Argus 2014-Lessons Learned

[Malpiet]

I passed a few riders from Group G that looked like commuters and wondered how the heck did they get up there surely the seeding is a problem to some and favourable to others

[Malpiet]

I passed a few riders from Group G that looked like commuters and wondered how the heck did they get up there surely the seeding is a problem to some and favourable to others

[Pure Savage]

The last three guys in C must be international riders that were a little over zealous with their seedings when they entered in August last year. Then racetec did not check their results from that other race they did together.

[Pure Savage]

Things that will never change and should not change:

 

Number of participants, largest timed bike ride in the world. Must just deal with the people, not the end of the world.

 

The timing was spot on for me, +- 2 seconds.

 

I think some of the suggestions are a little namsy pamsy and must consider the logistics behind some of them. As said above i would give them 99.99%

[vayamo]

These 3 (the last 3 finishers of C) colluded together via some backdoor process. Maybe they're PPA officials.

 

http://results.racet...PID=536046&HL=1

http://results.racet...PID=536047&HL=1

http://results.racet...PID=561585&HL=1

 

Who's gonna make k@k about this?

Start a new topic with this info. Something is fishy and needs an explanation.

[GLuvsMtb]

Start a new topic with this info. Something is fishy and needs an explanation.

why take it so seriously?

its a funride FFS.

[eddy]

I would add some proper signage at the start, perhaps colour coded.

 

I am good with a map, but in the dark it is difficult to find the route to your gate.

 

Have one side red and the other green, matching your boarding card, and put big arrows on the roads so that you find the back of your shute if you are not familiar with cape town.

[dre]

A couple of guys in the club found this out the hard way:

 

DO NOT sit behind MTB's in a road race. They did, and when the 29ers went over what to them was obviously a small blip in the road, 3 of the guys behind them all punctured one after the other on their road bikes.

 

I rode this for the 1st time with my 29er with Knobblies... Was sitting behind a lady on a roadbike and every know and then she showed with her hand toward the ground, after about 3 times I realized she is pointing out "hazards", which to me, obviously goes unnoticed on the mtb. Almost felt I should do the same... didn't though.

 

Edit: No roadbike behind me, that's why.

Edited March 10, 2014 by dre

[vayamo]

why take it so seriously?

its a funride FFS.

To some it's more than a funride. When those treating it as a funride get mixed up with those trying to go hard there can be problems. That I presume is the reason for seeding. Anyway this is off topic.

[Guest Omega Man]

Things that will never change and should not change:

 

Number of participants, largest timed bike ride in the world. Must just deal with the people, not the end of the world.

 

The timing was spot on for me, +- 2 seconds.

 

I think some of the suggestions are a little namsy pamsy and must consider the logistics behind some of them. As said above i would give them 99.99%

Agree.

 

It was my first (and last) argus

 

I was honestly staggered at how well organised it was. The registration process was a breeze and the check in procedure for me was easy as pie.

 

People are stupid and when you put 35000 together and throw in their bicycles and ego's and then throw in a bunch of boozed up spectators littered along the route it's a recipe for a fckup. It's so easy to crit but doing a better job is another thing altogether.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Omega Man

[TALUS]

 

why take it so seriously?

its a funride FFS.

So unless we go to do TDF we should not try to do well at all. Good thing is that after paying for plane tickets, accomodation, bike transport etc. at least the event is for free (being a funride and all)

[GLuvsMtb]

So unless we go to do TDF we should not try to do well at all. Good thing is that after paying for plane tickets, accomodation, bike transport etc. at least the event is for free (being a funride and all)

If behaving like a total ****, taking unnecessary risks and making it unpleasant for the 32 000 that sees it as a day out is what is required to do your best, then please proceed. My best time is a 3h18. My willy is still the same length as it would have been with a sub 3.

[Slimkat]

Don't bother with Argus training. Enter the funrides every week (longer distances preferably) and you end up enjoying the Argus even more!

[TALUS]

I dont think it always true that by riding as best as you can you will behave like a fool, or make life unpleasant for anyone. I think those people that look back at "lessons learned" are the ones that make it better for those funriders that open their racepacks at the start. I also think that "a day out" means different things to different people. If your poison is to do it at easy pace and enjoy then so be it. Others want to test themselves over a given route with roadclosures. Why should that bother anyone else? Why is it a funride any more than any of the other rides we do?

[Bernard Horn]

Bunch riding in the middle of the field is frustrating( Group JJ) .Bunches fizzle out .Then you battle into the wind.By the time the next bunch come past there are to many bikes around you to hook up..Or guys sit behind you and don't come to the front to do there share..Wind causes riders to ride on the right hand side of the road,limiting the space for bunches to come through ,forcing one to pass on the left

[Blue Monster]

Don't get sick a week before your first Argus, after training for just over a year. I tried every remedy I could, including a visit to a local Doc, and something called a BOM.

I couldn't even start.

Long way to go to support my brother, but he did well, so still worth it.

I try again next year.

BTW the Argus is many things to many people. For me it would have been to try and get as close to a 3.00 as possible, my brother just wanted to finish, better than 5hrs, being that he is not a small lad. Then there are those that go along for the ride.

No need to flame any of us/them.