the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[Robbie Stewart]

3 hours ago, El Duderino said:

I think that was @MORNE

Nah, Mamil is correct. I said that after getting slammed into a pile of rocks at the top of Hoogekraal Cobra. At the time I was nursing some rather unpleasant injuries, but it is strange how once you're mended again how you forget about those incidents.

But it could also be that Morné feels the same after his last time coming off the bike. 

[NotSoBigBen]

Is it plausible that a fairly large percentage of the mountain bikers who would be doing the type of events being discussed may not be able to progress any further technically, even with 'lessons' ? I know that despite lots of practice and yes I even went to a skills clinic once .... I certainly have reached my limit and there are many many things I would not even attempt to ride 🤔

Of course the next question would be why do they enter then ... IMHO as with many other things in life ... BECAUSE THEY CAN

As always, ramblings of a 'timer that may be totally irrelevant of course 🤪

[Robbie Stewart]

4 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

Of course the next question would be why do they enter then ... IMHO as with many other things in life ... BECAUSE THEY CAN

The rub for me comes in when spending the kind of dosh the ACE requires for entry and then getting held up by people who couldn't give a toss about actually being up to the terrain expectations of the day because they don't have technical skills. And as Diesel has said, then when passing these people they get aggro. If I have to choose between getting frustrated to the point of a near-cardiac event and just skipping altogether I would choose the latter.

(Edit) There's more to MTB'ing than just pedaling far for long.

Edited Sunday at 03:33 PM by Robbie Stewart

[MORNE]

8 hours ago, El Duderino said:

I think that was @MORNE

Huh? What? The only thing holding me back from sending all the lines at the moment is a totally useless/unstable shoulder🤣🤣. Docter told me 12 months….ive already gone down some blacks to try it out👀 (Luckily they dont know my strava handle)  

But in my current mildly disabled state I go down blue trails, hit the brakes hard and feel like i want to go over the bars because there is almost nothing to push against😅 

look at this mess:

Edited Sunday at 04:00 PM by MORNE

[Mamil]

2 hours ago, MORNE said:

Huh? What? The only thing holding me back from sending all the lines at the moment is a totally useless/unstable shoulder🤣🤣. Docter told me 12 months….ive already gone down some blacks to try it out👀 (Luckily they dont know my strava handle)  

But in my current mildly disabled state I go down blue trails, hit the brakes hard and feel like i want to go over the bars because there is almost nothing to push against😅 

look at this mess:

That looks terrible.

That you not listening to the doctor makes me anxious on your behalf.

I'm very medically compliant. If the doctor says "don't bend your hip past 90 degrees" I get a raised toilet seat and pooh with me legs straight out in front of me. If the physio says do 3 sets of 20 stupid little movements with whatever limb is affected by my lack of MTB skills, I do 3 sets of 20 with all the rigour of an initiate in a monastery looking to be ordained.

 

[MORNE]

11 hours ago, Mamil said:

That looks terrible.

That you not listening to the doctor makes me anxious on your behalf.

I'm very medically compliant. If the doctor says "don't bend your hip past 90 degrees" I get a raised toilet seat and pooh with me legs straight out in front of me. If the physio says do 3 sets of 20 stupid little movements with whatever limb is affected by my lack of MTB skills, I do 3 sets of 20 with all the rigour of an initiate in a monastery looking to be ordained.

 

(sorry for the thread derail)

Yea it is quite a mess i’m told. And cost the medical aid a good R300k…just so i can fulfil my dream of becoming the wolverine. No Adamantium available apparently so titanium had to do😅.  

I’m taking it super easy, and not taking any real risks. I’m literally just plonking along for my own mental health more than anything. I’m fully aware that there will be no riding in anger this side of 2025. I listen to my body first and foremost, and yes…it’s 100% not ready for me to be irresponsible yet. (Its been 12 weeks)

[Ozzie NL]

15 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

The rub for me comes in when spending the kind of dosh the ACE requires for entry and then getting held up by people who couldn't give a toss about actually being up to the terrain expectations of the day because they don't have technical skills. And as Diesel has said, then when passing these people they get aggro. If I have to choose between getting frustrated to the point of a near-cardiac event and just skipping altogether I would choose the latter.

(Edit) There's more to MTB'ing than just pedaling far for long.

Given people are seeded in batches based on their race results, there are not many "being held up" issues at Epic... Exception can be Prologue depending on how accurate your estimated time was.

 

There will always be the issue of some people climbing faster whilst others descend faster ... I cannot see a way around that

[ChrisF]

2026 Registration day

 

BEST wishes to those that are registering today.

 

 

Looking forward to supporting friends that are taking the leap to take on this challenge.

 

[DieselnDust]

13 hours ago, Mamil said:

That looks terrible.

That you not listening to the doctor makes me anxious on your behalf.

I'm very medically compliant. If the doctor says "don't bend your hip past 90 degrees" I get a raised toilet seat and pooh with me legs straight out in front of me. If the physio says do 3 sets of 20 stupid little movements with whatever limb is affected by my lack of MTB skills, I do 3 sets of 20 with all the rigour of an initiate in a monastery looking to be ordained.

 

compliance or rather lack thereof is the number one cause of escalation of medical conditions according to my GP and other medical professionals in my circle of friends.

Tell a patient take 2 panado's and call the doc in the morning, they will take none and call back in a week.

Physio tells you to move the leg, patient sits on a couch beer in  hand watching rugby. Apparently the weight of the beer activates the hip flexor.....

Human's ....we are our own worst enemy 😂

[DieselnDust]

23 minutes ago, Ozzie NL said:

Given people are seeded in batches based on their race results, there are not many "being held up" issues at Epic... Exception can be Prologue depending on how accurate your estimated time was.

 

There will always be the issue of some people climbing faster whilst others descend faster ... I cannot see a way around that

assuming the team mates are evenly matched....

If one is fast enough to be in D batch while the other is only good enough for O then there is going to be problems since the O will dictate the start batch

[Ozzie NL]

3 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

assuming the team mates are evenly matched....

If one is fast enough to be in D batch while the other is only good enough for O then there is going to be problems since the O will dictate the start batch

Sure but that is something you know before you start the race and will have to reconcile yourself with as the faster rider (that you will be riding well below your own pace) ... it should not cause any hold ups for other riders as in this scenario you will be riding O batch pace

[DieselnDust]

9 minutes ago, Ozzie NL said:

Sure but that is something you know before you start the race and will have to reconcile yourself with as the faster rider (that you will be riding well below your own pace) ... it should not cause any hold ups for other riders as in this scenario you will be riding O batch pace

errrrrrm yes, but you that rider will be attempting to ride while the O's will be walking.

There are walkers even in D and that delivers the same result. It happens all the time. Bardies article in Tread talks to this. A lack of technical riding upskilling in favour of more speed and endurance training. Add in a very technical trail or 4 and you have hold ups

[Shebeen]

53 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

errrrrrm yes, but you that rider will be attempting to ride while the O's will be walking.

There are walkers even in D and that delivers the same result. It happens all the time. Bardies article in Tread talks to this. A lack of technical riding upskilling in favour of more speed and endurance training. Add in a very technical trail or 4 and you have hold ups

The answer seems fairly obvious to me.

there are okes dropping massive ZARs on doing the epic. They get everything from the latest SWorks (that not even those red jersey guys on the podium can justify this to their sponsors), training plans, nutrition plans, bling training camps, camp upgrade everything, massage. 

but they don't seem to think that entry level skills training is worth the effort/money?

A simple 3/4 sessions with a competent rider/coach will get them down the hills quicker and with less effort. and ENJOY it more. Seems like the easiest bang for buck, or maybe I am missing something?

 

the other option is to name and shame, or get more of this content out.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2122325068001413

 

 

 

[MarcoDeS]

Anyone keen to sponsor or have me as their plus 1 for 2026 epic? 😬😀

[Paul Ruinaard]

On 3/29/2025 at 12:45 PM, Zebra said:

I thought it was a very well-balanced article, which gave me a much-clearer idea of just how much this event has changed in its nature, from ‘endurance’-focus, to much more of a skills-focus.

Back in 05/06/07, it really was more of a gravel-type stage race, with say a bit of Groenlandberg, and small bits of single-track thrown in, whereas today it really is a different ‘animal’. I am wiser for reading his well-reasoned argument.

Chris

Good article IMO and the race has changed. it is going to fracxture IMO in to a pro race and a Letape type race for the amateurs in the not so distant future. Thats the only way forwrd when the levels keep increasing. That or more rigid qualification criteria than the size of your wallet and ambition.

[The Ouzo]

49 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

maybe I am missing something?

ego