[Event] King Price Race to the Sun

[BuffsVintageBikes]

This is so sad to read, my condolences to the family & friends. No one kisses their loved ones goodbye on the morning of an official race and expects never to see them again. No matter the causes, it's truly tragic and I'm sure has put a huge damper on everyone that did the race or was part of the organization team 😔

[ChrisF]

3 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

This is so sad to read, my condolences to the family & friends. No one kisses their loved ones goodbye on the morning of an official race and expects never to see them again. No matter the causes, it's truly tragic and I'm sure has put a huge damper on everyone that did the race or was part of the organization team 😔

 

Those riders in the pack that saw it unfold .... HOPE they get counceling 

[Spinnekop]

*

Edited May 14 by Spinnekop

[NicoSmit]

6 hours ago, Skubarra said:

There are already good answers on here on where the gains are so wont go into that.

In theory you can convert your mtb into a Frankenstein gravel bike (especially if you can fit the large chainring which wont be possible for all mtb's) - people are already doing it. There are a wide range of gravel bike settings and there are certainly some gray areas between mtb's and gravel bikes.

But most likely its going to take more than a few "tweaks" and you will possibly end up at a point where you are spending enough money on your Frankengravelbike that it would have been cheaper/easier to just buy a gravel bike in the first place.

This is my version of a Frankenstein gravel monster

[Mountain Bru]

1 hour ago, NicoSmit said:

This is my version of a Frankenstein gravel monster

What was your time on this beast? And did you overtake more gravel bikes or mountain bikes in the race? 

[NicoSmit]

21 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

What was your time on this beast? And did you overtake more gravel bikes or mountain bikes in the race? 

7:55 with a snot nose and a cramping leg the last 10km  no I didnt race so it was just a adventure for me but I kept up with some of the groups where last year I was dropped by everybody. It was much more comfortable on this bike (more hand positions than on the flat mtb bars). I stripped my gravel bike and did the rebuild as an experiment but I am going to keep it as it is will maybe go a bit narrower on the tyre's if possible

[vulgar]

Funny ,Its always the same read, every one moans about this and that , hier te lank daar te kort....but have you actually trained (cramping is fatigue,80% of the time)? Does your ego get the better of you, "No I am doing the long one, I haven't trained but giving it my best shot..."2days later crying on every social media platform. A bad plumber always blames his tools...

This course was Gravel friendly to the T, It was fast ,sandy ,tight corners and some obstacles thrown in for good measure. It felt like a kermis koers in Belguim at times, after every corner I was out the saddle sprinting to close the gap asap.  Sticking my foot out going fast around corners with very sandy patches at times drifting lekker, loved it. The corrugation made you select your line of choice, forever you thinking, left or right who is riding where...few times I was riding on my own on right side for instance choosing a softer line instead of the harder rocky middel or right side....

The thing I love with the gravel is that you need a good sense of skill, a bit of finesse not to be to hard on the material and power to "fly" ontop of the corrugation, to slow and you get stuck in a rut...

Positives; Great course , good weather, no wind ,got 2nd 5h10min

Negatives ; Expensive race being a Stormer, number was made for me as they ran out, no pins or cabel ties at collection, I received no email stating I need an SAS board, emails was not answered....

Lucky it was a once off, ticked that box.

Tech: Factor LS 700 x 40 Pirelli Cinturato gravel M tyres. Gear ratio 48 x 44/10 Mullet axs system

Uswe 1.3lit + 500ml wtbtl for entire race had 150ml left. 3 x drink mix 320 sachets maurten spread.

Nutrition; 4 x 160 gel maurten  1 x gel caf 100 maurten 1 x S.I.S.U toothpaste tube carbs

 

[FootballingCyclist]

On 5/13/2024 at 11:45 AM, Jbr said:

I lost my race there overcooking one of the last turn and couldn't make up the gap to the line. 🤣

 

Am I missing the sarcasm here seeing as you actually are the new Vets SA Champ and you won your Cat? LOL

 

Congrats again btw.

[Jbr]

54 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Am I missing the sarcasm here seeing as you actually are the new Vets SA Champ and you won your Cat? LOL

 

Congrats again btw.

Thanks man ! So the story is that we thought we were racing 10years cats both for R2tS and for SA's, so I was treating everyone in my batch as rivals. Did everything right (I think), broke away after the portage and put on a good gap quite easily, but somehow got caught again by two guys in the two sharp turns before the road, then I managed to go in the front before the last turns into the finish line sprint (by that time we were only two left), but got surprised by a couple more turns that I didn't expect and took a bit hot, once I was able to get on the gas the other guy was too far for me to outsprint him. I then thought I'd lost the jersey, but learnt two hours later that SA's were 5 years cats and that the other guy was 30-34 !

So yeah in the end I'm SA champ in my cat, and 2nd of my batch by 1sec, sub 5 hour and something like 24th overall on time.

Unfortunately the 3hour wait for the podium mean't I had to leave straight after CSA podium and I missed the R2tS podium. After motoring back to Hartbies to pack the bike, shower quick we went straight to OR Tambo and just managed to catch our flight. What a day !

Edited May 15 by Jbr

[Bub Marley]

16 hours ago, NicoSmit said:

This is my version of a Frankenstein gravel monster

Still not 100% sold on the looks of these frankenmonsters yet. However, I think this has got to be the best looking conversion I’ve seen to date.

[Irvin85]

19 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

Still not 100% sold on the looks of these frankenmonsters yet. However, I think this has got to be the best looking conversion I’ve seen to date.

It looks like a Mtb with road handle bars. what am I missing? 

[Dexter-morgan]

I actually saw a Trek Super caliber with Drop bars on the race, proper weapon.

[Bub Marley]

31 minutes ago, Irvin85 said:

It looks like a Mtb with road handle bars. what am I missing? 

Nothing.

 

99% of them are ugly as hell. This one while still ugly, is maybe least ugliest that I’ve seen so far.

[NicoSmit]

6 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

Nothing.

 

99% of them are ugly as hell. This one while still ugly, is maybe least ugliest that I’ve seen so far.

I dont care if you like it or not even if it was day glo pink it was still a better  ride on the RTTS than last year when it was a mtb. Luckly not everybody likes Smarties 

[Sanette Rostoll]

On 5/14/2024 at 11:31 AM, Pandatron said:

Unless I'm missing something, race organizer has outlined it as tragic in official communication. Haven't seen them say it was a freak accident. 

[Charity85]

3 hours ago, Sanette Rostoll said:

https://racetothesun.co.za/2024/05/15/tribute-francois-mienie/ position has changed a bit according to latest statement matter is still under investigation. As previously stated I rate they were quick to call it a freak accident to protect their brand.