andydude Posted March 31, 2019 Posted March 31, 2019 Just a question re. the braking on berms, is part of the problem not that it's a blind course for most? Even if you know some of the trails, the Epic changes current routes and lines. The only rider taking a perfect line with perfect speed is one that has done a trail multiple times. Otherwise you are going to overcook some berms and lines causing you to adjust midway. Actually not necessarily a bad sign in my book. So maybe let's say half technical skills and half blind trails [emoji41]
DieselnDust Posted March 31, 2019 Posted March 31, 2019 I think people think because it’s called the Epic that it’s an Epic challenge. The toughest part about Epic is getting 8 days off work in March [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787] true story!
mrcg Posted March 31, 2019 Posted March 31, 2019 Just a question re. the braking on berms, is part of the problem not that it's a blind course for most? Even if you know some of the trails, the Epic changes current routes and lines. The only rider taking a perfect line with perfect speed is one that has done a trail multiple times. Otherwise you are going to overcook some berms and lines causing you to adjust midway. Actually not necessarily a bad sign in my book. So maybe let's say half technical skills and half blind trails [emoji41]This is true. However, the usual approach is to scrub just enough speed before the corner and then trail brake into corner (if necessary-if you're going fast, it is) using back brake - without locking. I've never dragged my back wheel through a corner. Preferably no front brake in corner for more grip, line control and direction. With experience you develop the touch to put just enough pressure on brakes. But occasionally you will get it wrong and possibly fall.
Grease_Monkey Posted March 31, 2019 Posted March 31, 2019 Just a question re. the braking on berms, is part of the problem not that it's a blind course for most? Even if you know some of the trails, the Epic changes current routes and lines. The only rider taking a perfect line with perfect speed is one that has done a trail multiple times. Otherwise you are going to overcook some berms and lines causing you to adjust midway. Actually not necessarily a bad sign in my book. So maybe let's say half technical skills and half blind trails [emoji41]Yeah, it's blind and riders are flipen tired. People also overcook lines and then brake to correct speed (how else do you progress?). But whatever the reason for that braking, it's still what results in the berms specifically being eroded and sandy for a few weeks after the race. It happens with all races, shuttle days, events (of which the epic is probably the biggest) - not just the epic, that's why I was saying I am not calling out epic riders specifically - just an observation of conditions after the epic went through there.
Tankman Posted March 31, 2019 Posted March 31, 2019 ????????♀️ Those warmup shots of them on the rollers was in the Stellenbosch camp... They quickly attract a lot of media attention when they show themselves
stefmeister Posted April 1, 2019 Posted April 1, 2019 Just a question re. the braking on berms, is part of the problem not that it's a blind course for most? Even if you know some of the trails, the Epic changes current routes and lines. The only rider taking a perfect line with perfect speed is one that has done a trail multiple times. Otherwise you are going to overcook some berms and lines causing you to adjust midway. Actually not necessarily a bad sign in my book. So maybe let's say half technical skills and half blind trails [emoji41]If you can't send a blind course/trail then you just don't know how to read the trail. With these events, the problem is not so much the blind trail factor, it's more so to do with bottlenecks with slower riders upfront causing everyone behind to ride progressively slower and on their brakes.
DieselnDust Posted April 1, 2019 Posted April 1, 2019 If you can't send a blind course/trail then you just don't know how to read the trail. With these events, the problem is not so much the blind trail factor, it's more so to do with bottlenecks with slower riders upfront causing everyone behind to ride progressively slower and on their brakes. Yes very true. However, the trails in the western cape don't seem to have constant radius berms and tend to promote a style of riding that requires one to flick the tail, wag the dog which will result in trail erosion. So I notice some riders try to get the tail to step out by using the brakes which isn't ideal but the effect on the trail is the same. Lately the berms in Tokai are better because they're constant radius and don't tighten up anylonger. I haven't ridden the Jonkershoek trails recently but it appears that they still have that tighten-up-on-exit style of construction.
Christie Posted April 1, 2019 Posted April 1, 2019 I agree with DnD re the berm radius. Attached is an example of a Helderberg berm:Change of radius mid-bermWear on the preferred line (Post Epic)New lower entry now being used Perhaps Forster got caught by this change of radius, thinking he can carry more speed (he wiped out on one of these). Some of the berms are amongst trees, and the full berm is not visable on approch. In general, the brake wear got better the further down the slope I went, and riders adjusted how much speed they took in.
dev null Posted April 1, 2019 Posted April 1, 2019 I agree with DnD re the berm radius. Attached is an example of a Helderberg berm:Change of radius mid-bermWear on the preferred line (Post Epic)New lower entry now being used Perhaps Forster got caught by this change of radius, thinking he can carry more speed (he wiped out on one of these). Some of the berms are amongst trees, and the full berm is not visable on approch. In general, the brake wear got better the further down the slope I went, and riders adjusted how much speed they took in. Yes, this berm sucks. This is also the one with the worst brake wear. Forster wiped out on the one just previous to this berm. The problem with this berm is that there are a few nice little jumps just before this berm, so those with jumping skills like to carry lots of speed to enjoy those bumps. And then this berm hits you with is tightening radius.
Grease_Monkey Posted April 1, 2019 Posted April 1, 2019 I agree with DnD re the berm radius. Attached is an example of a Helderberg berm:Change of radius mid-bermWear on the preferred line (Post Epic)New lower entry now being used Perhaps Forster got caught by this change of radius, thinking he can carry more speed (he wiped out on one of these). Some of the berms are amongst trees, and the full berm is not visable on approch. In general, the brake wear got better the further down the slope I went, and riders adjusted how much speed they took in.To be fair - the wear on that berm was not caused by Epic, it's been in that condition since I can remember. But yeah, see what you mean with change in radius.
Tankman Posted April 4, 2019 Posted April 4, 2019 Some Grand Finale Celebration photos up in here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/henknphoto/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2542353939170100
gerriemtb Posted April 4, 2019 Posted April 4, 2019 How the Cape Epic Was Won! w/ SCOTT-SRAMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5rq89nMdYM
SwissVan Posted April 6, 2019 Posted April 6, 2019 1294 riders passing through a trail network on one day, all chasing a medal is going to ruin even a gravel road. This is just ho it is. Make peace with it and sign up for the next trail buildBoet give the hubxpurts a gapThese guys are good, they know what the riders are doing wrong without even seeing them ride
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