together is 535 .... always feels much more than that to me. Just to be clear though when we say starway to heaven we talking about the stretch from mineshaft to the bench where the dorstberg descent ends? That's less than the conties blue?

It may not be less, but it's certainly a more intense climb. Conties climb wanders and undulates more and is easier. Not incl the mast. 

[Thor Buttox]

There isn't very much that's easier than Meerendal if you leave out the steep Dorstberg climb.

 

You could try Koeberg where it is really flat and basically just dirt road. IF you hear a whooooosh don't panic - it's just Thor Buttox.

I am not a whoosh.

[Mamil]

Your wooship HRH KOM -K (King of Mountain - Koeberg).

 

Sigh - all this talk of whooshing makes me woosh I'd taken these three days off to go riding.

 

 

I am not a whoosh.

[mrcg]

I would suggest Bloemendal - not sure if you can get the kilometers in but if you include some of Majik and maybe do a second loop you could get to +-20km. quite easily.

So start there and do the pump/tech track at bottom left (even newbies can handle at slower pace), head up toward Majik, turn at mid-Majik and head back (or go all the way down to main road: Van Riebeeckshof Rd) and head back to finish at Bloemendal with the other pump/tech track (at top right - when standing at start).

There is some climbing but its mostly gradual (some a tad steeper) and not technical.

Stairway is probably too technical for her at this stage, and combined with some steepness puts her off.

But as mentioned by others, Meerendal can also be done without Stairway. Keep to roads and single track and maybe do a second loop.

Second loop can also be used to tackle/try a section to build confidence - practice makes perfect

[BuffsVintageBikes]

If you're willing to head out Bottelary way then Hazendal has a very beginner friendly flat loop of just over 5kms. I take my kids there and they love it.

[Sparkles]

When I just started cycling Stairway also wanted to make me cry.  It was not because of the ascent / fitness / climb, but because of the "platform" aspect of it that messed with my head.  I rode Dorsberg without stopping without any problem, but I found Stairway to be more difficult.

 

OP, is it just Stairway, or does she have problems with the Burry Stander section too?

 

The best advice I was given was that there is no section that cannot be walked.  So my advice to you is wherever you take her, go with that mentality and allow her to walk whichever section she wants without any expectation or pressure.  No reason to not ride a 10km trail because of 100m that can be walked.  You can do a lot to help avoid future tears by creating a no-pressure / safe environment for her.

 

I also agree with the suggestions of Contermans and Lower Bloemendal (and Bluegums).  The bermy sections are great to build confidence and develop a feel for your bike, just let her walk the switchbacks that make her nervous.  It will also help with her confidence to do a short loop more than once in the same session.    

[Ratty]

Search for the Slow Coach Group on facebook and let her join them.  The most patient bunch of people who are happy to ride at the pace of the slowest person and offer lots of encouragement.

 

Koeberg definitely the best for newbies.  Bloemendal's B-Spot is a great way to get used to singletrack, ride round there a few times. 

 

Then if you feel like a nice day out, head to Oak Valley.  Besides the few bridges which can be walked, the singletrack is fairly gentle.and its a beautiful place. 

[Robbie Stewart]

So after finally understanding what a HR monitor is used for, I have started riding according to my heart rate, and try keep it in the lower zones. This has made going uphill A LOT easier, since I realized to my horror that I was naturally inclined to bomb every hill at anabolic threshold...no wonder I was always kaput by the time I reached the top. Dorstberg last week? a breeze. Stairway? almost flat...(ish)

My advice? Go slow if you want to be fast...(Ja, I also didn't understand it the first time I was given this pearl of wisdom.)