Dear Frail Uil, My thoughts :- Trust you have contacts to get them heard (yup I will also do the PPA survey) Safety first - Legal. * PPA must engage government and traffic dept. to legislate a safer world for cyclist. * More laws to protect Cyclists * More laws to scare the Car drivers away from cycles * More Standing Signs along road - 'Caution Please - Cyclists' * All YELLOW lanes to be marked "Cyclist and Emergency Lane Only" Cyclists are not only you and me on our road or MTB - it is/must be more commuters. (specially in this country where poverty already makes transport a problem) Safety first - Awareness Exposure to Masses Radio / TV / Press * Benefits of Cycling - promote - get more cycle riders. * Cyclist rights - what they are - enforce them, * Get Car drivers to understand - Cycles are LEGAL road vehicles, * Caution around cyclists etc. MTB - promotion I have been cycling (Road and MTB) for 30 yrs - and in the discussions, I always hear that:- * 5 (or more ?) MTB bikes are sold for every 1 Road bike because :- * People want exercise but are scared of the roads. * People want to ride off-road for the nature and fresh air * Most Road Bikers also have MTB's and want the variety * MTB looks fun BUT Funrides are mostly structured as : i) Long Distance = Kamikaze pilots (long and very technical routes) ii) Medium Distance = half the Kamikaze route iii) Short route = Mom and Kids 10km dirt road. The most popular MTB fun rides are the Karoo to Coast, etc type events. This is because the ride is LONG and TOUGH enough, but not crazy technical. Even rides like the Sani2C (which have more technical parts) are in short supply. At the moment MTB Funrides (long ride 50-80km) are only the 40-60 Death-wish riders that attend the event. Most MTB bike buyers will try their hand at the also technical (Medium ride) But only go once or twice - fall a couple of times - then call it quits. Country wide, a small group rules the structure and nature of the routes. MTB owners in general want more long (60km + ) Fun rides that are not crazy technical. They are not scared of long steep hills and jeep track - they are even prepared to walk and climb the steep stuff, but they don't want dangerous stuff - , loose rock paths, or those narrow steep, killer descents etc. Unfortunately, to avoid including these downhill sections in rides, restricts the overall route layout more - but the result is LOW turnout at events. This current thinking of a ride must be super technical - * is not fair to the MTB buyers/owners who fund the cycle shops and who want to join in, * Is not fair to the sponsors who want to see a large exposure, and * is not fair to the organisers and beneficiaries because low numbers equal low income. Only the young guns can manage the crazy stuff and we never grow the sport with the potential it has as indicated by the number of bikes being sold. Worst still, I have to go alone because all my road buddies (who also have MTB's) are scared off ! [sure one can argue MTB is not for sissies - I don't want to start a Hub thread or argument on 'mtb too technical', here. One already exists on the Hub. Further, the hubbers are the dedicated group that contains the Kamikaze pilots - so its not the place to get a fair view of MTB owners in general] phew ! Fun Rides * More Fun rides - road and MTB. We have too many weekends in the WC and other provinces where nothing is presented. * Another check on why fees are so high. (perhaps as mentioned above MTB fees must be high because so few contribute) Bikes to the poor Development - Promotion * More work into designing a cheap bike for the masses * partnership with Raleigh or who-ever to manufacture/promote and sell/handout millions of beginner basic bicycles - for commuting. * With Cycle SA etc . find and develop talent. Boy, I can go on all day - but need some coffee now :-) In closing ; At present, the PPA is just the cash cow, doing the timing at the rides - and generally seen as the mafia controlling who is allowed to present a fun ride. Nojo King2010-06-09 06:15:06
