Bike Check: Kevin Benkenstein's Curve Karoo Prototype

[Shebeen]

16 minutes ago, Benky said:

One thing I’ve realised is that it really messes with your hormone system and there is a lot of toxic stuff floating around my body. I had a lot of night sweat for two weeks but that’s going now, thankfully. I think hormone balance gets totally messed up. 

ah, the night sweats! that means you emptied the tank properly out there (incase it was in doubt)

[Matt]

@Benky thanks for all the answers already, but they breed more questions.... 😇

There must be a lot of lonely time "in your own head" while turning the pedals on these sorts of events. 

Do you solve the worlds problems out there? Or have mental tools and tricks to stay focussed and awake? Or just to keep going?

[binxc]

No questions for Kevin but I would like to say thank you for always being so open and happy to share information. It is very helpful for those of us who are considering it or starting out in these types of events. 

[Benky]

13 minutes ago, binxc said:

No questions for Kevin but I would like to say thank you for always being so open and happy to share information. It is very helpful for those of us who are considering it or starting out in these types of events. 

It’s my pleasure. I’ve been given a lot of support over the years so returning that with some help and advice is the least I can do. 

[Benky]

21 minutes ago, Matt said:

@Benky thanks for all the answers already, but they breed more questions.... 😇

There must be a lot of lonely time "in your own head" while turning the pedals on these sorts of events. 

Do you solve the worlds problems out there? Or have mental tools and tricks to stay focussed and awake? Or just to keep going?

@Mattit is a pleasure. 
 

You are right it’s a lot of alone time. I think racing makes it easier because you have to focus and so a lot of time and thought is taken up just by thinking about what you’re doing and need to be doing and just the general act of racing. Nights alone are hard though and it’s tougher to keep focus there. 
 

My main trick to keep busy, strangely, is to do a bit of maths. I work out average speed and expected eta in my head a lot, it’s also helpful to keep aware of how my mind is working. That’s a legacy of being a school boy with a computer that couldn’t show average speed on the first screen. 
 

I don’t listen to music or anything which is a bit different to others but I still get songs stuck in my head somehow. 
 

No world problems were solved. It was nice not to think about that stuff for a week actually!

[milky4130]

Well Done Benky, where do you think you lost it, lack of extra power due to the injury in the lead up to the Rhino Run?

Not sure what the road conditions were for the last +- 200kms but did Abdullah have an advantage with his gravel tires vs your 2.4's?

From the videos & photos it seemed like AZ was carrying less load on his bike, was there ever a thought or chance that you could lessen the load knowing you only have +-100kms to go? Is that even allowed? Sure you have to cater for every scenario but I'm just thinking what if that was the difference?

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, Benky said:

I’ve used AXS for racing exclusively since 2019 without an issue. I felt it keeps my hands in better shape because shifting is easier and more importantly the shifting is precise all through the race. I have found AXS to be extremely reliable too, moreso than mechanical on these dusty races. 

why four batteries, this is just for the RD, right?

so two batteries is already a level of redundancy with one charging, or did you leave the charger at home even though i see it on the list?

 

[Benky]

26 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

why four batteries, this is just for the RD, right?

so two batteries is already a level of redundancy with one charging, or did you leave the charger at home even though i see it on the list?

 

Honestly it's just cause I would rather not charge if I don't have to, just simpler to swop a battery and they weigh almost nothing.

I did take the charger as a back up and used it twice, when sleeping and charging was easy. Effectively I used 7 batteries through the course of the race.

[MORNE]

@Benky 

is that a mtb fork on your bike?

im assuming the geometry of that prototype was adjusted for the extra axle to crown measurement?

So you could techinvcally run a 100mm fork on there if you wanted? well it looks like it from the pictures.  I'm guessing the extra stack height it gives you helps with comfort too.

[Benky]

6 minutes ago, MORNE said:

@Benky 

is that a mtb fork on your bike?

im assuming the geometry of that prototype was adjusted for the extra axle to crown measurement?

So you could techinvcally run a 100mm fork on there if you wanted? well it looks like it from the pictures.  I'm guessing the extra stack height it gives you helps with comfort too.

It is MTB Fork corrected yes, for up to 120mm. We have one that with events like Freedom Challenge, Silk Road and Atlas Mountain Race in mind. The stack remains similar to my XXL gravel bike but the head tube is shorter to allow for the extra space needed.

[bolt67]

interesting about the night sweats, something almost every Freedom (RASA) rider experiences this from about 7 to 10 days in , I woke up most nights in a swimming pool of sweat ! 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

@Benkydo you think criticism that you are soft for riding a teenie 36 chainring with a massive 52 is warranted?  I mean over 3000km I could understand but not for these short rides.  Just what I heard on the street/gravel

Also I have heard bling chainrings with matching shiny bolts and stuff is what the big dogs are using these days

[Benky]

31 minutes ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

@Benkydo you think criticism that you are soft for riding a teenie 36 chainring with a massive 52 is warranted?  I mean over 3000km I could understand but not for these short rides.  Just what I heard on the street/gravel

Also I have heard bling chainrings with matching shiny bolts and stuff is what the big dogs are using these days

Wayne!
If only I knew someone with an excess of gold parts hey

I am getting a bit conservative in my old age, but was very grateful for the last minute change to a 36t, it definitely came in handy on some of the climbs.

[NC_lurker]

@Benky fantastic achievement, it's seriously impressive! Thanks for ensuring that SA was so well represented.

Nutrition is obviously vitally important, how were you able to refuel to the extent you needed? Any interesting food choices?

As an aside, the Spez Sequoia I bought from you years ago has brought me many hours of exploration & enjoyment, so thanks for that!

[Benky]

6 hours ago, NC_lurker said:

@Benky fantastic achievement, it's seriously impressive! Thanks for ensuring that SA was so well represented.

Nutrition is obviously vitally important, how were you able to refuel to the extent you needed? Any interesting food choices?

As an aside, the Spez Sequoia I bought from you years ago has brought me many hours of exploration & enjoyment, so thanks for that!

Good to hear from you, and so stoked that bike is still a fun machine! Thank you for the kind words, it is always nice to represent a bit and show that SA can compete on the bigger stages.

Nutrition is a real challenge and to be honest it is more a case of getting what you can rather than what you need. It is obviously a carb-focused type feeling strategy so lots of chocolates, Bar One ideally, Coke, Bread if needed, juice or Powerade in bottles, and then maybe one protein meal a day before sleeping which was generally a chicken burger. You can't be too picky and just have to do the best you can from limited availability. 

There weren't really any dodgy meals but we did both have an Epic, near R1,000, re-feed at Springbok Spar which I will be telling people about for a few years I think. If I say we ate/drank 5,000 calories in 40min I think maybe I am being conservative.

[sierrrd]

Of the 2,741 km, about how much was corrugated gravel? We all love a bit of gravel, but endless days on corrugations, how do you deal with it?