Lourensford MTB Classic - High Entry costs

[babse]

3 minutes ago, leon_pro said:

Hence the issue.... they kind of force you to pay if you want to score points in the XCM series. 
The other races are not that expensive in the same series. 

other than travel cost... hahaha

[Jbr]

last year I threw R650 away because I couldn't go to the race on the day 😢

[babse]

2 minutes ago, Jbr said:

last year I threw R650 away because I couldn't go to the race on the day 😢

Good on you. Trail maintenance fee without shredding a trail...

[M L]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

We can drive to Worcester and do any of their stunning MTB events for less than the entry fee to Lourensford .... 

 

 

Okay, current fuel price is tipping the balance, but you get my point

We’re very spoiled in the Western Cape 👏🏻

[Jbr]

1 minute ago, babse said:

Good on you. Trail maintenance fee without shredding a trail...

I'm happy they maintained trails I've never ridden on

[babse]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

We can drive to Worcester and do any of their stunning MTB events for less than the entry fee to Lourensford .... 

 

 

Okay, current fuel price is tipping the balance, but you get my point

that we should all just go to Jonkers and have a blast for pocket change instead? lol

[Bub Marley]

26 minutes ago, Jbr said:

last year I threw R650 away because I couldn't go to the race on the day 😢

This is why I tend to enter as late as possible.

 

There are pro’s and con’s to this though. I do find that if you enter and pay for a race you tend to take it more seriously and actually train for it. Whereas if you dont enter and put it off till the race, then you kinda just pull out closer to the time mainly because you haven’t trained properly or you juts dont have the motivation.

 

Ideally it would be great if there was some sort of refund available. 

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, babse said:

that we should all just go to Jonkers and have a blast for pocket change instead? lol

 

Or car pool and go have FUN at Eselfontein ..... 

[peepeekaitjie]

1 hour ago, babse said:

that we should all just go to Jonkers and have a blast for pocket change instead? lol

I have a stopwatch 

[mikkelz]

Personally, I'd rather donate R700 to Stellenbosch Trail Fund. Kinda spoilt living on this side of the world.

[Skubarra]

I 100% agree its too pricy for my liking - but comparing it to trail permits doesn't make sense, compared to a trail permit there is probably not a single event worth the money? Apples and pears 🤷‍♂️

Also part of me wonder if this is now the new going rate for the privilege of doing mtb events? Where are all the alternative well priced options for March/April? Seems mostly on the list of dead events on Rouxenators thread.... 

Only other mtb race I could find near Cape Town for April/May is the Darling Brew (for just more than half the price of this one), so given the lack of options and the need to do a mtb race again I have entered both... I have got all the other weekends to use my cheap trail permits and free gravel options.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Skubarra

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, Skubarra said:

I a100% agree its too pricy for my liking - but comparing it to trail permits doesn't make sense, compared to a trail permit there is probably not a single event worth the money? Apples and pears 🤷‍♂️

Also part of me wonder if this is now the new going rate for the privilege of doing mtb events? Where are all the alternative well priced options for March/April? Seems mostly on the list of dead events on Rouxenators thread.... 

Only other mtb race I could find near Cape Town for April/May is the Darling Brew (for just more than half the price of this one), so given the lack of options and the need to do a mtb race again I have entered both... I have got all the other weekends to use my cheap trail permits and free gravel options.

 

The pity being that the  nice ones in Worcester are now in 3 weeks of each other ....  

[Scary Rider]

5 hours ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

I noticed that fleecing as well. What makes it worse is that this is the first event on the Marathon calendar so it's not like you can just sit it out if you're going for points.

I'm trusting the goodie bag and water points are going to be pretty damn spectacular for that entry fee.

For that entry the goodie bag better have rice and lentils...🤭🤡

[Skubarra]

2 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

The pity being that the  nice ones in Worcester are now in 3 weeks of each other ....  

Oh I see Gravel & Grape is back - definitely worth driving over Du Toitskloof for that one 👍

[Shebeen]

3 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

This is why I tend to enter as late as possible.

 

There are pro’s and con’s to this though. I do find that if you enter and pay for a race you tend to take it more seriously and actually train for it. Whereas if you dont enter and put it off till the race, then you kinda just pull out closer to the time mainly because you haven’t trained properly or you juts dont have the motivation.

 

Ideally it would be great if there was some sort of refund available. 

People who enter races as late as possible are a royal pain in the butt.

I've been an organiser with a lot of effort going in and stupid bloody capetonians sitting on the fence waiting for the weather forecast before committing give you unrequited stress.

And I guarantee they will be the first to moan if there's not enough X/y/z that runs out on the day because you were scrambling to accomodate Johnny come lately at the last minute.

Unconditional refunds because you haven't trained enough? Pfft, sorry boet the time, effort and money has already been spent.

[ChrisF]

29 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

People who enter races as late as possible are a royal pain in the butt.

I've been an organiser with a lot of effort going in and stupid bloody capetonians sitting on the fence waiting for the weather forecast before committing give you unrequited stress.

And I guarantee they will be the first to moan if there's not enough X/y/z that runs out on the day because you were scrambling to accomodate Johnny come lately at the last minute.

Unconditional refunds because you haven't trained enough? Pfft, sorry boet the time, effort and money has already been spent.

 

Capetonians and events - ALL sports - are a strange mix ....

 

Some attend rain or shine.

 

Some wait until the weather forecast is firm ... which it wont be until the day before the event.

 

It really sucked booking a venue for a group .... you never knew if 10 or 80 would rock up ....