[Event] DBX presented by Retail Capital

[dsw]

To make up for the uninspiring race pack I see we each rider is going to receive a free downloadable digital image of him/herself in action    

 

Personally I enjoyed the 54 km route quite a lot and besides the very dodgy seeding system I have no complaints. Having said that, I am predominantly a roadie so I really appreciated the lack of technical stuff. 

 

Will be back. 

[ChunkyMonkey]

To make up for the uninspiring race pack I see we each rider is going to receive a free downloadable digital image of him/herself in action   [/size] [/size]

 

Personally I enjoyed the 54 km route quite a lot and besides the very dodgy seeding system I have no complaints. Having said that, I am predominantly a roadie so I really appreciated the lack of technical stuff. [/size]

 

Will be back. [/size]

Dodgy seeding system....INDEED.......HEAR HEAR ....!!!

[Rouxenator]

Seeding....

 

The most overrated bulldung I ever heard of. Just ride quicker. I started in B, should have bee in the last batch - still - just pedal it out.

 

Stop moaning about seeding.  It's a gamble at best. 

[billygoat0523]

talk about seeding...  the guy at my LBS always has a gripe with seeding.  I told him to just ride and stop worrying about that sh..  he called any way to get re-seeded.  it wasn't as if he was doing the long route any way.

[billygoat0523]

my race didn't start out well, I really huffed and puffed up the first climb, but once it was over I just got back to the plan of riding at my own pace and chilling at the water points.

 

yeah, you can get a hardtail like rouxenator, or just get a camelbak/hydration pack.  i only needed to top up the ice on the day.  the kwha ttu waterpoint was probably the best one of the day.  some dirt roadies looked at me in horror as i rode down the stairs. 

 

Just before heading to the kwha ttu loop, I went a bit wide on a turn trying to pass someone and there I picked up about ten thorns.  one of the holes didn't want to seal up in the ride so I pulled off and gave it a few slow spins until the hissing stopped.  got it pumped up at the waterpoint and life was good again.

 

then some hammie cramps hit and I just rode it out on several occasions.  found several riders to draft on the flatter sections and in the last ten km I had a guy try to drop me several times.  I just hung on until I couldn't anymore, but to my surprise he burnt himself out trying to drop me 

 

finished within my target time of 5:30, so I was quite happy 

[BlinkFan]

By the nature of my business I simply dont know if I will be able to get to a pick up point before 18:00 on a week day ....

 

 

Key part here is - "before 18:00 in the week". In Cape Town traffic. Nope!

 

Yes it's possible to get there, but it shouldn't have to be such a big logistical nightmare just to ride your bike on the weekend. If they do want to keep pre-registration then keep these points open until 20:00 at night. And add one for the poor Stellenbosch/Somerset-West people.

[hansolo]

Must say I enjoyed the long race, got seeded in the last batch and just enjoyed the ride. Water tables wasn't that bad and there was a bit of traffic towards the end. I was lucky that I got some "gaps" on the descends so I didn't get stuck behind too many people. 

 

l live in Stellenbosch and registration in the preceding week would have been a mission, got a friend to pick it up for me.

 

All round a nice race, might do it again.

[billygoat0523]

the most complaints about water seem to be from the people doing the 50km ride...  I did it last year and I never stopped at any water tables.  I wasn't even going that fast.

 

just wear a camelbak/hydration pack, no probs.

[Me rida my bicycle]

the most complaints about water seem to be from the people doing the 50km ride...  I did it last year and I never stopped at any water tables.  I wasn't even going that fast.

 

just wear a camelbak/hydration pack, no probs.

our average ride is around 50km so it's no problem taking enough water and planning your route, but paying R300+ it's expected that there will be at least water at water points so I don't need to carry extra weight and enjoy the ride more.

I hate riding with a backpack/camelback I will rather plan my route with a stop than ride with a uncomfortable hot back.

[SCD]

By the nature of my business I simply dont know if I will be able to get to a pick up point before 18:00 on a week day ....

 

 

Client change the layout, contractor has issues and my day-planner goes out the window ....

 

 

 

No sweat.  I fully appreciate I am in the minority.  Thanks to the Tygerberg trails I certainly have more than enough options to string trails together.

Ask a buddy to pick up your number. There is always a workaround. This is too good an event to be missed.

[SCD]

This was my first time I did the race, but I am afraid it would be my last.

First of all, the seeding suck big time. I got seeded in D and in the first climb, I was basically stuck behind half of the C group. There is nothing you can do, but to sit and wait for a gap. Then you get the downhills. O my word, you think that someone who enters for the long route would be able to go down a bit faster.

 

There was no race office the morning, or if there was one, nobody knew where it was.

I guess that is why there was no registration on the morning.

I drove 240km Saturday morning to do this event. Luckily I had a friend who could pic up my racepack.

If he did not enter, I would not have been able to pick it up. So in the future this would also be a deal breaker for me.

 

On the plus side, the route was very nice. I stopped at the 2nd water point and there was enough to eat and drink.

 

Ps, I did not even see 1 thorn!

 

Seeding is never perfect. You just have to actively work with it and make the best of it. And even if you seeded A you will find that half the guys don't ride singletrack the way you would like to or are slow on technical downhills. 

If you are really a lot stronger then D then it should be easy to make sure you are lined up in front for the start and burn a bit of power to roll through C during the run-up and the lower slopes of the climb... But you will never get rid of the one slow oke in front of you at the downhill. Terribly screaming brakes sometimes help

[Vegan Warrior]

Sunglasses are still covered in sealant but really enjoyed the event!

 

Favourite part of the route has to be the first mx style descent. And wow what a privilege it was to be able to ride through the Khwa ttu center.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Vegan Warrior