[Event] Swartberg100 Gran Fondo 2018

[jcza]

Certainly learned loads here. Max range for 105 derailleur is 37 which translates into the following:

 

Front - 50 big ring and 34 small ring = 16

Rear - 11-32 cassette = 21

 

TOTAL - 37

 

I'm bringing the CX bike, sure it will be fantastic riding for 165 of 170km. Everyone will suffer up to Die Top. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by jcza

[jcza]

Thinking of this a bit more. 

 

If JCZA could ride Ouberg during the Karoobaix with his Cx bike, then we have nothing to worry about.  Mind you, he is as strong as an ox!!!

 

I wake up at night in a cold sweat thinking of Ouberg. Sure it was Eddy that told us it was steep and none of us listened. Last 5km took a hour, and I rode the 1st km and walked 4km. 

[Underachiever]

Certainly learned loads here. Max range for 105 derailleur is 37 which translates into the following:

 

Front - 50 big ring and 34 small ring = 16

Rear - 11-32 cassette = 21

 

TOTAL - 37

 

I'm bringing the CX bike, sure it will be fantastic riding for 165 of 170km. Everyone will suffer up to Die Top. 

You should be a motivational speaker with such war talk!!!

[eddy]

I wake up at night in a cold sweat thinking of Ouberg. Sure it was Eddy that told us it was steep and none of us listened. Last 5km took a hour, and I rode the 1st km and walked 4km. 

 

It was, and it is not a climb anyone who has ridden walked it will easily forget.

 

I understand only one rider rode the whole way in the Karoobaix and took over an hour out of Darren Lill, recent SA road race champion.

 

Swartberg is but a molehill in comparison.  

[jcza]

It was, and it is not a climb anyone who has ridden walked it will easily forget.

 

I understand only one rider rode the whole way in the Karoobaix and took over an hour out of Darren Lill, recent SA road race champion.

 

Swartberg is but a molehill in comparison.  

 

Correct, Charles Keey managed to ride all the way but I must add that Darren was sick. 

[DJR]

Except for those 1st set of hairpins from the PA side.  Always catches me out!!

The hairpins proper are not that steep. The steepest part on the P A side is the half kilometre just below the Droe Waterval.

[nathrix]

Charles Key was the only rider able to ride all the way to the top of Ouberg Pass during the 1st day of Karoobaix against a massive head wind which tried it's utmost best to blow you off the Roggeveld Mountain Range while recording the 2nd all time best Strava time of 1:08:41 for that segment.

 

Ouberg Pass 15.5km 882m 5.5%

https://www.strava.com/segments/1312192

 

Swartbegpas 8.4km 649m 8%

https://www.strava.com/segments/1289379

 

Oudemuragie to Top of Swartbergpas 28.7km 1,076m 4%

https://www.strava.com/segments/11952454?filter=overall

Edited January 4, 2018 by nathrix ® ©™

[milky4130]

Nope. Road shifter not compatible with MTB RD. There are two options, either the Wolftooth goatlink and use the same 105 RD, or a Wolftooth tanpan which is a cam device to alter the shift indexing so that a road shifter works with a MTB RD. I run 1x11, shimano hydraulic shifter with M8000 XT med cage RD with the tanpan and works great. 

 

https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/tanpan

I bought this TANPAN to work with my XT Clutch RD & 105 10 SPD Shifters, but couldnt get them to work seemelesly & smooth. So i had to put back the 105 RD & remove the TANPAN, but i know the gears\chain jumps\skips when the road gets rof. I'm clueless when it gets to these technical stuff so was hoping there would be at least someone in Cape Town that has experience with fitting the TANPAN successfully.

[milky4130]

Damn. I forgot this overlaps with Panorama. Already committed there. I really want to take my Slate to a race that is actually friendly towards my friend.

There is alwasy this option then?

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/171358-event-cederberg-100miler/

[jcza]

Charles Key was the only rider able to ride all the way to the top of Ouberg Pass during the 1st day of Karoobaix against a massive head wind which tried it's utmost best to blow you off the Roggeveld Mountain Range while recording the 2nd all time best Strava time of 1:08:41 for that segment.

 

Ouberg Pass 15.5km 882m 5.5%

https://www.strava.com/segments/1312192

 

Swartbegpas 8.4km 649m 8%

https://www.strava.com/segments/1289379

 

Oudemuragie to Top of Swartbergpas 28.7km 1,076m 4%

https://www.strava.com/segments/11952454?filter=overall

 

Thats not the real story of Ouberg

 

Final 4.8km has 574m at 11% with sections over 20%. 

[eddy]

Thats not the real story of Ouberg

 

Final 4.8km has 574m at 11% with sections over 20%. 

 

 

Correct.

 

The first bit is gradual and the last brutal.

 

5.5% average is like standing with one foot on a block of ice and the other in a bucket of boiling water and saying that on average it is 50 degrees and comfortable.....

 

But arguing which is worse is like comparing the Springboks to Bafana. 

 

 

Rather

 

Arguing which is more satisfying when finally conquering it.....

[nathrix]

Thats not the real story of Ouberg

 

Final 4.8km has 574m at 11% with sections over 20%.

Yes i know, i walked all of it and know every rock and grain of sand

[Armand08]

I bought this TANPAN to work with my XT Clutch RD & 105 10 SPD Shifters, but couldnt get them to work seemelesly & smooth. So i had to put back the 105 RD & remove the TANPAN, but i know the gears\chain jumps\skips when the road gets rof. I'm clueless when it gets to these technical stuff so was hoping there would be at least someone in Cape Town that has experience with fitting the TANPAN successfully.

In my case I've got the 11 speed, so maybe there is a difference between the 10 and 11 Tanpan shifting quality. It did need some fine tuning initially. 

[@BigJohnSwan]

Hi All,

There is a lot of discussion on what tyres and gear range to use on your weapon of choice for the race. I thought I would share what I am riding with, but please note I am above 100kg and of average fitness.

 

Santa Cruz Stigmata

Kenda 40c Flintridge on the front

Vittoria 38C Adventure Trail on the rear

All tubeless, 3 bar pressure at the back 2 bar at the front

Wheelset Mavic Crossmax

Groupset Shimano Ultegra 11 speed hydro

Compact Crank 50 - 34

Wolflink on medium cage Ultegra Derailleur

Shimano XT 11-40 Cassette

 

I have climbed and descended Swartberg Pass on both sides many times and have had no issue with the cadence at about 6km/hr on the 14% inclines with 34-40. The descents get a little sketchy when the pass in bad condition but it is always manageable. Currently the pass is in very good condition, so I still feel comfortable at 50km/hr + on the straight sections of the descents.

 

With a 50-11 on the flats, you tend to drop those on mountain bike gear ratios with ease. Remember there are many long "slightly down" gradients on the race. This is where the big gear ratios will make all the difference.

[jcza]

Hi All,

There is a lot of discussion on what tyres and gear range to use on your weapon of choice for the race. I thought I would share what I am riding with, but please note I am above 100kg and of average fitness.

 

Santa Cruz Stigmata

Kenda 40c Flintridge on the front

Vittoria 38C Adventure Trail on the rear

All tubeless, 3 bar pressure at the back 2 bar at the front

Wheelset Mavic Crossmax

Groupset Shimano Ultegra 11 speed hydro

Compact Crank 50 - 34

Wolflink on medium cage Ultegra Derailleur

Shimano XT 11-40 Cassette

 

I have climbed and descended Swartberg Pass on both sides many times and have had no issue with the cadence at about 6km/hr on the 14% inclines with 34-40. The descents get a little sketchy when the pass in bad condition but it is always manageable. Currently the pass is in very good condition, so I still feel comfortable at 50km/hr + on the straight sections of the descents.

 

With a 50-11 on the flats, you tend to drop those on mountain bike gear ratios with ease. Remember there are many long "slightly down" gradients on the race. This is where the big gear ratios will make all the difference.

 

Thanks for this John. Guess I'm going to find a Wolflink and 11-40 cassette. 

[@BigJohnSwan]

Thanks for this John. Guess I'm going to find a Wolflink and 11-40 cassette. 

No Worries, remember that an 11-40 cassette from Shimano is dished inward to take a MTB width axle. Road bike cassettes are mostly flat for a shorter axle. So the 11-40 will not fit on a road specific wheel build.