WC Gravel Monster - .......erm.."tar monster ? "

[MongooseMan]

11 minutes ago, Mamil said:

Thanks - Wow that descent on the gravel from the top of Bain's looks VERY steep indeed - is it smooth or rough (asking for a friend who isn't the greatest bike handler but who doesn't want to ride his heavy aluminium dual suspension cos he's nervous of a couple of km of rocky jeep track)

It’s rough, but short (like 5mins of vasbyt)

I think if you go do the Hermon 80k next month it does the same descent if you want to see what you’re in for 

[Jbr]

51 minutes ago, Mamil said:

Thanks - Wow that descent on the gravel from the top of Bain's looks VERY steep indeed - is it smooth or rough (asking for a friend who isn't the greatest bike handler but who doesn't want to ride his heavy aluminium dual suspension cos he's nervous of a couple of km of rocky jeep track)

I've heard it's pretty bad, mountainbikes will definitely go alot faster down there than the gravel bikes. But for Gravel Monster there's no doubt that the gravel bikes will make that time up. For Old hermon though, I still thinking about it, but I'll most likely still ride the gravel bike

Allthough seeing this earlier on this post... if you manage to wheelsuck your way to the top of bains with a MTB, you might breakaway on this descent to take the win 🤣

• Quote

   

  • Fast gravel road
  • Tar approach to first climb
  • Big tar climb (Bothmans)
  • Fast tar descent
  • Big gravel climb to first aid station
  • Fast Gravel descent
  • Tar, gravel, tar, gravel to 2nd aid station
  • Tar to Tulbagh
  • Rolling gravel
  • *** sandy gravel
  • Bains
  • Half of Bains descent on tar
  • Crazy (hope your brakes work) gravel descent
  • ~500m of tar
  • Rolling gravel to finish

   

   

Edited August 14, 2023 by Jbr

[Mamil]

40 minutes ago, Jbr said:

. if you manage to wheelsuck your way to the top of bains with a MTB, you might breakaway on this descent to take the win 🤣

•  

Ha ha ha ... Breakaway for the win ... Cross the line with arms aloft... Always the dream, grasp my head in my hands as if in disbelief.... With only the din of my engine and the pale blue smoke of unburnt oil to tip the motor doping commissaire that there's something fishy going on.

[milky4130]

6 hours ago, Mamil said:

Thanks - Wow that descent on the gravel from the top of Bain's looks VERY steep indeed - is it smooth or rough (asking for a friend who isn't the greatest bike handler but who doesn't want to ride his heavy aluminium dual suspension cos he's nervous of a couple of km of rocky jeep track)

that descent is quite knarly even on a mtb, on the gravel bike you just need to grab the brakes and take it slow & steady down there.