The ARGUS 2025 Thread (AKA CTCT)

[PappaWatTrap]

Ah but doesn’t the enjoyment lie in the fact that you put in time prepping for the race, getting your nutrition sorted and on the day leaving it all out on the course? Crossing the line KNOWING you had nothing left in the tank and getting the dopamine rush from the realization of what you accomplished today?

Edited Tuesday at 07:47 PM by PappaWatTrap

[Prince Albert Cycles]

10 hours ago, Chingy182 said:

Started in 1A (84-85kg) 40YO

Felt strong throughout the build-up to Argus and thought sub 3 was a slight possibility this year.

I've lost 10kg in the last 12 months.

Came in 3h06

Unfortunately, I came to realise I am off the mark to keep up with 1A pace.

I seem to lack that critical power output when the group kicks on and find myself hanging on by the skin of my teeth before being spat out at the back.

 

Edinburg 1.72km 5.5% │  374W - 4:52
Smits last 1.65km 5.5% │  290W - 4:54
Little Chappies 1.42km 4.1% │  257W - 4:30
Big Chappies 1.72km 4.8% │  227W - 6:56
Small Suikerbossie 0.62km 4.7% │ 271W - 2:55
Big Suikerbossie 1.86km 6.7% │ 265W - 7:46

 

All numbers are PB's, except Chappies where I was tanked

Time to be proud off

[Me rida my bicycle]

1 hour ago, Christine Meyer said:

One last thought, if I may. Cycling is an amazing sport, but very male dominant. For bigger, and female riders, it's very difficult to keep up with the skinny, strong roadies. Ebikes levels the playfield for us all. I know not all ebikers are nice, but not all cyclists, drivers, pedestrians or people are nice. Most ebikers can feel the hate. Please give us a chance to experience what you experience. We will never be able to accomplish what you accomplish, without the help of a motor and battery. 

I get what you are saying I'm sure it must have been fun. I'm not the smallest guy and a sub 3 is not happening anytime soon. But that's just it when I started cycling I was still recovering from a major accident and could not ride the 5km of Majik forest.

10 years of riding and I've done ulta marathons and multi stage races and this year was the most stressful challenge of being responsible for a special needs child in a buggy. The sense of accomplishment when we crossed the finish line is undesirable. 

Now that's just it what gets the cyclists blood boiling, it's working for years to get under the "magic" 3hour mark and some mis it by seconds and feel devastated. So when someone just buys the ability to do it you can see how that would upset some people. 

PS: I'm not attacking you or criticising you, I just want to give you a different perspective. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:16 PM by Me rida my bicycle

[HdB]

32 minutes ago, Christine Meyer said:

Please give us a chance to experience what you experience.

I think most people would agree with this. And I've seen it with my wife. She had no intention of getting an ebike, she did the Herald 55km on her normal bike last year and was going to again this year. Then she hurt her knee, and the options were to not ride any climbs until it got better, or get an ebike - so we got a used one here on Bikehub.

Even without the knee injury, climbs are hard for her. I think a lot of us have forgotten how it feels to struggle so much with climbs. To be able to ride easy, without feeling like a burden, holding up the other people.

The weekend before the Herald we deliberately tested riding a long stretch on Eco, to see what the battery does. We were going just below the 25km/h max assist speed, and she told me that is how she would like to feel on her normal bike - being able to ride at a reasonable speed without her heart rate being 150+ the whole time.

It gives the option to do routes with more climbs than what she would previously have attempted, and on flat routes she can still use her normal bike.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

Done 22 tours between 1988 and 2025 . 2500 riders in 1988 .  Lots of changes most of them good .  Started in 5A this year having not ridden since 2020 . Was inspirational to see a lage number of riders around my age ( 77 next month ) to ride it unassisted .  Taking it easy on a mountain bike and staying out of bunches I had a riding time of just under 5 hours . I am al for people who are injured or too weak due to illness or age to ride an E-bike . But the sight of an obese couple screaming past first on Chappies and again on Suikerbossie on their second or 3rd batteries is just not on .  If you can not ride the route on one battery stay at home . Or get a bigger battery . Or ride the short route . As ChrisF has mentioned always a few who spoil it for the rest.

Edited 23 hours ago by Prince Albert Cycles

[Bro Derek]

3 hours ago, Christine Meyer said:

Musashi, you are right. I apologise to everyone I have offended. It was never my intention to disregard the rules and also not to give ebikers a bad name. 

So did you know the 3:50 rule before riding? You intimated earlier that you did.

If so, you did intentionally go out and disregard the rules. 

I find this exchange so puzzling and can't believe that you STILL don't grasp the concept.

By all means enjoy the route and the experience, but do it within the rules and don't be self righteous about breaking them.

It is Lance Armstrongesque

[ChrisF]

5 hours ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

Done 22 tours between 1988 and 2025 . 2500 riders in 1988 .  Lots of changes most of them good .  Started in 5A this year having not ridden since 2020 . Was inspirational to see a lage number of riders around my age ( 77 next month ) to ride it unassisted .  Taking it easy on a mountain bike and staying out of bunches I had a riding time of just under 5 hours . Got a nice slip on the Blue Route by a E-bike rider with 35 tours who was managing his battery . I am al for people who are injured or too weak due to illness or age to ride an E-bike . But the sight of an obese couple screaming past first on Chappies and again on Suikerbossie on their second or 3rd batteries is just not on .  If you can not ride the route on one battery stay at home . Or get a bigger battery . Or ride the short route . As ChrisF has mentioned always a few who spoil it for the rest.

 

Glad you came back for the 22nd ride.

 

Sounds like you had a good ride.

 

Our 73 year young aunt from Potchefstroom did her 23rd ride.  Managed 7:15, for an unofficial finish.

[karma]

It speaks volumes when someone knowingly  cheats, puts up a defense, then plays victim to justify their actions...

[Pure Savage]

11 hours ago, Christine Meyer said:

Fyi, I was the lady on the ebike, the one you are talking about. Firstly, I did start in my batch, just like I was supposed to. Secondly, were you there to see how I passed anyone? Yes, I did not ride at 25km/h like the rules stated, because I ride faster on my mountain bike, so I did not see the point in riding like Miss Daisy. But did I bother you? Did I cause an accident? Or did I sit in the front, pedal my ass off and gave slip to whomever could hold my wheel? I was there to have fun, like thousands of other riders. Maybe you should keep your mouth shut about stuff you know nothing about. If an ebike hurt your fragile little ego, don't blame me. 

IS IT FRIDAY ALREADY???

Feels like 2014, where is @Wyatt Earp and @Patchelicious ?

[Pure Savage]

12 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

2016 seemed special for some reason

Thanks for sharing all the medals, really cool to see.

[Pure Savage]

10 hours ago, Christine Meyer said:

I started at 7:06. Early enough? I was not reckless, neither was I rude. I kept my lane and if anyone wanted to fall in, they did. I was there to enjoy the ride, not steal someone's glory. 

But you did just that with the first part - "For anyone that wanted to fall in" you would have pulled people along unfairly. We have had eBikes join on our rides before, especially in headwinds, when you have someone motoring on the front it increases the whole average speed and affects everyone.

[Mamil]

11 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

You do realise I also ride an ebike 🤣

 

EDIT - Okay so you do 2:50 on an ebike .... IGNORING the rules, then want to get snotty on your first post ....

 

Maybe read the rules before attacking others that actually stick to the rules.

 

Then do some homework on WHY these rules are in place.

 

It has hardly anything to do with "you", but everything to do with influencing race results.

 

And if you think you passed so many SLOW weekend riders at such a speed without causing danger, you really need a wake up call !!!  Page up a bit, read about the dad's daughter that was nearly taken out by a racer.

 

NO, you wont get sympathy from me.  YOU are bad for the future of ebikes in this sport !!!!

Great response @ChrisF.

[Lynskey]

11 hours ago, Christine Meyer said:

Fyi, I was the lady on the ebike, the one you are talking about. Firstly, I did start in my batch, just like I was supposed to. Secondly, were you there to see how I passed anyone? Yes, I did not ride at 25km/h like the rules stated, because I ride faster on my mountain bike, so I did not see the point in riding like Miss Daisy. But did I bother you? Did I cause an accident? Or did I sit in the front, pedal my ass off and gave slip to whomever could hold my wheel? I was there to have fun, like thousands of other riders. Maybe you should keep your mouth shut about stuff you know nothing about. If an ebike hurt your fragile little ego, don't blame me. 

You are the absolute problem with society. I have so I can do whatever I want. Thank goodness there are not many of you around. 

[Mook]

10 hours ago, JacquesJ said:

Great to see they enforced the rules!

Now spread the word to other eBikers too please!

 

(Not the ones who read and respect the rules and use eBikes like the organizers nicely asked in their comms...you are the awesome ones!)

The "normally aspirated" cyclists that benefitted from the pace set by these e-bikers got their "rewards", right 😥 ............... what a shame.

Whom of us have never tucked in behind a tandem tearing up the tarmac? Conventional drafting another legit bike is part of a race of this nature. Keeping the wheel of said e-bike is a totally different story and downright cheating.

All I am saying is that the CTCT does not benefit from poorly regulated bike categories, ie. e-Bikes 

[DieselnDust]

10 hours ago, JacquesJ said:

There was an eBike in A1 too, definitely not built like a racer to put it politely. Pulled his buddy over Smuts and Chappies. Must be real proud of the achievement. Not as bad as the eMTB mixing it up with @ two years ago in the rain...

That Mtb set the new fastest Mtb ctct record this year…..

[Mamil]

1 hour ago, Pure Savage said:

But you did just that with the first part - "For anyone that wanted to fall in" you would have pulled people along unfairly. We have had eBikes join on our rides before, especially in headwinds, when you have someone motoring on the front it increases the whole average speed and affects everyone.

Hmmmm --- I think she might have passed 1C just before Smits -- Can I claim that this is why I got dropped halfway up the hill?