Cape Town Cycle Tour 2020

[Long Wheel Base]

How many of you saw Frail?

I caught him up chappies on his 2nd lap. Well Done, David.

 

@Frail, How big is your big blade?

[dexterdent]

I downloaded the data as is from Racetec earlier, here's a teaser while the data is cleaned.

 

 

 

Guess which year is 2018/19/20?

 

The data is normalised as there were about 4k less finishers in 2020 (at least, as Racetec stands now).

 

I finished in 3.44 from 3G, after almost abandoning road cycling forever post-2018 CTCT, I'm glad my company gave us all an entry this year

Edited March 9, 2020 by dexterdent

[Mamil]

Would have been interesting to not give us the key to this and ask us to guess which curve belonged to which year.

 

 

I downloaded the data as is from Racetec earlier, here's a teaser while the data is cleaned.

 

CTCT2020 draft 1.JPG

 

Overral, very simlar profile to 2018, although quite a few people from ~4.20-5.10 improved to the mid 3's this year.

 

Around 4k less finishers (maybe racetec will still update again) so I had to normalise the data.

 

I finished in 3.44 from 3G, after almost abandoning road cycling forever post-2018 CTCT, I'm glad my company gave us all an entry this year

[dexterdent]

Would have been interesting to not give us the key to this and ask us to guess which curve belonged to which year.

 

I'm going to edit and do exactly that. No cheating

[Max Headroom]

Anybody else notice the guy with the normal PPA number ? (had to laugh at this)

Passed a guy just after simonstown - I guess he must have just joined in somewhere.

 

Further, I can't recall that I have ever bounced around so much on the CTCT in previous years. The roads are not in a great condition. (perhaps I was wheel sucking more and did not see road flaws)

 

I am also in two minds about the e-bikes and how they should fit in.

Earlier start times - and they will be used for unfair drafting for better times (same issues as Ladies race)

Though of perhaps starting them only on the 'short route' after the ladies are well gone. But then they could still wait for the men to catch up and then pull their buddy along.

 

On the current arrangement - As mentioned above - too complicated for marshals to identify and stop them from starting in normal groups.

And, what stops you from dropping back in start groups and placing your buddy on a e-bike - to catch up to you and tow you to a sub3 or whatever (of course you need the ability to hang on !)

 

Because of the speed that the e-bikes can travel at - I see the only solution being to place them starting even later/further back after the last groups (they will catch up and finish before cut-off times - so no worry about road closure etc)

 

I also just missed (in front of me) the pileup on the blue route and heard clatter of bikes/guys behind us falling just after exiting simonstown, and then seeing the guys in pain on the cape point decent - but did anybody see the guy sitting on the pavement (holding his bike upright) and clenching his left arm and chest ? (On small suikerbossie just after right turn) Did not look like a fall (or collar bone issue) - Hope he is alright and not a heart attack (!)

 

Ladies race

- I am sure most ladies are delighted in having their own race - but really, the route must be made longer. Even for the pro guys, the route is too short. 

Ladies and Mens race - It is too much of a sprinters race (with 15km after suikerbossie to regroup).

 

I would like to see - as example ; the ladies race going first back to Kalkbay and over Boyes drive, then Oukaapse weg and finally down Blackhill. Similarly the top men's race - starting as current but then in Kalkbay going up Boyes drive / oukaaps / blackhill

 

 

Anyway, overall, really enjoyed the ride and safely finishing my 24th. (twice before had to abandon during a pile-up)  Well done to the marshals and overall arrangements - Still a fantastic event !

I hope I can keep doing it till one day probably sitting on a e-bike at age 80

[Jewbacca]

Has it been discussed... There was a guy on the right hand side of the road heading from Cape Point to the Redhill/Misty cliffs turn whose bike was broken in half!

 

Yoh.... 

[Owen]

Thank you and yes some very valid points. 

 

We saw gillet only, tracksuit tops and people sockless.

 

Thank you and yes some very valid points. 

 

We saw gillet only, tracksuit tops and people sockless.

 

We were the Bestmed guys and girls

[Fat Boab]

 

Chapeau Sir!

 

And you make an interesting point...anyone seen a motor-powered handicapped 3 wheeler recumbent? If not, why not? Surely those individuals are closely associated with one of the common groups we here about who NEED ebikes I. E. The elderly and infirm. Yet not so many, if any of them, who opt for augmented human power.

 

It's lazy, I tell you. Should be renamed lazee-bikes...

 

 

I’ve been reading all the comments on e-bikers, wondering whether or not to wade into the debate or keep quiet…

So on the assumption that the organizers read and take note of this forum have decided, for better or worse, to wade in.

First a little background.

I’m a 66 year old male, 1.85m and 82kgs who suffered a heart attack in 2005.

Double stent angioplasty in September and a triple bypass in January 2006.

Had always enjoyed road running but the cardiac ‘event’ put paid to that so, on the advice of my sub-3 cardiologist, took up road cycling.

And LOVED it.

First ‘Argus’ was 2009, a baptism of wind !!

Got round in about 7 hours.

2010/11/12/13/14 all good and my PB improved to under 4.30.

Missed 2015 – busy sailing across the Atlantic.

2016 another good ride but was diagnosed with cancer later that year.

The Lance Armstrong variety – so now I’m a ‘uni-baller’ !!

2017 was cancelled – and what a relief for me that was !

Much better ride in 2018 but then, in September, I got tick-bite fever.

TBF is a bitch, unless diagnosed (and treated) very early – which mine wasn’t.

Recovery can be very slow, and missed last year’s Tour – my limbs were just stuffed.

So I was back in the saddle yesterday, started in 4D, and, although slow up Edinburgh Drive, got to Miller’s Point in good time.

And then the fatigue set in, no power in the climbs and eventually finished in just under 6 hours.

So am I a candidate for an e-Bike ride next year ?

(On the basis of illness or that I was 90 minutes slower than my PB ?)

No way – NOT EVER.

I love ‘The Argus” – it is such an enormous privilege to have one of the world’s most spectacular highways given over to cyclists for a day.

The carnival atmosphere is awesome.

The sight of those handicapped okes arms grinding their recumbent three-wheelers uphill humbles me to the core.

If they can do it by sheer guts and will-power then so can I.

Even if it means finishing in six or so hours….

For me its the taking part that counts - not the breaking of some speed record.

Those days may be gone for a while, so I might as well just man-up and accept it.

Meanwhile...

A sub-4 on an e-bike ?

Will somebody explain to me, like I’m a five-year old, what is the point ???

[Dadbod Racing]

Has it been discussed... There was a guy on the right hand side of the road heading from Cape Point to the Redhill/Misty cliffs turn whose bike was broken in half!

 

Yoh.... 

 

I saw half a bike in Clifton, above 3rd also in half. 

 

Ambulance on the scene when we passed. 

[Shebeen]

salut to

peter and adrian both 2:59:59 from 1C

esekial from 5F with a 6:59:58

 

I downloaded the data as is from Racetec earlier, here's a teaser while the data is cleaned.

 

 

CTCT2020 draft 1.JPG

 

Guess which year is 2018/19/20?

 

The data is normalised as there were about 4k less finishers in 2020 (at least, as Racetec stands now).

 

I finished in 3.44 from 3G, after almost abandoning road cycling forever post-2018 CTCT, I'm glad my company gave us all an entry this year

red is 19

blue/grey so similiar it would be a guess either way.

but using my knowledge of excel, the default option is to have blue/red for 2 series, and the third is then grey, so I'm going grey for 2020

[dev null]

Just glad we are not riding today or tomorrow. Wind is nasty.

[MORNE]

Chapeau Sir!

 

And you make an interesting point...anyone seen a motor-powered handicapped 3 wheeler recumbent? If not, why not? Surely those individuals are closely associated with one of the common groups we here about who NEED ebikes I. E. The elderly and infirm. Yet not so many, if any of them, who opt for augmented human power.

 

It's lazy, I tell you. Should be renamed lazee-bikes...

 

 

made me think of this guy. For those of you who don't know Alex Zanardi...ex formula1 and indycar driver who lost both his legs in that crash and almost died - i uploaded a small pic of the crash on purpose because the parts that you think don't look like car parts are exactly what you think they are and there are way more graphic ones. (google it yourself if you dare)

 

anyway...he went on to be a multiple olympic champion pushing that 'bike' with nothing but his arms...

Edited March 9, 2020 by morneS555

[Velouria]

Does anybody know what happened to the poor chap who was sitting in the road dazed, in a pool of blood, on the downhill after Cape Point?  He might have been from the 1A/1B/1C mega bunch (or possibly bit earlier) from looks of it.

 

A traffic control vehicle parked in the middle of the road to protect him, slowing everyone to a virtual halt in order to go round him (understandably).  There was a lot of blood and I have been feeling quite worried for him.

Iam Holmes was the HotChillee guy that stayed with Nutty. I think we all owe Ian a beer for sacrificing his race to make sure Nutty was ok...

 

[3wings]

Congrats on finishing, You have really had your fair share of bad luck and Kudos for never giving up. Respect. I started reading your post and thought it would end up with "and that is why I ride an e-bike".

 

Thanks - but wasn’t fishing for kudos – especially when owning up to an (only-just) sub-6 !!

Guess I’m just trying to get my head around the whole question of e-bikes and the CTCT.

Is it good for the event or, in the long term, is it bad ?

E-bikes are a feature now – we all better just get used to the idea, that much I understand at least.

However I can’t help get the feeling that there’ll be more and more each year.

To all those pushing their bikes up Smits, Chappies and Suikerbossie – what must they have been thinking as an e-bike whizzed past ?

“To hell with this, next year I’ll get myself one of those” !!

And the okes riding the e-bikes – what were they thinking as they passed them?

“I used to have to do that, glad I got myself one of these, takes all the effort out of the climbs – and the need to train hard, or at all really”.

These might be exaggerations I know, but what is the incentive for the overweight, the unfit and in some cases the unhealthy, to ever ride under their own steam again when they witness an ever-increasing number of riders junking their old bikes and investing in something propelled by a battery-powered motor ?

There will be some, like me, that would rather throw in the towel and call it a day, however I suspect that, as e-bike prices come down, technology improves and batteries become smaller and more durable, the numbers of these hybrid bikes taking part in events like the CTCT will increase substantially.

It’s a headache for the organizers but one they will need to face up to sooner rather than later.

One very obvious and pressing question for them as numbers increase might be this:

Who has precedence/right of way ?

Man-power or battery power ?

Just asking but from an insurance perspective, is a motorist always deemed to be at fault when colliding with a cyclist ?

I don’t know the absolute answer to that but suspect it’s the driver.

So if a little old lady grinding along gets taken out badly by a testosterone-fueled 22 year-old on an e-bike doing 25kmh up Chappies – and it will happen one day – then what ?

[Frail. "Will forever remain "Frail"]

How many of you saw Frail?

I caught him up chappies on his 2nd lap. Well Done, David.

 

@Frail, How big is your big blade?

@Long Wheel Base.

HELLO again.

You talking about My GAS TURBINE?

Where do Think I GET ALL MY Power?

Some people think I have a E-Bike!

 

68T!

[Frail. "Will forever remain "Frail"]

How many of you saw Frail?

I caught him up chappies on his 2nd lap. Well Done, David.

 

@Frail, How big is your big blade?

You are Talking about this ONE?