My Momentum 94.7 Experience

The Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge isn’t called Jo’burg’s toughest race for nothing, as I would find out on Sunday the 20^th of November. Not that the 2011 edition was my first Cycle Challenge, but it was certainly a morning of firsts, and by far my toughest Cycle Challenge to date.

As the alarm clock on the phone chimed at 03h45, I knew that we would be in for one epic day out. Cycle challenge Sunday arrived with all of its fanfare, and we were ready to take to the streets of Johannesburg for a double lap. Yes, a double lap in aid of CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation). So there I stood, donning my Cows branded cycle kit, liberally applying sunscreen, and forcing down a bowl of breakfast, I had no idea of what the next few hours held for me.

As per the instructions, Team Apocalypse Cows congregated (most of us anyway) at the corner of Maxwell and the R55 waiting to head up to our starting pens for our 05h55 off, with the VD (Racing Vets).

Pictures in the pens taken, the countdown followed, and all hell broke loose. The bunch surged up the R55, past Makro, and onto the M1 South. The pace was violent. Survived the first attack. Fantastic. I thought I was the last man standing, back of the peleton, and so I put the hammer down to sit with the peleton, and try and hide a bit and recover. Where were the others, ahead?

It was not easy, and the pace climbed steadily, as did the M1 approaching Corlett, wait, Atholl, wait, no Glenhove, and the next thing we knew, we were at St Andrews. Yes, 20km in, in less than 25 Mins. You can average out the speed we did.

The climb up St. Andrews spat me out the back of the pack, and I was firmly on my own. Every kilo of carbs that from week before were depleted, and I was 20km into the race. Solution time.

Solo time trial to the M2, and at this point I caught onto the Paige Project Peleton. I managed to sit with the Paige Project all the way to Randburg, until the climb to Homestead. Spat out, but recovered a bit.

At Homestead, I merged into the VE Group of Vets, and survived VE downhill to Witkoppen, recovery. Once again, spat out on the Climb up to Malibongwe, the tank was really on low. Duncan and George, your words of encouragement were great, I just had nothing in the legs to offer. By the time that I reached the 70km Mark, the time was 1h55. Sub 3 could happen, so I thought. Then came the N14.

The N14 is a piece of Tarmac etched in the mind of every cyclist. Punishing, and a highway from hell, to hell. That’s where the tank ran totally flat. Passed by the Pro-ladies just before the turn off, felt as though I wasn’t moving, perhaps I wasn’t.

The end of the N14 is a point to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Not that Blue Hills is easier, it’s just less mentally draining. The Blue hills water point called for a stop, and for imbibing copious amounts of blue energy drink, like a bachelor the night before. Lifesaver.

The blue stuff got things going again, and there was Ian, pacing nicely, and happy to do a double lap, Not my day, I left on for the finish line, The ride down past the track was not eventful, and to be honest the finish wasn’t either, perhaps, I don’t remember it?

If I learnt anything from this baptism of fire, I learnt not to go out too hot. But that was not the main lesson. The main lesson to be learnt was to count.

If there were 10 guys in front of me, then where were the other 19?

Correct, behind me. The best racing strategy would have been to form a second bus, perhaps a 3h10 bus, and everyone finishes in one piece. Live and learn. Love living life.

The Believe MTB Challenge

This is sure to be a great event, and its for a great cause. 

Horses for Courses

If there ever was a need to explain the adage of Horses for Courses, the perfect example would be the right bike for the right conditions. I’m not referring to using a Road Bike on the trail, or Heaven forbid a Mountain Bike on the Road. We all know that the above is either unfeasible or just “not the done thing”.

Under a recent invitation to the Cape, I took a bike with to ride. Previously, I had only ever taken a Road Bike to the Cape. Not a bad judgment call in itself, since the Peninsula provides some of the most sublime road riding, but not this time. In no uncertain terms, I was told, this would be a Mountain Biking Trip. Good and well then. Deciding on the bike.

Much has been touted about the virtues of the 29r, and its ease and speed in comparison to the smaller wheeled 26r’s. Less so has been the critique of the 29r, the sheer bulk, and length, making tight single track and climbing challenging to say the least, not withstanding rider skill, in this case lack thereof.  With the above predisposition in mind, I took the conscious choice to challenge the establishment and take the 29r to the Cape. 

Our first ride was at the relatively easy flowing Tokai Forest. Being Cape Town, climbing is mandatory, and you look for the flats as opposed to the hills, the polar opposite of Gauteng. As I arrived at the ride, I noted the lack of 29r’s, instead…

The vast number of 26r Full Suspension Bikes. Not just ordinary Full Suspension machines either, 120mm Travel + Forks. There I was thinking, I’m a unique non-conformist, so I’m pretty chuffed with my 29r. Not so much after the first 800m of climbing. The lack of 29r’s became a little more logical to me. Let’s not discount, the fact the fact that the rider has not taken a serious ride since the sani2c, but the inability to climb was clear to see.

The second challenge to the 29r took place at the Velvanpas Estate. Technical riding was the order of the day. Once again, I discount my own technical shortcomings, but by no means am I totally green to the concept of tight single track. A really long wheelbase coupled with a 2x10 Gear-set made the trail one of the hardest I’ve ever ridden.  The 29r just does not cope in tight single track. By their very nature, 29r’s are designed to complement the taller rider, as a taller rider, I’m on a XL sized frame. In car terms it’s like trying to put an S-Class Mercedes Benz on a Go Cart track. It just does not compute.

The 3^rd test for the 29r took place at the relatively tame Jonkershoek trail. Loads of jeep track, and mild gradients made the 29r feel a little more at home. Not entirely. Thankfully this ride allowed me to rekindle the 29r love, and not burn the bike in a sacrifice to Table Mountain.

At this stage you must be thinking one of two things. He is a useless rider, which is not entirely incorrect, and 29rs are useless, which is only partially correct. Or a combination of both. The truth is, I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of the 29r whirlwind, and riding a 29r in various environments has helped me in debunking the 29r myths and 26r virtues. 29r’s are not designed for the Cape. 29r’s are designed for Gauteng.  You can ride a 29r in the Cape or in Gauteng, it’s about rider skill, and that is the final word in the debate. It’s not always the tools at your disposal, but how well you make use of them. For mere mortals, extolling the virtues of a 29r in the Cape is much harder than it is in Gauteng!

The simple reality of it is. You take the right bike to the right ride. Iron Horses for Courses! What am I riding this weekend? The 29r of course. Back in Johannesburg. Seeking hills. 

29r's here to stay, but why?

Up until about two years ago there were generally two schools of thought in the world of cycling. Those who believed that Lance Armstrong doped, and those who believed that he was (is) innocent. A debate, on which both sides will vehemently defend their stance. If we thought that this was the debate to end all debates in cycling, my word, were we wrong.

This debate paled into insignificance with the advent of the 29r. What was perceived to be the biggest single evolution in cycling, perhaps since the advent of Carbon Fibre. The 29r set out to change how we Mountain Biked, forever.

In around 2009 there were a hand full of 29r’s out there, with Godfather of the 29r arguably being, Gary Fisher. 29r’s were ridden by non-conformists, and a handful of aficionados who “knew something”. 69r’s seemed to be a stop-gap, and did not take off particularly well, definitely not as well as their sexual namesake.

There were (are) those who defend the 26r, and those who advocate the 29r. Strangely, there are few who openly chastise the 26r, or 29r for that matter. So how did the 29r become so popular?

Certainly up in Gauteng, the 29r in general gained popularity because of its ease of application on most of our trails. The fact is; the 29r is faster over open track or district road. The 29r comes with a few setbacks of its own. No, its not faster off the line, it is slower, and tight and twisties at pace, you’re going to struggle. On a few occasions, I came close to putting the bike down, sections I had regularly done with the 26r, with no sweat.

I can only see that people have become enamored with the 29r because of its speed advantage. Road Converts perhaps? Speed does not however make up for an absence of technical skill. Pro’s riding 29r’s will become that much faster, and that much better, and on the other side of it, fun-riders on 29r’s will be great on the flats, and that much slower on technical stuff. The good will get better, and the average, will remain just that, average.

The future of 29r’s
29r’s are here to stay, but real Mountain Bikers are those who cut their teeth on 26r’s, those who know what a rutted district road is, those who know how to ride roots and rocks, because 3 inches can’t make up for experience, well, that’s what she said.

Excuse me now while I go and prep my 29r for tomorrow’s ride, because, Lance was wrong. It is about the bike, sometimes.