K2C on a Gravel Bike

[shaper]

Why can't people just accept the rules??.... they think they are special or what?

[Wayne pudding Mol]

The Swartberg 100 welcome gravel bikes and promote the use of them.

 

However, not sure how this impacted on the number of accidents requiring medical attention during the event.

Bit of a silly argument, the swartberg 100 is a gravel race, K2C is not.  Most people capable of riding 180km around Prince Albert could conceivably ride the event on a roadbike - The general standard of the K2C is far below the Swartberg 100.  I'm not looking for an argument and if you are under your own steam you should ride whatever you like IMO.  

 

But these 2 event's aren't nearly similar

[Wayne pudding Mol]

So why would the route be more technical than in the past. All the risky areas have been graded smoothed out. You can now even do the Wapad on a road bike with 25C (I would go with 28C) tyres if you relay wanted to.

I'll race you and buy you all the beers you like at the finish regardless of the outcome

[Dicky DQ]

I find it a bit of an odd decision.

Here's kevbo rocking his stigmata last year. I understand not everyone can ride a bike like him, and 20 joe publics who think they can ride like him can create a few lie downs along the way.

 

To say no ebikes and no gravel bikes seems to be a bit of a pushback against two growing segments of the sport. Would be interesting to see if there have been actual issues with accidents as the medics seem to be the ones credited with making the call.

 

 

but ja, your race your rules. We still get to comment on them.

am just waiting for some monstercross bikes to confuse their classifications!

What can one say, they even allow dopers so who knows where this rule will end.

[smerds]

Bit of a silly argument, the swartberg 100 is a gravel race, K2C is not.  Most people capable of riding 180km around Prince Albert could conceivably ride the event on a roadbike - The general standard of the K2C is far below the Swartberg 100.  I'm not looking for an argument and if you are under your own steam you should ride whatever you like IMO.  

 

But these 2 event's aren't nearly similar

 

 

 

Agree that these two events are not the same. However, it seems like the concern from the K2C event organizers could be the additional medical attention that could be required due to riders riding the event on gravel bikes.

 

It will be interesting to know the comparison or correlation between accidents involving gravel bikes vs mtb's on the Swartberg 100 as both bikes could enter and ride the event.

 

The comparison between the two events, both events include high speed descents on gravel roads.

[Dicky DQ]

I'll race you and buy you all the beers you like at the finish regardless of the outcome

Could be a plan to take you up on, but I am planning on cycling back to Ctn after K2C and that could be more of a challenge on the road bike. But for free beer, it may be worth it to take 2 bikes up. 

 

I will need to loose some weight as I am pushing 110kg now and that will be harsh on my crackendale. but worth considering.

 

My wife will love you if this gets me to loose weight. Hmmm something to think about but will they let me ride on a road bike if gravel bikes are not allowed. No wait it is not a gravel bike so it should be OK

[Me rida my bicycle]

The rules are there for safety and to make the event run smoothly.

Sure there's guy's who can do it on a gravel bikes but there's more that can't.

I for one would most definitely not try it on one, that 13km down hill had quite a couple of casualties and can't see why you have like to have your stopsels uit geskud for 100km.

There was truck loads of people taken to the finish with mountain bikes.

So can only imagine with more people trying it on gravel bikes it would just make it even more of a nightmare for the organisers.

[Jewbacca]

I despair... 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Could be a plan to take you up on, but I am planning on cycling back to Ctn after K2C and that could be more of a challenge on the road bike. But for free beer, it may be worth it to take 2 bikes up. 

 

I will need to loose some weight as I am pushing 110kg now and that will be harsh on my crackendale. but worth considering.

 

My wife will love you if this gets me to loose weight. Hmmm something to think about but will they let me ride on a road bike if gravel bikes are not allowed. No wait it is not a gravel bike so it should be OK

Now I definitely want to race you  - You ride the K2C on a road bike and I will courier it home for you (and beer offer stands)  Only caveat is a full race report here afterwards

I will not pay for the repairs to you or your bike however

[Chingy182]

Glad I saw this now as I was kinda keen to do it on my gravel bike this year.

 

I guess now I won't have to toss the coin and just go ride it on my mtb.

[Dicky DQ]

Another legitimate question, when is a gravel bike a gravel bike? what is the definition? Would it then not be better to properly define what components are the ones that cause the risk?

 

If a gravel bike is banned can you use a MTB with gravel bars? or a rigid MTB with Gravel Bars? or a dual Suss with Gravel Bars? or a normal MTB with gravel tyres? etc. Where is the crossover point.

 

Is it the brakes? if so is it cantilever /cable disk etc.?

[Jewbacca]

Another legitimate question, when is a gravel bike a gravel bike? what is the definition? Would it then not be better to properly define what components are the ones that cause the risk?

 

If a gravel bike is banned can you use a MTB with gravel bars? or a rigid MTB with Gravel Bars? or a dual Suss with Gravel Bars? or a normal MTB with gravel tyres? etc. Where is the crossover point.

 

Is it the brakes? if so is it cantilever /cable disk etc.?

yawn... Arguing 'technicalities' again.

 

If it doesn't look like a mountain bike, don't ride it. Otherwise direct these questions to the organisers, who have CLEARLY asked you to please ride your mountain bike.

 

Going out of your way to 'prove a point' or point out a loophole or just be difficult/objectionable because you can is unnecessary. 

 

I'm sure you're an awesome person and I don't want to sound rude, but NO.

 

Drop it, ride your mountain bike and save yourself and the organisers a headache when they don't have to disqualify you or stop you at the start chutes.

[Dicky DQ]

yawn... Arguing 'technicalities' again.

 

If it doesn't look like a mountain bike, don't ride it. Otherwise direct these questions to the organisers, who have CLEARLY asked you to please ride your mountain bike.

 

Going out of your way to 'prove a point' or point out a loophole or just be difficult/objectionable because you can is unnecessary. 

 

I'm sure you're an awesome person and I don't want to sound rude, but NO.

 

Drop it, ride your mountain bike and save yourself and the organisers a headache when they don't have to disqualify you or stop you at the start chutes.

No worries, but a definition of a mountain bike would be good don't you think?

[Tim Brink]

yawn... Arguing 'technicalities' again.

 

If it doesn't look like a mountain bike, don't ride it. Otherwise direct these questions to the organisers, who have CLEARLY asked you to please ride your mountain bike.

 

Going out of your way to 'prove a point' or point out a loophole or just be difficult/objectionable because you can is unnecessary. 

 

I'm sure you're an awesome person and I don't want to sound rude, but NO.

 

Drop it, ride your mountain bike and save yourself and the organisers a headache when they don't have to disqualify you or stop you at the start chutes.

 

 

But...

 

I don't have a mountain bike any more, I use my gravel bike for all my mountain biking, and all my road riding. I ride all the trails I used to on my mountain bike, happily and (touch wood) safely.

 

What must I do in this circumstance? 

 

The point of how a gravel bike should be defined here is not looking for technicalities, it is kinda important. If I pitch with 650bx2.1 knobblies (some gravel bikes take up to 2.4), but drop bars, I am on far more capable machine than most of the field, for the technical bit. If the guy next to me has put 700x38mm gravel bike tyres on his hardtail mtb, who is going to trouble the medical services first?

 

Knee-jerk rules, for rules' sake, are silly, and this is a prime example.

 

</devilsadvocate>

[King_Crispy]

What can one say, they even allow dopers so who knows where this rule will end.

And they allow big-mouth people like you to continuously ridicule and annoy others

[NotSoBigBen]

To my mind gravel bike implies drop bars and rigid fork .... But there are hubbers that consider what is essentially an MTB with rigid fork to be a gravel bike?