Cape Town Cycle Tour 2024

[Shebeen]

37 minutes ago, matthew de haast said:

I was curious so want back all the way to 2016. Most of the front groups didn’t get more than 280. Most were 220ish. So whatever point you’re making isn’t true.

the groups have definelty not been this big

just for fun. 2013 had 31666 finishers

$ elite = 141

%ladies = 29

VA (subvets 30+) = 111 (probably same start)

VB (vets 40+) = 85

VM(masters 50+) = 47

#( racing tandem) = 70

 

A batch = 270

B batch = 343

 C =389

D batch =  412

 

[Bub Marley]

8 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

just for fun. 2013 had 31666 finishers

$ elite = 141

%ladies = 29

VA (subvets 30+) = 111 (probably same start)

VB (vets 40+) = 85

VM(masters 50+) = 47

#( racing tandem) = 70

 

A batch = 270

B batch = 343

 C =389

D batch =  412

 

So what’s changed then? Why are they cramming 400 people in when that wasn’t the case before? Have they changed the way the seeding process at all or still the same formula?

[Skubarra]

20 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

So what’s changed then? Why are they cramming 400 people in when that wasn’t the case before? Have they changed the way the seeding process at all or still the same formula?

Because there is now a short route that has to go out & back on the M3 where in the past city could open up the M3 once the long route riders went past Tokai. So long route riders squeezed into a shorter time frame, which was fine until entrant numbers started picking up again.

Edit - did a bit of googling. 2015 the last group started at 10h00, 2024 the last group (long distance) starts at 8h57.

Sure there were more entrants in 2015 but can't help but feel these changes were not made with rider safety in mind.

Edited March 4 by Skubarra

[Owen]

What’s the latest weather forecast for Sunday’s race

[Robbie Stewart]

6 minutes ago, Owen said:

What’s the latest weather forecast for Sunday’s race

Windy. Mid twenties. Sunny.

As the saying goes, "if you're waiting for the weather to do things in Cape Town, you'll do nothing". 

 

[MORNE]

8 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I refuse to plak stickers on my bike or helmet. I don't want pichas and the tannie at the chute maar build a bridge and get over it.

I must admit to quietly shaking my head at people riding around in the weeks leading up to the big day with those photographer stickers on their helmets. Clearly the bike gets dusted off the in weeks leading up to race day after going into long term hibernation on the second Monday of March every year.

The bike board is thankfully zip tied on, but you could if you choose to collect the wayfinding sticker on your top tube incase you forget which direction to go🤣Ive seen bikes that even horde those

Anyway, im not judging. Thats what makes it a cool event, it means so much to people for different reasons. For some, that sticker collection is a badge of honour when they take their bike and helmet out the garage once a year. 

To that, i guess if i manage not to explode this year doing it on a single speed, this one would also mean more to me than my others…regardless of the time i do. To many it's about conquering the challenge of an ‘almighty 100km’ lol. Go around the office and talk to people, 100km to avarage joe is like the Munga to most of us. Seems impossible.

Ps: hey I said Munga…

You better be going around telling people you are doing a 1000km bike race later this year @Jewbacca

[Akon]

18 hours ago, matthew de haast said:

I'm in & but at this point I'm seriously considering not riding in the group. The problem is I've looked at the groups further back and they are also ±400 people as well. Not sure what options there are. Anyone else thinking of doing something else?

Start in &.

Allow yourself (that's what you'll tell yourself!) to be dropped on Edinburgh and hook onto the leading Tandem that caught you by then.

Free ride from there --> they actively discourage you to "contribute"!

[Wynando]

1 hour ago, MORNE said:

The bike board is thankfully zip tied on, but you could if you choose to collect the wayfinding sticker on your top tube incase you forget which direction to go🤣Ive seen bikes that even horde those

Anyway, im not judging. Thats what makes it a cool event, it means so much to people for different reasons. For some, that sticker collection is a badge of honour when they take their bike and helmet out the garage once a year. 

To that, i guess if i manage not to explode this year doing it on a single speed, this one would also mean more to me than my others…regardless of the time i do. To many it's about conquering the challenge of an ‘almighty 100km’ lol. Go around the office and talk to people, 100km to avarage joe is like the Munga to most of us. Seems impossible.

Ps: hey I said Munga…

You better be going around telling people you are doing a 1000km bike race later this year @Jewbacca

You will have an absolute blast on the Single Speed!

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, MORNE said:

......

Anyway, im not judging. Thats what makes it a cool event, it means so much to people for different reasons. For some, that sticker collection is a badge of honour when they take their bike and helmet out the garage once a year. 

....

 

Very true.

 

Easy to forget there are MANY cyclists to whom the thought of a 100km ride is scary.

 

Was speaking to a Hubber on Sunday.  2025 he wants to do the 42km with his then 13 year old.  Nice way to rope the next generation into the 109km CTCT.

 

 

 

 

Badge of honour .... my racetech chip stays laced into my shoe.

[MORNE]

3 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Badge of honour .... my racetech chip stays laced into my shoe.

Screw that, why would you haul an extra 20g of dead weight👀

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, MORNE said:

To many it's about conquering the challenge of an ‘almighty 100km’ lol. Go around the office and talk to people, 100km to avarage joe is like the Munga to most of us. Seems impossible.

I had this exact discussion with a client yesterday. They were thinking I'm a lunatic for wanting to willingly pedal around the peninsula. In their minds, that magical number of 100 just seems insurmountable. I had a good chuckle. 

I rate a ride around the route less strenuous than doing a full enduro at Jonkers.

 

[Robbie Stewart]

51 minutes ago, Akon said:

and hook onto the leading Tandem that caught you by then.

Did anyone say @Long Wheel Base ?

Edited March 5 by Robbie Stewart

[Long Wheel Base]

19 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

All this talk of how dodgy it is.

To the guys who have ridden many sub 3s, no longer race to win but still get stressed over their start group, how many sub3s is enough?

I'm really interested in the Psyche behind the stress, the risk and the perceived reward, especially if you're that uncertain and unhappy with the start/group conditions.

This isn't a dig at anyone before people start getting defensive and attack me. I am genuinely interested in the motive because my brain isn't wired like that

For me its the fact that my almost 68 year old Dad is still strong for someone his age, still motivated to train, still healthy and still wants to RACE. I don't know how many more years I got with him where he is still this competitive. We don't make racing tandems anymore but mostly down to the fact that I have chosen to be a decent parent to my 3 boys instead of riding for hours on end every weekend and leaving them with my wife or someone else to raise so we only do 3/4 races a year now and that is no good for our seeding. We still have an ok seeding at 1D this year and we will do well in that group if there are now outside issues but until the day my Dad says it's now just a chilled ride around the peninsula, I will want to be as high up as possible. Also won't be that many years and my oldest will be eligible to race and then I will still want a good start time ;).

[TIB]

28 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

Badge of honour .... my racetech chip stays laced into my shoe.

I trust it is the yellow one....😜

[Long Wheel Base]

21 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

Did anyone say @Long Wheel Base ?

Copy paste from my last couple years.
We bleed up edinburg cresting towards the back but having passed dropped riders from earlier groups. Then put it in our 56-11, using my long 180mm cranks and the 66/88 deep sections to help us reach in excess of 70kph and by the time we hit the flatter sections we have towed everyone back and its one nice big happy family again. We will then do what we can till just before the end on the blue route and then kinda just recover along main road because it's actually a tough ride for a tandem all the way to the top of smits. Section through fish hoek is probably the easiest to be honest.

So by all means, hook in and have a free ride. You will know when I want help, don't bother trying until then.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Doing my 21st CTCT as pilot on a tandem this year as well with a good mate (doing his 36th) stoking the blue train. Bit disappointed we didn't make the Racing Tandem bunch. He got the seeding but I'm 1B so I guess we'll have to drop back to my group?

Pity because being among the solo's is a PITA when you're guiding that tandem at speed. Rim brakes on a tandem and disk brakes on solo bikes = disaster waiting to happen ☠️ Guess we'll be on the front as much as possible.