[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[Velouria]

I would like to touch on a very sensitive subject regarding the ride surviving, actually all cycle rides surviving in general.

 

But the tour also needs to focus on getting more, may more black folk involved as fun riders.

 

While there are many initiatives for development riders, we need more.And not just for younger riders. Adults need to be encouraged as well.

You were at the same talk I was at Slowbee - I think you know some of the answers here...

 

My question is, why aren't they? The middle-class, that can also afford nice bikes, cars, the entry fees and accommodation - technically nothing should be stopping them, so why aren't there thousands more riders?

Except perhaps that it's still a predominantly white sport. Money is just one of the factors. There are so many other barriers to entry, from social to historic. I remember being petrified of joining my first club ride, and I didn't have half the issues to deal with that non-white people have to deal with on a day to day basis.

[babse]

so maybe its time to introduce a half route (tour de M3) and a qualifying process for there full 109km?

[Icycling]

But the tour also needs to focus on getting more, may more black folk involved as fun riders.

 

 

On this topic what I would regard as a step forward is that for the past few years "non whites" have been winning the event. I don't really like talking color of skin - but I did not bring it up.

[Allrounder]

My wife and I are considering a tandem next year..... 

 

On a tandem she will be with me the whole way, so that we can chat and enjoy the day, without people cutting in between us, struggling to hear, and loosing each other in the bunches. 

[Allrounder]

You were at the same talk I was at Slowbee - I think you know some of the answers here...

 

Except perhaps that it's still a predominantly white sport. Money is just one of the factors. There are so many other barriers to entry, from social to historic. I remember being petrified of joining my first club ride, and I didn't have half the issues to deal with that non-white people have to deal with on a day to day basis.

SA is a free country, where people can do what they want. Anybody can enter if they want, why would you want to focus on one specific group? 

 

Would it not make more sense to make cycling more affordable for everyone?  

[thisismyotherbike]

I think that this is an accurate observation.

 

Not one of my regular cycling circle of friends/acquaintances  went down this year whereas there would usually have been 5 or 6 of them.

 

Reasons differ from, "too expensive a weekend and cannot justify it in the present economic situation", "not keen on being dirty for a whole weekend" or "maybe we should not put pressure on the water situation, there is always a next time".

 

Mostly however, the first. It is a very expensive exercise and times are tough. Very tough for many.

 

Precisely this.

 

I detest it when people provide anecdotal evidence to prove a point, but the stats on out of towners isn't being made available by the PPA.  So here's my anecdotal story:  On our office floor in Joburg everyone is a weekend warrior and half the guys went down and were disappointed by the cancellation last year.  NONE of them rode this year.  They can all certainly afford it, but still the quoted reason "It costs a fortune to fly down to CT and stay in a half decent hotel over Argus weekend, I'm not dropping R10k just to run the risk of it being cancelled again."

 

Another associate who has done 8 CTCTs in a row simply decided to wait and see if they actually managed to have the race in 2018.  He did his own thing in the Cradle on Sunday.

 

Keep in mind that a lot of Joburgers typically fly their wives and even kids down for the weekend.  The risk of spending a lot of money and then seeing CTCT cancelled just outweighed any kind of optimism.  I think a major portion of no-showers are those that directly suffered the loss of last year.

 

The damage has been done, but this year's event will go some way to repairing it.  It might take years for the risk of cancellation to stop deterring potential participants.

[Allrounder]

so maybe its time to introduce a half route (tour de M3) and a qualifying process for there full 109km?

I also believe that this is long over due. They can just limit it to lets say you need to have taken part, and finished in time in 2 events during the year. 

 

This will help to solve skills of group riding, and unfit people getting on their bikes and then not making it. (health and distance wise) 

[Jehosefat]

I also believe that this is long over due. They can just limit it to lets say you need to have taken part, and finished in time in 2 events during the year. 

 

This will help to solve skills of group riding, and unfit people getting on their bikes and then not making it. (health and distance wise) 

 

Or it will just decrease the group riding skills in other races 

[Allrounder]

Or it will just decrease the group riding skills in other races 

Haha valid point. 

[The Ouzo]

Agree to disagreed - both those 200 odd cyclist and the 35000 go hand in hand. This year there was no live TV coverage. Many people have asked me about this - what all these people we wanting to watch was the "race"- top 200 cyclist.

 

Many people have said to me this years Cycle tour have no "Atmosphere"- referring to the event and the lack of spectator etc. All of these cyclist who were in the 4 hour range. They have also said to me this is the last cycle tour they will be doing.

 

This year cycle tour was about 7000 down on entry. All I will say is it is the holistic approach of not only satisfying then funrider but also the "pro" cyclist that will see this event continue in its masses in years to come, they go hand in hand!

Economic factors as well as the drought probably played a big part.

For jo'burger you are looking at 5K upwards to do the event. I'm in sales and I've seen it, disposable income is a big problem for many, 5k to do a fun ride becomes a big issue.

From my side I still dont know how I'll be paying off the credit card I abused to get there and back, and we did it as cheap as possible splitting bills 3 ways most of the time.

 

The drought also played a big part in the lower numbers, many I spoke to in the months leading up said they would rather skip it because of the water shortages.

[The Ouzo]

I would be REALLY curious on how many crossed the first mat on the day, to get an idea of the drop-off rate (of course taking into account those that did the double).  As I suspect that a number did not pitch up on the day (are aware of a few of those), those that did not make the cut-offs and the mechanical preventing them from completing.  Paired with the fact that racetec ONLY shows those that did it within the 7 hours, so even if you finished, but your time was less than 7 it won't display

Also I suspect racetec had a technical issue on the last mat.

With 2 of my mates the last mat to pick them up was 600m to go, after that nothing. It currently shows as DNF. Who know how many thousands more did not get picked up.

[The Ouzo]

I also believe that this is long over due. They can just limit it to lets say you need to have taken part, and finished in time in 2 events during the year. 

 

This will help to solve skills of group riding, and unfit people getting on their bikes and then not making it. (health and distance wise) 

I like this idea. Back in the early 90's when I was supposed to enter my first Argus this is what I though the qualifying criteria was.

[Li Mu Bai]

snip snip[

 

  They can all certainly afford it, but still the quoted reason "It costs a fortune to fly down to CT and stay in a half decent hotel over Argus weekend, I'm not dropping R10k just to run the risk of it being cancelled again."

 

Another associate who has done 8 CTCTs in a row simply decided to wait and see if they actually managed to have the race in 2018.  He did his own thing in the Cradle on Sunday.

 

Keep in mind that a lot of Joburgers typically fly their wives and even kids down for the weekend.  The risk of spending a lot of money and then seeing CTCT cancelled just outweighed any kind of optimism.  I think a major portion of no-showers are those that directly suffered the loss of last year.

 

 

 

It all comes down to what value you want to get for your money.

As a JHB resident who has done 8 CTCT events now (plus 1 for the cancelled race), I certainly know that what we experienced on sunday weather wise was unusual. It was great, and I have only had similar weather in 3 out of 8 events.

Making the trip to CT is an expensive exercise, but pinning all your hopes and expectations just on the race is silly. The CT weather (and other stuffs like protests and fires) is too fickle to just focus on the CTCT race when there is soooo much else to do there over the long weekend trip.

Last year we kitesurfed in Langebaan. This year we surfed at Muizenburg.

 

The race has become a nice extra, incidental to all the other fun stuff available.

Sure, I do train hard and that makes the race fun and enjoyable, not a slog, and a 6:23 start means i get to drink beer earlier than most.

When it was cancelled last year, and also shortened previous year to that, yes that was disappointing. But not a train smash either...

Edited March 14, 2018 by Li Mu Bai

[Skubarra]

I also believe that this is long over due. They can just limit it to lets say you need to have taken part, and finished in time in 2 events during the year. 

 

This will help to solve skills of group riding, and unfit people getting on their bikes and then not making it. (health and distance wise) 

 

This is a mass participation funride, not the Epic or cycling nationals.

 

Like cpelser said -these "once a year wonders" are the reason we have closed roads to race on for a day and the vast majority of them finish just fine despite being unfit and unskilled.

['Dale]

This is a mass participation funride, not the Epic or cycling nationals.

 

Like cpelser said -these "once a year wonders" are the reason we have closed roads to race on for a day and the vast majority of them finish just fine despite being unfit and unskilled.

 

Like x 12993847083

[HdB]

When it was cancelled last year, and also shortened previous year to that, yes that was disappointing. But not a train smash either...

This is exactly why I arranged to go for a reasonably easy ride with a buddy on Friday morning. Over Malanshoogte and back, and then up Vissershok. That way, I felt at least if the CTCT was cancelled or shortened again, my weekend would not be a complete disappointment.

 

In the end I enjoyed that ride tremendously, and will probably make it a permanent part of my Argus weekend.

Even with a catastrophic drought, the scenery is still far better than Bloem. You lucky b...

Edited March 14, 2018 by HdB