Dappere

This happens every year. Shortly after registration opens, a few volunteers start selling their entries. Then, towards the end of the year and into the beginning of the next, there’s typically another noticeable increase in entries being sold on the Hub.

First-time volunteers pay R3,800, and return volunteers pay R1,000—or at least, that’s the fee I heard.

Tyre choice is largely a matter of personal preference, with factors such as skill level, rolling resistance, and grip all playing a role. The Pirelli Scorpion RC XC tyres I used are quite similar to the Rekon Race, and I’ve never had any issues—they offer more than enough grip for my needs. My riding partner completed two Epics on a single set of Rekon Race tyres—Cape Epic (March) and 4Islands (April)—with zero issues, even on the notoriously rough, sidewall-eating rocks of 4Islands. Based on that, I’d say they are more than capable for the Cape Epic. As for width, we personally prefer wider tyres, and we both run 2.4s. At this size, the Rekon Race weighs around 800g per tyre, which is slightly heavier than the Pirelli Scorpion XC RC ProWall at approximately 700g per tyre.

I’m sure you’d get some odd looks pulling a Wattbike into the gym sauna! 😂 I first heard about cycling in a sauna on a TrainerRoad podcast, where they mentioned that some riders buy sauna tents to train in. But, as you said, it’s likely a significant investment.

Fair—case in point, Georg Egger from Speed Company at the Tankwa Trek this year. The heat played a significant role in his performance. I’ve seen some European riders attempt heat training by using an indoor trainer in a sauna, but this seems to be far less common among riders outside of the UCI circuit.

Ah, I see what you meant now—I misread that! 🙈 Accessibility to trails could also be a factor, along with the number of events that make use of some of those trails in similar conditions, as you mentioned.

Extremely interesting observation regarding South Africans not being as well prepared for ultra events. Do you think this could be due to the accessibility of our trails? Instead of committing to structured training, we might get easily distracted by single tracks—and to be fair, what’s better than a flowing single track? On a related note, I’ve also noticed that European riders tend to struggle with switchbacks, particularly on climbs. My riding partner and I experienced this first-hand during our first European Epic. That left us with two options—either empty the tank to reach the switchback first or learn to be patient! 🤣

Squirt sealant isn’t great—I tried it once and never again. It struggles to seal even the smallest punctures. I can’t recommend Pirelli’s Scorpion RC XC Prowall tyres enough. I’ve used them extensively across multiple races without any issues, though unfortunately, they’re now quite difficult to find in South Africa. My riding partner runs the Rekon Race and has had a similarly positive experience, with minimal problems. I stand to be corrected, but I believe the Rekon Race has been the most successful tyre at the Cape Epic, at least in recent years. Regarding SRAM AXS issues, particularly with the new transmission, bent connector pins appeared to be a significant problem. I’m not sure whether this was purely due to mechanics having to service many bikes before the next stage, but it seemed to be a recurring issue.

I completely relate to this—staying fit and capable of riding anything, while also connecting with like-minded people on the bike, is a major motivator for me.

No, just here to have a discussion like everyone else.

I think we can all agree that the organisers will always find themselves between a rock and a hard place. We can also acknowledge that some of the frustrations being raised here existed even when Kevin was still running the event. That said, I’m genuinely curious—what were your motivations for taking on the Cape Epic? I get the sense that this might be the point that prevents us from finding common ground on certain aspects of this discussion.

Gerald frequently commented during the live feed on how the event has evolved, possibly to attract more XCO-focused athletes. During the broadcast, he also discussed this point with Benno and another athlete, whose name escapes me. The Wilier team was mentioned several times, with particular emphasis on their XCO background and how athletes with this focus can deliver strong performances at the Cape Epic.

I’ve never suggested that economics should take precedence over health, far from it. Kevin himself often spoke with pride about the broader economic impact of the Cape Epic and referenced it in many of his interviews. My point is simply that this aspect should also be acknowledged — if not celebrated — as part of the event’s overall significance. That said, many of the responses before my initial comment seemed more like a call to boycott the event or to respond with anger or a sense of retribution. When feedback is framed in that way, it becomes all too easy to dismiss it as yet another case of ‘keyboard warriors’ complaining for the sake of it, and that does little to bring about meaningful change. There is plenty to critique — and rightly so — but if the goal is improvement, then the way we voice concerns is just as important as the concerns themselves.

I’m not sure where those figures originate — without proper transparency, it’s difficult to verify their accuracy. As I’ve mentioned previously, I don’t condone poor organisation. However, with South Africa’s unemployment rate at 31.9%, it’s important not to overlook the broader economic benefit events like this can provide. Raising concerns is both valid and necessary, but when the tone shifts towards outrage or retribution, it risks becoming counterproductive rather than contributing to meaningful change.

I don’t dispute the positive outcomes a well-organised event brings — I’m fully aligned with you on that. I also agree that it’s in the organiser’s best interest to take rider feedback seriously if they wish to preserve the event’s long-term appeal and its value to the region. That said, while there’s clearly a lot of frustration being expressed here, the tendency to respond with anger or a sense of retribution is something I struggle to support. I’m genuinely curious — beyond the discussions on BikeHub, what active steps have been taken by those voicing these concerns to provide constructive feedback? On what basis are we saying the organisers are coming across as tone-deaf? To be clear, I’m not suggesting that poor organisation should be overlooked simply because the event delivers value. Quite the opposite — we should acknowledge its value while also raising concerns in a manner that fosters improvement, rather than further division.