Help me understand cycling events

[tinmug]

A few of these have popped up. One-day event, a few water points (and obvs paramedics on standby yada yada). Nine event sponsors. And (by the looks of it) all on public roads.

R1700. 

Greedy event organiser? Or pay-what-they-ask attendees that are 1700-rand desperate to cycle with others (and then complain about the cost of bike parts 😂). Not knocking the event organiser (has very good reputation), or the event (no doubt awesome), just curious how this has become the norm in a one-day event where those 9 sponsors presumably cover some of the event costs (which are substantial, I am sure). 

🤷‍♂️

[gemmerbal]

So many places to cycle in this country that is free, I don't see the need to charge people to do something that is otherwise already available. You are essentially paying R1700 for a pat on the back IMO.

[PhilipV]

I don't get it either.

[Fisan]

Janee we see the same happening in the trail run community - and we're supposed to be the ones that are too poor to afford bikes so we take up running. The one that gets me the most is the Otter. R6k for a day and a half. Includes 1 dinner and a shirt. No accommodation. Like-for-like, the holiest of holy events in France cost about half of what it does in SA.

It's not like the organisers are waling away with crazy $$$ either (or they hide it very well, unlike Hamilton Ndlovu).

[OVERDRIVE]

3 minutes ago, Fisan said:

(or they hide it very well, unlike Hamilton Ndlovu)

[ChrisF]

Earlier this year a few MTB events came back ... at double their pre.covid rates ....

 

Thankfully a number of events on the Events section now back to normal rates.

[Jewbacca]

2 hours ago, Fisan said:

Janee we see the same happening in the trail run community - and we're supposed to be the ones that are too poor to afford bikes so we take up running. The one that gets me the most is the Otter. R6k for a day and a half. Includes 1 dinner and a shirt. No accommodation. Like-for-like, the holiest of holy events in France cost about half of what it does in SA.

It's not like the organisers are waling away with crazy $$$ either (or they hide it very well, unlike Hamilton Ndlovu).

Yeah

I remember the first 'Otter' race was the middle day of a multi day ride/run event put on by the Collins Brothers called Southern Storm or something like that.

I was lucky enough to do the event twice (I think it only had 2 or 3 iterations) and I think the whole 5 days cost 3 grand all inclusive.

As soon as they were given exclusive trail use for a race, the red carpet was rolled out and things started getting very 'Iron Man' it became way too asspensie.

I'm not really an 'event' type person, but some things are really cool to do with a safety net. I'm looking at DGT in October now that Tusker has been postponed again. The Drakensberg Traverse is brutal and I've speed packed it but being able to do it knowing there is live tracking, emergency services etc will take a huge load off and allow you to just enjoy it.

I have no idea why things cost what they do. It seems silly but we, the idiots, keep paying (says the guy who just paid R1150 to ride a 200 mile Gravel Race)..... 

[PhilipV]

11 hours ago, Fisan said:

Janee we see the same happening in the trail run community - and we're supposed to be the ones that are too poor to afford bikes so we take up running. The one that gets me the most is the Otter. R6k for a day and a half. Includes 1 dinner and a shirt. No accommodation. Like-for-like, the holiest of holy events in France cost about half of what it does in SA.

It's not like the organisers are waling away with crazy $$$ either (or they hide it very well, unlike Hamilton Ndlovu).

Ja i don't get that either. Demand pricing at work. 

What also gets me is the races where you pay R350+ for a boring  lap around vineyards. 

Like Jewbacca, I however don't mind paying a couple of hundred for the races in inhospitable places where there is a bit more of a safety net in place  ito search and rescue for if a pawpaw hits the fan. And if it's a classic like UTCT I'll do it once to experience the gees.

But Otter's price? No Bueno. 

Edited June 9, 2022 by PhilipV

[dave303e]

Or when it is still cheaper to fly to Kyrgyzstan race the premium bikepacking race and fly home, than it is to just enter either of the premium bikepacking races in your own country.

As for trail running- I did the math in around 2019, it worked out to be around R4000 more to fly to Reunion for the 100 miler, than to do a 100miler here locally. That was travel and accommodation calculations. 

But ya- we are happy to pay, and pay we do.

 

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, dave303e said:

Or when it is still cheaper to fly to Kyrgyzstan race the premium bikepacking race and fly home, than it is to just enter either of the premium bikepacking races in your own country.

As for trail running- I did the math in around 2019, it worked out to be around R4000 more to fly to Reunion for the 100 miler, than to do a 100miler here locally. That was travel and accommodation calculations. 

But ya- we are happy to pay, and pay we do.

 

I'm actually seriously tempted to enter the UTCT 100miler for the simple reason it is going to be tough, rad AND mostly I don't have to spend a cent on travel and accommodation!

I can even do the classic proud dad and finish (hopefully) with my son on my shoulders! (I'm kidding).

Reunion is super expensive to visit FYI. Accommodation is cheap, flights are cheap, but food and the cost of daily living is through the roof. It's the holiday destination for wealthy French people and some basic things like croissants and coffee are twice as expensive as Mainland France.

My 'non race' budget was blown pretty quickly in 2018 at World Champs.

[MTBeer]

1 hour ago, dave303e said:

Or when it is still cheaper to fly to Kyrgyzstan race the premium bikepacking race and fly home, than it is to just enter either of the premium bikepacking races in your own country.

As for trail running- I did the math in around 2019, it worked out to be around R4000 more to fly to Reunion for the 100 miler, than to do a 100miler here locally. That was travel and accommodation calculations. 

But ya- we are happy to pay, and pay we do.

 

The difference though is that Kyrgystan race is completely self supported. You are not getting anything supplied like food, accommodation. Or am I wrong?

But ja, races/events, no thanks.

Couple of mates - head into the mountains - ride for a few days - yes please

[dave303e]

54 minutes ago, MTBeer said:

The difference though is that Kyrgystan race is completely self supported. You are not getting anything supplied like food, accommodation. Or am I wrong?

But ja, races/events, no thanks.

Couple of mates - head into the mountains - ride for a few days - yes please

roof to sleep under and a warm meal at check points from what I have read. 

 

But ya, get some mates and go to the mountains...

[Mongoose!]

18 hours ago, tinmug said:

A few of these have popped up. One-day event, a few water points (and obvs paramedics on standby yada yada). Nine event sponsors. And (by the looks of it) all on public roads.

R1700. 

Greedy event organiser? Or pay-what-they-ask attendees that are 1700-rand desperate to cycle with others (and then complain about the cost of bike parts 😂). Not knocking the event organiser (has very good reputation), or the event (no doubt awesome), just curious how this has become the norm in a one-day event where those 9 sponsors presumably cover some of the event costs (which are substantial, I am sure). 

🤷‍♂️

 

Road ; mtb or Gravel event? 

[dave303e]

20 minutes ago, dave303e said:

roof to sleep under and a warm meal at check points from what I have read. 

 

But ya, get some mates and go to the mountains...

that also being said, I can appreciate good medics and safety on route, we have organised events before, usually smallish ones, and medics are the one cost I am always happiest to pay, and insurance, but I think the shift is when it is events for the love of the sport, and events as full time jobs. Which ya, people gotta eat.

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, dave303e said:

that also being said, I can appreciate good medics and safety on route, we have organised events before, usually smallish ones, and medics are the one cost I am always happiest to pay, and insurance, but I think the shift is when it is events for the love of the sport, and events as full time jobs. Which ya, people gotta eat.

 

And if you dont know somebody that knows the farmer .....

 

Getting access to ride in nature is often difficult for the ordinary person.

 

 

The classic Boland Bazaar type event offers:

- safe parking

- nice rides

- water tables, often lots to eat ...

- medical assistance

- legal access to private property and trails

- family that dont ride can enjoy the bazaar while you are enjoying the ride

 

And typically the bit of income goes towards some local cause.

 

 

I love supporting these events.

[amac]

I helped put on an event. 

To give you an idea of costs :

1. Prize money all categories - About R22K

2. CSA for commissaires, calendar etc - About 5K

3. Timing - 6.5k Including music

4. Venue Hire - 8k

5. Marking and cutting trail - 7k

6. Event promotion, taking entries 22K 

7. Safety officer 5k

8. medics 3.5k

9 marshals 8k

 

You need a lot of sponsorship and a lot of riders  to cover the costs.

Edited June 9, 2022 by amac
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