Transbaviaans 2022

[madmarc]

5 minutes ago, Wynando said:

Eish peoples, what can I say…? The “Race” was truly a special event for me this year, never mind how crap the conditions were! We aimed to gun it as a 4 man, but had to make do with 3 when one of our team fell ill two weeks before. Cold, wet and muddy, yes, but with the right team, the miles flew by… Ok, not exactly, but with jokes and awesome company, you should be able to finish this event! However, if you (or any of your team for that matter) have any reservations as to your level of fitness, it will be a long day out! A big thank you to my team, Jannie Goosen and Willem Mouton! You guys made this a memorable event and without each of you, this would not have been possible! Prep was spot on and it all came together on the day! Thanks also to EcoBound and the locals who all chipped in to assist those in need. “Trans Baviaans – Where team spirit gets a whole new meaning” rang true for this event, for sure! As someone wise once said: “hierdie bultjie…. maak my nou net mooi niks”! #Flatout!

Well done for finishing - Nothing like a positive post to get their thread back on track

[madmarc]

Okay so onto next weekend for the repeat

Anyone have any weather predictions that have some semblance of accuracy.

Reading all these war stories I'm getting afraid, very afraid !

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, pedal menace said:

Hi All,

Seems I missed quite a few "dick"-y comments 🤣 - nothing personal - but come now allow each person his or her opinion without throwing immature comments. First and foremost kudos to all who finished - I would love to shake every hand as you deserve more than just a medal! So here my little race report ...

Despite being very firm upfront that I will not start the race if it rains...sigh...
Arrived Friday, went to registration and despite chilly temps was actually a rather beautiful day! Super hyped and set to race. Weather report said small amount of rain predicted so all looked positive. Come Saturday woke up in Uniondale - again COLD but not raining. Whoop whoop! On the way to Willowmore the drizzle started and ramped up quite a bit as we hit Willowmore. I know what my view was but come now I am here so let's do it! Started with my son at around 630AM. It was BLOODY cold but assumed riding will help. The rain was a lot more than drizzle. Within 8km we started seeing riders riding back to Willowmore looking pretty bad! With 10km despite my 4 layers of clothes I was wet to the bone and stopped to have a team chat whether we should continue. After lubing the chain we continued. At 20km I was unable to shift gears, could not move my fingers, had no idea if I had any feet and was shaking like a professional rapper! We stopped at a medic who attended to people already hyperthermic and begging to use the quad bike exhaust to get some heat. I chatted to the medic and he said continuing in his personal opinion is a VERY BAD IDEA! It was -2 degrees and people reported sleet/ice rain as you enter the Kloof. So at 25km I pulled the plug and turned around. More and more people joined us. Again caught up with a marshal who said they are  evacuating people (if certain people find this word offensive - sorry for you!!). Marshal assessed me , and stated I am close to hyperthermic too but only 2km from Willowmore. Was the hardest 25km ride back ever. In town the locals became God sent angels! Fires popped up everywhere and we took shelter in a coffee shop. Soon we were surrounded  by a whole lot of cyclists covered in space blankets, some literally delirious with no sense of his/her surroundings. My wife had to drive back from Jeffreys and as she entered Willowmore caught up with ambulances bringing people back. There were so many they were told to leave their bikes next to the road, sweeper vehicles will go and get bikes during the day. One guy paid a local farmer R1000 to bring them back with his bakkie. 

So to all these "heroes" who wants to call me a Karen - thank you and I accept the title with pride. I am super impressed and have a ton of respect for you if you finished. But with my son I felt I made the right call and I was simply in no shape to continue. My son even offered to take off some of his his clothes and give it to me! Talk about being a hero - that is a hero! Cannot be prouder of him! To each and every rider of the 244 teams (53%) that like me who abandoned - you still have my respect. I will not criticize you! I will not call you a Karen! I will not ask you to drink cement! I will walk up to you, call you a fellow cyclist that like me decided sanity is worth more than stupidity! If that makes me unworthy of being a MTBer in some eyes - well to you I say: See you at the next race where I will still enjoy it as much as you do - despite me giving up on the Baviaans this weekend! 

 

 

RESPECT !!

 

Having thought through your options you gave it a good go.

 

Such a pity the cold won on the day ....

 

 

Being brave enough to go another 10km says a LOT.

 

Being mature enough to know when to turn around ... probably one of the most difficult decisions you have ever made ..... still so much better than risking an emergency evacuation, and overloading an already stretched medical team.

 

 

Clearly not the outcome you hoped for.  Still an invaluable bonding experience with your son.

 

May your next TB with him be a much more pleasant experience.

[pedal menace]

4 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

RESPECT !!

 

Having thought through your options you gave it a good go.

 

Such a pity the cold won on the day ....

 

 

Being brave enough to go another 10km says a LOT.

 

Being mature enough to know when to turn around ... probably one of the most difficult decisions you have ever made ..... still so much better than risking an emergency evacuation, and overloading an already stretched medical team.

 

 

Clearly not the outcome you hoped for.  Still an invaluable bonding experience with your son.

 

May your next TB with him be a much more pleasant experience.

Truly appreciate tx ChrisF! My son and I will remember this forever....and....already making plans to do it next year! One bad day does not define the Baviaans spirit! Whether you enter a R100 race or a R80k Epic - the weather is one thing you cannot control. It comes with the territory and although the feeling after abandoning was truly HORRIBLE - I feel I made the right call and will return. Unfinished business. 

[ChrisF]

10 minutes ago, pedal menace said:

Hey Tubed. With regards to my clothing I had:

1. Second skin (normal Maxed vest I bought at Mr Price (I always wear this in cold conditions, and works perfectly)

2. Cycling Shirt

3. Gillet (wind jammer)

4. First Ascent Rain Jacket - at least I thought it was as it kept the water out for a little while ONLY. 

5. Arm warmers

6. Normal MTB gloves with inners in - perfect for when it is cold BUT DRY

7. Buff 

8. Leg warmers

9. Shoes with toe caps - worked for a little while

I think the deal breaker was not as much the cold - I think I was correctly dressed - sort of - but the wet weather combined with the wind was something I (and likely many others) were not 100% geared for. Not sure what more I could have done - but  guess black bags/ponchos - better rain jacket and better gloves may have helped. But the 244 other teams also had it way wrong  🤣

 

I did a ride of Swartberg with a light drizzle of snow last year ....  I asked my friends that had just come back from TB what they could recommend for the cold weather.  They have done some 10 odd TB events.  (actually sat this one out as they are doing Comrades end of the month)

 

Two things they mentioned extra to your list :

1. surgical gloves under the cylcing gloves.  This WORKS

2. Jiffy bag over your feet, then into the shoe .... this really helps in DRY conditions .... no idea what this will do in constant rain.  At least it keeps your toes warm.

 

 

All that said, I am still looking for a proper cycling rain jacket.  Seems most sell something a "plastic" TOP and FRONT, and then vents under arm and along the sides .... apparently the balance between "water proof" and the need to breath is tricky .....

[tubed]

29 minutes ago, pedal menace said:

but the wet weather combined with the wind was something

that's a good combo, until it rains enough to soak you, then once you are wet through in those layers with the wind on them hypothermia is a real possibility, especially with the descents in the Baviaans

waterproof is absolute - unless it says its 'waterproof', its water resistant

when its that cold you are unlikely to be worrying about 'breathable'

the confidence which comes with decent wet and cold weather gear is remarkable, you will really feel pretty invincible when it gets rough, the exact opposite is true when you feel you are slipping into hypothermia and you are desperate to escape the circumstances

start with the 100% waterproof jacket

[Titan Racing Bikes]

47 minutes ago, Wynando said:

Eish peoples, what can I say…? The “Race” was truly a special event for me this year,...

Well done! 

[TyronLab]

1 hour ago, pedal menace said:

Hi All,

Seems I missed quite a few "dick"-y comments 🤣 - nothing personal - but come now allow each person his or her opinion without throwing immature comments. First and foremost kudos to all who finished - I would love to shake every hand as you deserve more than just a medal! So here my little race report ...

Despite being very firm upfront that I will not start the race if it rains...sigh...
Arrived Friday, went to registration and despite chilly temps was actually a rather beautiful day! Super hyped and set to race. Weather report said small amount of rain predicted so all looked positive. Come Saturday woke up in Uniondale - again COLD but not raining. Whoop whoop! On the way to Willowmore the drizzle started and ramped up quite a bit as we hit Willowmore. I know what my view was but come now I am here so let's do it! Started with my son at around 630AM. It was BLOODY cold but assumed riding will help. The rain was a lot more than drizzle. Within 8km we started seeing riders riding back to Willowmore looking pretty bad! With 10km despite my 4 layers of clothes I was wet to the bone and stopped to have a team chat whether we should continue. After lubing the chain we continued. At 20km I was unable to shift gears, could not move my fingers, had no idea if I had any feet and was shaking like a professional rapper! We stopped at a medic who attended to people already hyperthermic and begging to use the quad bike exhaust to get some heat. I chatted to the medic and he said continuing in his personal opinion is a VERY BAD IDEA! It was -2 degrees and people reported sleet/ice rain as you enter the Kloof. So at 25km I pulled the plug and turned around. More and more people joined us. Again caught up with a marshal who said they are  evacuating people (if certain people find this word offensive - sorry for you!!). Marshal assessed me , and stated I am close to hyperthermic too but only 2km from Willowmore. Was the hardest 25km ride back ever. In town the locals became God sent angels! Fires popped up everywhere and we took shelter in a coffee shop. Soon we were surrounded  by a whole lot of cyclists covered in space blankets, some literally delirious with no sense of his/her surroundings. My wife had to drive back from Jeffreys and as she entered Willowmore caught up with ambulances bringing people back. There were so many they were told to leave their bikes next to the road, sweeper vehicles will go and get bikes during the day. One guy paid a local farmer R1000 to bring them back with his bakkie. 

So to all these "heroes" who wants to call me a Karen - thank you and I accept the title with pride. I am super impressed and have a ton of respect for you if you finished. But with my son I felt I made the right call and I was simply in no shape to continue. My son even offered to take off some of his his clothes and give it to me! Talk about being a hero - that is a hero! Cannot be prouder of him! To each and every rider of the 244 teams (53%) that like me who abandoned - you still have my respect. I will not criticize you! I will not call you a Karen! I will not ask you to drink cement! I will walk up to you, call you a fellow cyclist that like me decided sanity is worth more than stupidity! If that makes me unworthy of being a MTBer in some eyes - well to you I say: See you at the next race where I will still enjoy it as much as you do - despite me giving up on the Baviaans this weekend! 

 

You went for an adventure and evidently had one. As much as I'm one of the "suck it up" guys, there's a line between being uncomfortable and being in a medically risky situation. If you were in the latter, good on you for rather pulling the plug. You came back with a great story and, more importantly, a great attitude. You can't be a hard adventuring dude if you're dood!

After the images and videos I saw of this weekend I'm adding some bin bags for the torso, Checkers bags for the feet and some surgical gloves to the kit list for this weekend. Planning on wearing both my jackets (Ciovita one is waterproof and slightly ventilated in the pits, the Decathlon one is as sealed as the sarcophagus around Chernobyl to keep the rain out), and my Ranger baggies over my bibs (they're surprisingly water repellent). 

Just the Decathlon jacket and arm warmers has gotten me through a dry -9.5°C, hopefully double jackets and plastic around the hands and feet can get me through a wet 0°C.

Edited August 15, 2022 by TyronLab

[Jewbacca]

Don't underestimate the very simple power of neoprene.

Gloves and booties. You're not going to stay dry, but neoprene will at least keep you warm.

Seal skin socks are also tip top. I have the long knee high ones. Again, tucked into proper fleece lined leg warmers they do a fantastic job. 

Neoprene also blocks the wind pretty well. 

Fleece is also really good as it's so fake it doesn't stay wet and even when wet, it stays warm. 

Old school stripey polypropylene thermal tops are also a win. 

I think there is a misconception that cycling clothes will do a job at an endurance race. MOST cycling clothes are not made to provide warmth or protection from extreme conditions. They are mostly made super light and expect cyclists to simply not ride when the weather is terrible.

Coming from an endurance racing background, I have learned that cycling clothes are actually pretty rubbish for anything other than riding for a few hours. Spending up to 9 days on course sometimes, I have no time to be cold, even if it's raining, cold, snowing etc... Sometimes it's all of those and we are white water rafting or paddling.

I have a Mac in a Sac, an old Inov8 waterproof skin and a First Ascent running jacket. All waterproof with taped seems and a hood. The Mac in a sac and FA jackets have full length zips which makes them more cycling friendly. Salomon are having a sale currently and their water proof jacket is also really really good. 

So while it may come across as a bit dick, I do believe Scar was right when he told us to be prepared. 

One of my best mates rode and said that km 20 to 50 were terrible, but after that it was less terrible. 

[Matt]

Well done to all! It sounds like it was tough out there. 

Official post-race press release is up here:
 

 

[hboli4]

I have done the last 11 editions and did a couple of 'doubles' - so 13 in total. This was definitely the 'worst' conditions I've ridden in. It was wet and cold from the start - we did toe covers/booties over the shoes, knee warmers, bibs, base layer(First Ascent polyprop), cycling jersey, gilet, warmer fleece top/hydrophobic top, rain jacket, buff around neck and head, warm gloves. In retrospect could have done more for the feet and hands.

We started just before six and rode in the rain and against a slight head wind until 46km when I realised I had a front flat. By this point my tyre was almost on the rim, I simply did not notice through all the rain,mud and bumps and must have lost a lot of sealant by then - I also suspect that the sealant was not as efficient in these conditions as in the dry. As soon as we stopped we started to feel very cold - it was all good and well while cycling but as soon as you stopped the cold really got into your bones.

I had a cut on the tyre surface between the knobblies. It must have been glass or metal - bad luck. I plugged the cut and bombed it(the bomb froze to my hand and had to be pried off). We did a couple of km's and had to stop again for another bomb(this time it felt like the whole bomb contents did not go into the tyre - possibly due to the first bomb 'freezing' some sealant?).

I said to my partner that we must limp to the checkpoint and should be able to get some mechanical assistance or then try a tube. When we got there it was chaos, probably 150 riders standing around in space blankets and around the fires - they were not going to continue. People were standing inside the house as well.

The mechanic that was supposed to be there wasn't, they were helping getting people back to Willowmore. We got the tyre off and I inserted the tube. I don't know if the cold contracted the tyre a bit but we could not get it back on. I broke 2 tyre levers trying to get it on but no luck - it wasnt even close to getting back. We were four guys trying pulling and whatever but it would not budge.

I asked a couple of the riders with the same type of wheel if they would perhaps donate in order for us to continue but did not have any takers(don't blame anyone). By this point we were also shivering and I did not see any other option or plan but to withdraw.

Lots of people was in a very bad state - with most looking to have dressed properly.

This is just my observation. You were fine while moving but as soon as you stopped for too long the trouble started...

I'm still battling to get my head around the fact that I did not finish....

[taito]

 There is no shame in bailing in a event. If you, at the time feel its the right call --do it--. Yes ,the next day all kind of thoughts spin in your mind but once hyperthermia sets in and you are deep in the kloof it can be life or death. At the Pioneer 3 years ago they cancelled the last part on the Swartberg as the temp went down to zero and it was raining.

Dryland collected us all on the mountain and later dropped our bikes that we had to leave on the road to the summit.

Rather give me Munga type 40deg than freezing

[pedal menace]

4 minutes ago, hboli4 said:

I have done the last 11 editions and did a couple of 'doubles' - so 13 in total. This was definitely the 'worst' conditions I've ridden in. It was wet and cold from the start - we did toe covers/booties over the shoes, knee warmers, bibs, base layer(First Ascent polyprop), cycling jersey, gilet, warmer fleece top/hydrophobic top, rain jacket, buff around neck and head, warm gloves. In retrospect could have done more for the feet and hands.

We started just before six and rode in the rain and against a slight head wind until 46km when I realised I had a front flat. By this point my tyre was almost on the rim, I simply did not notice through all the rain,mud and bumps and must have lost a lot of sealant by then - I also suspect that the sealant was not as efficient in these conditions as in the dry. As soon as we stopped we started to feel very cold - it was all good and well while cycling but as soon as you stopped the cold really got into your bones.

I had a cut on the tyre surface between the knobblies. It must have been glass or metal - bad luck. I plugged the cut and bombed it(the bomb froze to my hand and had to be pried off). We did a couple of km's and had to stop again for another bomb(this time it felt like the whole bomb contents did not go into the tyre - possibly due to the first bomb 'freezing' some sealant?).

I said to my partner that we must limp to the checkpoint and should be able to get some mechanical assistance or then try a tube. When we got there it was chaos, probably 150 riders standing around in space blankets and around the fires - they were not going to continue. People were standing inside the house as well.

The mechanic that was supposed to be there wasn't, they were helping getting people back to Willowmore. We got the tyre off and I inserted the tube. I don't know if the cold contracted the tyre a bit but we could not get it back on. I broke 2 tyre levers trying to get it on but no luck - it wasnt even close to getting back. We were four guys trying pulling and whatever but it would not budge.

I asked a couple of the riders with the same type of wheel if they would perhaps donate in order for us to continue but did not have any takers(don't blame anyone). By this point we were also shivering and I did not see any other option or plan but to withdraw.

Lots of people was in a very bad state - with most looking to have dressed properly.

This is just my observation. You were fine while moving but as soon as you stopped for too long the trouble started...

I'm still battling to get my head around the fact that I did not finish....

Great report as well and does summarize how many experienced it - and that you felt it was the hardest ever 🙂

[Shebeen]

14 hours ago, tubed said:

Looking a the photos, it seems that racing with the least kit possible was the hope of many.

Baviaans is cold this time of the year - I experienced -5 degrees last year as the sun was coming up in another race.

If you roll the dice on the amount of waterproof (not water resistant) and warm kit you are going to pack, then you must know that you will suffer painfully or pull the plug.

I think some of the language is a bit descriptive/ emotive. For me 'evacuation' is life threatening transport to nearest medical facility , not I've made a silly kit choice and now I need a warm blanky/ fireside heatup and lift out.

Time to have mandatory kit inspection in bike races as they do with trail running. 

I'm just skimming all of this now.

 

I didn't do TB, but did Around the Pot 100 miler a few weeks ago (total repair bill = R0).

I was quite amazed there how many people had no jacket at all, and then complained about the cold. I initially regretted swapping out my waterproof 10 minutes before starting for the windproof jacket once the rain hit again but it was only an hour of vasbyt required and then cleared up.

I was quite amazed at how many people had zero lube on them, and then complained about it running out. At a waterpoint there would be 30+ people begging for lube. Like everyone else I shrugged and said I was out, quite selfish but my little bottle of squirt was needed for me, and would have lasted five people with twenty five more disappointed.

My secret weapon for that race was a R20 pair of safety goggles from builders. in a wet gravel route you know there is mud flying around, and now one wants to wipe the lenses of their fancy oakleys so they are essentially useless too.

MTB used to have quite a self sufficiency ethos to it. I don't do that many races these days, but from skimming here it looks like because the entry fees are high people expect to get some sort of service. From skimming here it seems like a lot of people got very cold because they didn't dress appropriately. 

 

For a 230km+ ride in the muddy rain and cold, you need a proper jacket. You can spend R4k+ and get a very nice piece of kit but that's not necessary.

It doesn't have to cost a bomb, but it needs a hydrostatic rating of 5000mm minimum.

It doesn't have to cost a bomb, but it needs an integrated hood that you then put over your head and your helmet on top once it rains. That's how you keep yourself dry, doesn't matter how good your jacket is if you have a gutter running through it. Here's a great writeup from trailrunning which most of the time takes gear checks seriously.

 

http://wildrunner.co.za/news/2018/04/about-waterproof-jacket…

I have given this one a go and it has done well in two solid rides of bucketing drama and highly recommend if you're on a budget.

https://campandclimb.co.za/product/highlander-stow-and-go-jacket-navy-blue-copy

 

For a 230km+ ride in the muddy rain and cold it's nice to have waterproof gloves and thermal socks, but you can make plans on that if you don't.

For a 230km+ ride in the muddy rain and cold I would pack two space blankets just incase. I always take two, because when you only have one you are too nervous to use it.

 

I'm not judging anyone in specific here, but from skimming it it sounds like event management were overwhelmed a bit by people needing emergency rescue back to the start. I'm not sure how many people were just underdressed, and their entire ordeal avoidable. The guys at snowreport were predicting the first half of their name all week, and all the talk was of the weather. This might sound like some mansplaining and maybe it sounds unnecessary. It isn't, if you're doing a mtb race you need to be as self sufficient as possible, and that doesn't just refer to your bike and spares, you need to look after yourself. This is not groundbreaking ideas either, just a 100yr+ old motto drilled into cubs and scouts for starters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shebeen]

20 minutes ago, taito said:

 There is no shame in bailing in a event. If you, at the time feel its the right call --do it--. Yes ,the next day all kind of thoughts spin in your mind but once hyperthermia sets in and you are deep in the kloof it can be life or death. At the Pioneer 3 years ago they cancelled the last part on the Swartberg as the temp went down to zero and it was raining.

Dryland collected us all on the mountain and later dropped our bikes that we had to leave on the road to the summit.

Rather give me Munga type 40deg than freezing

I hate the extreme cold, but with the right gear freezing (like actual freezing, as in water goes to solid temps) is manageable. 40deg+ and you are in much more danger as the only thing you can do is pour water (if you even have it) and find shade.

behind a paywall, but here's an example of what is possible with the right clothing

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/safety-to-nome-documentary/

 

 

not sure how many starts there were, but this one of the elites (quite often the least prepared in case of emergency, so not really reflective of all) it looks like it was drizzling and i see quite a few with skimpy or no jackets on. don't see single person using the hood of their jacket properly.

 

 

 

 

[TIB]

37 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

One of my best mates rode and said that km 20 to 50 were terrible, but after that it was less terrible. 

If I assume he is one of your EA mates, he came unprepared with fingerless gloves and just a couple of layers.... 

But then I think he is an alien 😜😎