Cape Town Cycle Tour 2026

[Just Jacques]

So i thought id share my unique experience from the weekend , as i saw some messages floating around on cycling groups from a guy looking for pilots to give a handful of blind kids the experience to ride the 42km CTCT route on a tandem. For the first time i thought i was not going to make this about me and chasing the “sub3” status , but rather do something about it and give back to the sport that i have come to love/like/hate over the years ! 
Come Sunday morning i met with the group and was introduced to an amazing young gent that would touch my life in an amazing way purely by his passion to ride bicycle his and enthusiasm to “go fast” on the back of a tandem( which was also my first time riding one). At 10:15am we set of as the last official group of this year’s race and I immediately realised this you man doesn't want the scenic option but was poised to beat all the other kids from his group, so i quickly realised that constant communication and riding on feel for my “stoker”was going to be the order of the day - with “easy power /hard power, take it easy and remember to drink” for 1h29min! All i can say , this was one amazing and humbling experience that left me satisfied beyond any PB or sub3 time.
We even started riding so well together that we actually ended 2nd overall in the 42km tandem cat and i think that young man haven’t stopped smiling since i broke the news as to how well he did . 
I would highly recommend doing something like this at least once in your lifetime if ever the opportunity does come your way . 

[Wannabe]

46 minutes ago, Just Jacques said:

So i thought id share my unique experience from the weekend , as i saw some messages floating around on cycling groups from a guy looking for pilots to give a handful of blind kids the experience to ride the 42km CTCT route on a tandem. For the first time i thought i was not going to make this about me and chasing the “sub3” status , but rather do something about it and give back to the sport that i have come to love/like/hate over the years ! 
Come Sunday morning i met with the group and was introduced to an amazing young gent that would touch my life in an amazing way purely by his passion to ride bicycle his and enthusiasm to “go fast” on the back of a tandem( which was also my first time riding one). At 10:15am we set of as the last official group of this year’s race and I immediately realised this you man doesn't want the scenic option but was poised to beat all the other kids from his group, so i quickly realised that constant communication and riding on feel for my “stoker”was going to be the order of the day - with “easy power /hard power, take it easy and remember to drink” for 1h29min! All i can say , this was one amazing and humbling experience that left me satisfied beyond any PB or sub3 time.
We even started riding so well together that we actually ended 2nd overall in the 42km tandem cat and i think that young man haven’t stopped smiling since i broke the news as to how well he did . 
I would highly recommend doing something like this at least once in your lifetime if ever the opportunity does come your way . 

Well done Jacques. You da Man.

[ChrisF]

Some stats, from what I see on the app ...

 

109km :

- 21 564 entered

- 17 941 finished in less than 7 hours

- 850 DNF, i.e. 5,9%

- It seems some 2 773 entered, paid and never started the race, about 12,9%

 

109 e-bike:

- 1 275 entered

- 1051 finished in 7 hours

- another 16 finished up to 8:10 (would need to check the rules, but I thought 7 hours was the cut off)  either way, that is one long ass time in the saddle !

- 29 shown as DNF, i.e. 2,2%

- 179 entered but did not start, i.e. 14%

 

Now here is an interesting twist to the plot ... previous years the sub3:50 crowd had the dubious "honour" of having their times listed and a DQ ..... not seeing any DQ's this year.  No more bragging rights for not playing by the rules.

[ChrisF]

ebikes ... times ... rider behaviour .....

 

My limited experience on the day -

I was fortunate to start in 3A, the first batch to accommodate e-bikes.  Naturally we were eyeing each others bikes and tech .... the two ladies on the Bianchis looked good !  Another lady on a Specialized with a connected range extender.  All of them drop bar bikes with small motors.  A number of couple on matching ebikes.  Point is a number of these bikes and/or rider kit was noticable.

 

FOUR shot ahead .... two parked on the pavement in Seapoint just before the finish straight.  two more actually entered the straight, then pulled to the left at an opening in the barriers.

 

The lady with the white Spez was on the Seapoint stretch the same time as me.  We were soft pedalling the last 500m along the sea front, then followed the flow to the finish line in 3:51.  The two lovely Bianchis about 90 seconds later.  Just the 4 that raced ahead, the rest of 3B just had a good consistent ride.

 

Rider behaviour .... yes, after the Noordhoek battery stop the odd e-biker was fast up Chappies.  Now in saying that, I was doing my normal 20 odd km/h up there, getting a few comments from others suffering up that first climb ... then getting blitzhed by the odd ebiker with a fresh battery.  BUT .... now let's also be fair here .... there were many more non-e-bikes blasting up those hills and shouting at people to keep left (I happened to get behind a big slow group) .... even an "ou omie" (probably in his 70's) blasting up that climb to the Chappies lookout point, I had to look twice, he was not on an ebike, but incredibly fast and angry at one and all .... At the time I was next to a very young lady on her first tour .... I took a moment to re-assure her she is doing nothing wrong and this man was not shouting at her (we were both on the left) ..... As much I saw the one ebiker of the 3B group being a box, there were many others not setting a good example either ....

 

Two bits of rider behaviour stands out to me .... that narrow section leading to Noordhoek, it was one thick bunch keeping a steady pace ... nothing to do but stay safe ... nope, this one sod kept on moving up and nudging his drop bars into my elbow, not sure if he wanted me to go onto the pavement or pull over, his front wheel was 5cm from the next guys rear wheel, but he kept on nudging .... thank goodness there ware now potholes or rocks, because he left me ZERO space to move.  The other "bahaviour" ... from the toll booth down we were three bikes, my hugging the rock face (trying my best to stay out of the wind), the next on the middle line, third rider on the far left ... first turn fine second turn fine, then on the third turn they both just cut in hard .... I had to grab my brakes to avoid them chopping my front tyre ....  None of this has anything to do with the type of bike .... some people just need to get out more and get some road skills.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

3 hours ago, Wannabe said:

Going up Smits, we had an oversized plonker on his E-Mtb come racing up on the right-hand side gravel section, shouting "Make Way, Make Way". At this time, we were quite a sizeable bunch made up of 2D to 2F riders spread out over the width of the road. This arse almost took out a few riders with his wide handlebars as he veered into the road to avoid the vegetation on the side of the road as well as holes and other obstacles. He got sworn at by quite a few riders, me included, but he just continued on his merry way, endangering other people on his way to position 9900.

Then going past between the trees after Cape Point Reserve where the road surface was so bumpy, the youngster Infront of me decided that it was a good idea to take both his hands off the handlebars in his best Sagan impersonation. He got a quick "Don't be daft, keep your hands on the bars" from me. (OK, this is the censored version).

Going down after Suikerbossie, just before Twelve Apostel Hotel, a few guys in the middle of the road touched wheels and went down hard. At this stage we were pedaling hard and in excess of 50km/h, and we just managed to avoid the tangle by going to the right. This could not have had a good result, and I hope that the injuries were not too severe.

Was so tempted to ride nr 22 in a 21 shirt but reading this and likewise reports glad I stayed at home 

Edited March 9 by Prince Albert Cycles

[ChrisF]

5 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

Was so tempted to ride nr 22 in a 21 shirt but reading this and likewise reports glad I stayed at home 

 

Arno ons weet daar gaan altyd "daai een" wees.

 

Van ons groep ebikers, 3B, was daar sekerlik nie sulke gedrag nie.  Daar was later een op Chappies, maar dadelik nog n paar haastige ryers op gewone fietse wat begin skreeu het op die stadige bondel ... (as jy na 7:30 begin het, hoekom wil jy nou skreeu op iemand as jy 1 minuut gaan verloor op daai klim)

 

 

Ek het skoon sleg gevoel vir die jong dame op haar eerste toer wat heel links sit toe die ou omie begin skreeu .... eerste kyk, nee, dis nie n e-bike nie .... tweede kyk, hy is in dieselfde charity se klere as ek - ek kon net my kop in skaamte laat sak !

 

Muizenberg tot Smitswinkel was daar n hoërskool seun.  Mooi sterk getrap ... maar toe die bulte begin byt, toe begin het n paar meter links en regs beweeg, middel van n groot bondel .... niks lelik nie, maar kon gevaarlik wees.  Gelukkig het die groep gesien, en net spasie geskep vir die jong man.

 

[Me rida my bicycle]

4 hours ago, Wannabe said:

Going up Smits, we had an oversized plonker on his E-Mtb come racing up on the right-hand side gravel section, shouting "Make Way, Make Way". At this time, we were quite a sizeable bunch made up of 2D to 2F riders spread out over the width of the road. This arse almost took out a few riders with his wide handlebars as he veered into the road to avoid the vegetation on the side of the road as well as holes and other obstacles. He got sworn at by quite a few riders, me included, but he just continued on his merry way, endangering other people on his way to position 9900.

Then going past between the trees after Cape Point Reserve where the road surface was so bumpy, the youngster Infront of me decided that it was a good idea to take both his hands off the handlebars in his best Sagan impersonation. He got a quick "Don't be daft, keep your hands on the bars" from me. (OK, this is the censored version).

Going down after Suikerbossie, just before Twelve Apostel Hotel, a few guys in the middle of the road touched wheels and went down hard. At this stage we were pedaling hard and in excess of 50km/h, and we just managed to avoid the tangle by going to the right. This could not have had a good result, and I hope that the injuries were not too severe.

I passed at least 2 ebikes with dead batteries, is there a better feeling I think it topped the topless girl near Clifton 😂 I think I'd rather tow the buggy than ride an ebike with a dead battery 🤣

Crashes was the order of the day, on the m3 around Constantia turn off I managed just to miss a group crash, last thing I want to be is responsible for Levi to get hurt.

With the issues with the buggy put us quite far back and we passed a lot of people when we got it sorted, they were tired and not focused even with Johan riding ahead of me warning people of the buggy coming we still had people get tangled up with the buggy but luckily no crashes.

On one of our stops to give Levi water and check he is still good (aways off the road out the way) we were nearly hit by someone just looking down and riding straight at us. It took some words of encouragement for him to wake up. 

Best sign of the day was that girl with "quick pomp" just before Chappies 😂

[Musashi]

12 hours ago, ChrisF said:

MANY parents with kids on tandems 

 

 

 

Oooops, GoPro flipped to video ... no more pics ...   went through the motions of nice pics along Chappies, to get dark videos in my pocket.

Hey, you caught us again on camera this year!

I bet there aren't many 11 year olds with 2 CTCT's done.

 

[Milosh]

12 minutes ago, Me rida my bicycle said:

Best sign of the day was that girl with "quick pomp" just before Chappies 😂

That was the sign of the day !! 

[Robbie Stewart]

I started way back as is my custom. Still, this year I felt that way too many people were just riding oblivious to their surroundings. Folks were just swinging left or right whenever they felt the need to stop, with no warning to the riders around them. I had one chap, Ryno, who decided on a whim to pull left and stop and very nearly clipped my front wheel in the process. Another time on approach to the Smitswinkel climb a lady on her e-mtb was riding very slow on the extreme left, and as I passed her she suddenly swerved and nearly smashed my bars. She was faffing with her phone which she had mounted on her bars and was paying no attention to the riders. And that was pretty much the theme for the day. I encountered way too many such sketchy moments yesterday, and that was a first for me. Other than that the day was good. My standout moment was passing a chap who was on his 41st tour and meeting another old timer on Chapman's doing his first tour and he was blown away by seeing Chapman's for the first time. He was dumbstruck, and with good reason. It was exceptionally beautiful yesterday. Those moments stood out for me. Maybe next year my legs won't explode in Hout bay.

[NotSoBigBen]

 

9 hours ago, ChrisF said:

✂️✂️✂️✂️

None of this has anything to do with the type of bike ....

At the risk of repeating this ad nauseam ... this is the crux of the problem Chris

As I said more than once in any demographic you'd care to use there are always a certain percentage, no I don't care to make up a stat, of twats!

Be it E-bikers, analogue bikers (stupid reference if you ask me), roadies, cyclists, butchers, bakers, accountants hell even pensioners or dare I say it the supposedly 'cool kids' the mountain bikers 😜

2 last things come to mind

- as I've gotten older they just seem to have proliferated 

- when you're amongst that many 'riders', they are in reality just people,  there will be just be that many of them!

Maar nou ja daar het jy dit, use it don't use it, just the ramblings of a 'timer as my neighbour's teenage son calls me 

[Jaco Steyn]

My one female friend also rode with an e-bike this year. She’s in the 50-54 age category. Done her 17 previous Argus rides on a normal road bicycle. She actually did quite well on her e-bike. Overall 13th of the e-bikes, 3rd female and 2nd in her age group. 

[Scary Rider]

14 hours ago, Wannabe said:

Going up Smits, we had an oversized plonker on his E-Mtb come racing up on the right-hand side gravel section, shouting "Make Way, Make Way". At this time, we were quite a sizeable bunch made up of 2D to 2F riders spread out over the width of the road. This arse almost took out a few riders with his wide handlebars as he veered into the road to avoid the vegetation on the side of the road as well as holes and other obstacles. He got sworn at by quite a few riders, me included, but he just continued on his merry way, endangering other people on his way to position 9900.

Then going past between the trees after Cape Point Reserve where the road surface was so bumpy, the youngster Infront of me decided that it was a good idea to take both his hands off the handlebars in his best Sagan impersonation. He got a quick "Don't be daft, keep your hands on the bars" from me. (OK, this is the censored version).

Going down after Suikerbossie, just before Twelve Apostel Hotel, a few guys in the middle of the road touched wheels and went down hard. At this stage we were pedaling hard and in excess of 50km/h, and we just managed to avoid the tangle by going to the right. This could not have had a good result, and I hope that the injuries were not too severe.

Well...somewehere along the route someone did ask: het iemand al vir Marelize gesien?🙈

I suppose we had quite a few...

[Wannabe]

@ChrisF, Those two lovely ladies on their equally lovely e-bikes also passed me on Smits, but both was cycling at a steady pace, just faster than I was moving and took every precaution to pass other cyclist in a safe manner. It was just that plonker on his supercharged e-mtb that behaved like an ass, and he's the one who stuck in my mind.

As you said, it's not the bike but the person controlling it. I had a quiet word with an older gent doing his 34'th CTCT to be more cautious, as he incapable of keeping his line and kept on forcing himself into spaces that did not exist without moving forward in the bunch. 

Edited March 10 by Wannabe
Redacted a comment

[DrRichard]

we had in interesting experience in 3B - two lovely  weathered elderly ladies.... both at least 20-30 plus argus in their legs - on every hill - hand on the pocket - and off they would go up the hill in tow - after the top of the hill the non-e biker would then let go from her tow and ride alone till the next hill where her E-bike friend would be ready for the next tow up the hill!  They came past us so many times  up every bump till they disappeared up and over chappies.... Great to have a friend on an e-bike to help you  up the hill - but conflicted in my emotions of the 'legality' / 'spirit' of riding of the plan - apart from the 'honours' board of doing 30 or 40 plus rides, finishing in under4 hours - I guess there is nothing wrong/ no harm  with it - but strange the emotions - e-bikes and towing affects those of us who try to do it the old school way  

[Dexter-morgan]

I had a chilled but lekker ride with my Frankenbike, I stopped for a coffee, close to Simons town, then assisted another guy who's pedal came loose, then helped another girl with her chain, unfortunately, I could not get her going again, (chain was mangled completely), helped a lady up a hill at Smits winkel, then pushed a tandem up chappies that was struggling, then went on my merry way - had a blast.

and my Frankenbike is not an e-bike..