MTB Race Entry Fees....

[ChrisF]

9 minutes ago, NotSoBigBen said:

Reminds me of a conversation i overhear between my wife and her mate a few weeks ago

"Is Jason coming to the birthday party?"

"No he's not he's doing some upset fit thing"

 

 

 

[SSCC]

3 hours ago, WIPEOUT 1000 said:

I do not understand how they can justify R28 900 for 5 days and 1000km of unsupported cycling. If they manage to find 150 people, that sounds like R4.3 million for what?

Furthermore, if you really want to ride something life changing, why not try the Transcontinental, this year for GBP350, 12 countries, 16 days to complete 4400km and 47km of climbing. 

The Munga unsupported? There are 10 water points and 5 race villages. They provide riders with rooms, beds, meals at any time of the day. Medical backup with paramedics spread out across the route. It's a fully supported race. A fully supported race across 1,100km. Have a think about what that means in terms of logistics and costs. Do you imagine that a hotel that serves as one of the race villages is free to the race organizers? Or a luxury lodge in the Tankwa is free?

The TCR is an unsupported race that will cost most riders about R50k to do. The GBP350 cost of entry is insignificant in the overall cost that each rider pays to do this race.

[Jewbacca]

3 minutes ago, SSCC said:

The Munga unsupported? There are 10 water points and 5 race villages. They provide riders with rooms, beds, meals at any time of the day. Medical backup with paramedics spread out across the route. It's a fully supported race. A fully supported race across 1,100km. Have a think about what that means in terms of logistics and costs. Do you imagine that a hotel that serves as one of the race villages is free to the race organizers? Or a luxury lodge in the Tankwa is free?

The TCR is an unsupported race that will cost most riders about R50k to do. The GBP350 cost of entry is insignificant in the overall cost that each rider pays to do this race.

Yeah.... Riding 200km per day being waited on hand and foot every 100-140km does not make it 'the toughest race in the world'... Their marketing blurb is nuts.

For those at the back end of the field it's a very achievable challenge, but nowhere near close to the toughest race in Africa, never mind the world.

It's expensive because it's made less tough by providing all the luxury.

Which is the rub.... How much are you willing to sacrifice at these races to keep the prices down?

Will the fields actually be bigger if cheaper or will those who can afford the time to train and the race not pitch if they aren't getting all the hullaballoo?

 

[Hairy]

40 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Yeah.... Riding 200km per day being waited on hand and foot every 100-140km does not make it 'the toughest race in the world'... Their marketing blurb is nuts.

For those at the back end of the field it's a very achievable challenge, but nowhere near close to the toughest race in Africa, never mind the world.

It's expensive because it's made less tough by providing all the luxury.

Which is the rub.... How much are you willing to sacrifice at these races to keep the prices down?

Will the fields actually be bigger if cheaper or will those who can afford the time to train and the race not pitch if they aren't getting all the hullaballoo?

 

And here is the real question

[SSCC]

45 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Yeah.... Riding 200km per day being waited on hand and foot every 100-140km does not make it 'the toughest race in the world'... Their marketing blurb is nuts.

Agreed. The worlds toughest race tag line is complete bullocks.

I would however say it's possibly, maybe, the toughest 3 day mountain bike event in the world. But that's not a good tag line. 

[Jewbacca]

6 minutes ago, SSCC said:

Agreed. The worlds toughest race tag line is complete bullocks.

I would however say it's possibly, maybe, the toughest 3 day mountain bike event in the world. But that's not a good tag line. 

I reckon it's harder to get to Rhodes in 3 days than ride Munga in 3 days. And definitely tougher.

It's a ridiculous label for something that takes pride in offering luxury along the way

 

[SSCC]

27 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I reckon it's harder to get to Rhodes in 3 days than ride Munga in 3 days. And definitely tougher.

It's a ridiculous label for something that takes pride in offering luxury along the way

 

Maybe. I think you would have to have done both to really have an informed opinion.

On average over all 7 years you would have to be in the top 10 to go sub 3 in the Munga. The Munga has a deeper stronger field than the RTR so it's hard to know. We are just speculating. Mike W would know as he is maybe the only person to go sub 3 in both.

[dave303e]

12 hours ago, SSCC said:

Maybe. I think you would have to have done both to really have an informed opinion.

On average over all 7 years you would have to be in the top 10 to go sub 3 in the Munga. The Munga has a deeper stronger field than the RTR so it's hard to know. We are just speculating. Mike W would know as he is maybe the only person to go sub 3 in both.

Speculation but finish Munga and run sub 17min at your local parkrun. Once you have done both let us know which was harder to achieve...

[Shebeen]

20 hours ago, WIPEOUT 1000 said:

I do not understand how they can justify R28 900 for 5 days and 1000km of unsupported cycling. If they manage to find 150 people, that sounds like R4.3 million for what?

Furthermore, if you really want to ride something life changing, why not try the Transcontinental, this year for GBP350, 12 countries, 16 days to complete 4400km and 47km of climbing. 

sometimes the steep entry fee is part of the attraction. It's like perfume where production is silly like 5% of the sticker price. You pay this huge entry, so you're fully commited and it becomes a big focus for a good 6 months. same for Epic, same (in general) for Ironman.

now if I really wanted to commit to a long mtb experience like Munga, the R29k entry fee is hard to justify. (I will pay about a 40% for a weeklong expedition adventure race that most Munga people will think is silly expensive too, but that's another story).

so what else is comparable within our borders.... this looks like a worthy option in my mind?

 

 

[The Ouzo]

So then the question needs to be asked ? What makes events within our borders so much pricier than outside our borders ?

It cant be all profit/priced for status

[Ozzie NL]

2 hours ago, Shebeen said:

sometimes the steep entry fee is part of the attraction. It's like perfume where production is silly like 5% of the sticker price. You pay this huge entry, so you're fully commited and it becomes a big focus for a good 6 months. same for Epic, same (in general) for Ironman.

now if I really wanted to commit to a long mtb experience like Munga, the R29k entry fee is hard to justify. (I will pay about a 40% for a weeklong expedition adventure race that most Munga people will think is silly expensive too, but that's another story).

so what else is comparable within our borders.... this looks like a worthy option in my mind?

 

 

^^^^ Entry fees are a great way to keep the rifraf away

[Robbie Stewart]

On 8/18/2022 at 1:25 PM, Shebeen said:

R29k to go and ride 1000km of sinkplaat in the heat of summer?

is dokken fom . . .

[Gr3mlin131]

3 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

^^^^ Entry fees are a great way to keep the rifraf away

Yeah keeps me away for now, so looks like it is working. 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

^^^^ Entry fees are a great way to keep the rifraf away

 

Daar is ryk gomgatte ....

[SSCC]

4 hours ago, ouzo said:

So then the question needs to be asked ? What makes events within our borders so much pricier than outside our borders ?

It cant be all profit/priced for status

Are they? What multi day full service overseas races are you comparing to?

[BigDL]

36 minutes ago, SSCC said:

Are they? What multi day full service overseas races are you comparing to?

I entered a 5 day mtb event in Italy in 2020, which was cancelled due to covid. Cost per person, including mechanical support, bike cleaning, hotel accommodation (not sharing) , pasta party each night and hotel breakfast / food stops etc, was around 400 Euros. Medal and a t-shirt at the end. 

Edited to correct price. Was less that I had remembered. 

Edited August 19, 2022 by BigDL