The 2023 FNB Wines2Whales SWITCHBACK events are fast approaching and we’re here to help you make the most of your riding experience between Hermanus and Lourensford!
The trails on the Switchback route are an absolute blast. They do feature a few challenging sections but that is a good thing! We’re going to break down the 3 notable types of technical terrain that you’ll find on the route and how to ride them best because riding bikes is just more fun when you’re doing it properly.
In this article we are discussing how to tackle sandy terrain! Let’s go!
Sandy terrain at Wines2Whales
There are two types of ‘sandy’ that we are talking about here. One is the thick tyre-grabbing kind you might find on the A-Z trails of Grabouw’s Country Club and the other is the classic Western Cape loose-sand-over-hard-base that will be scattered around the route from Stage 1 to 3.
Dealing with thick sand
First up, the thick sand. Sometimes it is just a short patch a couple metres across, in which case you can come in with some good speed, shift your weight a little rearward, hold the front wheel straight with strong arms and blast through!
Longer sections need a bit more strategy to keep you from bogging down. Once again we want to come in with good speed that you’ll be able to somewhat maintain for the duration of the soft sand segment. Plan the most direct line through the sand and then shift your weight a little rearwards as you enter (just about sitting on the back of your saddle).
As for a cadence to drag you through, 70-80 rpm is a good sweet spot. We want to keep a consistent power on the pedals that we can sustain but not have those little surges that come with too high a cadence.
Keep looking forward and keep driving for the end of the soft section and you’ll be wondering what you ever worried about in the first place!
Dealing with loose sand over a hard base
Now for that loose-over-hard sand. Traction is the name of the game here.
When it comes to braking and cornering we need to make sure the front wheel has weight on it to gain traction. For braking, think about getting low (bending the knees and elbows) and bracing against the bars. For cornering, if you find your front wheel is sliding out on this terrain, bring a little more weight onto the bars. If you nail this, you’re guaranteed to be dropping your partner in the corners!
Loose climbs
For loose climbs, we need traction on the rear wheel so stay seated if you’re feeling the rear wheel slipping. Focus on driving with a smooth pedal stroke (no surges) to keep it gripping! You’ll be cruising up those slippery climbs like nobody’s business.
Bike setup for Wines2Whales terrain
As for bike setup. Similar to what we mentioned in our rocky terrain explainer, some wider tires (2.2-2.4 inches) will allow you to run slightly lower tire pressures, increasing your traction and also ability to float over the thick sandy sections. If punctures are a concern for you, look into getting a more robust tire casing or even a lightweight tire insert specific for marathon riding.
Will we see you there?
There are 3 W2W events running from 20-29 October this year and it is a SWITCHBACK year and will include a bunch of new sections to keep the GEES levels high!
Get all the info you need about the event and nab an entry before they’re gone right here: www.epic-series.com
You can also find more skills resources here to help you to unlock more flow!
We’ll see you there!
