General So is the Epic getting ahead of itself - elitism in the dining hall

[SCD]

Entry cost of an event and what the organiser provide are not related. Entry is driven by demand, and while there is demand, they'll keep upping the price. Am I happy with that? No. Have I made peace with that. Yes.

 

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After the awards and route previews (I can still remember having my mind blown by the flyover feature of Google Maps!) it was bed time. Except it never was easy to sleep because of the sound of the diesel generator they had parked next to the little yellow tents.

 

I didn't mind it then, and I don't mind it now. Epic is about the stuff that happens from when the gun fires, till that moment we cross the finish line. I don't know how they do it, but that part of the event is still something they just get.

 

Great comment, adding a lot of perspective.

 

It makes me want to add to my earlier post that the big disappointment experienced was more against the huge expectations created by the EPIC's grande marketing promises. If you step back a bit and ignore the fanfare with which the EPIC is presenting itself the whole things is much lightened. So maybe the marketeers and the delivery guys should work from the same revision of the project briefing ... Lynn, listen up!

 

Anyway, I was in a similar position as you describe in your next post, so I had an absolute blast. Riding awesome trails in the fairytale landscapes of the Western Cape for 8 days in a row is mindboggling insane and amazing...love it

[mrcg]

a quick recap from me:

i did the 2017 edition - first timer. I've done (nearly) all other races out there so can compare. Which i won't bore you with, don't worry

As mentioned by some previous forumites....Epic is Epic and you need to know what you are getting into. For me it was a bucket list item - a "to do", for my own bragging rights.

 

However, having said that, there was definite disappointment with the level of some basics. And this is unacceptable and will eventually kill this race. Epic can look at maximising their bottom line, as they are free to do as a business, but eventually you will lose your overall appeal. Or only host pro/semi-pro riders. Which it seems is where they are going anyway.

Food = dinner was always terrible. Quality and taste. Junk status. Brekkie ok.

Best EVER: Woolies recovery tent. This is what saved us "normal"riders every day the moment we got off the bike. The service (wet towels, spray fans) and the people working there were top notch, never mind the food. Quality!!! This alone made it worth it. Luckily we didn't have to rely on the caterers of the Epic. Enough goodies to take to the tent to keep us going.

Food is a basic for riders. The set-up at Sani2c or Joberg2c and many others is exemplary. They have a riding/racing soul. They look after their customers properly.

Epic will always be elitist. We all (should) know that.

Will I enter again? Not out of my own pocket! Sponsored, yes. To be part of that race.

That's it

[mrcg]

Forgot to add: to be fair to Epic, what Grant showed in his video "only occurred" on the last night. As far as I saw - I didn't check the front rows every night.

But no snacks, not enough water, coffee, tee, dessert, snacks etc....is just poor service delivery

[leeubok]

For nearly 40k I would rather fly to the Western Cape, ride all the trails there that I've never done before,or maybe even do a tour through the kalahari if I want to challenge myself. Whilst staying in comfortable b&b's with good food. I can't justify paying 38k to do a race, sleep in a tent and get crap service like people have mentioned here.

Having said that, I wouldn't say no to a free entry into the epic.

[EmptyB]

For nearly 40k I would rather fly to the Western Cape, ride all the trails there that I've never done before,or maybe even do a tour through the kalahari if I want to challenge myself. Whilst staying in comfortable b&b's with good food. I can't justify paying 38k to do a race, sleep in a tent and get crap service like people have mentioned here.

Having said that, I wouldn't say no to a free entry into the epic.

Agreed...would I like to do the Epic, of course I would. But for that money I would far rather go on a MTB holiday.

[BaGearA]

24k gets you and your bike to canada and back.

4k for admin ( visa, passport and K@k )

10k for accomodation and food 

6k for trailfees and goodies at whistler.

 

 

Seems like A good option when comparing 

 

 

My calculations may be A bit off be seems you can go to whistler for A few days compared to what it would cost to do the Epic. And that just the entry fee , I'm not including anything you buy yourself while doing the event.

 

 

What would you rather do ?  

 

 

I'm not bashing the epic , just thinking out loud

[Slowbee]

24k gets you and your bike to canada and back.

4k for admin ( visa, passport and K@k )

10k for accomodation and food 

6k for trailfees and goodies at whistler.

 

 

Seems like A good option when comparing 

 

 

My calculations may be A bit off be seems you can go to whistler for A few days compared to what it would cost to do the Epic. And that just the entry fee , I'm not including anything you buy yourself while doing the event.

 

 

What would you rather do ?  

 

 

I'm not bashing the epic , just thinking out loud

the options to this kind of excercise are endless.

 

I mean, you could hop on a plane to CT, and do most of the trails the WC has to offer, including hiring of a hubber or two to show you around. And still have loads of change for the extra baggage due to the premier beers and wine we have down here.

 

Hell you could ship your mtn bike down, gravel grind from JHB (It is downhill after all). Hit the trails with mtn bike, the roads with your grinder. AND still have change.

[Lexx]

Whistler anytime....

[BaGearA]

the options to this kind of excercise are endless.

 

I mean, you could hop on a plane to CT, and do most of the trails the WC has to offer, including hiring of a hubber or two to show you around. And still have loads of change for the extra baggage due to the premier beers and wine we have down here.

 

Hell you could ship your mtn bike down, gravel grind from JHB (It is downhill after all). Hit the trails with mtn bike, the roads with your grinder. AND still have change.

Definitely, I just used whistler as an example because most people see it as the end-all be all MTB park

 

I would go to Rotorua or Novo mesto personally....

[Warthog]

24k gets you and your bike to canada and back.

4k for admin ( visa, passport and K@k )

10k for accomodation and food 

6k for trailfees and goodies at whistler.

 

 

Seems like A good option when comparing 

 

 

My calculations may be A bit off be seems you can go to whistler for A few days compared to what it would cost to do the Epic. And that just the entry fee , I'm not including anything you buy yourself while doing the event.

 

 

What would you rather do ?  

 

 

I'm not bashing the epic , just thinking out loud

My best mate lives in Canada, so I get 10K off.

 

No brainer...

[nonky]

Epic Ass Raping - Free

 

Sorry, dude, you have to pay for that privilege in the western cape...only ANC provinces get it for FREE.

[Eldron]

Joberg2c - half the price - twice the fun.

 

I will probably do another Joberg2c - norra fark will I ride the Epic again.

[DIPSLICK]

Joberg2c - half the price - twice the fun.

I will probably do another Joberg2c - norra fark will I ride the Epic again.

Plus whan on the joberg2c,,,never done an epic have no intention of doing it

[Eldron]

Plus whan on the joberg2c,,,never done an epic have no intention of doing it

That Joberg2c will never be forgotten :-)

 

I had an awesome epic with an awesome partner and amazing support crew. That more than made up for what the epic organisers call a route. I had infinitely more fun when I spent like R12k to fly to Cape Town, hire a car and ride as many bike parks as I could in 12 days.

[sometime]

Wadawadawada - stop moaning about people moaning. Your're the worst form of cry baby. its always the same people who pop up and miss the point and start shooting arrows at the messengers and making apologies for greedy race organizers, bike companies and others, I mean FFS, imagine if we all said nothing when Zuma fks us over. Same thing an a different scale. 

 

How was your ACE this year BTW?

 

You didn't just compare how Zuma runs this country to a race organiser whose product is in demand in just about every corner of the world did you?

 

Greedy business people; race organisers, manufacturers and others wanting to make money for themselves - imagine that. Do you work out of the goodness of your heart or do you expect/hope/plan to get paid as much as possible for the work/service you provide? That's a rhetorical question BTW.

 

I don't apologise for anyone. They do what they do. You might not like it but if enough people do then they're doing something right.

 

I have no ideas what my ACE is?

 

For the record I rode Epic on my own money 4 years ago. Loved it but decided it offered poor bang for buck and wouldn't ride it again with my own money. I rode the race this year fully-sponsored and loved it again but it just reinforced my conviction that I would not do the Epic with my own money. Tankwa Trek is a superior race in every respect. Joberg2C is far more enjoyable; 3 Towers is way more fun etc etc

[Duane_Bosch]

Speaking of Epic trips.

 

Are any of you keen for well priced accommodation in Morzine this summer? I have a mate who's rented a house literally 15m from one of the main lifts in Morz. Dates are 1-7 July.

 

This trip is for Roadies as well as MTBer's. I'll most likely be there with my MTB but will be renting a roadie for 3 days.