Is the MTB event bubble about to burst?

[Escapee..]

I think there is still scope for some events but there definitely seems to be an "over supply". The appeal of an organised event is there but it doesn't always feel like the money adds up. Paying R7000 to R8000 for three days with craft beer and gourmet burgers (if you are lucky) is a lot of money. I'd like the option of being able to pitch my own (bigger) tent and make my own food/supply my own beer. Granted, not all events/venues would allow for it but there is some events where a cheaper option could work.

 

I'd still like to do Wines2Whales and the U, luckily I ticked BC Bike Race off my bucketlist this year. 

 

We did Berg and Bush this year with the self camping option. Would definitely recommend.

[Kenty]

Thats why I am just a FREE RIDER....look forward each year to our Funtrax 100 miler event and the rest of the time bomb around all our lovely trails we have here...I no pro , hell , at worst I am an amateur,s amateur...BUT...do read and look at the beaut pics of all the MTB events on offer in our Sunny SA....boy OH boy...across the board they are pricey!!!....

 

The humble bicycle has come a long way ....the MTB is a legend in its own right and within the MTB broad spectrum you have mini "cult" formings/followings....like downhill , which has die hard fans/followers and more so the actual riders AND then the mind blowing free riders , Red Bull rampage etc etc....Soooo...my thought...these "cults"as I call them in the MTB fraternity are here to stay ...BUT I , myself , foresee the mainstream MTBing , becoming , shall I say thinned out....

 

As for me ...I just LOVE riding my Alice on the trails...

 

I read somewhere....Driving in your car , its like you watching a movie through the windows...BUT..on your bicycle you are actually IN the movie....interesting...

[River Rat]

The question raised my eyebrows somewhat, you have a drop of 20-30% and you ask whether the bubble has burst, really? For me it is quite simple my skill level has advanced ahead of my speed and I find the frustration of hanging behind a slightly fitter rider on a technical descent is what puts me off most events. This is where Enduro and trail riding are becoming more attractive, for me at least. The other thing to consider is the two man team thing it no longer makes any sense to me.

Edited November 5, 2019 by River Rat

[Kenty]

The question raised my eyebrows somewhat, you have a drop of 20-30% and you ask whether the bubble has burst, really? For me it is quite simple my skill level has advanced ahead of my speed and I find the frustration of hanging behind a slightly fitter rider on a technical descent is what puts me off most events. This is where Enduro and trail rding are becoming more attractive, for me at least. The other thing to consider is the two man team thing it no longer makes any sense to me.

Agreed....trail riding is where its at...for me at least...well said indeed...

[BigDL]

I’ve just entered a five day event in Italy in may/June next year. 400 odd euros all in, including a hotel room, not sharing, breakfast and dinner each day (pasta party at night) and some incredible looking trails. I will still try and travel to SA to do the odd event, but I am also encouraging mates from SA to look at European stage races, which seem to offer far more value for money in some cases.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

The bubble is indeed about to burst for the stage races that are busy pricing themselves out of the market. However I still believe the "value the money" events will be supported going forward.

 

Most of my cycling friendship circle have settled on organizing our own long weekends away near popular mtb trails and it works out at a fraction of the cost of these multi stage events. The bonus is we get to stay in fairly luxury accommodation and dine like Kings every day.

e.g. a recent trip to the Groot Vadersbos reserve cost us R3000 each for 4 days (all in), including the transport and it offered some of the best trails and gravel roads I've ridden in ages.

This is where it's at and you can take the family along, all have a great time, do the miles and still have change

[Headshot]

Demand became so high organizers flocked to create events and popular events morphed into three eg S2C and W2W. There is  a decline in the number of entries so perhaps some of the extra events will fall away as will the not so popular races. Maybe the entry fees will actually become affordable again.  The cheaper grass roots events will gain popularity. 

[Frosty]

Distance is a % of the numbers in the grey from 0 to 1200

 

Just got frustrated - a bad survey setup - and dumped it

Shows my lack of attention to detail when completing it.

[DieselnDust]

The question raised my eyebrows somewhat, you have a drop of 20-30% and you ask whether the bubble has burst, really? For me it is quite simple my skill level has advanced ahead of my speed and I find the frustration of hanging behind a slightly fitter rider on a technical descent is what puts me off most events. This is where Enduro and trail riding are becoming more attractive, for me at least. The other thing to consider is the two man team thing it no longer makes any sense to me.

Yeah the skill levels at the stage races is pretty low as is the etiquette. More experienced riders are opting to go enduro and XCM or xco where the racing is better and the courses are more challenging.

I asked JK about next years w2w switchback, if they would use the Epic route and he laughed. Said it would be murder for most of the field. That's a sad truth.

But skilled riders opting for other events doesn't account for the big drop off in numbers at stage races.

[DIPSLICK]

Yeah the skill levels at the stage races is pretty low as is the etiquette. More experienced riders are opting to go enduro and XCM or xco where the racing is better and the courses are more challenging.

I asked JK about next years w2w switchback, if they would use the Epic route and he laughed. Said it would be murder for most of the field. That's a sad truth.

But skilled riders opting for other events doesn't account for the big drop off in numbers at stage races.

ahhh the age old discussion of unskilled riders IN FRONT OF you downhill beasts

yip they qualified for better seeding or they fitter climbing up, or grinding flats better

 

so Qualify for better seeding, learn to grind gravel roads, get up the hill faster,,,,essentially all you guys with big steel balls are saying is "my one specialized  aspect of riding ,,,,,is bettererrr than ALL YOURS"

 

GOT IT        

[BaGearA]

ahhh the age old discussion of unskilled riders IN FRONT OF you downhill beasts

yip they qualified for better seeding or they fitter climbing up, or grinding flats better

 

so Qualify for better seeding, learn to grind gravel roads, get up the hill faster,,,,essentially all you guys with big steel balls are saying is "my one specialized  aspect of riding ,,,,,is bettererrr than ALL YOURS"

 

GOT IT        

truth bombs left and right

[W Smith]

truth bombs left and right

 

ahhh the age old discussion of unskilled riders IN FRONT OF you downhill beasts

yip they qualified for better seeding or they fitter climbing up, or grinding flats better

 

so Qualify for better seeding, learn to grind gravel roads, get up the hill faster,,,,essentially all you guys with big steel balls are saying is "my one specialized  aspect of riding ,,,,,is bettererrr than ALL YOURS"

 

GOT IT        

 

Brilliant comment !

[Mamil]

That questionnaire is all but unintelligible

 

I tried to fill it out but ...

[Shebeen]

Shows my lack of attention to detail when completing it.

confused me too.

so if you ride 100km per week. then you need to put in % of 1200km, which is about 8% right?

 

I would have added in age/sex/lsm(salary) to add context to the questions

Also, do you do more or less events than say 5years ago?

 

good luck making conclusions from this data

[MTBeer]

ahhh the age old discussion of unskilled riders IN FRONT OF you downhill beasts

yip they qualified for better seeding or they fitter climbing up, or grinding flats better

 

so Qualify for better seeding, learn to grind gravel roads, get up the hill faster,,,,essentially all you guys with big steel balls are saying is "my one specialized  aspect of riding ,,,,,is bettererrr than ALL YOURS"

 

GOT IT        

It's less time consuming to up your skill level. Not everybody has loads of free hours every week to get fitter, but it takes 1 hour on the weekend to improve your skill a moer of a lot. Unfortunately the super fit gravel grinders who clearly have time on their hands aren't interested in upping their skill levels.

[DieselnDust]

ahhh the age old discussion of unskilled riders IN FRONT OF you downhill beasts

yip they qualified for better seeding or they fitter climbing up, or grinding flats better

 

so Qualify for better seeding, learn to grind gravel roads, get up the hill faster,,,,essentially all you guys with big steel balls are saying is "my one specialized  aspect of riding ,,,,,is bettererrr than ALL YOURS"

 

GOT IT        

 

 

Hilarious!

 

If only you knew what you were talking about

Edited November 6, 2019 by DieselnDust