Cape Town Cycle Tour 2022

[Yyyy]

maybe another topic should be opened for  "do ebikes belong in road races"

you know what they say, ebikes are the future. Maybe a few years from now we will all be racing chipped ebikes with no limiters in the CTCT. And only @Jewbacca will be racing a normal push bike and still kicking our a@#

then a few years later we will be on those throttle versions with no pedals because you know, why pedal, its more fun to just throttle it.

why bother with fitness, lets grow those guts and hang out at bars and still sub 3 this CTCT

[DJR]

I think far too many people are far too stressed about what other people do and think. 

[Mamil]

1 hour ago, DJR said:

I think far too many people are far too stressed about what other people do and think. 

Human animal is hard wired to be concerned with this. The puny weak soft skinned hairless ape that we are is pretty useless by himself so calibrating ourselves to some shared norm had heaps of survival value. 

Causes much pain but the biology is rigged that way. Probably one of those things that works well in villages but doesn't scale well to cities or the Internet. 

[DieselnDust]

13 hours ago, YaseenEnos said:

 

why bother with fitness, lets grow those guts and hang out at bars and still sub 3 this CTCT

Sounds like a couple of my DC teammates who turn up in swellendam every year with sob stories about how tough their life is and couldn’t train but expect those who have trained to push their sorry overweight asses up every climb. They then also celebrate the hardest drinking more wine , eating more food etc. 
I’m so over lazy people taking the biggest rewards

[NickGM]

I love ebike technology and I don't mind being dropped by somebody on riding one in a race. But what I really don't like is the direction the industry (and thus the consumer) are taking it. It should be something that replaces a car; it uses far less road space, far less energy (associated pollution reductions), is much quieter, is less dangerous, and is an altogether better experience than being in a car. So why are all the ebikes I see in my neighborhood ridden by fat rich people who will go for a spin on their R250K eMTB before work and then drive their largely empty diesel SUV 5km into town? It's vulgar and lazy. I should probably move. Sorry this has nothing to do with the CTCT.

[Pieterlab1]

42 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Sounds like a couple of my DC teammates who turn up in swellendam every year with sob stories about how tough their life is and couldn’t train but expect those who have trained to push their sorry overweight asses up every climb. They then also celebrate the hardest drinking more wine , eating more food etc. 
I’m so over lazy people taking the biggest rewards

So if someone rides an ebike, he/she is lazy, fat and unfit and it is the only bike that he/she owns and rides?

[DieselnDust]

1 minute ago, Pieterlab1 said:

So if someone rides an ebike, he/she is lazy, fat and unfit and it is the only bike that he/she owns and rides?

don't be so defensive, I'm talking about people racing e-bikes against push bikes.

Want to have fun on the trail or light up the Strava KOM's go knock yourself out. I'm envious and will likely get myself a Enduro /trail E-bike at some point just for the number of downhill trail runs I can fit into a morning or afternoon. It can deliver upskilling benefits. I get and like that aspect of e-bikes. 

But I really don't get the whole stroke-the-ego thing of racing an e-bike against push bikes. give them their own category at the head of the field and let them race each other but stay out of the push bike groups #herewithendthmyrantith

[Pure Savage]

1 hour ago, NickGM said:

I love ebike technology and I don't mind being dropped by somebody on riding one in a race. But what I really don't like is the direction the industry (and thus the consumer) are taking it. It should be something that replaces a car; it uses far less road space, far less energy (associated pollution reductions), is much quieter, is less dangerous, and is an altogether better experience than being in a car. So why are all the ebikes I see in my neighborhood ridden by fat rich people who will go for a spin on their R250K eMTB before work and then drive their largely empty diesel SUV 5km into town? It's vulgar and lazy. I should probably move. Sorry this has nothing to do with the CTCT.

This is a great point. 

 

Google maps now has a "most fuel efficient route" It should just say, get on your bike or use public transport.

[Pure Savage]

37 minutes ago, Pieterlab1 said:

So if someone rides an ebike, he/she is lazy, fat and unfit and it is the only bike that he/she owns and rides?

If you say so.

Edited November 11, 2021 by Pure Savage

[Danger Dassie]

This went sideways fast. 
Like anything else in life, just because someone critiques or calls out an issue, it doesn't mean they disagree with a concept entirely. 

Likewise the categorisation of ebikes in events and races. There are factors to consider, like the climbing and descending. NickGM summed it up well. 
Behavioural patterns dictate the level of consequence, so irregardless, a reckless selfish dwiss is a reckless selfish dwiss. But the variety of mode will compound the consequences. 

[Shebeen]

On 11/10/2021 at 7:58 AM, mecheng89 said:

I think this adds to the cost of the race overall, so they might not consider it. They probably convince themselves that it's not hurting anyone. But if organisers are showing such complacency in rules, next step up with would something completely bonkers. They are setting a dangerous precedent. 

Ballhairs and mates at ArgusHQ are quite selective over what rules are important to them.

https://www.capetowncycletour.com/race-entry-terms-and-conditions/

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2.12. A rider may not use a personal music system, e.g. iPod, or a radio communication device, including a cellular phone, whilst riding, except that members of professional teams may use a radio communication device if in accordance with UCI (Union Cycliste International) rules and regulations which can be found at www.cyclingsa.com.
 

ja ja, well this one is widely ignored.

Quote

2.15. A rider may not use foul or offensive language or make offensive, indecent or inappropriate gestures.

"hold your F#$%ing line!!!" is basically the soundtrack to the first 40km. imagine reporting someone for dropping FBombs in this family event?

 

Quote

2.17. A rider may not dispose of any litter along the Cycle Tour course except in refuse bins.

I have tried reporting a really obnoxious litterer through PPA before, with evidence. Nothing happens

 

Quote

2.19. A rider may not start or attempt to start before his/her designated start time. Any rider who does so may be disqualified.

PLENTY of people did it this year. seemingly ignored.

 

Quote

2.18. A rider may not smoke anywhere on the route during the Cycle Tour.

is that even legal?

 

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2.16. A rider must wear clothing appropriate for a family event at all times.

Otherwise known as the Borat rule, seems like an odd one to have, this is how we got here.

https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2013/03/08/borat-outift-banned-at-the-argus-cycle-tour/

[Pieterlab1]

1 hour ago, Pure Savage said:

If you say so.

But we still have 4 months to go until CTCT 2022. We must discuss this issue until at least the end of Feb 2022.

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, NickGM said:

I love ebike technology and I don't mind being dropped by somebody on riding one in a race. But what I really don't like is the direction the industry (and thus the consumer) are taking it. It should be something that replaces a car; it uses far less road space, far less energy (associated pollution reductions), is much quieter, is less dangerous, and is an altogether better experience than being in a car. So why are all the ebikes I see in my neighborhood ridden by fat rich people who will go for a spin on their R250K eMTB before work and then drive their largely empty diesel SUV 5km into town? It's vulgar and lazy. I should probably move. Sorry this has nothing to do with the CTCT.

I believe "affordable" ebikes could be the key that unlocks greater commuter numbers in cape town. You're totally right about the majority of ebikes around being the fancy ass end of the spectrum. I think Argus allowing ebikes into their event is a good impetus for them being accepted, the onus is on those riders not be a dwis about it and make an us vs them scenario.

 

https://wonderfulengineering.com/prime-minister-of-the-netherlands-explains-why-he-drives-a-bicycle-to-work-every-day/

 

 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, NickGM said:

I love ebike technology and I don't mind being dropped by somebody on riding one in a race. But what I really don't like is the direction the industry (and thus the consumer) are taking it. It should be something that replaces a car; it uses far less road space, far less energy (associated pollution reductions), is much quieter, is less dangerous, and is an altogether better experience than being in a car. So why are all the ebikes I see in my neighborhood ridden by fat rich people who will go for a spin on their R250K eMTB before work and then drive their largely empty diesel SUV 5km into town? It's vulgar and lazy. I should probably move. Sorry this has nothing to do with the CTCT.

 

See my earlier post on this ....

 

I actually do commute with my ebike, but not nearly as often as I want to.  Simply because I need to cycle home, then get in the car to drive to the shop .... for no reason other than a lack of secure parking for the bike.

 

Once our retailers catch a wake-up and provide secure parking there may possibly be a shift in client behaviour.  Me being the continual optimist ....

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, Shebeen said:

I believe "affordable" ebikes could be the key that unlocks greater commuter numbers in cape town. You're totally right about the majority of ebikes around being the fancy ass end of the spectrum. I think Argus allowing ebikes into their event is a good impetus for them being accepted, the onus is on those riders not be a dwis about it and make an us vs them scenario.

 

https://wonderfulengineering.com/prime-minister-of-the-netherlands-explains-why-he-drives-a-bicycle-to-work-every-day/

 

 

"affordable" is not the real stumbling block - not for commuters.  A couple of sub-R20k options out there for commuters .... frankly there are pretty decent commuter ebikes that cost less than a battery for a "known brand" !!  (recent battery prices : R20k - Giant, R22k Specialized,  R2k for Darrvin)

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Danger Dassie said:

This went sideways fast. 
Like anything else in life, just because someone critiques or calls out an issue, it doesn't mean they disagree with a concept entirely. 

Likewise the categorisation of ebikes in events and races. There are factors to consider, like the climbing and descending. NickGM summed it up well. 
Behavioural patterns dictate the level of consequence, so irregardless, a reckless selfish dwiss is a reckless selfish dwiss. But the variety of mode will compound the consequences. 

 

The very sad reality is that a small minority of ebike owners are "going bos" at these events, and may well spoil if for the other ebike owners that co-exist peacefully with other riders.