Gravel burn 2025

[Bub Marley]

Probably a good idea to bring a spare set of shoes if you doing a multi stage event.

[capediver]

22 hours ago, jcza said:

There were plenty corrugations but one cannot complain about corrugations when riding gravel in the karoo. I think it was day 2 where there was a technical section called The Shallot but it was short and necessary to get over a little hill. The neutralized stage 6 (think it was supposed to be the queen stage) had the long rocky/technical section. We all rode it but nobody raced it and a MTB would be better suited. 

May I present to you typical Karoo corrugations....And I was on that smooth 6"s on the edge!

[lukelockie]

I rode the event, and purposefully rode well within myself to soak it all in and create some videos. You can see them on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lockiebalboa/

I just shot on a phone so don't expect any footage of the challenging sections

Overall, it was long and challenging, but my expectations were set before the event: no racing, just vibes.

Yes there was wind. Yes some sections were corrugated. But the views were incredible, the camaraderie was awesome, and the off-bike experience was world-class (other than a few toilet-related issues).

 

Stage 6 was wild. Coming from an MTB background, I absolutely loved the technical nature of it, but can totally understand why others hated it. With that being said, 144km is a long way, especially after 137km the day before, and 100+ the day before that.

 

I rode on my Giant Revolt Ad Pro 1 with 50C Maxxis ramblers and had my first flat tyre in the last KM of the race when I found one of Shamwari's biggest thorns sticking through both sidewalls of my front tyre.

Make no mistake, the event is a challenge, but with hours in the saddle on gravel, and a mindset that is balanced with your expectations, it is totally doable. 

 

There will be loads of negative opinions and feedback here on BH, but I'd think that a large portion of the comments are from riders who weren't there. 

 

Are there things that need to be improved? Absolutely! 

 

Being back at work these past two days has certainly felt easier than riding

[Eugene Oppelt]

Cool content

 

[MongooseMan]

 

[Michael S]

On 10/27/2025 at 6:14 PM, DieselnDust said:

 

In the mean time the 45+ crowd is following the event and watching their fellow 45+ mates come to the realisation that gravel racing has more in common with a PPA road race in the Perdeberg region than the cape epic and wondering just wft they got themselves into. 
cape epic allows you to trundle along at endurance pace , get to the finish and you can call yourself awesome. Gravel burn asks you to smash threshold and stay there for a few hours till the legs scream enough and then you still have 40km to ride in a blown state. 
the DNFs yesterday and DNS today raised my eyebrows. More than I expected 

I think this is just the opposite actually. 
Having rode this at pretty much zone 2 for 7 days as not to cook myself as most days are 4h ish and up. I was continually moving up in GC through the week. 

The only time I had to dabble in some Z4/5 was up climbs so steep that I had to add power just to stay on the bike, and the odd threshold bit to bridge to a group, but that happend like twice. I was happy to let groups go if they were above my pay grade. 

With the amount of steep climbing in epics, you have to go there often just to stay on the bike (or walk) where as with the relativley gradual slopes of a gravel course, you can happily spin up 90% of the climbs sitting in Z2 and pace your efforts evenly.

Sure, you are not going to podium, but that’s not why the vast majority of participants are there.

Edited November 18, 2025 by Michael S

[the_roadie]

4 minutes ago, Michael S said:

I think this is just the opposite actually. 
Having rode this at pretty much zone 2 for 7 days as not to cook myself as most days are 4h and up. I was continually moving up in GC through the week. 

The only time I had to dabble in some Z4/5 was up climbs so steep that I had to add power just to stay on the bike, and the odd threshold bit to bridge to a group, but that happend like twice. I was happy to let groups go if they were above my pay grade. 

With the amount of steep climbing in epics, you have to go there often just to stay on the bike (or walk) where as with the relativley gradual slopes of a gravel course, you can happily spin up 90% of the climbs sitting in Z2 and pace your efforts evenly.

Sure, you are not going to podium, but that’s not why the vast majority of participants are there.

My experience as well. Actually regret not going harder on day 1. If the weather + route is the same for next year, I would go harder on day 1, then "recover" on day 2 - 4 to maintain a good GC position, and then smash it the last 3 days, especially day 7.

Having not done Epic, I can't speak for what's required there, but for GB I think solid base and skills training to handle the long technical descends will allow most to finish. Won't be enjoyable, but you'll finish.

[DieselnDust]

23 minutes ago, Michael S said:

I think this is just the opposite actually. 
Having rode this at pretty much zone 2 for 7 days as not to cook myself as most days are 4h ish and up. I was continually moving up in GC through the week. 

The only time I had to dabble in some Z4/5 was up climbs so steep that I had to add power just to stay on the bike, and the odd threshold bit to bridge to a group, but that happend like twice. I was happy to let groups go if they were above my pay grade. 

With the amount of steep climbing in epics, you have to go there often just to stay on the bike (or walk) where as with the relativley gradual slopes of a gravel course, you can happily spin up 90% of the climbs sitting in Z2 and pace your efforts evenly.

Sure, you are not going to podium, but that’s not why the vast majority of participants are there.

Thanks for YOUR perspective. How many guys actually followed that similar strategy. feedback i was getting was the pace was high and many riders were just hanging on for as long as they could then dropped to save their legs and get to the finish,

[Michael S]

5 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Thanks for YOUR perspective. How many guys actually followed that similar strategy. feedback i was getting was the pace was high and many riders were just hanging on for as long as they could then dropped to save their legs and get to the finish,

Your mates are  probably in the top 100 or so? The pointy end was very strong so hanging on in there would have wild no doubt, but yeah that is pacing a long event like this right, or any race for that matter. 

But throughout the field you could either overextend and go with a faster bunch than you should and hang on for dear life or finish with some reserve, drop back and get a group that works (Unless you are last). Your choice on how you want to 'race' I guess. The field was very wide so somewhere you find someone that fits your bill. 

My point was, if pointy end racing is not why you are there, you could actually take it easier than you could at an epic for instance because the route would allow it, even if you are toddling along on your own. 

This was my longest event and I wanted to enjoy it, so I was quite conservative, and strict, in my pacing to ensure I make it though and feel “good” not dead. I would say not many followed this strategy, but more should have, what is the diffence between 150th and 250th anyway?

[jcza]

I agree that Gravel Burn was much easier than Epic, maybe because I also took it easy and rode with mates but the climbing is not nearly as relentless and brutal. Many of the participants rode with mates and raced some days and relaxed on other days. I rode hard on day 1, only because I was cold/wet and wanted to finish but easyish the other days. My GC and Category position did not change much but it was more enjoyable. 

[J Wakefield]

A race, event or stage is only as hard as you make it. Doesnt matter if it is epic or gravel burn or racing your dog to the front door. 

[Bub Marley]

6 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Thanks for YOUR perspective. How many guys actually followed that similar strategy. feedback i was getting was the pace was high and many riders were just hanging on for as long as they could then dropped to save their legs and get to the finish,

I think people went too hard to try and draft but a 7 day gravel stage race is still very new. There aren’t many 7 day stage races worldwide in comparison to mtb. And if you’re there with no suspension, narrower tyres and you’re trying to stay in a bunch you will blow up.

[W@nted]

1 hour ago, J Wakefield said:

A race, event or stage is only as hard as you make it. Doesnt matter if it is epic or gravel burn or racing your dog to the front door. 

Except for Attakwas. I have only suffered there, no matter I slow I tried to ride it. 😔

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Maddy Nutt posted her video of GB on YT. She mentions some of the "Epic type" camp issues they had to deal with. It seems inevitable on a production of that size. Overall still a very positive review of the event.

[Shebeen]

found this entertaining

 

rt 1

pa

[DieselnDust]

19 hours ago, J Wakefield said:

A race, event or stage is only as hard as you make it. Doesnt matter if it is epic or gravel burn or racing your dog to the front door. 

And men being men we will make it as hard as it can be ….because because 

this is the way