Kudo's to you "shredders" and intro to trails

[figjam_sa]

Morning guys

 

This will be a long post, but I want to share my experience and proper introduction into this wonderful sport and maybe help someone in the future.

 

I've had my xc hardtail 27.5 now for about 5 years and basically never rode it apart from a 10km here and a 20km there for exercise. Small kids and life and a lack of motivation was probably the cause of this.

 

So my wife and I started getting into the sport during the lockdown, she mostly rode on a cheap indoor trainer. And then we progressed and the distances got all longer and I bought a Scott Scale 29er and she took over my old Silverback. 

 

We mostly do xc on tar road, gravel and railway roads and jeep track but I always liked the idea of doing some flowy singletrack. 

 

So a friend and I did the Piket-Bo-Berg this past weekend. My wife had to work this weekend. We were not sure which route to do, and the description only showed the distance and elevation. As we weren't sure what to expect we originally decided on the 25km with 700m elevation (route C). Now we both are decently fit at the moment and we figured the 30km with 1000m elevation (route B) could be a bit better? The other option was 45km with 1200m elevation (route A), but if too technical time could catch up with is, as it's a 2 hour drive. We are used to riding over 40km and he does it about twice a week (although sometimes on his road bike). So we figured the distance "shouldn't" be a problem. I must admit that the roads we ride, barely has any elevation. usually not more than 200m in about 40km. But we do have wind basically all the time. 

 

Now before I go any further - KUDO'S TO YOU GUYS THAT DO THESE KIND OF TRAILS AND THIS SPORT TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL!! LEGENDS YOU ARE!

 

Maybe it was just my noobness, but I had about 4 hours from hell! It all started with the clipless pedals. I figured the route we picked "shouldn't" be too technical so I can go with my cleats as it would help especially on the climbs. We started on the mountain and descended into the valley. The Maxxis Rekon Race on my Scott didn't do me any favours either. I was literally scared sh!tless when we leveled in the valley. No jokes. Never ever was this what I thought it would be....

 

And then the short and twisties started - just as I thought this would be better on level ground and finding a rhythm, trees and boulder start to appear and I took a corner with a bit too much enthusiasm (probably not too fast for anyone else, but I felt I lost control) and I would probably have gone of the track into the unknown. What does (lack of) experience do? Grab a tree with your left hand, of course! Being clipped in I literally ripped the bike out from underneath me and fell, haha! 

 

Got back up and went on. Now I'm fighting to being NOT clipped in, so I'm struggling to find balance with my feet, especially while standing. After a while (felt like about 2 hours honestly) I asked my friend, how far are we in as my watch went pap. Him: "2,9km"

 

REALLY?!! Honestly I thought he was kidding. But, no....

 

So now for the climb onto the next mountain after some "ok" singletrack between rocks and a couple of pedal strikes.... Front wheel washed out twice on the U-turns while climbing. But everytime I hear "click-click" I get so tensed and I try to clip out as climbing at 5km/h and losing traction while being clipped in doesn't help with the balance so much. 

 

Got to a nice viewpoint, drank some water, couldn't eat. But choked down a energy gel. Got the watch on for a small while. HR was about 190 AFTER I stopped. Neck was pounding with tension.

 

Back up the hill, got to an even better viewpoint! Baie nice! Now we did about 7km I think.

 

Descended again into another valley, this time more rooty and trees, rather than rocks. Although everything feels blurry to me now as I try to remember. Felt a bit better. Passed a couple of dams and rivers and some cool bridges (flippen scary some of them). And then the tight gaps between massive rocks and climbs and descents with rock gardens and such. Now my neck was really stiff and my left arm and leg was starting to hurt from the first fall about an hour ago. I was mentally DRAINED and starting to lose my physical energy as well. Took a couple of sips of water and I asked my friend how far are we now. He said about 12km in. We have now been riding for 2h30min. Water bottles are getting very empty and I'm stukkend. 

 

I told him we need to get onto a road and find a exit, because according to our data and calculations we have another mountain to climb and still about 17km to go. I'm NOT a quitter, but we are going to get dehydrated here and we need to get out. Finished that part and got to a farm road and there were 2 guys riding there. We figured they were from one of the other routes. They said yes, we should follow that road to their route's exit. About 4km. Off we went. I think they were on route C and we followed the last couple of km's of that one - now this was what I thought we would be getting in our route. Some jeep track, beautiful flowy trail alongside the river. Immediately I started relaxing. We stopped at route C's finish at some sort of sports ground and now we need to get back to Route B's start where the bakkie is. Haha!! The girl told us it's not far, but you have to go OVER the mountain via the tar road. At this stage I felt, as long as it's not what I just experienced the past 3 hours, I'm golden! Now I don't know the elevation but this was a long climb! And although my body was more relaxed now, the fatigue really started kicking in, and it was getting hot! It was past 11am already. Drank the last bit of water and ate my second and last energy gel. The climb was steep and I stopped about 3 times and pushed the bike some way as it felt faster than pedaling in 2nd gear. My friend is obviously fitter and less fatigued than I am so he got there before me and loaded up his bike, and I got him when I was already on that farm road. I guess about 3km to go. After connecting my watch and phone again strava showed I did my 30km!! haha

 

Yes, I'm a noob at trail riding, but had I known this was the route, I would not have picked it, nor have used this bike and DEFINITELY not those tires. I'm not blaming anyone, I should have probably called and asked about the routes and how technical they are. 

 

I took some powerade the morning and a double protein shake and had a 600-700ml full bottle, with two energy gels, but still could have gotten dehydrated on the trail. I struggle to eat while riding and I'll need to approach this in another way. 

 

Would I do this trail again. If you asked me on Saturday or Sunday - not a chance in hell. NEVER EVER again.

I've been tired the last 4 days. But in the evenings when I want to go to sleep I get this adrenalin rush and I am excited about this sport and what it entails for us.

What bike am I going to buy next and how will I approach these trails the next time?! These are now the things that I wonder about. And how am I going to afford everything of course.

 

I really don't want to think about what would have happened had my wife gone with. Really, I don't! Things happen for a reason....

 

I had a thread earlier this year about what dual suspension bike to buy and i will update that according to our needs and how it might change. https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/185783-full-suspension-help-please/

 

I just want to tell other newbies that try out trails. Get informed and make sure you really are prepared. Ride with someone that knows the trails and take your time choosing lines and getting comfortable. 

 

i hope this helps someone, I'm sorry for the long post. I feel I had to share my experience and hopefully gain some knowledge as I was humbled this past weekend about my skills, my understanding of the sport and my faith. 

 

Thanks guys

 

 

 

 

[DR ◣◢]

Beautifully written. I could feel every km of the ride you penned down there. 

 

Kudos to sticking it out. I guarantee you that every single second of suffering on a trail will turn into half a second of suffering on the next. 

 

Don't forget though, it doesn't get easier, you get stronger and faster. 

[HighRider]

Morning guys

 

This will be a long post, but I want to share my experience and proper introduction into this wonderful sport and maybe help someone in the future.

 

I've had my xc hardtail 27.5 now for about 5 years and basically never rode it apart from a 10km here and a 20km there for exercise. Small kids and life and a lack of motivation was probably the cause of this.

 

So my wife and I started getting into the sport during the lockdown, she mostly rode on a cheap indoor trainer. And then we progressed and the distances got all longer and I bought a Scott Scale 29er and she took over my old Silverback.

 

We mostly do xc on tar road, gravel and railway roads and jeep track but I always liked the idea of doing some flowy singletrack.

 

So a friend and I did the Piket-Bo-Berg this past weekend. My wife had to work this weekend. We were not sure which route to do, and the description only showed the distance and elevation. As we weren't sure what to expect we originally decided on the 25km with 700m elevation (route C). Now we both are decently fit at the moment and we figured the 30km with 1000m elevation (route B) could be a bit better? The other option was 45km with 1200m elevation (route A), but if too technical time could catch up with is, as it's a 2 hour drive. We are used to riding over 40km and he does it about twice a week (although sometimes on his road bike). So we figured the distance "shouldn't" be a problem. I must admit that the roads we ride, barely has any elevation. usually not more than 200m in about 40km. But we do have wind basically all the time.

 

Now before I go any further - KUDO'S TO YOU GUYS THAT DO THESE KIND OF TRAILS AND THIS SPORT TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL!! LEGENDS YOU ARE!

 

Maybe it was just my noobness, but I had about 4 hours from hell! It all started with the clipless pedals. I figured the route we picked "shouldn't" be too technical so I can go with my cleats as it would help especially on the climbs. We started on the mountain and descended into the valley. The Maxxis Rekon Race on my Scott didn't do me any favours either. I was literally scared sh!tless when we leveled in the valley. No jokes. Never ever was this what I thought it would be....

 

And then the short and twisties started - just as I thought this would be better on level ground and finding a rhythm, trees and boulder start to appear and I took a corner with a bit too much enthusiasm (probably not too fast for anyone else, but I felt I lost control) and I would probably have gone of the track into the unknown. What does (lack of) experience do? Grab a tree with your left hand, of course! Being clipped in I literally ripped the bike out from underneath me and fell, haha!

 

Got back up and went on. Now I'm fighting to being NOT clipped in, so I'm struggling to find balance with my feet, especially while standing. After a while (felt like about 2 hours honestly) I asked my friend, how far are we in as my watch went pap. Him: "2,9km"

 

REALLY?!! Honestly I thought he was kidding. But, no....

 

So now for the climb onto the next mountain after some "ok" singletrack between rocks and a couple of pedal strikes.... Front wheel washed out twice on the U-turns while climbing. But everytime I hear "click-click" I get so tensed and I try to clip out as climbing at 5km/h and losing traction while being clipped in doesn't help with the balance so much.

 

Got to a nice viewpoint, drank some water, couldn't eat. But choked down a energy gel. Got the watch on for a small while. HR was about 190 AFTER I stopped. Neck was pounding with tension.

 

Back up the hill, got to an even better viewpoint! Baie nice! Now we did about 7km I think.

 

Descended again into another valley, this time more rooty and trees, rather than rocks. Although everything feels blurry to me now as I try to remember. Felt a bit better. Passed a couple of dams and rivers and some cool bridges (flippen scary some of them). And then the tight gaps between massive rocks and climbs and descents with rock gardens and such. Now my neck was really stiff and my left arm and leg was starting to hurt from the first fall about an hour ago. I was mentally DRAINED and starting to lose my physical energy as well. Took a couple of sips of water and I asked my friend how far are we now. He said about 12km in. We have now been riding for 2h30min. Water bottles are getting very empty and I'm stukkend.

 

I told him we need to get onto a road and find a exit, because according to our data and calculations we have another mountain to climb and still about 17km to go. I'm NOT a quitter, but we are going to get dehydrated here and we need to get out. Finished that part and got to a farm road and there were 2 guys riding there. We figured they were from one of the other routes. They said yes, we should follow that road to their route's exit. About 4km. Off we went. I think they were on route C and we followed the last couple of km's of that one - now this was what I thought we would be getting in our route. Some jeep track, beautiful flowy trail alongside the river. Immediately I started relaxing. We stopped at route C's finish at some sort of sports ground and now we need to get back to Route B's start where the bakkie is. Haha!! The girl told us it's not far, but you have to go OVER the mountain via the tar road. At this stage I felt, as long as it's not what I just experienced the past 3 hours, I'm golden! Now I don't know the elevation but this was a long climb! And although my body was more relaxed now, the fatigue really started kicking in, and it was getting hot! It was past 11am already. Drank the last bit of water and ate my second and last energy gel. The climb was steep and I stopped about 3 times and pushed the bike some way as it felt faster than pedaling in 2nd gear. My friend is obviously fitter and less fatigued than I am so he got there before me and loaded up his bike, and I got him when I was already on that farm road. I guess about 3km to go. After connecting my watch and phone again strava showed I did my 30km!! haha

 

Yes, I'm a noob at trail riding, but had I known this was the route, I would not have picked it, nor have used this bike and DEFINITELY not those tires. I'm not blaming anyone, I should have probably called and asked about the routes and how technical they are.

 

I took some powerade the morning and a double protein shake and had a 600-700ml full bottle, with two energy gels, but still could have gotten dehydrated on the trail. I struggle to eat while riding and I'll need to approach this in another way.

 

Would I do this trail again. If you asked me on Saturday or Sunday - not a chance in hell. NEVER EVER again.

I've been tired the last 4 days. But in the evenings when I want to go to sleep I get this adrenalin rush and I am excited about this sport and what it entails for us.

What bike am I going to buy next and how will I approach these trails the next time?! These are now the things that I wonder about. And how am I going to afford everything of course.

 

I really don't want to think about what would have happened had my wife gone with. Really, I don't! Things happen for a reason....

 

I had a thread earlier this year about what dual suspension bike to buy and i will update that according to our needs and how it might change. https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/185783-full-suspension-help-please/

 

I just want to tell other newbies that try out trails. Get informed and make sure you really are prepared. Ride with someone that knows the trails and take your time choosing lines and getting comfortable.

 

i hope this helps someone, I'm sorry for the long post. I feel I had to share my experience and hopefully gain some knowledge as I was humbled this past weekend about my skills, my understanding of the sport and my faith.

 

Thanks guys

This sounds EXACTLY the same as when I went with some guys on the Bottelary red route. It just never ended. There was a guy that came passed me whilst I was pushing my bike the one hill and it looked like he was not even putting effort into it.

 

I was a bit angry that day as it was my 3rd time on a bicycle in over 15 years so I struggled a lot.

 

I only ride on weekends but it is going so much better, until we went to Hoogekraal the other weekend. There I also almost died, many times but you do what you have to do. Dont be shy to push the bike. I will rather push my bike than sit with a cramped up leg high up in the mountain.

 

Just keep at it, you will be amazed at how quickly you build up strength and endurance.

[WaynejG]

Was thinking the other night about events or a never ridden trail. The first time for me is the best as I have no idea of what to expect. The second time is harder as now I know where the climbs are and it messes a bit with one's mind.

 

So basically, don't expect the second time to be better. LOL