Scary race stats

[AndreZA]

R100 for say the 94.7 and a nice goodie bag with a set of Aeolus 6.5's

 

I'll rather pay R500 but then they must keep the Aeolus 6.5s.

 

 

[mdk555]

It's a huge pity as funrides/big events are essential for the future of cycling. With all its negatives I do my best to support the rides and associated charities. I also try to do at least one upcountry event I have not done previously but I think part of the problem is that at times it takes longer travelling to and back from an event than it is doing the ride. For the ACT it is quicker for me to cycle 20km home than it is to do it by car. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Based on the above, add some politics, finances, safety, family time and I believe that many cyclists are choosing clubs rides over organised events. On weekend if I do a 100km funride I have to wake up at 4.30 and then only get home somewhere between 11H30 and 13H00. Club ride ? wake up at 6am, at start by 6.30, do 100km and home by no later than 10H30.

Sad but true and don?t forget that I am also the founding member of the Cape based West Coast Express.

[Thug]

I think more and more people are turning to mountain biking. Relatively safe environment, no cars etc etc.

 

As mdk555 says, a typical race day starts with getting up at 3:30 a.m., having lunch after the race and getting home around 15:00.

 

[Gumpole]

lack of new riders coming into road cycling, or rather in the last decade there was a huge growth of newbies due to the LA factor, now with a bunch of cheating euro pros, nobody cares much... so race numbers have declined to a 'realistic' level and will maybe drop slightly more and then lebvel off.

 

also the migration to MTBing.

[Sean Badenhorst]

MTB race numbers have definitely increased over the past few years, especially the 35-45km distance races.

Most major road races have a 10% (on average) non-start figure. People enter early but something comes up (or goes down) and they don't get to the start line.

Road cycling experienced an unusually big growth curve for a few years (mostly the last five LA years) but is probably returning to normal now.

I believe that safety is still the biggest limiting factor to the growth of road cycling/races.

Full-road closure races (the handful of them!) should be commended and supported for what they have achieved.

 

[mdk555]

MTB: agreed - two years ago there were hardly any MTB events on the spring PPA calendar and now there is one almost every weekend which even though PPA denies it, it does pull the road nrs down. Fact of the matter I am also gonna buy a MTB and want to do the Karoo to Coast this year.

mdk5552008-02-19 01:41:06

[widget]

All the factors above are valid, but lets just step back a bit.

 

Last night I was out doing a half hearted ride when in front I saw someone I thought I knew, I made a semi effort to catch him, and when I did, I recognised him from a few years back when we used to see each other every weekend at the races, I considered him a friend, even though I had never met his family or been to his house.

 

We chatted about this very thing, he said he dosnt race anymore, he got tired of leaving the house at 5am every weekend and leaving his family alone until 12 am when he returned, so last year he bought a boat and now gos water skiing with the family on weekends.

 

Said he has no interest in joining a club, getting a license, he just gos out three times a week and enjoys a ride, he wont be raceing again.

 

I feel the same, for 8 odd years I raced vets at least every second weekend, last year I didnt license, I did 5 races, half heartedly, this year I will buy a day license (if I have to) for the three races I intend doing - the Argus, the Shova and the 94.7.

 

As for the rest - I have no real interest.

 

I am not alone, I used to see the same faces every week at races, we chatted had a beer afterwards and laughed about how good or bad we were on the day.

Now I dont see any of the old faces, they just dont race anymore for whatever reason, moved away, took up another pastime, lost interest, lack of funds, couldnt be bothered with the Club/ License issue whatever, they are gone.

 

................and it donst appear as if anyone is filling their / our places.  

  

widget2008-02-19 01:44:10

[AndreZA]

All the factors above are valid' date=' but lets just step back a bit.

 

Last night I was out doing a half hearted ride ans in front I saw someone I thought I knew, I made a semi effort to catch him and when I did I recognised him from a few years back when we used to see each other every weekend at the races, I considered him a friend even though I had never met his family or been to his house and we chatted about this very thing, he said he dosnt race anymore, he got tired of leaving the house at 5am every weekend and leaving his family alone until 12 am, so last year he bought a boat and now gos water skiing with the family on weekends.

 

Said he has no interest in joining a club, getting a license, he just gos out three times a week and enjoys a ride.

 

I feel the same, for 8 odd years I raced vets at least every second weekend, last year I didnt license, I did 5 races, half heartedly, this year I will buy a day license (if I have to) for the three races I intend doing - the Argus, the Shova and the 94.7.

 

As for the rest - I have no real interest.

 

I am not alone, I used to see the same faces every week at races, we chatted had a beer afterwards and laughed about how good or bad we were on the day.

Now I dont see any of the old faces, they just dont race anymore for whatever reason, moved away, took up another pastime, lost interest, lack of funds, couldnt be bothered with the Club/ License issue whatever, they are gone.

 

................and it donst appear as if anyone is filling their / our places.  

  

[/quote']

 

Ditto, but without the boat part.

 

 

[javadude]

 

I recently joined a club, and quite a few of the guys(and girls) don't do any fun rides. Their attitude is that they got the t shirt years ago and there is no need for them to spend the money when they get the same enjoyment from doing club rides.

velo2008-02-19 02:09:00

[Jason]

widget, my dad has a boat and I must say, sometimes after a race I wish I was rather out on the dam fishing with him... Also politics and all the negativity based round cycling, it gets a bit much!

[mdk555]

I recently joined a club' date=' and quite of the guys(and girls) don't do any fun rides. Their attitude is that they got the t shirt years ago and there is no need for them to spend the money when they get the same enjoyment from doing club rides. [/quote'] Then dont forget about the great people you meet and you dont really hassle if they sit on your back wheel. I think at times the coffee and breakfast after the fact is sometime the thing we look forward the most.

[bruce]

There is no substitute for a good hard race, when you know you've done the training, and you get a good result!

[MooToo]

This was noticed a couple of months ago!!!!

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=16067&KW=MooToo

[Sean Badenhorst]

That's the problem, Bruce. Not many of us with jobs and famlies can devote the kind of time and money to getting into our best possible race condition. Something suffers and it's usually the family... I'm thoroughly enjoying spending more time with my family and less time on my bike at the moment. But maybe that's just me. Some days we're all on the bikes and that for me is a good result!

[widget]

widget' date=' my dad has a boat and I must say, sometimes after a race I wish I was rather out on the dam fishing with him... Also politics and all the negativity based round cycling, it gets a bit much!

[/quote']

 

Yes Jason, politics has been very instrumental in the reduction of numbers at races.

 

Another reason I think (well for me anyway) is Road racing is not promoted as a fun family activity like MTB, and lately it seems to me as if the sport has been hijacked by a bunch of grim faced semi gladiatorial type participants who cant say "good morning" because they have to "focus" on the race.

 

I cant be bothered with that kind of crap anymore, cycling for 99% of us is, or should be a recreational activity, not another stress adding factor in our day.  

 

 

[HomerSimpson]

Some races the numbers stay pretty much the same...some races went through a jump in numbers caused by agressive advertising and positive press....only to drop off once this effort lapsed.  For myself, I believe the biggest contributing factor has been the swing to MTB, simply because it is much nicer to train here...

 

than to dodge taxis and trucks out on the open road...and it is better to "race" when you have views like this en route....

 

 

rather than admiring the dry grass fields and gum trees near Malmesbury while leaning into the South Easterly gale....

 

I do virtually all my training for the Argus off-road now.  Just do some fun rides to get used the road bike.