[Event] Cullinan 2 Tonteldoos MTB Ultra

[Eveza]

Event Name: Cullinan 2 Tonteldoos MTB Ultra
When: 30 March 2018
Where: Start at Piacere Restaurant (Cullinan) - Finish in Tonteldoo, Gauteng
Category: MTB

The Cullinan2Tonteldoos MTB Ultra Single Stage event (24 hours) will take riders and their support crews over 260km /3000m elevation of unmarked district roads from Cullinan in Gauteng to Tonteldoos, a small settlement in the Mpumalanga Highlands.

All riders who complete the distance in 24 hours will receive a medal. The final cut-off will be after 26 hours.

The finish of the race will form part of the festival activities at the annual Tonteldoos Highlands (Scottish) Festival.

Go to Event Page

[NelAndre]

So, everyone who did the 2017 edition what is your thoughts? Is this one for the calendar?

[JanJan]

Pros: It is a great and tough event and brilliantly organized. Their is really nothing to fault with the route or the organizing of it. It is a lot more accessible and cheaper than Transbaviaans with just as pretty views when the sun rises the Saturday morning. If you have completed the Transbaviaans and 36One, this ride should be one your calendar.

 

Cons: It is over Easter weekend and unfortunately is a bit of a family sacrifice. I would not recommend your wife or GF to be your support crew. There is really little mobile coverage along the route.

[NelAndre]

That is very helpful feedback. Thanks JanJan.

 

Me thinks me will do it!

[NotSoBigBen]

Pros: It is a great and tough event and brilliantly organized. Their is really nothing to fault with the route or the organizing of it. It is a lot more accessible and cheaper than Transbaviaans with just as pretty views when the sun rises the Saturday morning. If you have completed the Transbaviaans and 36One, this ride should be one your calendar.

 

Cons: It is over Easter weekend and unfortunately is a bit of a family sacrifice. I would not recommend your wife or GF to be your support crew. There is really little mobile coverage along the route.

 

I agree fully with JJ, were it not for that last little niggle I would do it again in a heartbeat so sadly it is not to be 

[VicanZA]

save you money and do the trans...by far a better ride and you can see the views. 

[the nerd]

save you money and do the trans...by far a better ride and you can see the views. 

 

Did you do the race this year? 

[Warthog]

Pros: It is a great and tough event and brilliantly organized. Their is really nothing to fault with the route or the organizing of it. It is a lot more accessible and cheaper than Transbaviaans with just as pretty views when the sun rises the Saturday morning. If you have completed the Transbaviaans and 36One, this ride should be one your calendar.

 

Cons: It is over Easter weekend and unfortunately is a bit of a family sacrifice. I would not recommend your wife or GF to be your support crew. There is really little mobile coverage along the route.

Agge nee shoot... this is bucketlist but eish, don't know if that is going to work for me...

[VicanZA]

Did you do the race this year? 

yip, tried to quit on Thursday before the race and again at water point 2 and 3, kept going to water point 4 at 185km, at that point one of my team mates told me he couldnt peddle another stroke so we packed it up.

 

if you want a challenge this race is for you, if you want to immerse userslf in an experience do the trans, hands down a better in every category. yes the views are probably awesome but u cant see them, food was average, vibe err hard to tell i had a hangover come from a wedding in the bush and had spent 3 days there.

 

take your lynskey and go do the trans you wont regret it Nerd. 

[the nerd]

yip, tried to quit on Thursday before the race and again at water point 2 and 3, kept going to water point 4 at 185km, at that point one of my team mates told me he couldnt peddle another stroke so we packed it up.

 

if you want a challenge this race is for you, if you want to immerse userslf in an experience do the trans, hands down a better in every category. yes the views are probably awesome but u cant see them, food was average, vibe err hard to tell i had a hangover come from a wedding in the bush and had spent 3 days there.

 

take your lynskey and go do the trans you wont regret it Nerd. 

 

I have been wanting to do trans for ever! 

 

Definitely want to get that ticked off! 

[Paddaman]

This ride (Not race) is good value for money.

The experience starts as early as December, where the organiser and riders, host a number of "training rides" on the route, so that you can realise the sheer distances and altitudes that will be ridden.  These rides cover the entire route in smaller segments.  Also there is a training ride to the Val Festival.  On these rides there is sweep vehicles and sponsors climb aboard with nutrition.  So the "package" includes the race and between 2 and 4, 120km training rides.

The training rides will allow you to see all the views that you will (if you ride fast) miss on race day.

The good bag includes a Buff, shoulder bag and a (Soon to be delivered) T Shirt.  There are four checkpoints, all fully catered.  The finish is at the Highland festival, so there is entertainment and drink available.

 

Okay so where are the cons?

The first big CON is the format of the support.  A team (Solo or group) includes a support vehicle, which must be at each check point.  THERE IS ONLY ONE SUPPORTER per team.  This format, although workable, provides the following risks/concerns.  Firstly the support driver has to drive through the night which may become dangerous due to sleep deprivation.  Secondly, this single feature increases the hidden cost of the race, as each team (solo included) requires a high clearance car to drive from Cullinan to Dullstroom.

The possible solution to this is to adopt the container system of Trans Baviaans, and a sign in register for solo riders.

The second Con is the start time for non racers.  The start time is 4pm because they want to time the first finisher to arrive at the start of the festival, but every year the race snakes just go faster, doing the entire race in the dark ?! The funrider?!- ride for experience guy however takes almost twice the time to do the distance.  This results in many slower riders missing the morning of the festival.  

The possible solution is to have category based starts so that slower or experience seekers riders can elect to start earlier, and thus arrive to the festival to be able to take part in the festivities.  (Race numbers can be colour coded to indicate batch start times, and only "elite/premiere" riders race for prizes)

 

Conclusion

C2T is possibly the best value for money experience available on the calendar for gravel cyclists

Edited May 3, 2017 by Paddaman

[jcza]

Unfinished business, will be back after running out of batteries at 220km this year. 

 

Pros:

Ultra distance event on our doorstep in Gauteng

Affordable

 

Cons:

Support driver cannot be shared and no boxes

Point to point

No Gravel bikes with drop bars

Night ride

[the nerd]

Unfinished business, will be back after running out of batteries at 220km this year. 

 

Pros:

Ultra distance event on our doorstep in Gauteng

Affordable

 

Cons:

Support driver cannot be shared and no boxes

Point to point

No Gravel bikes with drop bars

Night ride

 

This point is ridiculous, it is the perfect ride for a gravel machine! 

[jcza]

This point is ridiculous, it is the perfect ride for a gravel machine! 

 

I know, I rode with front and rear suspension locked out for most of the ride, 

[VicanZA]

if you dont have a smile on your face while doing it, its not worth it. its not enough for me that is a challenge, if you want that try the Durban dash, hasn't been done on a MTB route yet. 

[RobertWhitehead]

I was part of the 2015 group of riders who followed the route set forth by Rob and a few riders the year prior. 

 

Our ride had huge challenges (due to the non-race / structured format) and I gave my two cents when it was all said and done. I promised Debbie (Wild Trail) that I'll be back to do it once again but not on my single speed though.

 

Comparing this race to the Trans as per the above comments: Chalk and cheese!!!! You can't compare the two, the Trans is absolutely majestic and there's no comparison due to it going through a reserve. With that being said, the logistics involved with entering and doing the Trans is way more expensive than what you would have when doing the C2T. 

 

If your goal is to push yourself to your limits and try to find out just how far you can go, then enter and complete the C2T.

If on the other hand you want to do all of the above and have quite a bit of cash to burn on fuel and accommodation along with endless amounts of leave then my answer will always be the Trans.