Skubarra Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Maybe slightly off topic but since we are on price increases Just saw that the 2018 version of that Epic training ride, the Attakwas is now costing R950. This year it was R850 and the year before R750, so the price is increasing way beyond inflation. The scary part for me is that organisers are claiming entries are selling faster than ever! The the first thought when seeing the price increases is that organisers are ripping us off (and that economics 101 doesn't apply to cycling), but given that the entries are selling faster than ever maybe in the past we were just lucky that events were underpriced....
kuitpaleis Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 http://www.thepioneer.co.nz/7-day-epic/cape-epic-qualification/ Some related info.
Acerunner Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 With ASG in the mix, TransCape won't see me againWhat Seven said
GLuvsMtb Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 http://www.thepioneer.co.nz/7-day-epic/cape-epic-qualification/ Some related info.Yes... 10 spots allocated for ACE from this particular race in New Zeeland, of which 5 are for the cat winners... and they still need to pay for their ACE entries. Perhaps everyone should just calm down to a mild panic about the supposed influx of international contenders.
GLuvsMtb Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Maybe slightly off topic but since we are on price increases Just saw that the 2018 version of that Epic training ride, the Attakwas is now costing R950. This year it was R850 and the year before R750, so the price is increasing way beyond inflation. The scary part for me is that organisers are claiming entries are selling faster than ever! The the first thought when seeing the price increases is that organisers are ripping us off (and that economics 101 doesn't apply to cycling), but given that the entries are selling faster than ever maybe in the past we were just lucky that events were underpriced....The correct price is where D(Demand) = S (Supply). With S being pegged and D growing, price is sure to increase beyond inflation. ACE is quite clever with S, as they stage S over a period with limited early-bird entries, entry allocations to pro's sponsors, etc. and then the lottery system. Its a fantastic business model as they receive almost all their cash more than 6 months in advance and only need to pay holding deposits on equipment rentals, etc. Judging by how few first-timers ride the event, one has to come to the conclusion that despite the high price tag, entrants still see it as good value, otherwise they would not return.
gummibear Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Then there was the Swiss Epic Still on my bucket list
Skubarra Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 The correct price is where D(Demand) = S (Supply). With S being pegged and D growing, price is sure to increase beyond inflation. Yep, and when it comes to D we as cyclists are as much to blame as the organisers. imo with events we are as big "brand sluts" as with our equipment. A lot of us enter the same big name events (lets skip the names) year after year while complaining about the ever increasing entry fees while good value for money events are struggling to attract numbers.
Jewbacca Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Everyone is just racing mad. We are the only country in the world which boasts a stage race every second weekend and a marathon event every weekend. That being said the majority of people complain that it was A) too technical B) Not technical enough C)boring D)they got held up on single track E) Full of palukas etc... Then race entry prices are thrown in, complaints about accommodation availability etc.... The simple solution is to just ride your dam bike. The mindset is so warped. One can still ride fast and hard and have immense amounts of fun on unclogged trails that are at (or slightly beyond is good too) the appropriate level with your mates. Changing your mindset and looking at just how ridiculous the industry is here is something that really needs to happen. Instead of paying for races, why not put that into developing trails? Building overnight huts on developing trails? Go back to why riding bikes is so rad in the first place. Shelling out 100k to ride Epic then complaining it was bla bla is just lame. Supply/Demand but just ask yourself WHY we all have to pit ourselves against each other week in/week out? Spend that 100k on a super rad holiday in the drakensberg with your mates where you can ride every day on epic trails that are not clogged up. Go bikepacking.... Why is there such a competitive nature in SA amongst the 'social' mid to back of the field? It really is a question which confounds me. Complain about it yet keep shelling out for it. It is starting to look a lot like insanity
gg930 Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Epic is great and all, one of those bucketlist things, but if you really want bang for the buck do the Cape Pioneer Trek, that is one REALLY special race!
hboli4 Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Everyone is just racing mad. We are the only country in the world which boasts a stage race every second weekend and a marathon event every weekend. That being said the majority of people complain that it was A) too technical B) Not technical enough C)boring D)they got held up on single track E) Full of palukas etc... Then race entry prices are thrown in, complaints about accommodation availability etc.... The simple solution is to just ride your dam bike. The mindset is so warped. One can still ride fast and hard and have immense amounts of fun on unclogged trails that are at (or slightly beyond is good too) the appropriate level with your mates. Changing your mindset and looking at just how ridiculous the industry is here is something that really needs to happen. Instead of paying for races, why not put that into developing trails? Building overnight huts on developing trails? Go back to why riding bikes is so rad in the first place. Shelling out 100k to ride Epic then complaining it was bla bla is just lame. Supply/Demand but just ask yourself WHY we all have to pit ourselves against each other week in/week out? Spend that 100k on a super rad holiday in the drakensberg with your mates where you can ride every day on epic trails that are not clogged up. Go bikepacking.... Why is there such a competitive nature in SA amongst the 'social' mid to back of the field? It really is a question which confounds me. Complain about it yet keep shelling out for it. It is starting to look a lot like insanity I do not know what breeds that type of 'competitive' mentality here for a lack of a better word. Friends of mine from over the ocean always remark on it and how here we always want something longer and tougher and more hardcore. We always have words like 'longest, toughest' what what in the title, even the word epic Conversations like "Have you ridden Clarens Marathon? Yes. But have you done the Ultra? Yes. Transbaviaans? Yes. 360ne? Yes. Munga? No. Pissie.
Shebeen Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 just for kicks. Epic 2017starters - 1332team finishers - 1006outcasts - 115quit - 211 so 79,8% got their medals of the South africans.49% of the starting field was ZA52% of the official finishers were ZA40% of the individual finishers were ZA40% of the non finisers were from ZA
Shebeen Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 http://www.thepioneer.co.nz/7-day-epic/cape-epic-qualification/ Some related info.joh...the announce it on the final evening and you have to swipe the Credit card that night!! (for $500 deposit - don't even ask if it is refundable) wonder what happened, were they snapped up?
GLuvsMtb Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Yep, and when it comes to D we as cyclists are as much to blame as the organisers. imo with events we are as big "brand sluts" as with our equipment. A lot of us enter the same big name events (lets skip the names) year after year while complaining about the ever increasing entry fees while good value for money events are struggling to attract numbers.You make it sound like a bad thing that pricing for events are where they are at. If the Epic did not follow its current pricing strategy, many newer smaller events simply would not have gotten off the ground and growth in the sport would not have been so profound. The higher the price for the Epic, the more room there is for second tier events to flourish, and 3rd tier events below that as well, as the second tier generally follow suite with pricing.
GLuvsMtb Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Epic is great and all, one of those bucketlist things, but if you really want bang for the buck do the Cape Pioneer Trek, that is one REALLY special race!The CPT pricing have followed a similar pattern to ACE with double digit increases year on year iirc. They have even adopted the highly controversial clover-leaf format too. The event, despite its attractive pricing compared to ACE, have never attracted a sell-out field, and was probably one of the motivators to adopt the clover-leaf format, as more trails closer to the race village = a better experience opposed to long distances over a lot of dirt roads. Interestingly I have never seen a "100% sold out" sign on Joberg2C either, also a point to point race.
Skubarra Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 just for kicks. Epic 2017starters - 1332team finishers - 1006outcasts - 115quit - 211 so 79,8% got their medals of the South africans.49% of the starting field was ZA52% of the official finishers were ZA40% of the individual finishers were ZA40% of the non finisers were from ZA Yes I'm nitpicking but I think your 79% should be closer to 85% Dropout rate not wildly out of line with the average of 14% over all the years
jcza Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Yes I'm nitpicking but I think your 79% should be closer to 85% Dropout rate not wildly out of line with the average of 14% over all the years Dropout rate in line due to shortening of Stage 2?
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