Trans Baviaans 2018

[hboli4]

My first trans. Great advice here. Thanks guys

 

Did a 190km last Sat, 180km tomorrow with 5 hrs of night riding

 

What is recommended stop time at the waterpoints. We thinking 10 mins max

 

It all depends on your strategy and how many you are in the team. It just takes longer to get 4 people to fill water bottles,eat etc.

 

Keeping in mind that we don't race(aim between 15 to 17 hours) and enjoy every bit of the ride, including all the food....

 

CP1 - 5-10min(grab a roosterkoek or 2, take a couple of pics, nature break if needed).

CP2 - 10-15min(refill bottle,replenish snacks out of the box,take some pics,have a quick bite).

CP3 - 30min(put on lights,have a nice chow-this is the braai stop,fill bottles,take some pics).

CP4 - 30min(change of kit/warm kit,fill bottles,have a soup and bread,take some pics).

CP5 - 15min(meet support,fill bottles,have a chiproll,take some pics).

CP6 - unmanned,get the sticker,1min max.

CP7 - 10min(meet support,quick coffee/jaffle).

[maidenmole]

Long range forecast for Baviaanskloof farming community.

 

13mm of rain this Sat.

19deg max on race day. WNW gusts of 59km/h.

[smallville8vdm]

Do you have space in your team? Sounds like you are going to have a lekka ride with enough food    

It all depends on your strategy and how many you are in the team. It just takes longer to get 4 people to fill water bottles,eat etc.

 

Keeping in mind that we don't race(aim between 15 to 17 hours) and enjoy every bit of the ride, including all the food....

 

CP1 - 5-10min(grab a roosterkoek or 2, take a couple of pics, nature break if needed).

CP2 - 10-15min(refill bottle,replenish snacks out of the box,take some pics,have a quick bite).

CP3 - 30min(put on lights,have a nice chow-this is the braai stop,fill bottles,take some pics).

CP4 - 30min(change of kit/warm kit,fill bottles,have a soup and bread,take some pics).

CP5 - 15min(meet support,fill bottles,have a chiproll,take some pics).

CP6 - unmanned,get the sticker,1min max.

CP7 - 10min(meet support,quick coffee/jaffle).

[hboli4]

Long range forecast for Baviaanskloof farming community.

 

13mm of rain this Sat.

19deg max on race day. WNW gusts of 59km/h.

 

If that forecast holds we will be flying to J-Bay, but way too early to predict.

[hboli4]

Do you have space in your team? Sounds like you are going to have a lekka ride with enough food    

 

We might cut these times in half, my partner is a youngster with too much adrenaline which I will have to keep in check...

[vulgar]

Long range forecast for Baviaanskloof farming community.

 

13mm of rain this Sat.

19deg max on race day. WNW gusts of 59km/h.

 

 

AND that is how you ride a 8h22.00!!!!

Whoop whoop cant effing wait. That first 110km was done in 36 avs, No gravel bike.

We went into nature reserve( I think its another  6km to CP1 ) all hell broke loose flying over those white river stones, few times rocks flew up and hit my carbon frame...lucky nothing broke,just chiped.

 

Put your 34's on and let it rip!!

 

That day we switched on our lights at railway crossing, 7km to go. We were chasing Timo and co wich we saw ahead and didn't want them to know we were approaching....but to no avail we had to settle for 2nd.

[TheJ]

Been doing great training this year, probably the most I've put into Trans Baviaans prep in the last 5 times I've done it. Last weekend putting in about 240km for the weekend. But, seems it was a bit too much and on Tuesday I woke up with a cold. Wife had been sick for a week before so all those germs in the house plus a body that was worked hard = sick. So, I haven't cycled since LAST Sunday. I'm not 100% yet but going to lightly spin on the indoor bike tonight.

 

I hope it won't affect my performance on the day too much. Maybe even it was a good break to take. 

 

I hope.

[Velouria]

Going for Number 11.

 Going for my 15th

 

What I can add from my side.

 

Unless you are a beast, don't go and pull any bunches. Sit in the back and get pulled along. You will just kill yourself way too soon.

I vow not to do this every year, and then the race starts and before you know it... at least you get to pick the line when you're on the front (before your teammate pops off the back and you have to go and rescue him!)

 

Forget sweets. Over the years my food pouches have slowely drifted from salty to sweet, and each year at the top of Bergplaas you'd have to stop to puke as your stomach can't handle all the sugar. Salticrax, small pieces of biltong even.

A person after my own heart! I thought I was the only one that puked behind the water tanks at Bergplaas!

 

Don't race through wet riverbeds. You just end up wetting everyone else and washing lube off your bike. You'll look like a tosser. Your bikes longevity is as important as your own.

More okes at the front need to read this!

 

DO NOT start the race with all your lights strapped on, you don't need it. If you are slowish, you can leave your lights at CP3. If you are having a decent day, leave them at CP4. Start the race with your small helmet LED on at a backup incase you don't reach your big lights in time.

 

Don't faff. You can easily waste hours at checkpoints. Don't look at the event like a bunch of 40-50km races between checkpoints, look at it as a 235km race, otherwise you'll get to CP's and take too much time. As mentioned above, avoid getting too comfortable. Ideally don't even sit down. Get your siht and go!

I have to disagree. If you're new to long distance riding, then treat it exactly as a waterpoint to waterpoint event (I still do). Don't let the big distance frighten you. Manage your body in the now. Ride the piece of road in front of you. Don't think about the big picture (because, let's face it, 230kms is a bloody long way).

 

Check that your and your teammate don't carry the same tools. No need for two mini pumps, etc.

 

Pack a handful of cable/zip ties and half a roll of electrical tape. You can fix pretty much anything with it.

 

Communication... talk to your teammate(s), all the time. Almost to the point of getting irritating. How are you feeling? When last did you eat/drink? Need to slow down a bit? Otherwise one or more of your guys will be suffering in silence and explode completely.

Probably one of the most underrated pieces of advice ever. You're only as good as the slowest guy, and if you're not continuously talking to each other you'll never know what's going on. Until the wheels fall of completely. Don't try to be a hero. Speak up!

Solid advice there

 

It's a blast, very special experience. It is very psychological as well, hitting CP#3 with the sun setting and you still have roughly 120km to go is unnerving but also exciting. 

 

If I can be so cocky to give some advice: 

 

1) The first 120km you eat and fuel up for the next 110km so eat as much as you can and often

See the point in the quote above about puking! Don't overdo it.

2) Pack some jiffy bags or any other brand for that matter. At CP#1 pack some of the rooster koek into the bags to have en-route towards CP#2 as they only give sweets at CP#2 when I did the race (this may have changed) 

3) Hydrate! Not just water, have some tried and tested supplements, not just something you bought the day before. Pack some Rehydrate Sport to add to your water when you need to replace the electrolytes

4) Don't overcook it for the first 100km, dial it back slightly and ride within L2-L3 of your max HR (When you hit the Fangs and then MAC you will thank me for this one)

Good advice that often gets forgotten in the heat of the moment

5) DO NOT I repeat, DO NOT pack any warm clothes into your box at CP#3, you have "langwater" literally 300m after CP#3 and if they had lots of rain or even just moderate amounts you're going to get wet

Some warm clothes are ok, but you are probably just going to take them off going up MAC. When we were slow we used to put our warm clothes on at Bergplaas. Then we got faster, and now we can pretty much get to the top NeverEnder before getting chilly (same thing applies - don't overdress before the climbs)

6) DO NOT I repeat, DO NOT sit next to the fire on top of Bergplaas - this is a no no! You will not want to continue when you do that

7) Take it easy down Bergplaas, not too sure what the road looks like after they worked on it but it can be quite hairy.

8) Shammy cream is a must, but get yourself some local anesthetic ointment from the pharmacy and add it to your shammy cream. This will make your ass nice and numb when you need it most  . 

9) Dress warmly, not just a shell and arm warmers, you need some layers.

10) Enjoy it, it's an amazing experience and I will definitely do it again (4th time)

Yup - no two Baviaans adventures are the same. There are so many dynamics at play that each one makes for a unique and interesting story - these are my stories

Edited July 30, 2018 by Velouria

[Squier]

Also doing my 4th.

 

My bit of advice; don't forget to look around you and take it all in. The Baviaanskloof is a spectacular place.

[GAP]

Also doing my 4th.

 

My bit of advice; don't forget to look around you and take it all in. The Baviaanskloof is a spectacular place.

Not racing it this year, just riding with a few guys to finish, so plan to look around and take lot's of photo's.

[slong85]

Been doing great training this year, probably the most I've put into Trans Baviaans prep in the last 5 times I've done it. Last weekend putting in about 240km for the weekend. But, seems it was a bit too much and on Tuesday I woke up with a cold. Wife had been sick for a week before so all those germs in the house plus a body that was worked hard = sick. So, I haven't cycled since LAST Sunday. I'm not 100% yet but going to lightly spin on the indoor bike tonight.

 

I hope it won't affect my performance on the day too much. Maybe even it was a good break to take. 

 

I hope.

Goodluck TheJ I experience exactly the same after the 100miler 2 weeks back.

[TheJ]

Goodluck TheJ I experience exactly the same after the 100miler 2 weeks back.

 

I wanted to go out for my 1st ride in 10 days last night, but played it safe as I wasn't feeling 100% yet. I'm going to go out tomorrow night for an easy ride. Then a medium distance ride this weekend and then hope the legs will come back to life on race day.

[taito]

Good advise all round. If you can just sit in the bunches and keep the HR down. The real race starts after Geelhouts bos gate. If you can try to get down bergpaas in the light.

[Long Wheel Base]

Good advise all round. If you can just sit in the bunches and keep the HR down. The real race starts after Geelhouts bos gate. If you can try to get down bergpaas in the light.

I guess this race is a Sunday jol/Friday coffee ride for someone like you that has done the munga?

[dave303e]

if you really want an interesting Transbaviaans, just after Cambria turn left, cross the river a few times and dodge the flying cacti, some people call this place mordor but really it could be worth it, you can rejoin the route at Hadleigh probably.

 

You will lose a lot of time but it is an experience...

[Velouria]

I guess this race is a Sunday jol/Friday coffee ride for someone like you that has done the munga?

I find it so difficult to compare Baviaans to other long distance races, especially if you want to hang at the front. It's the bit where you aren't in control of the pace, and if you don't watch out, you can end up in very bad shape with 130kms still to go!

 

That said, if you're riding your own pace from the start, Baviaans is a rather pleasurable ride. The scenery is spectacular, the water points are perfectly located, and the vibe is cool...