[Event] Stellenbosch Mountain Bike Challenge

[ABrooks]

Loved it, riding all those farm trails I rode as a kid, it was amazing. The sand was awesome, so few people seem to be able to ride sand. Hint, you need the right pedals.

 

If they can find a way to reach Eden and the Mont Marie trails and add a more technical route I can see Spier become the new home of the Stellenbosch MTB challenge.

It's not the pedals, but being in the right gear, body position and not trying to steer the bike in the direction you want to go.

 

It was a very good day out, perfect weather.

 

Somehow adding Eden and mont marie would be epic and make the event so much more challenging.

[matthieup]

The hospitality area worked so much better, I can understand if some would prefer the end and that area to be closer but thinknit worked and they will take the learnings , for example bigger bike park area, sorting out the parking. But for me it was a success and enjoyed the ride for what it was.

 

Not sure how it was on the sharp end of the race but did not have any problems with fellow riders. Most were friendly and in good spirit, and to the guys that rode for 5 hours.. kudos in keeping on going

Thanks, just shy of 5h for my first 50kms...

 

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Rouxenator]

I had a slow day (hung over) and the 16km warm up ride to the race did not help. 2:45 is good enough I guess. My dad (nearing 70) had a 2km warm up ride and managed 4:33. 

 

On Friday I spoke with Meurant about this change and it was simple maths, he took the most profitable route from before, the 50km, and tried to host it without disrupting too much of Stellenbosch and without incurring unnecessary cost. In my books this was a great success. 

 

Who knows, maybe next year we can have it at Spier again and they can work out a more technical route that includes Eden, Mont Marie, maybe G-spot? But keeping it out of town is a good thing for all. 

[pappadiv]

Gr8 event. Disappointed that 2 bikes got stolen on the day with the thief dressed up in cycling kit and riding the bikes out of Spier passing multiple securaty personnel ????

[dev null]

Which bikes were nicked?

[koukie]

Every year at this race bikes are getting stolen. I wonder if they get the same security guards each year?

[Grease_Monkey]

Every year at this race bikes are getting stolen. I wonder if they get the same security guards each year?

There is no way the guards can be blamed. Guys rode out on the bikes in cycling kit. Surely guards cannot be expected to remember every person and bike they came in with. Furthermore, non cyclists cannot tell the difference between a 10k bike and a 150k bike, cannondale or raleigh, so how would we even begin to address this other than with a registry - which I for one (and I am sure most others) would not like.

[koukie]

There is no way the guards can be blamed. Guys rode out on the bikes in cycling kit. Surely guards cannot be expected to remember every person and bike they came in with. Furthermore, non cyclists cannot tell the difference between a 10k bike and a 150k bike, cannondale or raleigh, so how would we even begin to address this other than with a registry - which I for one (and I am sure most others) would not like.

I'm 100% with you it would be impossible for them to know the difference, I was more thinking in terms of an inside job.

[Chingy182]

Inside job indeed. 

At the CTCT MTB event earlier this year also in Stellies, my passenger door of my car got broken into by a screw driver.

 

Dressing up like a fellow cyclist does not take the security guards' eyes off these guys, it takes your vigilant eyes off these guys.

[Karman de Lange]

The amount of bikes that was left unattended/unlocked yesterday was just insane, i'm supprised not more was stolen.   

[Grease_Monkey]

I'm 100% with you it would be impossible for them to know the difference, I was more thinking in terms of an inside job.

I guess it is possible, but it wouldn't be ky guess seeing as the thieves dressed up and all - if it were an inside job they would maybe drive in and take what they want (I don't know - just a guess). Either way, I hope the bikes are recovered and the thieves caught.

[Skubarra]

On Friday I spoke with Meurant about this change and it was simple maths, he took the most profitable route from before, the 50km, and tried to host it without disrupting too much of Stellenbosch and without incurring unnecessary cost. In my books this was a great success. 

 

Few years back "Die Burger Bergfietsuitdaging" was THE mtb event in the WC (along with the Argus MTB), I guess times change but still disappointing for me that the event in its old guise is no more.

 

I can understand that the Stellenbosch authorities are not too keen on the disruptions of cycle events going through town so the old format was probably not viable anymore.

[matthieup]

I'd like to know where all these stollen bikes go... Even saw that a eBike got stollen in setllies the other day. Surely that's easy to spot and not easy to sell for parts

[LeoKnight]

Inside job indeed. 

At the CTCT MTB event earlier this year also in Stellies, my passenger door of my car got broken into by a screw driver.

 

Dressing up like a fellow cyclist does not take the security guards' eyes off these guys, it takes your vigilant eyes off these guys.

 

And I doubt the security would really challenge someone except if it is really obvious that something is going down, else there will be a storm over profiling.  

[Mamil]

Really pretty ride in lovely countryside. Nice not to be wrestling with a technical trail that some b@stard has pit together to try kill Mamils.

 

Plus felt like a proper cyclist overtaking tons of 22k route guys. Ok most of them were 8 years old but mamils have to get our racing kicks from somewhere.

 

Good clean fun... looking forward to the event growing into the new venue. Spier security felt a bit like a private army but ...

[Mamil]

Really pretty ride in lovely countryside. Nice not to be wrestling with a technical trail that some b@stard has pit together to try kill Mamils.

 

Plus felt like a proper cyclist overtaking tons of 22k route guys. Ok most of them were 8 years old but mamils have to get our racing kicks from somewhere.

 

Good clean fun... looking forward to the event growing into the new venue. Spier security felt a bit like a private army but ...