Summer Fast One MTB - Rand Water Grounds (23 Jan 2022)

[Spy007]

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, mecheng89 said:

It was nice to meet you! I'm happy you managed to finish. 40k was lovely on a gravel bike. Fortunately I recognised the entire route, so no nasty surprises other than the mud (which in hindsight shouldn't have been a surprise) and the downhill sketchy rocky bit where I lost plenty of speed.

Am quite upset with the route signage, cost me first place in sub-vets. At a certain junction on the route it indicated either straight or right, but which route I had to take was unclear. 

Where did this confusion happen? I found the entire route well marked.

[mecheng89]

15 minutes ago, Spy007 said:

You were on the Titan?

 

Saw only 4 gravel bikes.

2 Slings

1 titan

1 Sliver-back (ME)

Titan was myself. I saw the 2 Sling bikes, they looked quite knarly. I think their shirts said one bike for life. 

[Spy007]

8 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Where did this confusion happen? I found the entire route well marked.

We had one slip on the 60. saw a board that was down and put it back up as it had fallen over. had a choice of left or straight.  was in Eye side halfway up one of the climbs.

 

Friend that did the 60 also went wrong

 

[TheoG]

13 minutes ago, Spy007 said:

We had one slip on the 60. saw a board that was down and put it back up as it had fallen over. had a choice of left or straight.  was in Eye side halfway up one of the climbs.

 

Friend that did the 60 also went wrong

I remember that spot, I was all on my own at that stage, luckily the marker was up when I went past.

Edited January 24, 2022 by TheoG

[TyronLab]

1 hour ago, mecheng89 said:

It was nice to meet you! I'm happy you managed to finish. 40k was lovely on a gravel bike. Fortunately I recognised the entire route, so no nasty surprises other than the mud (which in hindsight shouldn't have been a surprise) and the downhill sketchy rocky bit where I lost plenty of speed.

Am quite upset with the route signage, cost me first place in sub-vets. At a certain junction on the route it indicated either straight or right, but which route I had to take was unclear. 

Noice! Well, at least half of the official Titan Racing Switch Pro Club was there. I had a family commitment (was in Botswana the whole week) and was much too busy blikseming down trying to learn to wheelie a drop bar bike to attend. Sincerest apologies.

I am a bit miffed that I couldn't attend, but there's always the winter version...

2 hours ago, Spy007 said:

Did the 60 on the Gravel Bike and had some funny looks. The technical sections were brutal as no suspension meant a long squat on the downhill pieces.

Not sure i would say it was gravel bike friendly but like you say i ride mine on anything.

		Silverback Siablo GB Pirreli Centurato 700 x 45 C 52/34  11/30

Good on you and congrats just on finishing. How was the clearance with the 45s and the mud?

[Spy007]

8 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

Noice! Well, at least half of the official Titan Racing Switch Pro Club was there. I had a family commitment (was in Botswana the whole week) and was much too busy blikseming down trying to learn to wheelie a drop bar bike to attend. Sincerest apologies.

I am a bit miffed that I couldn't attend, but there's always the winter version...

Good on you and congrats just on finishing. How was the clearance with the 45s and the mud?

No issues. on the SB can go up to 55's

 

but the Centurato's clear mud of by magic. unbelievable

[Frosty]

29 minutes ago, Spy007 said:

We had one slip on the 60. saw a board that was down and put it back up as it had fallen over. had a choice of left or straight.  was in Eye side halfway up one of the climbs.

 

Friend that did the 60 also went wrong

 

We stopped at that exact point, as a mate wanted to check his tyre (delaminated tread). I remember seeing the signboard pointing down to the waterpoint/exit.

But that wasn’t on the 40Km route, as @mecheng89 was eluding to.

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Nice ride, except for the waiting at the water crossings. I guess the lesson is to try and get to the very start of every bunch.

[Frosty]

36 minutes ago, Nico van Loggerenberg said:

Nice ride, except for the waiting at the water crossings. I guess the lesson is to try and get to the very start of every bunch.

I felt the same going up the single track climbs. People walking holding up those wanting to ride.

This was probably the most chilled I’ve been. Helps being stronger than my mates, makes for an easier ride.

[TheoG]

6 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I felt the same going up the single track climbs. People walking holding up those wanting to ride.

This was probably the most chilled I’ve been. Helps being stronger than my mates, makes for an easier ride.

Apologies if I was one of them, my skill level simply don't cater for some of those spots.  I did make a effort though to get out of the way as quickly as possible ... .

[Frosty]

4 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Apologies if I was one of them, my skill level simply don't cater for some of those spots.  I did make a effort though to get out of the way as quickly as possible ... .

Not a problem for me, as I would always ask if I can pass (when appropriate). Riding up some of the bits requires momentum, otherwise it becomes harder which results in walking. Helps having done a skills course to know how to ride up stuff that looks walkable.

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

22 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I felt the same going up the single track climbs. People walking holding up those wanting to ride.

This was probably the most chilled I’ve been. Helps being stronger than my mates, makes for an easier ride.

Unfortunately where I found myself in the bunch means that I spent almost all of the singletrack in a head to tail traffic jam, with people regularly falling. Oh well, guess that's MTB racing.

[mecheng89]

6 hours ago, Frosty said:

Where did this confusion happen? I found the entire route well marked.

 

[117]

5 hours ago, Frosty said:

I felt the same going up the single track climbs. People walking holding up those wanting to ride.

This was probably the most chilled I’ve been. Helps being stronger than my mates, makes for an easier ride.

The problems were more in the downhill sections where people didn't know the course and elected to walk down the single tracks, only to realise they should have ridden it instead. 

I had no choice but to walk down some parts of strawberries...  Had a lady complaining she's a roadie and not a mtb'er holding up a particularly fast spot. Also had a good laugh as some racing snake 80's came past me bleating right of passing, only for them to blow out climbing the fence line 1km later... 

Local knowledge does help. And if the organizers can post gpx tracks a week before will help too, at least you can ride it on GE and see where the snarly bits are

@TheoGnice to meet you pal. Sorry we missed each other at the start 

Edited January 24, 2022 by 117

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, mecheng89 said:

 

No man, it was clearly sign posted to the right; even had bunting tape over the road. With all the rain I wasn’t surprise the drop into the vlei would be dodgy.