[Event] Canola Roller 2024 Greyton gravel grind

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Looking forward to it as well. Stunning photos 🤙

[bleedToWin]

@guidodg any water crossings?

[guidodg]

not really no… the route is actually pretty dry with possibly a tiny bit of mud after thursday’s predicted rain… but generally it will be a dry (awesome) route

[MongooseMan]

@guidodg are we finishing through the forest single track?

are you not concerned about 130k leaders running into the back of the 30/80k riders there?

[guidodg]

....from the race organizers...

I doubt there will be an issue however those very slow riders can be redirected up the road if we anticipate an issue.

[MongooseMan]

53 minutes ago, guidodg said:

....from the race organizers...

 

I doubt there will be an issue however those very slow riders can be redirected up the road if we anticipate an issue.

Cool, just want to avoid @Jbr and @Sid the Sloth running into the back of my mom on her ebike 🤣

[Kom]

Not surprised - more so - accomodation literally non-existent too - going to be a good one!

[Skubarra]

1 hour ago, Kom said:

Not surprised - more so - accomodation literally non-existent too - going to be a good one!

Great news for the organisers! Managed to get accommodation so we will be staying the weekend. Weather is looking decent for cycling.

[guidodg]

On 9/17/2024 at 7:03 AM, MongooseMan said:

@guidodg are we finishing through the forest single track?

are you not concerned about 130k leaders running into the back of the 30/80k riders there?

We have decided to only route the 130km riders through the forest to avoid backmarkers for both the 130 and 80 frontrunners....so the 80 and 30 routes will bypass the forest section at the end of the race...no other way without running into logistical nightmares

Have been out marking the route for the past 2 days...quite challenging especially through the farms since the roads are quite rough.

There will be marshals where the different routes split off from each other and there are boards with red arrows marking the 130\80\30 directions.

The traffic dept will man the 2 crossings of the R406.

We did advise riders on the website and Entrininja to download the .gpx files for the rides since it gives one extra level of safety in case they miss the red arrows for any reason...but the route is well marked to the best of my knowledge...

[guidodg]

[Jbr]

15 hours ago, guidodg said:

especially through the farms since the roads are quite rough.

*me dropping .5 bars on my tires 😄

15 hours ago, guidodg said:

We did advise riders on the website and Entrininja to download the .gpx files for the rides since it gives one extra level of safety in case they miss the red arrows for any reason...but the route is well marked to the best of my knowledge...

Ja that's a must, there's often kids messing around with the marking, and okes complain about missing turns

[guidodg]

yup, I run 1,8 and 1,6 bars on 45mm Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M

The marking is always a worry with possible wind taking down signs, kids messing around etc...I have asked a local on a motorbike to ride the whole route early on saturday morning...

Riders often have their heads down at a crucial turn but race organizers cannot be expected to put a marshal at every single turn...so insisting on riders using a GPS for routing with audible turn alarms is paramount.

[Donovan Le Cok]

1 hour ago, guidodg said:

yup, I run 1,8 and 1,6 bars on 45mm Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M

The marking is always a worry with possible wind taking down signs, kids messing around etc...I have asked a local on a motorbike to ride the whole route early on saturday morning...

Riders often have their heads down at a crucial turn but race organizers cannot be expected to put a marshal at every single turn...so insisting on riders using a GPS for routing with audible turn alarms is paramount.

The Best solution I have seen from mountain biking races are arrows made of chalk powder on the ground. It is difficult to remove, get blown away etc.

[SimbaChippie]

Looks like this will be a perfect day out on the bike! Haven't raced in a good few years, so will be taking it easy......probably not 😅.

Looks like a laka route! 

[bleedToWin]

18 hours ago, guidodg said:

Have been out marking the route for the past 2 days...quite challenging especially through the farms since the roads are quite rough.

Oof... 😱

[guidodg]

ok , finished marking...some signs were vandalised, one got put in the middle of the road by a vandal so we had TWK sending us emails about obstructing public roads...a farmer took down some of our signs since he though they pointed into his farm...etc etc..all sorted now

some of the route is muddy today after last nights heavy rain but should dry out tomorrow...but expect a little bit of mud in places..

the forest section at the end has been omitted for logistical reasons but no biggie...it was a short section and is quite wet now anyways...

otherwise good to go...weather for Saturday looks good!!