Sani Pass Transfrontier Mountain Bike Epic

[Thug]

Same weekend as the 24hr 

[TooManyMatts]

Hi

 

 

 

What sort of fitness level do you have to have to finish this thing?

 

 

 

I am really keen to do this with my girlfriend this year but I'm not sure it's do-able.

 

 

 

@ the guys who have made it before, what training did you do for it?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

[Guest Agteros]

 

 

I did it with +- 450km of cycling (few races, and the occasional training ride) .. but that is just me

 

My time for the above was a slow 4H18 of which roughly 75% was spent to climb to the top (~21km)

 

Average Gradient profile as follows

Start to 15km (Roughly the SA Borderpost): 3.5%: 584m ascent

SA Borderpost to 19km (2km before top): 11% : 436m ascent

19km to top (turn around @ ~21km): 15.6% : 311m ascent

 

Total ascent for the race was 1420m starting at ~ 1404m, ending at 2685m above sea level.

 

So it is pretty straight up, and then straight down. Take granny gear with and make sure your brakes work! (even if it is only for mental re-assurance!)

 

Dress for all seasons (layered)

 

The top 2km was very steep, twisty, lots of loose rock (nothing really!) with very sharp drop offs next to the road

 

Top ten last year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race No.	Name	Name 2	Category	Sex	Age	Race Time
90	Max	Knox	Classic	M	Senior	02:31:55
89	Brandon	Stewart	Classic	M	Senior	02:31:56
57	Shaun	Peschl	Classic	M	Senior	02:37:04
40	Andrew	Hill	Classic	M	Senior	02:40:07
54	Daniel	Otto	Classic	M	Veteran	02:57:03
85	Axel	Poser	Classic	M	Veteran	03:07:27
42	Cor-Jacques	Kat	Classic	M	Senior	03:10:09
4	Richard	Arnold	Classic	M	Veteran	03:10:44
62	Jeremy	Sanders	Classic	M	Sub Veteran	03:12:45
76	Simon	Wyer	Classic	M	Veteran	03:14:06

 

Bottom ten times last year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M	Senior	05:00:47
M	Sub Veteran	05:01:17
M	Master	05:09:24
F	Master	05:14:38
M	Veteran	05:36:55
M	Veteran	05:38:04
F	Veteran	05:43:44
M	Veteran	05:43:46
F	Sub Veteran	05:47:16
M	Sub Veteran	05:47:20

 

 

Agteros2009-10-30 12:48:53

[Guest Agteros]

Profiles on page 2

 

Anything is doable, the real questions are

a) in how much of a hurry you are?

b) how well do your lungs function in thin air?

 

In the end it is more about mental toughness than sheer ability. It really is a race of two parts:

21km uphill (do not be fooled by the gentle and flat-ish patches close to the start!)

 

After turning around, it is an absolute jol racing down the mountain (and a rude surprise to pedal the final stretch!)

 

NOW I WANT TO GO DO THIS AGAIN

 

[TooManyMatts]

Man I'm so keen for this! Thanks for the info Agteros

[Thug]

Giving serious thought to skipping the 24hr and doing this. Have already managed to get a posse together.

[Veloce]

I was thinking about doing this ride, now that I've seen these photos my entry has already been paid for!!

[-Gazza-]

Are there any places that offer camping near the sani pass?

[epoh]

Thug, let's go!!! I am keen!!

[Thug]

Okidoki then.

 

 

 

Entry & Accommodation paid for. Need to start some seriaaaaas hill training!

 

 

 

 

[Thug]

Are there any other Hubbers apart from Epoh, Zaskar, Jules, Bored Girl, JMaccelari and myself doing this race ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Agteros]

Thug, I'd love to go do it again. All indications however point towards me having to give it a miss

[TooManyMatts]

I just looked at the weather predictions. EISH!!!! thats all I can say folks.

 

 

 

http://www.weathersa.co.za/Weather.asp?ProdType=5&fpgid=7day68572

 

 

 

Thats the URL for the SA Weather Service so you can go check it out for yourself. A summary would be that its going to be 19, raining and possibly storming. These predictions are for Underburg so you can expect it to be worse and much colder at Sani Pass.

 

 

 

Will people still ride in those conditions? I'm bleek, I have to confess after all the hilly training....

[epoh]

ayoba! It is going to be hardcore! IanJ hardcore!

[Borriz]

Be warned! Once you've done this race you'll be tempted for more hardcore riding!

We did this in 2005 and absolutely loved every second of it. did it on a Marin hardtail. My breaks overcooked on every straight. So had to cool them down and only use in hairpins.

We did the full 72km. Blackmountain is the $h%@! You start getting head aches and sharp pain behind your eyes because of lack of air. Its only 4km but you climb 400m I think.

 

You don't need passports as race organisers arrange with border post.

 

Don't give your energy bars to locals - they're not accustomed to the high levels of sugar and other gunk we are. They end up being very sick

[Thug]

 

Don't give your energy bars to locals - they're not accustomed to the high levels of sugar and other gunk we are. They end up being very sick

 

 

 

Damn, I was hoping to do a swop. Kinda like a couple of PVM bars for some green stuff.

 

 

 

Guess I'll have to pack away my 80lt backpack.