Advice needed for new bike to tackle 36One and Transbaviaans

[hboli4]

I'm not that impressed with the move - it means the night is longer, it's harder to train for, and I hate the cold. I will take the heat over the cold any day!

 

We were awake, still drinking beer, but at our guesthouse, trying to watch a dodgy movie on TV. I'm always amazed at how short our attention span is after 36One!

 

I get a serious case of white line fever every year as soon as we crest that last hill. Pretty much a 40km TT of death. It does cause some internal team friction, but I figure the sooner we're drinking beer with our feet up, the sooner we can patch things up

 

The cold doesn't bother us 'fatties' that much   

 

Will aim for a 24 hour finish or less this year, would love to see the last 40km in the daytime. As long as my knees do not play their tricks again(which might just be the case with the colder night expected. Will try and keep them warm.

[Lynnae]

Hi Hubbers,

 

Thank you so much for all the advice and the 360ne + Transbaviaans banter (I'm getting a real sense of what I've gotten myself into, and I'm excited)

 

I viewed a 2016 second hand carbon hardtail yesterday and I loved how responsive and featherlight it was. Unfortunately it's drivetrain was pretty much at the end of its life, and I would need replacing before 360ne. I could however definitely see the merits of a carbon hardtail.

 

I then went to look at the Anthem I originally linked when the thread was started (both the carbon and Anthem were priced exactly the same). After a test ride (and visualising myself on it for 20 plus hours) I decided to go with the Anthem.

 

Both shocks are still original and might need some extra love in the future, but the bike looks to be well maintained and ready to ride without any upgrades or repairs needed. The drivetrain was recently upgraded.

 

With it weighing 11. 8 kg vs my 14 kg momsen it was also a biggish weight saving.

 

Now I just need to figure out how to ride a dual suspension bike efficiently 

 

Here he/she is. If you happen to see us peddaling away please say hello.

 

Any more tips and advice would always be appreciated for a newbie like me

 

[Velouria]

The cold doesn't bother us 'fatties' that much   

 

Will aim for a 24 hour finish or less this year, would love to see the last 40km in the daytime. As long as my knees do not play their tricks again(which might just be the case with the colder night expected. Will try and keep them warm.

That's exactly why I don't like the cold - nothing seems to work properly.

 

Back to the topic.

 

I've ridden 36One once on a hardtail Niner Air 9 (Alu) with 100mm travel, twice on the Niner Air 9 (Alu) with a Lauf fork (60mm), and twice on a dual sus Yeti ASRc. My setup across bikes is almost identical, so I'm generally quite comfortable on each bike (as comfortable as one can be doing 360 kms). If I didn't have the E-thirteen TSR 9-46 cassette with a 38 tooth chainring on the Yeti, I'd stick to the Niner solely for the gearing.

 

And I think I would make the same decision for Baviaans.

 

From my own experiences - the bike plays less and less of a role the fitter, stronger and more prepared you are. It's that same thing - given the option of spending money on a bike or on a training program, most of us will choose the bike, but the thing that's going to make 36One or Baviaans more enjoyable is definitely the training program!

[Hairy]

she/he looks good, enjoy and take lots of pictures on your future rides!

 

Hi Hubbers,

 

Thank you so much for all the advice and the 360ne + Transbaviaans banter (I'm getting a real sense of what I've gotten myself into, and I'm excited)

 

I viewed a 2016 second hand carbon hardtail yesterday and I loved how responsive and featherlight it was. Unfortunately it's drivetrain was pretty much at the end of its life, and I would need replacing before 360ne. I could however definitely see the merits of a carbon hardtail.

 

I then went to look at the Anthem I originally linked when the thread was started (both the carbon and Anthem were priced exactly the same). After a test ride (and visualising myself on it for 20 plus hours) I decided to go with the Anthem.

 

Both shocks are still original and might need some extra love in the future, but the bike looks to be well maintained and ready to ride without any upgrades or repairs needed. The drivetrain was recently upgraded.

 

With it weighing 11. 8 kg vs my 14 kg momsen it was also a biggish weight saving.

 

Now I just need to figure out how to ride a dual suspension bike efficiently 

 

Here he/she is. If you happen to see us peddaling away please say hello.

 

Any more tips and advice would always be appreciated for a newbie like me

 

Giant2.jpg

[Grease_Monkey]

I'm not that impressed with the move - it means the night is longer, it's harder to train for, and I hate the cold. I will take the heat over the cold any day!

 

 

I can imagine for the full competitors, especially the ones that finish early morning that it's not lekker.

 

But for the half - even a quick time has you finishing between 2 and 4pm, and that's tough in April.

[Grease_Monkey]

Hi Hubbers,

 

Thank you so much for all the advice and the 360ne + Transbaviaans banter (I'm getting a real sense of what I've gotten myself into, and I'm excited)

 

I viewed a 2016 second hand carbon hardtail yesterday and I loved how responsive and featherlight it was. Unfortunately it's drivetrain was pretty much at the end of its life, and I would need replacing before 360ne. I could however definitely see the merits of a carbon hardtail.

 

I then went to look at the Anthem I originally linked when the thread was started (both the carbon and Anthem were priced exactly the same). After a test ride (and visualising myself on it for 20 plus hours) I decided to go with the Anthem.

 

Both shocks are still original and might need some extra love in the future, but the bike looks to be well maintained and ready to ride without any upgrades or repairs needed. The drivetrain was recently upgraded.

 

With it weighing 11. 8 kg vs my 14 kg momsen it was also a biggish weight saving.

 

Now I just need to figure out how to ride a dual suspension bike efficiently

 

Here he/she is. If you happen to see us peddaling away please say hello.

 

Any more tips and advice would always be appreciated for a newbie like me

 

Giant2.jpg

Very nice, now go get yourself a Lyne Holy Rail setup and you can take on any distance on that bike

[Jewbacca]

Having been a full 'steel hardtail rules' and 'full sussers are for pansies' kind of guy for years and years, I recently put together an really nich carbon dual suss. 

 

What a difference it makes to fatigue!

 

IMHO a dual suss will allow you to be less beaten up, thus more awake with a bit more in the tank when the cheese gets stringy.

 

I wouldn't trade my dual suss for anything!

 

I also run spir grips and bar ends so I have as many hand positions as possible.

[Velouria]

Having been a full 'steel hardtail rules' and 'full sussers are for pansies' kind of guy for years and years, I recently put together an really nich carbon dual suss. 

 

What a difference it makes to fatigue!

 

IMHO a dual suss will allow you to be less beaten up, thus more awake with a bit more in the tank when the cheese gets stringy.

 

I wouldn't trade my dual suss for anything!

 

I also run spir grips and bar ends so I have as many hand positions as possible.

I almost completely pfffft'ed your whole post, and then you said bar ends.

 

[PhilipV]

I also run spir grips and bar ends so I have as many hand positions as possible.

There must be space for one of those farbar steering wheel attachments as well.

[Shebeen]

Hi Hubbers,

 

Thank you so much for all the advice and the 360ne + Transbaviaans banter (I'm getting a real sense of what I've gotten myself into, and I'm excited)

 

I viewed a 2016 second hand carbon hardtail yesterday and I loved how responsive and featherlight it was. Unfortunately it's drivetrain was pretty much at the end of its life, and I would need replacing before 360ne. I could however definitely see the merits of a carbon hardtail.

 

I then went to look at the Anthem I originally linked when the thread was started (both the carbon and Anthem were priced exactly the same). After a test ride (and visualising myself on it for 20 plus hours) I decided to go with the Anthem.

 

Both shocks are still original and might need some extra love in the future, but the bike looks to be well maintained and ready to ride without any upgrades or repairs needed. The drivetrain was recently upgraded.

 

With it weighing 11. 8 kg vs my 14 kg momsen it was also a biggish weight saving.

 

Now I just need to figure out how to ride a dual suspension bike efficiently 

 

Here he/she is. If you happen to see us peddaling away please say hello.

 

Any more tips and advice would always be appreciated for a newbie like me

 

Giant2.jpg

Giant Anthem is a lekker bike for this, I would have no issues riding these races on this bike.

nothing wrong with sub12kg, that is light enough.

I would add the right comfort options, rear shock dialed in, saddle that works and decent grips.

I ride with bar ends on my carbon hardtail, necessity for swapping hand positions on long days.

 

As far as I'm concerned, for a well designed fullsus, alu is the way to go in terms of bang for buck.