the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[nathrix]

7 hours ago, Skubarra said:

But where are you actually saving money? Food is contracted out so thats the contractor's profit/loss, tents you already have, venue is a field.. Not sure on what you can meaningful save on by allowing in your planning for competitors to drop out?

Less workers - disinfectants - toilet paper needed to keep all those portaloos clean 😎

[MongooseMan]

New profile up on the Cape Epic site for stage 4

[DieselnDust]

I fear the damage is already done. The medics tent was a beehive of activity today. Lots of drips administered. Has the cut off time been retained or shortened?

[Ant in the NL]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

Please keep us posted about the longevity of that belt.

 

BMW motorcycles have stayed away from chains as much as possible.  Drive shafts on the larger bikes, and belt drive when the 650GS was first launched.  The Dakar 650GS came out with a chain.  And when people started riding the normal 650GS off road BMW stopped using the belt drive, and switched to chain drive.

 

Their "promotional garble" was that the belt showed premature wear and tear off road, and that the chain drive was more reliable off road.

 

Some 25 years later and now MTB's go belt drive .... 

 

 

Belt drive is the thing here in the NL , eBikes, commuters and daily ride bicycles mainly that rack up kms like nobody's business. Maintenance plans also recommend belt driven bikes - terrain is as flat as the earth 🤌🏼 with rain being the biggest drama 

[mikkelz]

Really enjoying the daily highlights from Craig Kolesky's perspective. So much hike-a-bike, I guess that's one thing you take for granted watching the pros. They literally ride over everything and anything.

Sad to see all the litter along the route. 🙈

[TeamBaja]

Well is not the sponsors or the organizers fault or duty to know who is prepared to ride (not race) the Epic. Most had at least a year to prepare if you don't cut it so be it. Plenty of participation events all over the world to ride in. If they save money or not is irrelevant, all that stuff is already bought, if you want to stay in a AirBnb or caravan or whatever is your choice.  Imagine the outcry if they were to run out of food for lunch or dinner. 

I know of people that have failed at three attempts at the race, whos fault is that.  i'll be back next year. 

Edited March 20, 2024 by TeamBaja

[dexterdent]

I'm finding Daryl Impey's daily content with David Higgs pretty entertaining on youtube - looks like two friends having a great time.

[OVERDRIVE]

Shimano. 

[ajnkzn]

14 hours ago, Scott roy said:

funny ,I must have missed shimano’s latest groupset and brake launch with major patent infringements

Fair enough - was trying to see last few days after your comment. 
 

Just bad luck it seems. 
 

 

[rooies 01]

How strong is Matt Beers. Solo rider taking on the teams. Maybe he should pair up with Kegan next year 

[Headshot]

19 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

On that’s just horrible. I’ve never had good life out of their chains. One lasted 500km

Taya chains are 50% worn on a Park gauge when you fit them or at least the one I had was. KMC are just way better.

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, rooies 01 said:

How strong is Matt Beers. Solo rider taking on the teams. Maybe he should pair up with Kegan next year 

I think Grotts is getting a little to much critism. This is his first race of his season. Imagine getting a call up to RACE Cape Epic after just completing a training block. Everyone else has some racing under the belt in 2024 yet he's still there. He hasn't been blown up yet.

We have 4 teams fighting for the win, now maybe 5 if Canyon Sidi can get more time back today. The hasn't been this open.....ever and Grotts is one of those making it possible

[tinmug]

Likely not critting Grotts per sé, but the (limited) choice of partner. Beers is clearly far stronger than his partner ... but then it seems Spez must ride with another Spez (which is of course a tad limiting).

Question:
What happens when the leaders pull in? Presumably the humans (after interviews etc) get massages etc, but would would typically happen to the bikes on a daily basis? Clean obviously, but what sort of maintenance? Then what prep for the rider for the next day?

And while I am holding the microphone, I would like to have an auto-mute button for Mr Know-it-all-ramble-off-the-statistics-ad-nauseum-and-always-manages-to-somehow-extend-a-simply-three-word-sentence-to-five-minutes-of-stating-and-restating-the-blindingly-obvious. Apart from that minor annoyance (pro tip: sit a few minutes behind the live feed and you can skip those bits 😆) I find the YT feed pretty good, considering the vast logistical constraints. Bart is a great addition and Spitz knows her stuff (with her highly entertaining German translations). Good stuff, appreciated the audio (99.7 % of it) and the visuals (when we actually have visuals). Uhm ... have a C172 fly circuits overhead providing signal?

[jcza]

UCI men/women should ride full stage and amateurs the shortened version. 

[Stephan]

Live tracking shows leading men already at the bottom of Cliffhanger but "live" visuals on YT still shows them climbing up Aap Duez?? 

[W@nted]

Beers and Grotts in yellow.

Edited March 21, 2024 by W@nted