2016 Absa Cape Epic entries open on Monday

3 hours after Susi and Cool harrvey finished i was adamant that i was doing Epic next year. Then sanity got the better of me!

I am not ready to part with that kind of money. 

Very happy to be a spectator for years to come.

The thing is they will always get the numbers despite the steep entry fee, the problem then comes that it loses some of its bragging rights because you cannot claim that you are an elite cyclists for finishing the epic, you just have allot of money, there are alot of other guys who can do the race physically.

In 2004 the race had 9 different locations. You started at Point A, rode to Point B and slept, departed B and rode to C, etc etc. 9 stop-over/finish locations.

In the last few years you start at A, ride a circular route back to A. Sleep and depart from A and ride to B. Sleep at B. Next morning ride a circular route back to B and sleep there again, etc etc. 5 stop-over/finish locations.

Am I missing something. The first year the entry fee was like R10500 or so for a team, and logistics in setting up 9 locations must have been hectic.

Enter 2015, Entry fee R65000 odd, and they have to prepare only 5 locations for riders.

Inflation? Only the organiser's pockets maybe.

How can the normal Joe public who loves mtbiking ever compete in a race like this?

Some people spend that kind of money on holidays 2 times a year. I will spend that kind of money every 2/3 years on the Epic! Did it twice and doesnt matter what anybody says, but the Epic gets under your skin once you have ridden it.

Some people spend that kind of money on holidays 2 times a year. I will spend that kind of money every 2/3 years on the Epic! Did it twice and doesnt matter what anybody says, but the Epic gets under your skin once you have ridden it.

Maybe try a SwissEpic for a different scenery and probably cheaper[emoji6][emoji106]

Maybe try a SwissEpic for a different scenery and probably cheaper[emoji6][emoji106]

Some entry comparisons using the cheapest entry available today

Swiss 2015 - 400km 6 days, R102.80 per km, R6'855.80 per day ( R41'134.60 team entry)

This is not the cheapest entry, but the next cheapest. Cheap ones are all sold out

Cape Epic  - 739 km 8 days, R80.70 per km, R7450 per day (2016 entry price R59'600.00)

Maybe try a SwissEpic for a different scenery and probably cheaper[emoji6][emoji106]

Still need to travel overseas though, and thats not cheap at all.....

As an ordinary middle class man with a family and no connections to the business world to beg for some sponsoring, I will not in the foreseeable future be able to enter the Epic.

But there are some consolation prizes like the Trans Karoo, Trans Cape and many other.

But I dare dream that one day my son will be part of a sponsored/professional team that will do the Epic, and then I will do my level best to be part of his support team.

My cousin did the Epic 2 years ago.  His words to me was that as a family man you have to be quite selfish if you want to do the Epic.  Both in the funds required from the family budget, as well as the time required for the training.

The entry is a small part of the cost of an Epic campaign...

 

maybe 20 percent...

Not everyone buys into the hype.

The epic undercover marketing campaign is in full swing

3 hours after Susi and Cool harrvey finished i was adamant that i was doing Epic next year. Then sanity got the better of me!

Happens to me every year.

Doing the 36One and Transkaroo combined with a months holiday in the Karoo/Boland/Eastern Cape for less than the entry fee of the Epic.

Any of you guys know anyone who would want to sponsor a rigid single speed team for next year? I suppose it could get quite a bit of attention.

This has actually been done already - didn't get a whole lot of attention unfortunately.

i'd love to see your sums for this but that's maybe the case for some people, certainly not the majority. It's like a wedding, if you think it's important you'll spend a home loan sized amount of money on a one day party.

 

Not everyone buys into the hype.

60k Entry

60k bike x 2

2 x warmup events at say 10k entry fees

Filghts x 2 events (assume 1 local) - 15k

Accomodation for events pre and post - say 10k

Massage x 3 events - 10k

Maintenance and spares - at the epic - 8k x 2

Maintenance and spares for the year - 15k easily (assume 1000km a month effort)

And then there is kit - I know our kit cost around 80k - includes ride kit and wet weather gear

And and and.. especially if you want your family to be at the finish/start

And we have this fundamental belief that you should stay in the tents at the Epic - part of the deal... - otherwise add another 60k for the B&B or about half for a camper van....

At the end of the day it's only money.... won't make you happy in a bank account.... but it's would be a poor financial decision to debt finance an Epic campaign.

And yes - you can trim costs - but there is a practical limit to that - and you can find sponsors/donors (which we do have for some bits) - when you do add it all up, then it turns into a big number - especially for the first one - the second one has less outlay - assuming you can reuse things.

Some entry comparisons using the cheapest entry available today

 

Swiss 2015 - 400km 6 days, R102.80 per km, R6'855.80 per day ( R41'134.60 team entry)

This is not the cheapest entry, but the next cheapest. Cheap ones are all sold out

 

Cape Epic  - 739 km 8 days, R80.70 per km, R7450 per day (2016 entry price R59'600.00)

Using a Local is Lekker comparison

Sani2c = 265km 3 days, R44.52 per km, R3933 per day (2015 entry price =R11800)

you are right that this certainly is the trend, and I guess if you are spending 60k on an entry you are probably not stressing too much about the costs of the other bits and pieces

 

But it is definitely possible to do it on a LOT less than is suggested, (you might not fit in being the main problem!). I will qualify this by saying that if you live in Cape Town its a lot cheaper too.

 

I was looking at the Exxaro lads on the same bikes it seems they got back in 2013, hardtails, XT/ SLX equipped, certainly the stuff within most peoples budget if you are entering.

 

So yes a new drivetrain, new helmet, new bling shoes, new kit, powermeter, dual suss, etc etc are all great, but nothing replaces the engine and the passion and those okes in green seem to have it.

 

My point is if you can withstand the trend and be prepared to be disciplined you dont have to hide stuff from your wife....

It's not so much about the money to make the effort, it's about the cost of not finishing because of taking an economics based decision - putting in 6 months to a year of effort to do the event, spending a fair amount, and then failing to finish because of - lets say making a decision to run a marginal chain/tire for the last day for economic reasons - really bad decision making...

And you do see a fair amount of that in eny big event - so doing everything possible to minimise risk is sometimes the best way to go.

Let me give you another example - I have done 2 with the same partner (and if we get an entry we will be on the line next year again) - in those 2 efforts we have broken 1 frame and had it replaced under warrantee mid Epic, and broken the rear triangle on the other bike on the final day - and limped home - to be waranteed back home.

So - lets look at the decisions here:

1 - Ride a newish bike under warrantee (sure it has cost more) but look at what whould have happened if it had not been under warrantee? DNF... or buy a new one mid ride? what is the cost of that?

2 - Ride a brand name bike - (more expensive) - we choose to ride bikes where the manufacturer/importer is on-site at the Epic - see above why.... if the spares are not on site, then you will again be foreced to DNF or buy a new one... even if it is warranteed later, that is of no use to you... Sure you may be able to borrow a mates bike... but whats the  guarantee on that?

Take a look at the dropout rate amongst the exxaro riders as an example - it is enlightening.

60k Entry

60k bike x 2

2 x warmup events at say 10k entry fees

Filghts x 2 events (assume 1 local) - 15k

Accomodation for events pre and post - say 10k

Massage x 3 events - 10k

Maintenance and spares - at the epic - 8k x 2

Maintenance and spares for the year - 15k easily (assume 1000km a month effort)

And then there is kit - I know our kit cost around 80k - includes ride kit and wet weather gear

And and and.. especially if you want your family to be at the finish/start

 

And we have this fundamental belief that you should stay in the tents at the Epic - part of the deal... - otherwise add another 60k for the B&B or about half for a camper van....

 

At the end of the day it's only money.... won't make you happy in a bank account.... but it's would be a poor financial decision to debt finance an Epic campaign.

 

And yes - you can trim costs - but there is a practical limit to that - and you can find sponsors/donors (which we do have for some bits) - when you do add it all up, then it turns into a big number - especially for the first one - the second one has less outlay - assuming you can reuse things.

I can see why the epic marketing machine would love you.

But your needs are out of touch with reality

Using a Local is Lekker comparison

Sani2c = 265km 3 days, R44.52 per km, R3933 per day (2015 entry price =R11800)

 

It is clear from these calculations that the Epic is way over priced. Completely ridiculous and out of touch with reality.

Because of the rationality of markets, Kevin Vermaak will be sitting with a large number of unsold entries when they open for sale today.

(Where is the sarcasm font now that I need it)

It is clear from these calculations that the Epic is way over priced. Completely ridiculous and out of touch with reality.

 

Because of the rationality of markets, Kevin Vermaak will be sitting with a large number of unsold entries when they open for sale today.

 

(Where is the sarcasm font now that I need it)

Question is which entry is harder to get hold of? Consider the fact that Sani runs 3 races, its clear to see that there is a tipping point for local riders, and i think EPIC may be very near it... look at the Munga... massive prize money but with a $10,000 entry it was always going to struggle.

I can see why the epic marketing machine would love you.

But your needs are out of touch with reality

I suspect that his needs are entirely in line with his reality.

There is a sweet spot where the needs of the consumer and the offering by the supplier coincide. If you are neither, on what basis do you condemn their meeting of minds?

60k Entry agreed

60k bike x 2 Nope used our bikes that we had

2 x warmup events at say 10k entry fees W2W and training w2w 4500

Filghts x 2 events (assume 1 local) - 15k Nope

Accomodation for events pre and post - say 10k nope

Massage x 3 events - 10k Nope only epic

Maintenance and spares - at the epic - 8k mmm ok lets keep it like that

Maintenance and spares for the year - 15k easily (assume 1000km a month effort) upgrades

And then there is kit - I know our kit cost around 80k - includes ride kit and wet weather gear Not close our kit was 10k

And and and.. especially if you want your family to be at the finish/start

 

And we have this fundamental belief that you should stay in the tents at the Epic - part of the deal... - otherwise add another 60k for the B&B or about half for a camper van....

 

At the end of the day it's only money.... won't make you happy in a bank account.... but it's would be a poor financial decision to debt finance an Epic campaign.

 

And yes - you can trim costs - but there is a practical limit to that - and you can find sponsors/donors (which we do have for some bits) - when you do add it all up, then it turns into a big number - especially for the first one - the second one has less outlay - assuming you can reuse things.

Wow

you do no not hold back, I will put our figures next to yours!

Question is which entry is harder to get hold of? Consider the fact that Sani runs 3 races, its clear to see that there is a tipping point for local riders.

The price per Km is not the reason there are 3 Sani races and only the one Epic. The two rides are not comparable as an event.

Sani is a jol and something you can do on a whim. Three easy days if you are not racing hard. I was invited on a Monday to stand in for someone and started on the Wednesday - no problem. I started my Sani training for this year last week.

The Epic is in a different league and yet sells out.

Whether people like it or not, KV has built the Audi R8 of mountain biking, no matter that a Golf will take twice as many people to Cape Town in the same time at a fraction of the cost, Audi has produced a vehicle that is so desirable that every one they allocate to the market was snapped up. That there are more Golfs sold is irrelevant.

dont we have these pricing discussions every year after the epic?

and dont we come to the same conclusion every year after the epic ?

maybe someone can short cut this discussion and post the link to the 2014 thread.

60k Entry

60k bike x 2

2 x warmup events at say 10k entry fees

Filghts x 2 events (assume 1 local) - 15k

Accomodation for events pre and post - say 10k

Massage x 3 events - 10k

Maintenance and spares - at the epic - 8k x 2

Maintenance and spares for the year - 15k easily (assume 1000km a month effort)

And then there is kit - I know our kit cost around 80k - includes ride kit and wet weather gear

And and and.. especially if you want your family to be at the finish/start

 

And we have this fundamental belief that you should stay in the tents at the Epic - part of the deal... - otherwise add another 60k for the B&B or about half for a camper van....

 

At the end of the day it's only money.... won't make you happy in a bank account.... but it's would be a poor financial decision to debt finance an Epic campaign.

 

And yes - you can trim costs - but there is a practical limit to that - and you can find sponsors/donors (which we do have for some bits) - when you do add it all up, then it turns into a big number - especially for the first one - the second one has less outlay - assuming you can reuse things.

ok. that does actually come up to about R300k, but you're probably in the top 10% percentile of local amateurs in terms of spend. You definitely don't need to do it on a brand new R60k bike, and of course that bike is still worth something at the end of the race so you can't ascribe the total cost as going to this event. Also the first time I've seen someone spend more cash on clothing for an event than race entry fee. 

You've also summed up your entire year of cycling as a cost for one week. That's a mindset thing, it's not a binary issue. If you don't get an epic entry will none of this money get spent anyway?