The ARGUS 2025 Thread (AKA CTCT)

[The Ouzo]

3 minutes ago, madmarc said:

Those were the days hey !

Our 1st Argus we were late with the entries and had to use courier - Remember phoning everyday to check they recieved them - We started in the last batch at about 10:30 - Pros and Vets had already finished and drinking beer.

We drove down in a combi - Was a 5 day excursion there and back. had loads of tools and spares, bottles, pumps, tjoobs, energy bars, bananas - the list was endless

We were always in awe of our mates who were seasoned vets riding in Vets A bunch

Fly down Sat morning check into hotel - quick coffee ride to top of Suikerbossie and back to Camps bay for a long lunch.

Only thing they took other than their bikes and kit was 2 bottles and a spare tjoob. 

Sunday race day - finish in A bunch with a sub 3 - shower and off to Camps Bay bowling club (old finish) for more beer 

On the 6pm flight back to Jo'burg - back in the office on Monday morning as if nothing had happened over the weekend.

By the 3rd Argus we were doing the same

we used to clean and lube the bikes with minor tune ups the friday before, also carried tool boxes with spares and tools (I still carry a basics tool box when we drive down).

The first couple of years it was a massive accomplishment just finishing the race, forget about great times. Anyone doing under 4 hours was a racing snake.

[Wannabe]

3 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

we used to clean and lube the bikes with minor tune ups the friday before, also carried tool boxes with spares and tools (I still carry a basics tool box when we drive down).

The first couple of years it was a massive accomplishment just finishing the race, forget about great times. Anyone doing under 4 hours was a racing snake.

I can clearly remember those days. The trip down (before I semi grated to Cape Town) was almost more exciting than the race itself.Lots of planning went into it. And then there was the years we came down with the Shosholoza Meyl train. Man, what a blast that was. Not a worry in the world, got to CPT well rested and "carbo-loaded". But then the decline happened, and we missed the Expo completely because the train was late to CPT. Luckily, they collected our race packs and numbers for us (when the race pack was still something to look forward to)

"Anyone doing under 4 hours was a racing snake." If this is the case, I must have been a racing snake back then. Did my first Argus, the detour over OKW, in about 3:42.  My slowest was 4:33 on my Hardtail in '21. Also decided after that, never again......

[madmarc]

The best part was going back to Glen country club after the finish and shower had to park on Lower Kloof road near the high school and walk over Vic road

Those parties turned Raukus by 6pm - thank god cell phone cameras werent around then and we had a rule that "what went on tour stayed on tour"

[Jase619]

I wish they would bring back the Kiddies tour on the Saturday I think it was? for those bringing young ones with for the week it gave them something to look forward to as well. I think that died with Covid along with the MTB race, which I am sure would be a cool reinclusion.

[The Ouzo]

7 minutes ago, Jase619 said:

I wish they would bring back the Kiddies tour on the Saturday I think it was? for those bringing young ones with for the week it gave them something to look forward to as well. I think that died with Covid along with the MTB race, which I am sure would be a cool reinclusion.

That would be cool if they brought it back, would give more of a reason to go down with the kiddos. My youngest would be super keen.

[peepeekaitjie]

3 hours ago, madmarc said:

Entered in the era of paper entries

were you riding a penny farthing with a top hat and a monocle back then?

[madmarc]

2 hours ago, peepeekaitjie said:

were you riding a penny farthing with a top hat and a monocle back then?

😁 - No but def flats with toe clips and tekkies. Cleats were for the Pro's only if you could afford them

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, Jase619 said:

I wish they would bring back the Kiddies tour on the Saturday I think it was? for those bringing young ones with for the week it gave them something to look forward to as well. I think that died with Covid along with the MTB race, which I am sure would be a cool reinclusion.

 

Look how Durbie Dash an 99er are embracing a wider clientele ....

 

 

Missed opportunities.

 

 

And more importantly ... missing the opportunity at roping the kids in for life ....

 

 

Heck, I might even do a 30km MTB on Saturday and then CTCT on Sunday ...

[Paul Ruinaard]

Did all of the above - Oukaaps, Cape of storms and then both the short version and the cancelled version.

Cape of Storms in 2009 which was a tough day in the saddle. I had gone on an MTB bent so had lost any seeding indexes I had and started about 9:45 am in the teeth of the storm, about an hour late.  Nothing like being on a start line at a race when the blue portaloo rockets come blowing on their side down the road when you are going in to the pens, and then at Imhoffs I had my front wheel switched out as i was third in a line of guys and went OTB and trashed my helmet which i had just bought the day before at the expo. I finished but i wonder why, Clear memories of pedalling down Boyes drive having to stand on the pedals in to the teeth of the South Easter when going downhill. We went over Boyes as the road was being fixed through to Muizenberg. Just for sh!ts and giggles.

47km Short version was on a tandem with my wife whose birthday was on the day so she spent most of the race socializing. I pedalled her around the peninsula that day. I am glad it was a short ride.

The cancelled one: I had a new Roubaix and wasnt that fit so i kind of figured "look i am here and came all the way from Jhb so might as well ride" but knew I was in for a very long day from the cape of storms experience and as i was much less fit than 2009, I decided to carbo load and load every fuel known to man in to me just in case. So equivalent of double breakfast and 4 x caffeine sachets in me. Then as I am resigned to my fate and am walking out the door with my eyeballs bouncing up against each other because i am so wired to go my wife says "its been cancelled". Took me about four hours to come down from the rush of sugare and caffeine.

My 21st ride was in the peeing rain three years ago as well just to add insult to injury. I hated Oukaaps - it was IMO a very tough route - i was the fittest and fastest i ever would be but that route was my undoing....

 

[HdB]

39 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

I hated Oukaaps - it was IMO a very tough route - i was the fittest and fastest i ever would be but that route was my undoing....

 

I was also more fit in the first Detour year than the year before, and was sure I could get my first sub-3.
Then the route was changed, got 4km longer and I took only a minute and a half off the previous year's time, instead of 10m that I wanted. Managed the sub-3 the next year at least.

I also started in M despite the previous year's decent time, but it was actually fun and less stressful being off the front with two other riders, than avoiding crashes in A/B/C/D

[Shebeen]

for those looking at the cost of the event, I found this list I posted 2 years ago and updated it

 

2025	895	5%
2024	850	13%
2023	750	15%
2022	650	9%
2021	595	8%
2020	550	2%
2019	540	6%
2018	510	9%
2017	470	0%
2016	470	9%
2015	430

 

 

On 10/23/2024 at 12:47 PM, Jase619 said:

I wish they would bring back the Kiddies tour on the Saturday I think it was? for those bringing young ones with for the week it gave them something to look forward to as well. I think that died with Covid along with the MTB race, which I am sure would be a cool reinclusion.

plus one. my kids loved that. 

[Jase619]

27 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

for those looking at the cost of the event, I found this list I posted 2 years ago and updated it

 

2025	895	5%
2024	850	13%
2023	750	15%
2022	650	9%
2021	595	8%
2020	550	2%
2019	540	6%
2018	510	9%
2017	470	0%
2016	470	9%
2015	430

 

 

plus one. my kids loved that. 

So it looks like my 950 and then 995 prediction may hold true looking at this.

[Paul Ruinaard]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

for those looking at the cost of the event, I found this list I posted 2 years ago and updated it

 

2025	895	5%
2024	850	13%
2023	750	15%
2022	650	9%
2021	595	8%
2020	550	2%
2019	540	6%
2018	510	9%
2017	470	0%
2016	470	9%
2015	430

 

 

plus one. my kids loved that. 

Between 2015 and 2025 it doubled in price. It would be really interesting to map that against entrants, although i think the peak years were earlier. 2020 seems to be the time they thought screw it lets squeeze the lemon.

 

Edited October 30 by Paul Ruinaard

[The Ouzo]

43 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

Between 2015 and 2025 it doubled in price. It would be really interesting to map that against entrants, although i think the peak years were earlier. 2020 seems to be the time they thought screw it lets squeeze the lemon.

 

I think its a combination of factors adding to the double digit % increases. Just look at how you monthly household expenses have increased over the same period.

[HdB]

45 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

2020 seems to be the time they thought screw it lets squeeze the lemon.

 

I don't think we have enough information to be able to claim that? Definitely the increases in 2023 and 2024 are quite high, but by how much did event insurance, traffic department costs, etc. etc. etc. go up by in the same periods? And considering that for some years there were no naming sponsors?

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

....

My 21st ride was in the peeing rain three years ago as well just to add insult to injury. ....

 

 

In the 90's I was part of the motorcycle crew.

 

But my first time taking part as a cyclist was the WET one ....  Thankfully the late start of a new rider, very last bunch, meant we got drenched past UCT and to the start of the M3.  Picking up speed on the downhill towards the M3   By the time we got to Glen Cairn the rain stopped.  I stopped in Simonstown for a coffee 

 

And then the vibe improved and it turned into a lekka ride.