[Event] The MTB Challenge

[DieselnDust]

How can I love this comment? A "like" is not enough!

 

 

Let me take it away then. NOrmally I wouldn't be bothered by the e-bikers. Normally there's enough higher speed sections to get a gap on them so they don't bother you.

 

But yesterday....

 

We weren't even at the half way mark going up a steep short climb when I heard that whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and the oom asks for track. I grant it only be badly baulked in the singletrack...

Repeat this after every major single track + a makjor dash of fatigue and sense of humour failure was imminent.

 

Not sure what PPA was thinking letting the E-bikes start with the seeded groups and not with their own group. They should have been released 10 min after the last seeded group. One guy caught up and was gone.

 

also they are classified among the push bike starters.....

 

seriously not impressed.  

Edited March 1, 2020 by DieselnDust

[dev null]

Also was not impressed. 2 she whales on e-bikes came through the field on a climb and was yelling 'give way, e-bikes coming through...'

[NotSoBigBen]

I'm sure the e-bike police will be here any minute to take umbrage of what y'all are saying about those poor 'assisted' riders ....

[LeoKnight]

On the 30km there were also a larger number of ebikes as part of the field, and actually still wanted to make a comment about it.

 

Seems with that attitute (ie have an ebike you have to make space for me), the levels of agro will continue to increase.

 

of course what will follow is so predicatable as we have seen it a lot of times played out.. The ebikes riders will argue that they get so much abuse from the manual brigade, and they will change their behaviour when the manual brigade stop making fun of them and looking down at them.

 

While the manual brigade will argue that the ebike riders need to change their attitude as they are need to realise the race is primarily meant for the manual brigade and the ebike riders need to be grateful for not having the tires deflated.

[Chingy182]

@Chingy182: Was there anything identifying about him? What did he look like? Branding? Just curious.

 

 

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You can see the inversion layer in some of those pics.

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, it all happened so fast...

 

Only things that I could pic up was that his hair was grey...but I'd say late 40's with greying hair and if memory serves a black shirt with red around the shoulder/collar area.

 

I had lots of time to think about it during the next 30km, so I figured he could have been an international rider doing the epic and got thrown into E batch and so made his way through the field of weaker riders.

 

I've never come across a local rider who just tries push you off the trail without as much as a peep coming out of his mouth.

 

On a different note, those are some epic pics.

That side of the mountain section there was hella scary once I realised how far down you would go if you take a tumble.

[Rouxenator]

when do we get to talk about the e-bikes.....

My condolences to those who were not strong enough to ride this on their own steam. 

 

If an alcoholic, near 40 year old, overweight rider, on a 2014 hardtail can finish this.... nee jinne. 

[aquaratza]

On a different note, those are some epic pics.

That side of the mountain section there was hella scary once I realised how far down you would go if you take a tumble.

Haha, thanks and yes.

 

I was planning on holding my tongue but er, yeah, I was surprised when the ebikes started overtaking.

 

Oh man, one of them overtook me at crazy speeds (up a steep section too)... and about 20 minutes later I found him stuck on the side of the road.

 

The other e-bike highlight was a rather large lady, sitting with her e-bike at the finish, smoking a cigarette. Individually those factors don't elicit a reaction from me, but together I find them a bit contradictory. 

 

When I think of the spirit behind "race event" and "e-bike" I think "someone who would like to join in but is physically unable to due to age/disability/etc." and I think on principle this is a sweet idea. I don't have a problem with ebikes on these events per se, I think it just needs to be managed tactfully. Restrictions on power output and capabilities should also be codified. It's a complex thing.

 

I should rock up with a Greyp g12s... It has pedals... those scramblers look like a lot of fun.

Edited March 1, 2020 by aquaratza

[Skubarra]

Let me take it away then. NOrmally I wouldn't be bothered by the e-bikers. Normally there's enough higher speed sections to get a gap on them so they don't bother you.

 

But yesterday....

 

We weren't even at the half way mark going up a steep short climb when I heard that whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and the oom asks for track. I grant it only be badly baulked in the singletrack...

Repeat this after every major single track + a makjor dash of fatigue and sense of humour failure was imminent.

 

Not sure what PPA was thinking letting the E-bikes start with the seeded groups and not with their own group. They should have been released 10 min after the last seeded group. One guy caught up and was gone.

 

also they are classified among the push bike starters.....

 

seriously not impressed.  

 

Not sure what your problem is here? To recall your comments on ebikes at Trailseeker

 

"where the mid field to back end of the field might have encountered e-bikes but the mid field is only there for personal gain. So the Race results were not affected. Maybe a few fun riders got their noses out of joint"

 

"even if I did encounter them I am riding my own race against fellow competitors. Ebikes are doing the same..."

 

And to sign off:

 

Cue Frozens "Let it go "   

[DieselnDust]

Not sure what your problem is here? To recall your comments on ebikes at Trailseeker

 

"where the mid field to back end of the field might have encountered e-bikes but the mid field is only there for personal gain. So the Race results were not affected. Maybe a few fun riders got their noses out of joint"

 

"even if I did encounter them I am riding my own race against fellow competitors. Ebikes are doing the same..."

 

And to sign off:

 

Cue Frozens "Let it go "   

 

 

Yes true

 

what I wasn't banking on is the e-bikers starting with the mechanical bikes. At Trailseeker they had their own group. Happy for them to have their own category doing their own race on the same trail where they would at best interfere with the midpack.

But at MTB Challenge they were seeded in amongst the mechanical bikes.

[Skubarra]

Yes true

 

what I wasn't banking on is the e-bikers starting with the mechanical bikes. At Trailseeker they had their own group. Happy for them to have their own category doing their own race on the same trail where they would at best interfere with the midpack.

But at MTB Challenge they were seeded in amongst the mechanical bikes.

 

Sorry I couldnt resist - but I agree with your post, organisers really shouldn't be mixing us with e-bikes.

 

This weekend is going to be interesting with them starting a minute behind the backmarkers...

[DieselnDust]

Sorry I couldnt resist - but I agree with your post, organisers really shouldn't be mixing us with e-bikes.

 

This weekend is going to be interesting with them starting a minute behind the backmarkers...

 

 

its ok I know where you were angling and we always have to be careful how we chose to debate an issue. There are a lot of subtleties that can influence point of view.

 

I think the issue with them at the CTCT is going to be different. Remember most of the types are speed regulated to 25km/hr. They'll be quick up to hospital Bend, Edinburgh and Smits, maybe even Chappies.

I'm expecting that battery to be a little tired come Suikerbossie. If they can maintain the 25km/hr as an average then they're looking at 4 hrs.

At MTB Challenge the 1st one arrived at the finish in under 3 hrs and I suspect through coasting a lot of downhill. One gent was already running into trouble at 2hrs30min as I suspect he used the party mode a little to often..

 

PPA needs to loo into this a little deeper.

[Dicky DQ]

Let me take it away then. NOrmally I wouldn't be bothered by the e-bikers. Normally there's enough higher speed sections to get a gap on them so they don't bother you.

 

But yesterday....

 

We weren't even at the half way mark going up a steep short climb when I heard that whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and the oom asks for track. I grant it only be badly baulked in the singletrack...

Repeat this after every major single track + a makjor dash of fatigue and sense of humour failure was imminent.

 

Not sure what PPA was thinking letting the E-bikes start with the seeded groups and not with their own group. They should have been released 10 min after the last seeded group. One guy caught up and was gone.

 

also they are classified among the push bike starters.....

 

seriously not impressed.  

On W2W I think they started 2 hrs after the last batch and still the caught some of the plodders. But that worked well (I was with the plodders) as there was no major influence effect on the riding.

 

That is the way to do it.

[xamnam]

Ebikes for the win

[Dicky DQ]

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What was the reason for walking this section? Gradient seems fine?

[Chingy182]

What was the reason for walking this section? Gradient seems fine?

It was rather deceptive.

And around the 40km mark some of us had jelly for legs and bike was getting a bit close for comfort to that edge...

[Long Wheel Base]

Shame my Toppie had a race to forget. He said he felt good but it was way too technical for his lack of experience. Being a Joburger, there is nothing quite as tough and technical up here so it was new to him. Also he has only started doing proper MTB late last year as he is off to Oz in October to do some 4 day MTB race so he is just entering every race he can. The time,distance and intensity is no issue for him at all but he said he just couldn't stay on the bike properly having little offs(luckily nothing big as I need him 100% on Sunday) on a few occasions. Then to top it all off his one shoe decided to explode on him with the upper and sole came apart with about 20km to go. He was forced to ride(or walk rather) with only one shoe. So he is off to CWC today to get some new MTB shoes so he can do more riding this week.

So I hope for his sake Sabi and Clarens are not as technical as those 2 are in the next month and a bit.