TransBaviaans 2025

[JJDT]

Also my first time doing this event. Just a question for the guys who did this event before in terms of gearing. Currently running 11spd with 11- 46 with 36 Chainring. I'm not a specialist climber and will drop the front to a 34 and the question now is will this 34 - 46 ratio be sufficient for the "MAC"?

[Skubarra]

16 minutes ago, JJDT said:

Also my first time doing this event. Just a question for the guys who did this event before in terms of gearing. Currently running 11spd with 11- 46 with 36 Chainring. I'm not a specialist climber and will drop the front to a 34 and the question now is will this 34 - 46 ratio be sufficient for the "MAC"?

TB is a tricky race to pick a gear ratio for, you really need a wide as possible range because outside of fangs/MAC you are also dealing with long flat sections and relative downhills where you want big gears.

Generally speaking I think 34 and 36 are fine, depends on how you deal with long climbs usually. Fangs are very steep but relatively short. MAC is a long grind but not particularly steep.

[DieselnDust]

37 minutes ago, JJDT said:

Also my first time doing this event. Just a question for the guys who did this event before in terms of gearing. Currently running 11spd with 11- 46 with 36 Chainring. I'm not a specialist climber and will drop the front to a 34 and the question now is will this 34 - 46 ratio be sufficient for the "MAC"?

How fit/strong are you? 
 

I dropped To a 32 chainring with 10-50 cassette. Unless you’re almost elite level the 36 /46 is not going to be enoug to clear the fangs and MAC without a long walk

[JJDT]

@Skubarra I did some research on the event and have noticed that there are a few climbs such as FANGS, MAC, Never Ender and also the flat fast sections. If needed then I will need to change the ratio to maybe at least to a 50 at the rear.

@DieselnDust I'm relatively strong but I will not going for any Strava KOM's. I just want to get to the top and also have enough in the tank to get to the end as the Never Ender also lies ahead with that long drag that is relatively steep.

[HdB]

I rode with a 36T and 10-50, which was fine even though I was feeling like @%$& from before Smitskraal to the top of Bergplaas (stomach decided to be violently unhappy about something).
If you can, keep the 36T and go for the 50+ at the back, as the others have mentioned for the long flat and downhill sections.

Neverender didn't seem bad at all - I think it helped that I couldn't see it? Plus the Americano at Andrieskraal

[DieselnDust]

Remember, you may be capable of turning a 36, your team mates might not. 
also I never spun out on the flats or descents with a 32 and it allowed me a comfortable spread of gears for the big climbs.

fangs are 16% in places

MAC hits 13% but its average is about 9% and it’s 10km long. I past many  main sheet grinders with their 36’s up MAC

[HdB]

After this weekend's Tour de Plett (average temperature of 36 according to more than one Garmin), I just want to add another thing to consider - even if you are able to use a 3xT normally, keep an eye on the predicted weather. If it looks like it will be a scorcher, consider using a smaller chainring.

[Skubarra]

On 10/4/2024 at 2:30 PM, DieselnDust said:

Remember, you may be capable of turning a 36, your team mates might not. 
also I never spun out on the flats or descents with a 32 and it allowed me a comfortable spread of gears for the big climbs.

fangs are 16% in places

MAC hits 13% but its average is about 9% and it’s 10km long. I past many  main sheet grinders with their 36’s up MAC

Not sure I agree with you here - on Strava the average gradients are around 5,5% and on the steep sections the average about 8%

Guess it very much depends on your fitness but a well prepared fit rider (just ahead of mid-bunch) should be comfortable on a 34 and even a 36 if you are a bit of a grinder.

Most people I know (midpack riders) manage the long section in just more than an hour. For me the key is to pace yourself the 1st 120km so that you hit fangs and mac with matches to spare. If you pop on MAC its more likely because you went too hard in the 1st half of the race, not because of the difficulty of the climb.

[Mamil]

7 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

Not sure I agree with you here - on Strava the average gradients are around 5,5% and on the steep sections the average about 8%

Guess it very much depends on your fitness but a well prepared fit rider (just ahead of mid-bunch) should be comfortable on a 34 and even a 36 if you are a bit of a grinder.

Most people I know (midpack riders) manage the long section in just more than an hour. For me the key is to pace yourself the 1st 120km so that you hit fangs and mac with matches to spare. If you pop on MAC its more likely because you went too hard in the 1st half of the race, not because of the difficulty of the climb.

 

On 10/4/2024 at 2:30 PM, DieselnDust said:

Remember, you may be capable of turning a 36, your team mates might not. 
also I never spun out on the flats or descents with a 32 and it allowed me a comfortable spread of gears for the big climbs.

fangs are 16% in places

MAC hits 13% but its average is about 9% and it’s 10km long. I past many  main sheet grinders with their 36’s up MAC

I think this also depends on total system weight as well as whether you prefer muscle or cardiac effort - I could definitely not get up the steep pitches without my 32. I've tried 34 and it just isn't comfortable with minimal benefit on the flats and downhills - especially as teammates on bigger cranks are generally resting their legs on these sections

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, Skubarra said:

Not sure I agree with you here - on Strava the average gradients are around 5,5% and on the steep sections the average about 8%

Guess it very much depends on your fitness but a well prepared fit rider (just ahead of mid-bunch) should be comfortable on a 34 and even a 36 if you are a bit of a grinder.

Most people I know (midpack riders) manage the long section in just more than an hour. For me the key is to pace yourself the 1st 120km so that you hit fangs and mac with matches to spare. If you pop on MAC its more likely because you went too hard in the 1st half of the race, not because of the difficulty of the climb.

Averages aren’t the kicks that hurt .

there are several steep kicks that requires one to pedal. The average is only 8.1% but that accounts for negative numbers too 

 

 

[Koos Likkewaan 2]

Was coming here to find this exact info. Thanks !

Just found out I am doing my first TB this year, and very nervous about the climbs.

Any one know where I can find the profiles of these climbs ?

Lastly, would this be hardtail friendly ? 

[HdB]

11 minutes ago, Koos Likkewaan 2 said:

Was coming here to find this exact info. Thanks !

Just found out I am doing my first TB this year, and very nervous about the climbs.

Any one know where I can find the profiles of these climbs ?

Lastly, would this be hardtail friendly ? 

I had no issues with using my hardtail last year, and will almost certainly use the same bike this year. Possibly just with a change of tyres, 2.4s instead of 2.2s (assuming they fit).

We could always be unlucky and the corrugations are very bad, hope not.

[Mongoose!]

I did one TB many years ago.

As roadie I don’t ride my mtb. (my off road riding is on a gravel bike)

Decided to give it a go this year again… with my mtb

Not going for the win – mid pack finish.

My current setup is a Black inc Scalpel (2018 I believe)  and with a 42 – 11 rear and a 34 oval ring at front. (Sram GRX 11 speed)

I removed the XD freehub when my original GRX 42-10 cassette was done to replace it with a cheaper HG cassette (but still have the XD freehub)

Appears 11 speed Sram XD cassettes are rarely available and overpriced if you can find one.

There are generic XD cassettes  on AliExpress but mainly 42 – 9. Online research showed that my shifting will be very poor with my GRX rear derailleur and 9 t at the back? Can anyone confirm from firsthand experience with this?

Though to go the SLX route but realised I will need a microspline freehub. I believe my wheels are too old (American Classic Wide Lightning Race) – Not really keen on re building a new microsline hub into this old (but good contention due to minimum use) wheels and spokes… Frame non boost.

The thought of using an Eagle cassette on the XD freehub with a SLX drivetrain also crossed my mind but unfortunately, I have O C D…lol (also heard only bad things of Sram NX…)

So here my thought :

I have good 2 x 10 parts lying in my garage

42 /28 on a Hollow gram SL crank (28 brand new  / 42 still good and will accept a new chain)

New 36 -11 Sram cassette

New 10 speed Sram chain

XO 10 speed rear derailer and shifters

Luckily kept the front derailleur hardware for frame when I converted it to 1 x

Unfortunately, the only front derailleur I have that will fit the frame is a X7 but for a 39 – 26 chain set…

 

Question:

Should I go back to 2 x for this event?  (I am a back yard mechanic and can do all conversions myself)

Weigh difference will not really bother me and I will probably  convert back to 1 x after the event.

Will a 39-26 front derailleur work on a 42 -28 crank?

Will the gear ratio 28 front – 36 rear be sufficient enough?

Should I try al cheapo 42 – 9 cassette?? From AliExpress??

 

Or should I just buy a new bike….lol 🙃

Edited Thursday at 01:18 PM by Mongoose!

[HdB]

1 hour ago, Mongoose! said:

My current setup is a Black inc Scalpel (2018 I believe)  and with a 42 – 11 rear and a 34 oval ring at front. (Sram GRX 11 speed)

I removed the XD freehub when my original GRX 42-10 cassette was done to replace it with a cheaper HG cassette (but still have the XD freehub)

Appears 11 speed Sram XD cassettes are rarely available and overpriced if you can find one.

 

Since you already have an HG freehub, could you not test a SRAM 11 speed 11-42 cassette (PG1130 I think)? If you are spending a lot of time in your 10 for this race, you are aiming higher than mid-pack 😁

[Mongoose!]

45 minutes ago, HdB said:

Since you already have an HG freehub, could you not test a SRAM 11 speed 11-42 cassette (PG1130 I think)? If you are spending a lot of time in your 10 for this race, you are aiming higher than mid-pack 😁

Thats what I currently have (42 - 11) but will definitely spin out on it (oval 34 front)

[HdB]

2 minutes ago, Mongoose! said:

Thats what I currently have (42 - 11) but will definitely spin out on it (oval 34 front)

36T or 38T front then, and just crush the climbs at a 40 cadence