RANT: PPA CSA and bloody organizers taking the P*** out of cyclists again

[Eugene]

I paid R100 for my daughter to swim in the Kid's Challenge at the Redhouse River Mile last weekend.

 

Her event was 60m long and took her all of 50 secs. I paid R100 bucks for her to swim for 50secs or R2 per second.

 

The point I am trying to make is that cyclists aren't the only ones being screwed.

[Shebeen]

Why do you pay more for the 56/29km mtb than for the 19km trail run?

because a bike costs at least R10k and trail shoes R1k max

[kandui]

This is not a PPA ride, it is organised by Lourensford wine estate to coincide with the end of the Cape Epic. Sure it is a bit of a money maker, but then it is part of the whole Epic finale thing, so there are all sorts of bells and whistles.

 

No one is forcing you to do it if you dont want to cough up 200 bucks dont.

 

If it's part of the Epic FInale, then the race is organised by Grandstand Management. Hence the price.

['Dale]

Ja the worst is that thye dont even need road closures....

Try triathlon, R760 for 02h30 of racing

 

Geez!

[TNT1]

quite right how the hell do i change the topic to PPA CSA and bloody organizers.

[jimmy hardtail]

Try race Downhill. R270 for two mins twenty one seconds! But I love it and I know where all the money goes so its all good.

['Dale]

Try race Downhill. R270 for two mins twenty one seconds! But I love it and I know where all the money goes so its all good.

 

Betta keep those wheels down, then, eh?

[Tiny K]

I heard from my LBS that it costs in the region of R35K to enter a team for the Epic.......

[covie]

I heard from my LBS that it costs in the region of R35K to enter a team for the Epic.......

 

Yup rather do the DCM its halfprice and way tougher.

[covie]

I heard from my LBS that it costs in the region of R35K to enter a team for the Epic.......

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/index.php?app=hubmarket&do=view_item&item_id=22892 check out the price tag, not sure how many teams this dude entered lol.

[DJR]

How about editing the topic title to exclude the PPA and CSA? For once, it seems to me that they are not to blame.

 

Personally, I feel that if the race is at a special venue I cannot ride otherwise, the track is great and the organisation is superb, then it is value for money. If it is a so-so place, everyday trail and sloppy organisation, then I'll feel short changed.

[GLuvsMtb]

Last year the timing and orginisation in general was quite second rate. Just search for vigne a vigne on here.

[Skubarra]

For me doing a half marathon at the same day & venue the CAPE EPIC ends, is like doing the Argus kiddies race when all your mates are doing the real thing, i'll rather spend that R200 bucks buying lotto tickets so that I might have a chance to afford a real Epic entry...

[covie]

How about editing the topic title to exclude the PPA and CSA? For once, it seems to me that they are not to blame.

 

Personally, I feel that if the race is at a special venue I cannot ride otherwise, the track is great and the organisation is superb, then it is value for money. If it is a so-so place, everyday trail and sloppy organisation, then I'll feel short changed.

 

The rant is not just specific to this race, these events are now being done on the basis of getting sponsors to pay for the events, and seems like the organizers are upping the fee's to pocket themselves. (Which is fair) work goes into organizing and executing an event. But there is a limit as to what should be charged for a 50km race regardless if its the epic finale or not.

 

This is simply just opportunistic cashing in, in my opinion. As are a lot of the other PPA and CSA events. Argus etc etc. If you want to see a well managed awesome race seriers at a more than decent price tag look at the Nissan series. Those races are bloody excellent. They go create NEW routes, put down NEW singletrack, Have awesome water tables, and all that for half the price of this event. Im sorry this type of ripp off needs to be highlighted and in my opinion boycotted, but Alas is an epic finish, so they know people will fork out 1k for the themselves the wife and kids just to ride a bike.

[Azi]

Consider you pay R350 to enter the Comrades marathon. That is just under R4 per km, or, if you take the full 12 hours, 48 cents per minute (@Eugene, this is value for your seconds). It has full road closure. And then there is the "catering" and the medics (stats from 2009):

• 46 Refreshment Tables
  
• 1350 litres of Coke & Cream Soda
  
• 350,000 sachets of Powerade
  
• 5000 sachets of Mageu
  
• 1,100,000 sachets of water
  
• 5,4 tons of bananas
  
• 448 pockets of oranges
  
• 1 ton of Chocolates
  
• 2 tons of baby potatoes
  
• 400kgs biscuits
  
• 400,000 plastic bottles
  
• 2500 litter bins
  
• 750 tubes of Deep Heat
  

Health care stats:

• 16 Netcare 911 ambulances equipped with satellite tracking
  
• 6 Netcare 911 rapid response vehicles with advanced life support paramedics
  
• 4 Netcare 911 motorbikes (quads) with paramedics
  
• 1 dedicated helicopter
  
• 1 standby helicopter
  
• 8 medical first aid stations on route staffed by professional nurses and paramedical staff. These stations incorporate diabetic stations where blood sugar levels can be tested.
  
• 8 physio stations on route staffed by qualified physios and 3rd year physio students
  
• Medical tent at the finish staffed by 40 doctors and 20 nurses, including a 2-bed fully equipped ICU-type resuscitation unit
  
• An emergency resuscitation unit at the finish line
  
• St John’s Ambulance tent at the finish to attend to minor discomforts, provide rub downs, strapping and massages
  
• Physio tent at the finish
  
• Public first aid tent
  

Now that's value for money!!!

[GLuvsMtb]

I don't mind paying R200 for a race, but then they will have to convince me that they have resolved the issues from last year.

 

If you have not yet been at the finale of the Epic, then you have a gap in your cycling education. I get goosebumps thinking of crossing that finish line.