[Event] Eroica South Africa & NOVA Eroica

[Jewbacca]

Hi Stan

 

Not sure I understand. Why say "open to all moden road racing, cyclocross and gravel bikes..."but then ban a use of a road/gravel suspension fork. Surely a suspension fork is a component that makes (some) road/gravel bikes modern?

 

Look forward to your reply.

Hi Simon

 

I'm going to sound like a d**s here, but Stan runs the event and those are the rules.

 

You aren't going to ask why you can't run the Comrades on a pair of rollerblades.

 

Maybe I'm in a bad mood today but having people constantly question the rules so it suits them or just for the sake of questioning them is starting to get on my nerves.

 

It's not you, it's me.

 

Ag, anyway. 

 

I hope you managed to get sorted. It's an amazing event

[Mamil]

Everything packed - salty spuds in wax wrap, date balls, Checkpoint Charlie on the roof rack, bombs, tubes, extra sealant, bottles, helmet, shoes, shades, socks, toothbrush, retero style gloves in homage to nature of the event, all checklists run and please don't let me have forgotten anything ... causing sh1te on bikehub while I wait for SO to be ready ... women!!!

[lechatnoir]

Everything packed - salty spuds in wax wrap, date balls, Checkpoint Charlie on the roof rack, bombs, tubes, extra sealant, bottles, helmet, shoes, shades, socks, toothbrush, retero style gloves in homage to nature of the event, all checklists run and please don't let me have forgotten anything ... causing sh1te on bikehub while I wait for SO to be ready ... women!!!

 

steady! STEADY!!! remember the one who'll that frosty beverage for you at the end

[Prince Albert Cycles]

To add to the pain of not being able to attend , Tim and Pippa Abbot stopped over in Prince Albert on their way to Montague in their 1972 Porsche 911 with Eroica bikes on the roof.

And they went over Swartberg Pass !

Great style !

 

[Simon Kolin]

Hi Simon

 

I'm going to sound like a d**s here, but Stan runs the event and those are the rules.

 

You aren't going to ask why you can't run the Comrades on a pair of rollerblades.

 

Maybe I'm in a bad mood today but having people constantly question the rules so it suits them or just for the sake of questioning them is starting to get on my nerves.

 

It's not you, it's me.

 

Ag, anyway. 

 

I hope you managed to get sorted. It's an amazing event

Yeah, I'm not sure what's crawled up your butt today, but I hope you feel better soon. 

 

My question isn't unreasonable. The rules seem somewhat vague and I asked for some clarity.

 

From the images on the local Eroica site, there wasn't an issue allowing suspension last year as far as I can see. What happened that this changed?

 

Like I said, it's strange to invite modern bikes to join an event, but then disallow modern components/technology. I'm hoping Stan will clarify.

 

I'm really looking forward to the event. It looks utterly wonderful.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Simon Kolin

[Jewbacca]

Yeah, I'm not sure what's crawled up your butt today, but I hope you feel better soon. 

 

My question isn't unreasonable. The rules seem somewhat vague and I asked for some clarity.

 

From the images on the local Eroica site, there wasn't an issue allowing suspension last year as far as I can see. What happened that this changed?

 

Like I said, it's strange to invite modern bikes to join an event, but then disallow modern components/technology. I'm hoping Stan will clarify.

 

I'm really looking forward to the event. It looks utterly wonderful.

hahahahaha thanks. Yeah. I do feel a bit better than I did earlier! 

 

Enjoy!

[bikebloke]

Everything packed - salty spuds in wax wrap, date balls, Checkpoint Charlie on the roof rack, bombs, tubes, extra sealant, bottles, helmet, shoes, shades, socks, toothbrush, retero style gloves in homage to nature of the event, all checklists run and please don't let me have forgotten anything ... causing sh1te on bikehub while I wait for SO to be ready ... women!!!

no no  no no Mamil not..bombs   you have to have a shitty plastic pump with a screw on rubber hose that keeps twisting and coming off the valve and that takes so long to pump up the wheel that it leaves you a shuddering wreck covered in sweat on the roadside ..............authentic dude please lol (kidding)  

Edited March 15, 2019 by bikebloke

[IHY]

Stan. Where do we look up the Nova timed results. Only 2 segments listed on strava segments

[Thor Buttox]

no no no no Mamil not..bombs you have to have a shitty plastic pump with a screw on rubber hose that keeps twisting and coming off the valve and that takes so long to pump up the wheel that it leaves you a shuddering wreck covered in sweat on the roadside ..............authentic dude please lol (kidding)

I am waiting for Mamil's usually semi-lucid albeit humorous race report but I think a dodgy, old pump and screw with a rubber hose is the Erotica event, not this one, which is something else entirely. Hopefully, Mamil will clarify.

[Mamil]

There's no doubt that the Eroica is a remarkable and very special event. And there's no doubt me and Checkpoint Charlie will make the Trek out to lovely Montagu next year.

 

The comparison of the CTCT expo before that 23000 rider grand parade with the vintage bike competition held the evening before the eroica is obvious and speaks to many other differences between this and last weekend's races and I won't go into all of these contrasts other than to say that as a 5 year journeyman in this wonderful sport I consider myself schooled by these magnificent men and women on their antique cycling machines.

 

To ride the longer routes (90 / 135) on these pre 1987 bikes is an achievement worthy of the name and I would say that, looking at the leather patina on some of those vintage saddles there are probably some very interesting and aesthetically pleasing bruises embossed on quite a few backsides this morning.

 

The ride itself was hard. Garmin (I was allowed one because I was on the 155km Nova route) reported that the temperature started at 20 degrees for the 8am start, peaked at 40 degrees at the highest point of the race and averaged 31 degrees. 

 

Gravel riding remains a bit of a niche. At a few points I was strongly in agreement with those who say that it is the bastard love child of road and mountain biking and has inherited the nastiest aspects of its parents. This sentiment was at its strongest halfway along the 8 kilometers of  false flat culminating in a 7 percent hill with the temperature hovering at 36 degrees without a breath of wind that comprised the second racing segment.

 

Racing of course is an interesting term in this context - Ouberg pass is the first racing segment and is really just an exercise in survival and a test of determination not to get off and walk. The only thing that kept me on the bike is the knowledge that getting off would not make anything easier. "It's like Chappies", they said "it has a false summit". IT's nothing like Chappies. Chappies is a pimple by comparison and there are actually two false summits on Ouberg. 

 

The lunch stop at 100km is the best refreshment stop I've ever been at on any bike race ever. Shady trees, with benches beneath them, a massive ice bath filed with beers and cokes and water, a friendly tannie preparing pulled beef roosterkoek with your choice of mayo or sweet chilli. 

 

And it was while I sat on the bench with my legs stretched in front of me to stop cramping, chewing my roosterkoek that I decided that there was no way I was going to do the 20km little add on segment that turns the 135km Eroica into the 155lm Nova. 

 

I'll spare you the justifications for this and the accompanying self recriminations but I will say that with 10k to the finish I caught up with a team of two men and and two women in Peugeot kit on vintage machines who'd clearly done the 135km Eroica and for the first time ever in a race I was embarrassed to pass a group. These guys started half an hour before me and tackled that brutal ride on skinny tyres and antique bikes. They got the warmest round of applause I've heard at an event as they came into the finish area.

 

A thoroughly enjoyable event. Back next year for sure. Just a word of advice to the organisers - having a 20km uphill add on that veers off within sight of the finish is cruel and unusual punishment for riding a modern bike with fat tubeless tyres, compact drivetrain and disk brakes. Go straight home for 137,5km or turn left for an additional 20 in 35 degree heat .... hmmmm, lemme see now ... it's a tough choice ...

 

Highlights - smashing down the Rooiberg pass at 70kmph on thick grippy tyres, climbing ouberg, the very beautiful countryside and mountains, the general sense of warmth, camaraderie and common interest amongst the field.

[DJR]

.................

It was great to meet you Mamil.

 

Even just sitting in the shade drinking beer (and feeling sorry for myself ) was hard work. Let alone riding in THAT heat and into the teeth of the nasty dry hot wind that picked up in the afternoon.

[Mamil]

You too DJR - forgot about that headwind on the way back - speedy recovery and see you at the next one!!

 

It was great to meet you Mamil.

 

Even just sitting in the shade drinking beer (and feeling sorry for myself ) was hard work. Let alone riding in THAT heat and into the teeth of the nasty dry hot wind that picked up in the afternoon.

[Mamil]

For those interested in what the event looks like here's more than an hour of unedited, no overlay gopro footage of selected points (when I felt like turning the camera on) from the ride.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iOaTYfsuEA

[xamnam]

For those interested in what the event looks like here's more than an hour of unedited, no overlay gopro footage of selected points (when I felt like turning the camera on) from the ride.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iOaTYfsuEA

Hey Mamil

 

Nice footage and write up of the event.

 

We had a brief chat at the lunch spot. Also decided to do the 135km route. Wise move

Nice footage of you catching me on the crest of the climb. Boy was I cramping at that stage.

 

See you next time.

[Mamil]

Hey Xamnam ... ah yrs, over roosterkoek. I wondered if your cramps let you go after the descent.

[DJR]

This year I cannot give a ride report because I sat out nursing my broken shoulder, but I still enjoyed being there. It was good to see some familiar faces and bikes, but it was particularly encouraging to see more younger riders on beautiful old steel bikes. Yes, all the old toppies were there, but there definitely seemed to be more young blood this year which was great!

 

What was left of team DJR joined up with team Beattbox and rode the 90km. Daniel rode my Eddy Merckx and at least gave the canniball the run it was built for. All went well and nobody had  any punctures or mechanicals. The only complaint I  got was about forcing the Ds to carry so many spare tubes, sealant, bombs and patches they didn't need. It only seemed logical after last years' puncture fest! But of course that is the way to prevent punctures......ok, it was the 28mm/32mm tyre combination that did it.

 

Just look how Ds shirt is packed, he looked a bit like a camel!