Double Century 2021

[DieselnDust]

21 minutes ago, Jbr said:

yes probably, but there will also be big groups on the roads with that format

This is my concern. One of my teamies is already looking forward to the bigger groups because it means our team won't have to work as hard. as faster teams catch us. It never works out like this anyway and theres's always an accident in these bigger groups.

However the situation that arose last year with slow teams still out on the road just before sunset speaks to the fact that there are way too many people participating who are not properly prepared. Many years ago qualifying criteria was considered and one of these was that in order to paricipate in the DC a rider must have completed the Argus Cycle Tour in under 4 hrs. There are a lot of sub5 hr people participating and this is never going to get you to the finishline under the 10hr cut off.

Some sort of qualifying criteria should be reintroduced

[Jbr]

4 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

This is my concern. One of my teamies is already looking forward to the bigger groups because it means our team won't have to work as hard. as faster teams catch us. It never works out like this anyway and theres's always an accident in these bigger groups.

However the situation that arose last year with slow teams still out on the road just before sunset speaks to the fact that there are way too many people participating who are not properly prepared. Many years ago qualifying criteria was considered and one of these was that in order to paricipate in the DC a rider must have completed the Argus Cycle Tour in under 4 hrs. There are a lot of sub5 hr people participating and this is never going to get you to the finishline under the 10hr cut off.

Some sort of qualifying criteria should be reintroduced

hope your kit doesn't stand out too much, last year with our flowery kits the motorbike only noticed us and was giving us *** every time another group would come close like it was always our fault... We would pass groups on the uphills, they would draft us on the next downhill and pass us again and every time the marshalls were blaming us...

Edit : I haven't completed any argus so I hope this won't be a criteria ????

Edited August 24, 2021 by Jbr

[DieselnDust]

3 minutes ago, Jbr said:

hope your kit doesn't stand out too much, last year with our flowery kits the motorbike only noticed us and was giving us *** every time another group would come close like it was always our fault... We would pass groups on the uphills, they would draft us on the next downhill and pass us again and every time the marshalls were blaming us...

Edit : I haven't completed any argus so I hope this won't be a criteria ????

JBR in I've-never-finished-the-argust shocker????..

Say it isn't so......the most important cycling event in the Southern hemisphere, The purgatory of the South, Fun Ride World Champs....,<gasps>

I'm gutted

Delete delete before the Savages read this

[Jbr]

8 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

JBR in I've-never-finished-the-argust shocker????..

Say it isn't so......the most important cycling event in the Southern hemisphere, The purgatory of the South, Fun Ride World Champs....,<gasps>

I'm gutted

Delete delete before the Savages read this

I've never started it either hey  Maybe this year if I don't break another bone the month before or have a business trip

Edited August 24, 2021 by Jbr

[bleedToWin]

Did team members have to be finalised at this time already, or only later?
I'm still looking for a team and was wondering if organisers allow for the fact that the final team might still not be 100% certain. Would substitution later be my best bet, or should I start scrambling around now already? ????

[Jewbacca]

19 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Did team members have to be finalised at this time already, or only later?
I'm still looking for a team and was wondering if organisers allow for the fact that the final team might still not be 100% certain. Would substitution later be my best bet, or should I start scrambling around now already? ????

I'm free November 27th.... Just saying

[DieselnDust]

40 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Did team members have to be finalised at this time already, or only later?
I'm still looking for a team and was wondering if organisers allow for the fact that the final team might still not be 100% certain. Would substitution later be my best bet, or should I start scrambling around now already? ????

One team member i.e. one person has to secure the entry. The rest can follow thereafter. Substitutions can be made right to registration. There is a cut off for the teams to be final before substitution fees apply. Check the entry rules on the doublecentury.co.za website

[Jbr]

23 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm free November 27th.... Just saying

Should we start a bikehub team ? ????

[Jewbacca]

4 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Should we start a bikehub team ? ????

I'm in! I already have bikehub kit... I just don't have an entry

It is the same day as UTCT, so either way I will be doing 200km or 100km that day!

[bleedToWin]

17 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

One team member i.e. one person has to secure the entry. The rest can follow thereafter. Substitutions can be made right to registration. There is a cut off for the teams to be final before substitution fees apply. Check the entry rules on the doublecentury.co.za website

Thanks.

"[...] may be substituted at no charge using the online management system, until 5 November 2021"

[bleedToWin]

16 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Should we start a bikehub team ? ????

Can you round up 10 Hubbers with similar expectations? ???? 

 

[Jewbacca]

Just now, bleedToWin said:

Can you round up 10 Hubbers with similar expectations? ???? 

 

What are the expectations? Our morning ride group is solid.... Everyone got a sub3 last year except me... ????

I'm sure I could round up a few more. 

What sort of time do you want? 

[Jbr]

2 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Can you round up 10 Hubbers with similar expectations? ???? 

 

haha I think that will be harder than the race

I did 5:53 on strava / 5:28 on racetec last year. That's pretty much what I'd like to do this year. I usually start hating cycling after 5,5 hours on the bike ????

Edited August 24, 2021 by Jbr

[Jewbacca]

18 minutes ago, Jbr said:

haha I think that will be harder than the race

I did 5:53 on strava / 5:28 on racetec last year. That's pretty much what I'd like to do this year. I usually start hating cycling after 5,5 hours on the bike ????

Otherwise we could be awesome and do it on BMX's and raise money for the SPCA!

I'd be keen

[ChrisF]

9 hours ago, Shebeen said:

Been through there recently? Looks like they haven't done much in the 5 years(granted with a change of contractor)!

 

Thats hardly a fair statement .... 

 

Brand new bridges are being constructed, most of the road re-routed  ....  Must be a logistic nightmare doing this type of construction while keeping the old pass open most of the time.  

 

Not sure if the same company that started the bridge in Ashton was also involved with the pass project .... they went belly up, and the project stood still for a very long time while the contract was awarded to the current contractor.

[Skubarra]

On 8/24/2021 at 9:29 AM, DieselnDust said:

This is my concern. One of my teamies is already looking forward to the bigger groups because it means our team won't have to work as hard. as faster teams catch us. It never works out like this anyway and theres's always an accident in these bigger groups.

However the situation that arose last year with slow teams still out on the road just before sunset speaks to the fact that there are way too many people participating who are not properly prepared. Many years ago qualifying criteria was considered and one of these was that in order to paricipate in the DC a rider must have completed the Argus Cycle Tour in under 4 hrs. There are a lot of sub5 hr people participating and this is never going to get you to the finishline under the 10hr cut off.

Some sort of qualifying criteria should be reintroduced

Was a very different DC last year when there was no one to draft (and the odd occasion there were the marshals aggressively made sure that you don't). Definitely a bit tougher but also much safer when you are not constantly passing slower teams. On the balance I probably prefer the fastest teams first format but I think we all knew it was going to revert back to the old format again. At least the vibe will be better, I had a very lonely solo ride when I got dropped near Van Loveren last year, first time I saw another team was when they caught me on the last of the 3 *itches.