Time to Stop Counting Metres?

['Dale]

If I'm gonna put my 35 000 moola down, I definitely wanna know how much suffering I'm purchasing.

 

Never mind the bragging rights I earn... for myself, for my peers.

 

Never done the Epic.

Really admire those who commit to it and go cover those metres.

['Dale]

The Cape Epic is one of South Africa's success stories in cycling.

Why change a winning formula?

['Dale]

My bucket of thoughts are now empty...

 

If you haven't ridden it yet, OP, go do it.

It might change your perspective?

 

[Bman]

If I'm gonna put my 35 000 moola down, I definitely wanna know how much suffering I'm purchasing.

 

Never mind the bragging rights I earn... for myself, for my peers.

 

Never done the Epic.

Really admire those who commit to it and go cover those metres.

couldnt agree more with this particular bucket list thought of yours

[SwissVan]

The Cape Epic is not the Tour de France. Show me an Epic rider who doesn't want to know the vertical ascent and I will show you a liar. :-) how can you want take away something that defines an event? What value will that add? Remember for the majority it's not a race, it's you against the climbs and those guys want to know who that opponent is.

 

Agree 100%

 

When i talk to people here about the Epic (generaly people who are not active cyclists) one of the first questions they ask is how many metres does it climb and how it compares to mountains in Europe, you will be suprised how many people assume it would not be possible to do so much climbing in a mtb event in SA.

[I FLY]

I am a numerate type.

 

So I amuse/occupy my mind during a race by memorising the stats/profile. I can tell you where the waterpoints are, when each big climb starts and ends, metres climbed, metres left to climb , kms done, kms left, estimated time of arrival, etc. All potential useless info.

[Ryan]

I am a numerate type.

 

All potential useless info.

 

Potentially useless - Yes, until the 'useless fact' that you have 10km and only 200m of climbing left for the day is what gets your tired body and mind to the finish line.

[I FLY]

Potentially useless - Yes, until the 'useless fact' that you have 10km and only 200m of climbing left for the day is what gets your tired body and mind to the finish line.

 

Agreed. When I am feeling good it is useless/trivial and when I am useless it is good info.

[Mellow]

Interesting point the OP raise - never thought of it like that... It is quite unique how the accent stats is part of the marketing.

 

Also remember in the Tdf every team is a podium contender - they are all pro's. No need to market it around the toughness of the event for the wow factor.

 

As a side note - wonder how a grading system in MTB can work that also take the terrain of a climb into account.

[HappyMartin]

Perhaps we are not made aware of the amount of climbing in the TDF but the riders know how much climbing is done on any stage. It will be in the race book. Also on the TDF the climbs are pretty much all known and much is made of length of climb and gradient.

 

For me I want to know about length, gradient and altitude gain. For road and mtb.

[Hairy]

Assume the following for a set gradient, distance and altitude for the following:

1. You can climb boring smooth gravel road, you will get there efficiently enough
   
2. You can climb a root infested, loose, eroded and rocky trail and you will be far more broken than the boring smooth gravel road.
   

For MTB it is near impossible to create an accurate grading system for climbs and trails as the terrain will always be changing and one persons "technical" is another's "easy"

[Velouria]

I am a numerate type.

 

So I amuse/occupy my mind during a race by memorising the stats/profile. I can tell you where the waterpoints are, when each big climb starts and ends, metres climbed, metres left to climb , kms done, kms left, estimated time of arrival, etc. All potential useless info.

I'm the complete opposite - I prefer not to know what is coming, or how far I have to go. I ride the piece of track in front of me, and I ride until I am finished.

 

Remember the cr@p Meurant had to deal with at the Grape Escape 2 years ago when the route was 3kms longer than advertised and there was 100m more climbing. They got him to apologise to everyone before the start of the final stage. FFS.

 

That said - I do believe the whole "X kms per day with Y meters of climbing" is the Epic's way of letting the public know just how hardcore and crazy we are. It's not for the riders, it's for our office mates, friends and family so that we really do come back home after an 8 day adventure as heroes to those around us.

 

The other approach is to follow The Swazi Frontier's way of doing things - "There will be some climbing, and the stage is around 60ish kilometers - it should take the leaders just under 5 hours".

[Nancy Drew]

Let's face it, walking down a 100m stretch of flat road is going to be easier than walking up a 100m hill. It stands to reason that participants would want to know how much vertical ascent there will be. Cape Epic riders should be at a stage in their cycling where they understand ascent. If not, they're possibly biting off a little more than they can chew. I haven't done the Epic and I don't follow their marketing strategy, but I'm quite sure the ascent isn't advertised to earn the participants bragging rights. They earn those rights just by participating, regardless.

 

Not sure why the OP is so bitter and twisted about this point.

 

I personally want to know how much ascent is in an event just so I know how to prepare for it. Each to his/her own, I guess

[Hairy]

I'm the complete opposite - I prefer not to know what is coming, or how far I have to go. I ride the piece of track in front of me, and I ride until I am finished.

 

Remember the cr@p Meurant had to deal with at the Grape Escape 2 years ago when the route was 3kms longer than advertised and there was 100m more climbing. They got him to apologise to everyone before the start of the final stage. FFS.

 

That said - I do believe the whole "X kms per day with Y meters of climbing" is the Epic's way of letting the public know just how hardcore and crazy we are. It's not for the riders, it's for our office mates, friends and family so that we really do come back home after an 8 day adventure as heroes to those around us.

 

The other approach is to follow The Swazi Frontier's way of doing things - "There will be some climbing, and the stage is around 60ish kilometers - it should take the leaders just under 5 hours".

 

Seriously .... did this happen.

 

If so then that is a sad day for MTB when people bitch and moan about a ride being longer and a little tougher/higher

[Wayne Booysen]

Mountain climbing, mountain biking...it's all about the mountain and how high it is.

[udxcob]

 

 

Seriously .... did this happen.

 

If so then that is a sad day for MTB when people bitch and moan about a ride being longer and a little tougher/higher

 

I did this race and to be honest it meant nothing, nor did the apology