Magalies monster - delivered for some riders🤣

[Japie Nieuwoudt]

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Edited June 5, 2023 by Japie Nieuwoudt

[RobynE]

I did the half (first time) and I enjoyed it a lot. My wife and kiddo did the Fun (16km). We all made it home safe. I was on a new bike and had one fall, but nothing hectic. My kiddo also had one fall when she clipped a rock. 
 

I absolutely hated every second of the Mini Monster climb and walked all the way (other climbs as well). I think some people managed to ride the climbs but I didn’t. I didn’t have the skill or the fitness. The organisers did mention there would be walking so I wasn’t too surprised though.
 

We enjoyed our food from the stalls - we didn’t have an issue with the curry or the burgers. I’m not sure about other stalls. 
 

There were lots of people out on the route and we felt safe. The water points were great.

We found it to be a much better event than Cradle Mountain which we did earlier on in the year.

 

We will definitely be back next year.  

[RobynE]

Also meant to say - the climbs were tough yes but found the rest of the track really clean and neat and easy to follow - and really really well marked. I would definitely not say unprepared or unrideable. 

[Robbie Stewart]

Is this the kind of mountain bike race you were expecting?

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

I suppose the race delivered and lived up to its name...Monster race 😀

Edited June 4, 2023 by Mokgaga

[MilkManMike]

Magaliesberg trails are known for those pesky round baboon head rocks. The magalies monster has always had hectic technical climbs. Part of what makes that race what it is. 

Too many people ride Sani2C thee days and think that’s what MTB is. Those over manicured trails on Sani2C spoil most of the fun.

Magalies Monster is one of the races I really miss living in the Cape, and probably the only one day race I would consider going up north for. That’s a proper MTB race. 

[PhilipV]

9 hours ago, Japie Nieuwoudt said:

 

Back to the route , in the half as well as the full race there were so much climbes that were unridable. Not because of the elevation , for that you have to train BUT because of all the lose rocks that were on the road .  If you compare the event to other events the organizers  will try to make the climbes at least ridable. We try to ride as much events as we can , trailseekers and i even did the Sani this year and all the effort that goes into the preparatuon to make it as ridable and as safe as possible were not at the Monster event. 

 

I personally think if there is not going to be an effort to clean some of the paths many will not ride it next year.

 

 

 

 

I don't understand, do you expect the organizers to remove all the rocks? Or choose climbs that are more rideable for rookies? You did it last year as well, has the routes changed to be more technical?

Technical riding has always been a part of the sport, as is hiking your bike to get to some trails. And comparing rocky terrain to Sani is a misnomer. Sidenote, I won't go ride Sani again as the route is just so boring, it's only the scenery and the Gees that makes it worthwhile. 

The expectation that trails and climbs need to be smooth (and therefore safe) is a modern (about the last 7years) phenomenon that came about when trail building and riding centres became commercially viable and risk had to be mitigated. 

 

[W@nted]

The magalies monster is known for being a tough race. (Now a bit easier compared to the route of 2011 round).  It even says so in the race brief/description. The terrain is what makes it the monster, you will always suffer on this 65km loop. Sounds like another edition where it lived ip to its reputation. 
 

I could not ride it this year, so cannot comment on the food stalls though. Sorry if the food was not on par, that should not be the case.

 

As mentioned, the monster is not supposed to be a manicured mtb trial. It is tough. Supposed to be tough. Be proud of yourself if you finished it.

Edited June 5, 2023 by W@nted

[NotSoBigBen]

As mentioned the Monster has always been tough and that's how it is ... having said that not everyone likes/is comfortable/ has the Hub cool skills to 'shred the gnar'

There is a place for events that don't require super skills but I guess I'm probably alone in thinking that

[Robbie Stewart]

I haven't ridden this event, nor do I intend to, but I have a gripe with folks complaining about an event that supposedly does what it advertised to do. 

This race by all accounts is known for being tough and thus it appeals to a certain demographic. Enter if you like technical riding. Don't enter if you want to ride easy. 

Is really that simple. But to blast the organisers for not catering to your basic needs is just poor form. 

It's different if they advertised manicured trails and delivered tech from hell, but I don't get the idea this was the case.

[BaGearA]

I did this race 11 years ago on a 26er and the terrain was exactly what you described 

[sias]

This race is known as a bike breaker - my wife did it way back in 2010 I think and she said never again. As previously said - to compare this to the S2C is a bit of a brainfart...

[RobertWhitehead]

I have adopted a basic rule of thumb back in 2011 when I just started cycling again: Avoid any and all races with words in the title like - crazy, Epic, monster. Lately I added another rule that says avoid any form of cycling outdoors, if the route is not on Fulgaz then it has to be avoided at all costs 

[Hairy]

13 hours ago, Japie Nieuwoudt said:

Hall All

I did my second Magalies monster this weekend . Are there someone on the forum that did it as well this weekend, what was your experience?

Just my 2 c , i think its all for the money fornthe organizers. In comparrison to last year there were almost half of the competators as well as today. Even the food stalls wasnt as expected in comparrison to last year. I baught food there today. At 3 different stalls as me , my boy and my wife wanted to eat at different stalls. My burger patties was raw, my wife's pizza had scetchy chicken so we decides not to eat it further. 

Back to the route , in the half as well as the full race there were so much climbes that were unridable. Not because of the elevation , for that you have to train BUT because of all the lose rocks that were on the road .  If you compare the event to other events the organizers  will try to make the climbes at least ridable. We try to ride as much events as we can , trailseekers and i even did the Sani this year and all the effort that goes into the preparatuon to make it as ridable and as safe as possible were not at the Monster event. 

I Know we signed up for the big monsrer event but not an unridable event that ther were no preperation on the track . Not on the full as well as the half. I think the half was worst espesially on the clims with all the loose bowlders rocks. There was no way to choose a line on some of the clibs because the rocks was to much and big . I did the full , my wife and boy did the half.We had to choose , walk or fall to damage your bike or yourself . 

I personally think if there is not going to be an effort to clean some of the paths many will not ride it next year. We were a group of 10 and all 10 of us were complaining of the same rhing. One of the guys accedently packed their road shoes and the went ti the bike stalls . Obe had nothing to sell. The other one had  plenty of shiesbfor sale but no cleats. 🤣

I would like to get your opinion . 

 

Thanks

 

 

Just how long have you been "mountain biking"?

[Ozzie NL]

Rode my 6th monster last weekend and can honestly say that the route was probably the easiest since it's straight up Breedts. Everything was rideable with less loose gravel compared to previous years.

The "old" route up to the top was much harder with a large chunk being on single track.

Where I do agree is that the numbers have very noticeably dwindled. It used to be a big event with 1000+ riders across the different distance. Last weekend can't have been more than 250 participants. This also affects the after rider gees as there are just a lot less people swapping war stories

[W@nted]

Have a look at the winning time by the pros. This is a good indication of how tough the route is.

 

I did the old route in 2011. Almost had me in tears… All other routes of similar distance is “tame” compared to the monster.

 

I have skipped it the last 3 years, it is sad that the numbers are so down. Used to be well supported. Wonder why though, route getting too easy or too hard? 😬

Edited June 5, 2023 by W@nted