Has the MTB Stage Racing bubble finally burst?

[stefmeister]

This is the saddest post I have ever read. Abandoning races and getting married. I am just sorry it could not have been caught sooner - what a loss. Nevermind, you can just join the rest of us soulless creatures begging for the odd Saturday morning to dust off the neglected bikes relegated to the garage (having been kicked out of the house) gathering dust and slowly deflating tyres, reminiscing of the old days when you could ride BOTH days of a weekend. Maybe one cycling purchase a year being sneaked through the "joint" credit card (you know, the one over which you have no say anymore). But there will always be the honeymoon!

Think you read too much into his post.

[Eldron]

Think you read too much into his post.

Some projection going on there methinks ????????

[Ozzie NL]

Our little trip to Odense for Duathlon WC's was just over R35k.  That's 12 days in Denmark/Sweden, flights, car rental, and accommodation for 2 people. I don't count meals, because we would have had to eat in SA anyway but most of the places we stayed had kitchens so we did our own cooking. Solo entry for Jhb2c is R28500.  As much as I'd love to do Jhb2c one day, I reckon another trip overseas to do a race there is probably a better option.

From what I understand Joberg2C is sold out already though. Hard to argue the price when that happens (as with the more extreme version in die Kaap)

[Danger Dassie]

A burst bubble implies a dramatic event, it would be more accurate to say that there's a contraction in the market. 

Which is only fair for everyone really, there are unto 60 odd stage races alone (I worked on compiling the first stage race guide) on the calendar. Just in South Africa that's more than the world combined. 

Add to that all the other cycling events, marathon MTB, XCO, trail/enduro, road and the growing gravel events ... etc. We have a calendar of over a thousand cycling events. 

Along with world class organisation levels and catering, we're not only spoilt for choice, we're very much spoilt. 
We're also spoilt for choice with trails, many of which have developed and grown from events over the years. It's a double edged sword now though because we can often now go and spend a weekend away in these areas a ride those same trails anytime we like. 

It's not a bad thing, just a sign of the industry and riding market maturing, many events and suchlike will have to morph into something different and as an example curtail the frills to lower entry costs for many. Maybe pair up with a bike touring/guided rides setup to work in tandem with the organisation. It's not like there isn't scope for value for both riders and organisers.
If we look at kids events like Spur, there's a prolific amount of youngsters entering cycling, the extended benefit suit riding not just as a sport or recreation but a deeper connected cycling culture. 

Think we'll see two different kinds of animal stay on, our key events with big production values and the more low key community style local event that's a firm favourite in a region.
​It's a business now, and those that treat it as such will see the stability, those that continue to work/think like it's a vanity project or fast money scheme, will fall away.

This weekend in the Gauteng area and surrounds there were four events, all with a healthy turnout. Lost City Road and MTB, Magalies Citrus Gravel Express and the Garmin MTB.

[Squier]

snip...

 

This weekend in the Gauteng area and surrounds there were four events, all with a healthy turnout. Lost City Road and MTB, Magalies Citrus Gravel Express and the Garmin MTB.

 

True. I do sometimes feel that the calender could be managed better. But that's a discussion for another day.

 

You have to be mindful of the fact that we're living in a stagnating economy. Disposal incomes are waning and luxuries are the first things that get cut.

 

There's also a limit that one is prepared to pay for a 3 day mountain bike ride. It'll differ between individuals but at some point everyone will feel it's getting ridiculous. Just adding 10% year on year just for inflation is not neccesarily a sustainable model.

[Danger Dassie]

True. I do sometimes feel that the calender could be managed better. But that's a discussion for another day.

 

You have to be mindful of the fact that we're living in a stagnating economy. Disposal incomes are waning and luxuries are the first things that get cut.

 

There's also a limit that one is prepared to pay for a 3 day mountain bike ride. It'll differ between individuals but at some point everyone will feel it's getting ridiculous. Just adding 10% year on year just for inflation is not neccesarily a sustainable model.

 

Totally agree, that's why I mentioned a contracting market. Personally I would rather own a bike shop than a furniture store right now.

People will look after their outlet/passion before thinking of a new couch or suchlike, even if that means curtailing riding spend, people will still ride. 

Rush Sports are thriving, because they've identified opportunities in a contracting market/economy and have grown.

 

But the whole 'bubble bursting' don't agree. If that happens it means the bottom has fallen out from within cycling as a whole, which in turn is just an indicator of everything else outside of cycling crashing down as a whole. In which case the last of our issues will be the cost of events.

[deanbean]

It seems payment plans are the way to go

 

[Groadie]

Cyclists and their personal needs evolve. Many events don't. As an example, I've done 6 x W2W and won't do any more. Apart from now costing the same as a trip to cycle a new destination in Europe with mates for a week, the route is pretty much the same. And I can ride the best part of it on most weekends - just a quick trip up to Oak Valley.

Sani is very similar - how many do you need to do until you're personally saturated? I still love riding my bike (both road and MTB) but my need to enter all the races (as compared to the first 5 years of getting into cycling) is fast dissipating. And I think that's what happens to many amateur cyclists: the personal need to enter the same route against a rising entry fee fades (and its mainly the overheads that cause this increase - not event organiser greed)

 

I've done 5 x Epics - but although the routes change most of the time, I've ridden quite a few of the same "iconic" route sections in various forms of the race. But the cost of the Epic (at R90k per entry) is exorbitant and actually makes the risk/reward too high for a regular South African amateur cyclist.

 

I will always do the Cape Town Cycle Tour becuase that's great fun. But again, my personal needs there have changed - after achieving the times that I want to, I will be dropping back to ride with my son or my wife in a chilled way. (Maybe the FOMO gets me, but until then, I'm really content riding my bike all over the country without the restrictions of an event)

[Johan A Marais]

It seems payment plans are the way to go

GKTPP.JPG

 

So many things I wanna say on *this in relation to the subject on hand, that with the "now" financing of bicycles, but I will have my **PI moment for the day. #nothinggood

 

*and E-Bikes 

** Personal Intervention

[Warthog]

True. I do sometimes feel that the calender could be managed better. But that's a discussion for another day.

 

You have to be mindful of the fact that we're living in a stagnating economy. Disposal incomes are waning and luxuries are the first things that get cut.

 

There's also a limit that one is prepared to pay for a 3 day mountain bike ride. It'll differ between individuals but at some point everyone will feel it's getting ridiculous. Just adding 10% year on year just for inflation is not neccesarily a sustainable model.

This is part of the problem... it's not just 10%.

 

I think I paid R 8 500 for the 2016 Sani, next year it's R15K?

[Ozzie NL]

This is part of the problem... it's not just 10%.

 

I think I paid R 8 500 for the 2016 Sani, next year it's R15K?

Also rode in 2016 and pretty sure cost was R13.5k

[BigDL]

This is part of the problem... it's not just 10%.

 

I think I paid R 8 500 for the 2016 Sani, next year it's R15K?

Just checked my payment for 2016 and it was R12,680. So maybe not as bad an increase in 3 years as you seem to think.

[Squier]

Just checked my payment for 2016 and it was R12,680. So maybe not as bad an increase in 3 years as you seem to think.

 

I paid R9k in 2012. My point is, even though a 10% increase doesn't sound like much, over time it ads up and gets closer and closer and eventually exceeds what people perceive as fair for a three day event. Our perception of value isn't automatically adjusted on an annual basis in relation to inflation.

[Ozzie NL]

I paid R9k in 2012. My point is, even though a 10% increase doesn't sound like much, over time it ads up and gets closer and closer and eventually exceeds what people perceive as fair for a three day event. Our perception of value isn't automatically adjusted on an annual basis in relation to inflation.

Agree 10% compounded adds up but real inflation has been running at ~8% for last couple of years so have to take that into account as all of Glen's costs will have escalated by at least that

[JBK]

Agree 10% compounded adds up but real inflation has been running at ~8% for last couple of years so have to take that into account as all of Glen's costs will have escalated by at least that

I doubt it... How many of his 'costs' are once-off costs that were paid off years ago or are fully sponsored... Costs linked to inflation are fuel and food, the latter I believe is sponsored... Tents and bridge, etc were paid off ages ago... I doubt he pays the casual labour 10% each year, maybe 5%... I'm not dissing the event or the organisers, but agree that ALL multi day stage race have lost the plot on pricing... Sadly they all compare themselves to, without doubt, the premier 2 events (Sani2C & W2W) and believe they can price accordingly...

[Slowbee]

You dont mind paying top dollar for the first one or two times you do an event. Third and forth you start to think about costs. Fifth and more, well it better be good. If you earn lots of dollars and money is not an issue, well good for you, you most likely earned it.

 

Having done a few it does start to become about value. R16k entry is, well R8k each. R8k for two nights is (let me get my cell phone calculator) R4000 a NIGHT! Ok so you cycling and all that jazz  - my sompompie tells me that is R2666.66666666666 per day.

 

Excluding getting to the event and the 5 days I have to take off work and the bike spares and and and.

 

For ME, MYSELF and I. The value is not there. Does not mean it is not there for someone else, it is just not there for me.