Michael S Posted April 8 Posted April 8 "Serious racing ambitions" is a very broad concept 😂. I will not be sitting in front with you lot, so might as well fit the big ones. It is the Dylan Johnson magic RaceKing up front, so should go well. Still need to source a suitable rear in 2.1 or 50mm as I have lost faith in Thunderburts.
Skubarra Posted April 8 Posted April 8 4 hours ago, Sid the Sloth said: The only races I would still run 45’s are the ones around Paarl, wellington, and Riebeek Kasteel, and at race to the Sea. The rest are all better on wider tyres! That is like 90% of the races 🙈
Sid the Sloth Posted April 8 Posted April 8 6 hours ago, Skubarra said: That is like 90% of the races 🙈 Swartberg races (2 on the calendar), Garden Route giro, gravel burn, any of the Gauteng gravel races I’ve done, ceder, are all wide tyres. Greyton area, Caledon, and Hermanus are better on the faster tyres. I haven’t done Stanford but I think apart from the sandy sections it’s better on a faster rolling tyre. So to me it’s 50/50 but I understand the further away races are a bit less frequently attended.
Sid the Sloth Posted April 8 Posted April 8 Just now, Sid the Sloth said: Swartberg races (2 on the calendar), Garden Route giro, gravel burn, any of the Gauteng gravel races I’ve done, ceder, are all wide tyres. Greyton area, Caledon, and Hermanus are better on the faster tyres. I haven’t done Stanford but I think apart from the sandy sections it’s better on a faster rolling tyre. So to me it’s 50/50 but I understand the further away races are a bit less frequently attended. So for my personal race day split it is only about 30% of the time I spend on the skinny tyres. And training I always like the bigger tyres for our gravel (mountain biking) in the Southern Suburbs.
Skubarra Posted April 9 Posted April 9 11 hours ago, Sid the Sloth said: Swartberg races (2 on the calendar), Garden Route giro, gravel burn, any of the Gauteng gravel races I’ve done, ceder, are all wide tyres. Greyton area, Caledon, and Hermanus are better on the faster tyres. I haven’t done Stanford but I think apart from the sandy sections it’s better on a faster rolling tyre. So to me it’s 50/50 but I understand the further away races are a bit less frequently attended. No I actually agree with you (except maybe for Swartberg which is about 40% - 50% tar?, for me only the Swartberg downhill at the end was nasty on the thinner tires) Think we are lucky that we have good gravel surfaces around CPT and for most nearby events 45mm would be perfectly fine
Carldavidjones Posted April 9 Posted April 9 Discounted ticket for The Gallows on Entry Ninja Marketplace. Get it... https://www.entryninja.com/marketplace/event/83104 Kom 1
milky4130 Posted April 9 Posted April 9 14 hours ago, Skubarra said: No I actually agree with you (except maybe for Swartberg which is about 40% - 50% tar?, for me only the Swartberg downhill at the end was nasty on the thinner tires) Think we are lucky that we have good gravel surfaces around CPT and for most nearby events 45mm would be perfectly fine @Sid the Sloth @Skubarra Not sure where you okes were in 2016 for the inaugural & original Swartberg 100 Grand Fonodo but just wanted to point out that Mike Posthumus won the event on 30 or 32mm Road Tires. Granted the gravel was Dom Perignon Quality back then. Kom and Skubarra 2
Sid the Sloth Posted April 10 Posted April 10 6 hours ago, milky4130 said: @Sid the Sloth @Skubarra Not sure where you okes were in 2016 for the inaugural & original Swartberg 100 Grand Fonodo but just wanted to point out that Mike Posthumus won the event on 30 or 32mm Road Tires. Granted the gravel was Dom Perignon Quality back then. I was in grade 11. Haha. And Matthys Beukes came top 10 on a vintage road bike the first year I did the race as well after a long day in the break! Pure Savage, BuffsVintageBikes, milky4130 and 1 other 2 2
milky4130 Posted April 10 Posted April 10 6 hours ago, Sid the Sloth said: I was in grade 11. Haha. And Matthys Beukes came top 10 on a vintage road bike the first year I did the race as well after a long day in the break! Now that you mention Matthys, I'm reminded that Mike had such an advantage with those road tires that he dropped Matthys up the Swartberg Pass, he was however on his mtb & had just came back from flu but did well to hang on for 2nd.
Bro Derek Posted April 10 Posted April 10 Which year did @eddy drag his Niner over the pass the day before the race? Those early years were fantastic. It was 'new' and the mix of bikes and people was novel
eddy Posted April 11 Posted April 11 On 4/10/2026 at 2:12 PM, Bro Derek said: Which year did @eddy drag his Niner over the pass the day before the race? Those early years were fantastic. It was 'new' and the mix of bikes and people was novel 28 April 2018. Bro Derek 1
Michael S Posted April 16 Posted April 16 How does Gageberg compare to Hans se kop? Considering my current gearing up front and only comparable thing I have been up is Hans se kop. 42t 10/51 was right on the limit there.
Skubarra Posted April 16 Posted April 16 21 minutes ago, Michael S said: How does Gageberg compare to Hans se kop? Considering my current gearing up front and only comparable thing I have been up is Hans se kop. 42t 10/51 was right on the limit there. The gravel section from Lord's Wines to the start of the tar climb long but not particularly steep. The tar climb to the finish venue is shorter but steeper than Hans se Kop, you'll be pushed to your limit there...
Pure Savage Posted April 16 Posted April 16 58 minutes ago, Skubarra said: The gravel section from Lord's Wines to the start of the tar climb long but not particularly steep. The tar climb to the finish venue is shorter but steeper than Hans se Kop, you'll be pushed to your limit there... What about from the graveyard to Lords, that about 24km I think from memory at 8%
Skubarra Posted April 16 Posted April 16 37 minutes ago, Pure Savage said: What about from the graveyard to Lords, that about 24km I think from memory at 8% good point!! In my mind the climb only started at lord's but I remember now that section - quite a few wheels came off there last year...
milky4130 Posted April 16 Posted April 16 3 hours ago, Michael S said: How does Gageberg compare to Hans se kop? Considering my current gearing up front and only comparable thing I have been up is Hans se kop. 42t 10/51 was right on the limit there. From Strava, Taking the segment from after the dip on Hanskop, it is shorter but steeper. Whereas the Galg is longer. What makes Galg harder is that it comes after 100kms, so if you spend all your pennies early on, you are going to be short when it comes to paying the bills later 😉 Michael S 1
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