[Event] Ronde Van Riebeek

[Akon]

8 hours ago, SSCC said:

So forget about trying to get a free entry because you had to wait on the start line and support the people that put on these events.

Sela...

[Mamil]

 

Redacted

Edited May 24, 2023 by Mamil
Too early in the morning

[RossTopher]

ugh... i dont know why i am weighing in, but this fence is helluva comfy.

If you pay for an event and there are issues, you have EVERY right to be critical, i'm sure the organisers take it on board, you need thick skin to keep at it. even the most poorly worded comment may have value. Events are tough to organise and things go wrong, and everyone pays school fees along the way.
Re ambulances and beer, we've all had a dud service that came highly recommended. I didnt need either, but still found it annoying. Most annoying was not even a free water after the ride.

My focus, however, is having AS MANY fun events at my fingertips at an affordable price.

We can back the organisers AND complain when things dont pan out. I'd hate for every event to turn into a 5,000 person snoozefest around Slent, so free entry sounded great on the day, but lets think long term. i'd like to do this again in 2025, as well as others like it.

 

Viva la +'s and -'s, i'm keen to go pedal in dirt.

[betaboy]

18 hours ago, bleedToWin said:

Change a decade old username? Never!
 

I feel you… 🤛🏻 just keeping winning.

[Bub Marley]

21 minutes ago, Mamil said:

 

Redacted

Agree. Let’s wait till Friday please 😂

2 minutes ago, RossTopher said:

ugh... i dont know why i am weighing in, but this fence is helluva comfy.

If you pay for an event and there are issues, you have EVERY right to be critical, i'm sure the organisers take it on board, you need thick skin to keep at it. even the most poorly worded comment may have value. Events are tough to organise and things go wrong, and everyone pays school fees along the way.
Re ambulances and beer, we've all had a dud service that came highly recommended. I didnt need either, but still found it annoying. Most annoying was not even a free water after the ride.

My focus, however, is having AS MANY fun events at my fingertips at an affordable price.

We can back the organisers AND complain when things dont pan out. I'd hate for every event to turn into a 5,000 person snoozefest around Slent, so free entry sounded great on the day, but lets think long term. i'd like to do this again in 2025, as well as others like it.

 

Viva la +'s and -'s, i'm keen to go pedal in dirt.

I think constructive criticism is good as it allows the organisers to take on board and get better.

 

Wrt the ambulance, I always say communication is key. I think if the situation was explained properly on the day, people on the day would have had a lot more understanding. However, it seemed like the organisers forgot to arrange an ambulance and that gave the impression that they were completely unorganised. If it was told to us that there was an ambulance arranged, but that ambulance decided not to pitch then i think more sympathy would’ve been shown. But we were basically waiting there freezing our bollocks off in 6 degree weather and the only thing we’re hearing is it wont be much longer now.

[betaboy]

1 minute ago, RossTopher said:

ugh... i dont know why i am weighing in, but this fence is helluva comfy.

If you pay for an event and there are issues, you have EVERY right to be critical, i'm sure the organisers take it on board, you need thick skin to keep at it. even the most poorly worded comment may have value. Events are tough to organise and things go wrong, and everyone pays school fees along the way.
Re ambulances and beer, we've all had a dud service that came highly recommended. I didnt need either, but still found it annoying. Most annoying was not even a free water after the ride.

My focus, however, is having AS MANY fun events at my fingertips at an affordable price.

We can back the organisers AND complain when things dont pan out. I'd hate for every event to turn into a 5,000 person snoozefest around Slent, so free entry sounded great on the day, but lets think long term. i'd like to do this again in 2025, as well as others like it.

 

Viva la +'s and -'s, i'm keen to go pedal in dirt.

Events can only get better, if you have a bad experience in a restaurant, the best thing is to let them know! Only then can you expect an improvement… same with events, we seem to lack accountability in South Africa, we rather not complain… and look at the mess we are in now. Had we really bunched together we could have swerved for those potholes we were warned about years ago! 
I think as fees go up so should the experience of everything running smooth, I wonder if they even practise a dry run on logistics? You see once the cash is handed over, you now have a level of expectation. So maybe a new system has to come into play. You pay half to get booked and the other half once it’s complete, if you were not happy or something happened like they promised Pamela Anderson was going to rally off the troops and she got lost in DaggerFontein then you get a discount on payment two falls away. Then let’s see if organisers can pull finger to work hard to get your full entry. It would change the game folks! Just saying.🙃

[Shebeen]

17 minutes ago, betaboy said:

Events can only get better, if you have a bad experience in a restaurant, the best thing is to let them know! Only then can you expect an improvement… same with events, we seem to lack accountability in South Africa, we rather not complain… and look at the mess we are in now. Had we really bunched together we could have swerved for those potholes we were warned about years ago! 
I think as fees go up so should the experience of everything running smooth, I wonder if they even practise a dry run on logistics? You see once the cash is handed over, you now have a level of expectation. So maybe a new system has to come into play. You pay half to get booked and the other half once it’s complete, if you were not happy or something happened like they promised Pamela Anderson was going to rally off the troops and she got lost in DaggerFontein then you get a discount on payment two falls away. Then let’s see if organisers can pull finger to work hard to get your full entry. It would change the game folks! Just saying.🙃

clearly you've never run an event!

The best system is early bird entry. Let the people who support you from the start get that discount - I love late entry fee hikes (slacker tax).

Used in this exact example, the weather was incredible on the day. You can't beat a good autumn day in the cape. The next morning we woke up to drizzle. The previous saturday it was blowing biblical amounts in the swartland. Not your casual south easter, but Barn doors blowing off weather. They clocked over 90 kts peak at the Voelvlei station (160km/h in cartalk)!

Imagine if the outcome of people's $$$ appreciation was contingent on this array of weather options? They are held ransom already by unpredictable weather.

 

but hey, this thread has got me luss for a proper Belgian beer experience now. When am I next in franschhoek? (copper kettle sourced from Belgium)

 

 

 

 

[vulgar]

19 hours ago, HubArch said:

Hi guys, my name is Adriaan Theron and i am the organiser of the event. We have been organizing big events for over 6 years and never before have we had such bad luck in the run-up to an event. One of the big issues were that we were let down by a trusted ambulance service provider, which had a huge knock on effect on my roles for the day. Mistakes were made, I am truly sorry for any inconvenience and i strive to do better.

Hi Adriaan 

@ Gallows last year the ambulance was also late by 30/40min, they should maybe use those O2 masks and catch a wake up!! 

1. Moerse Chalk markings  at big turns 5m long at least or a Parent from school or community.

2.Age cats not divided by Finnish time keepers making it difficult for Log leader bord to be arranged correctly. (Great time)

3. 1 race maybe to many causing slow traffic on the service rd next to railway or choose another route coming up from delico.  I almost hit a tunnie changing lanes after I shouted stay left and her husband also called her back...eish, I wld have been in the bushes.

Otherwise a lekker route, need to see the dentist, my teeth still rattling, and my HR strap het afgesak...lol

All the best for next yr, you pulled some GP riders...well done, means something in the bigger scheme of things...just goes to show WP can be the mecca of Gravel.

[betaboy]

3 hours ago, Shebeen said:

clearly you've never run an event!

The best system is early bird entry. Let the people who support you from the start get that discount - I love late entry fee hikes (slacker tax).

Used in this exact example, the weather was incredible on the day. You can't beat a good autumn day in the cape. The next morning we woke up to drizzle. The previous saturday it was blowing biblical amounts in the swartland. Not your casual south easter, but Barn doors blowing off weather. They clocked over 90 kts peak at the Voelvlei station (160km/h in cartalk)!

Imagine if the outcome of people's $$$ appreciation was contingent on this array of weather options? They are held ransom already by unpredictable weather.

 

but hey, this thread has got me luss for a proper Belgian beer experience now. When am I next in franschhoek? (copper kettle sourced from Belgium)

 

 

 

 

No,  never run a cycle event, but have been involved in other disciplines and I’m fully aware how important the end product needs to be once client has paid.. So I’m really just chucking in items to discuss. When you bring other third parties into the mix, they too want a good return on brand awareness and alignment, especially lifestyle products and services. So if you don’t have a great event and one of your sponsors is say Giant. Will you be looking at a Goant during the week? In most case studies the answer is No! So organised events carry alot weight ensuring the whole

package is a good product/service to clients (us the riders).

*Now let me go enjoy the flat stage of the Giro and let’s see if Cav can throw in a good bye victory to the race and country that started off his career! 👀

-Peace.🤛🏻

[The itch]

20 hours ago, HubArch said:

Regarding the altered Route Markers. I personally drove the whole route the morning before the start. Someone changed those markers after i checked them. When the lead bike realised they had been altered during the race, the lead bike corrected it. I Immediately drove out to that point, and saw that they had been altered again for a second time within 20 minutes. We had all the farmers permission to traverse their land, even though this happened on a public road. We learn from this, i like the chaulk idea, and i know marshals are ideal, but difficult on a limited budget.

and i know marshals are ideal, but difficult on a limited budget. aren't marshals a prerequisite for event permission. Marshals aren't there to direct riders they are there to control traffic but i suppose for 'gravel' maybe their job description differs.

i asked the question earlier in the thread, what was entry fee? if you had 500 entries and if other event entry fees are anything to go by then you turned over some serious bucks.

i'm interested in taking part in gravel races , do the GRAVEL race rules allow for Mtb's , if so , is this not contrary to the spirit of gravel racing?

all the best for 2024 

 

[Skubarra]

13 minutes ago, The itch said:

and i know marshals are ideal, but difficult on a limited budget. aren't marshals a prerequisite for event permission. Marshals aren't there to direct riders they are there to control traffic but i suppose for 'gravel' maybe their job description differs.

i asked the question earlier in the thread, what was entry fee? if you had 500 entries and if other event entry fees are anything to go by then you turned over some serious bucks.

i'm interested in taking part in gravel races , do the GRAVEL race rules allow for Mtb's , if so , is this not contrary to the spirit of gravel racing?

all the best for 2024 

 

Entry fee was R590 for the 100 miler - which is just more than half the going rate for these kind of events - probably big part of the reason the turnout was so good, and also why I am more inclined to be forgiving for small things going wrong.

I would like to think profits were made but don't underestimate the input costs, there are many costs we as the public are not aware of, not so easy to make "serious bucks" without a headline sponsor, if it was you would have seen these events happen every weekend.

A bit weird that you wouldn't want to see mtb's at gravel events as generally they are at a disadvantage, and their presence (along with the unloved e-bikes) makes it economically feasible for organisers to host these events.

 

 

[HubArch]

Marshals are required at all tar road crossings.

Mountain bikes are definitely welcome!

Edited May 24, 2023 by HubArch

[Blahblah]

5 hours ago, The itch said:

Marshals aren't there to direct riders they are there to control traffic but i suppose for 'gravel' maybe their job description differs.

marshalls are there to direct riders....it's against the law for them to even stop cars, unless they are instructed, on the spot, by a traffic official, or via pre-race official channels (further, formal routing rules require: (indelible) arrows, (trained) marshalls, (accurate) maps, and (empowered) lead vehicles.)

[Blahblah]

4 hours ago, HubArch said:

Marshals are required at all tar road crossings.

assuming that was as per the event permission granted by Swartland(?) then they have the duty (maybe not power) to stop cars, but they still have to direct riders

[Shebeen]

19 hours ago, Skubarra said:

Entry fee was R590 for the 100 miler - which is just more than half the going rate for these kind of events - probably big part of the reason the turnout was so good, and also why I am more inclined to be forgiving for small things going wrong.

I would like to think profits were made but don't underestimate the input costs, there are many costs we as the public are not aware of, not so easy to make "serious bucks" without a headline sponsor, if it was you would have seen these events happen every weekend.

A bit weird that you wouldn't want to see mtb's at gravel events as generally they are at a disadvantage, and their presence (along with the unloved e-bikes) makes it economically feasible for organisers to host these events.

Entry fee   R590 = baie Ayoba! other WCape races

another 100miler in July  = R1050

another 150km in sep = R1150

 

build it and they will come (mtb/monstercross always welcome). I see this becoming a hot event in the future, BUT not sure why it was limited to 700 entries, what is the possible driver on that?

[Johan A Marais]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

build it and they will come (mtb/monstercross always welcome). I see this becoming a hot event in the future, BUT not sure why it was limited to 700 entries, what is the possible driver on that?

There are only two ambulances...