Jhb JUMA ends cycling for me ...my rant

[Squier]

Allowing 5000 cyclists in a race reeks of pure greed. The Trailseeker is the biggest mtb series in the world and they only allow 3500 riders, at most... across 3 distances.

 

Luckily I wasn't there. It was always going to be a mess.

 

I agree that it's a bike race and injuries are inevitable, but it would appear as if most are due to the organisers subscribing the race over-capacity. They should be held accountable for that.

[Cassie]

Fully agree with you - amateur hour that cost people dearly.  They then have the gaul to drum up a cheerleading squad of delirious sycophants to sing their praise on the basis that they will try harder next time.  No regard for responsibility to the people they are hosting in their death-trap event.

 

I did not sign an indemnity - did you?  Will be interesting to see the legal fall-out here.

 

It is about high time that these "race indemnities" are challenged in court!!  i for one do not believe that they are worth the paper they are written on OR the tick box you tick...

Just try this in Austarlia and see how your ass will be sued!!

[ChUkKy]

Really sorry to hear what happened to you. Speedy recovery dude. When we passed you it looked like you were in a lot of pain. Hope it all works out for you.

 

I do feel the need ot comment on something you said. The course was not that physically challenging. I wouldn't call myself a seasoned rider and I had no problems on any of the technical sections. In fact I found the whole route to be easy and a lot of fun. It was honestly my own fitness that ended my race prematurely for me at the 45km mark.

 

The race had it's problems. They did accept too many entries and there were issues with water points etc. However it was still an adventure and not a race so much.

 

People entered at their own risk and should have been prepared. The organisers did call it a challenge. Most entrants however didn't know how to negotiate the most basic of obstacles. I blame dirt road riding being called mountain biking for this. People lack the most basic skills and this caused the accidents.

 

This was most likely the most technical race of the year. (Not talking about the marathons here. Im sure the S2C, J2C and B&B has more technical single track etc).

 

The JUMA was an urban assault, an adventure and a challenge. Preparation should have been made. With 5000+ entrants a few casualty ward visits was to be expected sadly.

 

Again, I am truly sorry for you. I've been to the ER this year and I ended up in hospital with spinal surgery thanks to mountain biking. Two crashed and an incident with a car left me properly broken. Today I'm back on the bike and truly thankful for that. Speedy recovery.

 

 

+1, Very well said

Heal up quick @MTB0007

[Nayr]

I had a nice early start at Juma and I saw plenty of guys fall.

 

Not because of technical descents or dodgy drop offs or too many people riding.

 

All the people fell because of the slippery green #$%% in the drains.

 

In one section a guy in front of me fell and two guys behind me fell, all doing the same pace, on the same line. I was just lucky enough not to fall but it was definitely not because of being a better/more technical rider.

 

That right there was the biggest problem and like escapee says, had nothing to do with technical ability at all...It is like a lottery over that stuff even getting your centre of gravity low didn't really help...I honestly think it was a pure numbers game, most people fell in the drains from what i have read, heard and seen, and all it took was 0,1% of those falls for serious injuries to happen. I wonder if lower tyre pressures would have helped on the green stuff? I ran mine quite low and was lucky enough to keep the rubber side down... 

[MTB-BFK]

Allowing 5000 cyclists in a race reeks of pure greed. The Trailseeker is the biggest mtb series in the world and they only allow 3500 riders, at most... across 3 distances.

 

Luckily I wasn't there. It was always going to be a mess.

 

I agree that it's a bike race and injuries are inevitable, but it would appear as if most are due to the organisers subscribing the race over-capacity. They should be held accountable for that.

 

And that, dear friends is the ENTIRE point, right there

[MTB-BFK]

Even if there were 50 bad injuries, thats 1% of the group! So in my eyes it's not that bad considering all factors.

• New race
• Obstacles that would be considered black (looking at PWC's ratings)
• Amount of cleated riders that were walking things
• General amount of riders that need a basic skills clinic

I remember talking to one poor lady who fell like countless times in the drains because of the drops but she was soldiering on to the finish! Her arms, knees and ankles were grazed for days! In the end it's really unlucky that you broke your hip and like other have said, it comes down to your own choices.

 

I personally don't feel the course was hard, but the above mentioned factors made it challenging. You can see my vid of my choice to blast past some riders in the drains. If I fell, I wouldn't blame the organisers, it was my choice to ride, my choice to past in the water down the steps.

 

Some one mentioned grading the course. I agree.

The organisers should look at grading the obstacles/sections and have alternate routes. Basically split it into black and green/blue sections (again referring to PWC ratings) to keep the pack split allowing people to ride things more on their level and not be a danger to other riders.

 

In the end we all make choices, I hope you heal and get back on the bike to enjoy riding again!

retarded logic - will you go to a heart surgeon who has operated on 10,000 patients with a 1% death rate - hey, that's only 100 dead people!!  This is not a numbers game.  It is how many of the injuries that DID occur were entirely preventable, or could have been responded to much quicker?   

[Bobbo_SA]

I had a nice early start at Juma and I saw plenty of guys fall.

 

Not because of technical descents or dodgy drop offs or too many people riding.

 

All the people fell because of the slippery green #$%% in the drains.

 

In one section a guy in front of me fell and two guys behind me fell, all doing the same pace, on the same line. I was just lucky enough not to fall but it was definitely not because of being a better/more technical rider.

 

I wonder if tyre choice / pressure could have had anything to do with it?

[ChUkKy]

Sorry by I don't agree.

 

How many times on this forum have we heard people bitching and moaning that races and events are nt technical enough? Or dot offer enough challenge? Now, they give you one, and people ride like crap, either due to lack of skills or over excitement, and people want the organisers heads?? That's not on!!!

 

Change your riding style to match the situation!! Not the other way around!!

 

Again, well said

We can never win...

I remember when I got lambasted about the VG sattelite descent, I think its awesome but many others wanted it taken out as its too technical. FFS

 

Im selective over the races I do:

MTN - Van Gaalens

Magalies Monster

Mankele 3 Towers

Some of the USN races

 

Im not interested in any dirt roadie race, thats not mountain biking... whoever says it is needs to be dragged into the street and shot.

 

A ride like Crater Cruise... boring as bloody hell, its actually so crap in my books that if I was judge Masipa I's sentence Oscar to at least 5 crater cruises on a SS fixie, full rigid. Whether he dies of boredom or falls to pieces, who cares.

 

JUMA was awesome, a technical ride, if you cant ride technical.... dont ride the race. Dont come ride it then bitch because you want it dumbed down. These people must bugger off and go whine elsewhere, go ride up and down their roads on the pavement.

 

I want more technical races, they are fun and keep you awake.

[Escapee..]

Again, well said

We can never win...

I remember when I got lambasted about the VG sattelite descent, I think its awesome but many others wanted it taken out as its too technical. FFS

 

Im selective over the races I do:

MTN - Van Gaalens

Magalies Monster

Mankele 3 Towers

Some of the USN races

 

Im not interested in any dirt roadie race, thats not mountain biking... whoever says it is needs to be dragged into the street and shot.

 

A ride like Crater Cruise... boring as bloody hell, its actually so crap in my books that if I was judge Masipa I's sentence Oscar to at least 5 crater cruises on a SS fixie, full rigid. Whether he dies of boredom or falls to pieces, who cares.

 

JUMA was awesome, a technical ride, if you cant ride technical.... dont ride the race. Dont come ride it then bitch because you want it dumbed down. These people must bugger off and go whine elsewhere, go ride up and down their roads on the pavement.

 

I want more technical races, they are fun and keep you awake.

 

 

SKILLLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Spez247]

That right there was the biggest problem and like escapee says, had nothing to do with technical ability at all...It is like a lottery over that stuff even getting your centre of gravity low didn't really help...I honestly think it was a pure numbers game, most people fell in the drains from what i have read, heard and seen, and all it took was 0,1% of those falls for serious injuries to happen. I wonder if lower tyre pressures would have helped on the green stuff? I ran mine quite low and was lucky enough to keep the rubber side down... 

To the OP; I can only hope you get well enough to ride soon, fast & hard. In a year, it will hopefully be in the school fees bank.

 

As an average weekend warrior - I loved the race. But I am glad I didn't sign my daughter & wife up to do the event. I don't think they would have enjoyed the bottlenecks & the risk.

 

The risk WAS the green stuff. I have never ever been so focused, as I was on that stretch. Perhaps it could have been powerhosed away the day before, as it was a short section. The other risky spot was the section next to the M1 just before Melrose Arch. The steps in the dark for the noob must have been scary as shite!

 

Would I ride it again? In a heartbeat! If entries are capped, even better.

 

 

Wou

[MTB-BFK]

Again, well said

We can never win...

I remember when I got lambasted about the VG sattelite descent, I think its awesome but many others wanted it taken out as its too technical. FFS

 

Im selective over the races I do:

MTN - Van Gaalens

Magalies Monster

Mankele 3 Towers

Some of the USN races

 

Im not interested in any dirt roadie race, thats not mountain biking... whoever says it is needs to be dragged into the street and shot.

 

A ride like Crater Cruise... boring as bloody hell, its actually so crap in my books that if I was judge Masipa I's sentence Oscar to at least 5 crater cruises on a SS fixie, full rigid. Whether he dies of boredom or falls to pieces, who cares.

 

JUMA was awesome, a technical ride, if you cant ride technical.... dont ride the race. Dont come ride it then bitch because you want it dumbed down. These people must bugger off and go whine elsewhere, go ride up and down their roads on the pavement.

 

I want more technical races, they are fun and keep you awake.

['Dale]

Recover well

May your love for the saddle return

[NukeproofPeanut]

retarded logic - will you go to a heart surgeon who has operated on 10,000 patients with a 1% death rate - hey, that's only 100 dead people!!  This is not a numbers game.  It is how many of the injuries that DID occur were entirely preventable, or could have been responded to much quicker?   

 

Retarded analogy...

 

Having done bmx racing for many years, the amount of broken bones and injuries even per 100 riders is much higher than this!

 

I'm definitely not saying the race was 100% perfect, and like I mentioned in my post, many things could have been improved.

 

If you accept the risk (challenge) well then don't complain when you come short! 

 

(Well unless it takes 4 hours to get medical help)

[jeremyd]

I didn't ride so wont comment about the race, but some of the comments before already gave an indication that there was going to be plenty of walking for technical and bottleneck reasons. OP, it sucks! I fell off my bike 1 week before sani. Just hit a rutt and it was all over. I feel for you.

The issue I have is the medical timing. 2 years ago a friends fell in the 94.7 mtb race. I arrived literally seconds after it happened. We could see the start but it took 1 1/2 hours to get him out of there and we eventually loaded him into a bakkie to get him out. Speaking to the radiographer afterwards, he told me that the first medic on the scene should have called in immediately with "patial amputation" which would have meant helicopter evacuation. he nearly lost the use of his hand. The medic on the scene had no authority to administer pain medication. Needless to say his wife gave hime the choice, her or the mtb. (yeah yeah he made his decision:) The issue is, there don't appear to be enough medics and enough trained medics to handle races of these sizes.

[Edition 507]

I wonder if tyre choice / pressure could have had anything to do with it?

That green sh*t was just plain slippery full stop. I almost saw my ass on it and rode very gingerly over the rest of it. My mate who has 20 times the skill as me did see his ass on it. It was just a combination of approach angle, speed, the weight differential between your left and right testicles (t*ts if you a girl) and the influence of the gravitation pull from Uranus at that nano second in time that determined whether you would fall or not.

[fabes]

I had a nice early start at Juma and I saw plenty of guys fall.

 

Not because of technical descents or dodgy drop offs or too many people riding.

 

All the people fell because of the slippery green #$%% in the drains.

 

In one section a guy in front of me fell and two guys behind me fell, all doing the same pace, on the same line. I was just lucky enough not to fall but it was definitely not because of being a better/more technical rider.

Its your skill bro