The TransSouthDakota just caught my eye. Bikepacking with a few miles of packrafting thrown in for good measure ... then I saw that the shorter 340 miler was $499 and the longer, 740 mile route, a mere $599. I think you may get the use of a packraft but at that kind of money, I'd be expecting to take the thing home with me too.

Anyway, here you go: http://www.transsouthdakotarace.com/registration

Yikkes!! For all the bikepacking events that charge just a basic fee, this is outrageous. And he lists them as "sale"- what was full pop on those!

Welcome to the world of the commercial event! These events will stand or fall by the number of people prepared to stump up the fee and enter I guess.

Take for example the one next year across our very own Wales that was discussed on here previously with comments about the seemingly considerable cost; well, I was chatting to someone I know who had popped into my workplace and, with him being a cyclist, we chatted about what rides we'd done/were doing and he enthusiastically told me about this event he and a friend had registered for, a great event across Wales over three days and fantastic value....

rando nomad wrote:Yikkes!! For all the bikepacking events that charge just a basic fee, this is outrageous. And he lists them as "sale"- what was full pop on those!

By the looks of it $699.00 for the 740 miles and $599.00 for the 340 miles. Plus an additional $100 - $200 if you want the additional transport options.

Peter, please tell your friend there's this event called the WRT. He'll get to ride for 3 days in Wales and he can enter for just £200 if he sends the money over this weekend ... I'll even throw a T shirt in

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Peter, please tell your friend there's this event called the WRT. He'll get to ride for 3 days in Wales and he can enter for just £200 if he sends the money over this weekend ... I'll even throw a T shirt in

The WRT may have been mentioned when he told me But I would have said for him to give me the £200 and I'd complete his entry for him

I don't want to appear part of the tinfoil hat brigade but this has made me realise that computer screens are obviously two way. They must be - how else would these event organisers see you coming?

I think the computer is a big part of it. We seem to live in an age of convenience in the developed world; a lot of people want the one-life-live-it outdoor lifestyle but without the effort. Sell the image on the computer screen, provide the opportunity on screen, make it conveniently available on screen, take your money on screen. Makes it easier to sell for the organiser, makes it easy to buy for the customer - who doesn't want to think about the logistics, he just wants to pay and do it.


Whereas we actually enjoy the logistics ourselves, don't we?!? Of course, besides our own forays into the wilds we also need facilitators to provide events like the WRT for us too and thankfully there are people out there who put in the time and effort on our behalf for the love of it (?) without wanting to make a living/profit out of it... you know who you are !!

I think we had a similar debate a few months ago when that well known purveyor of cycling clothing much beloved of Stu was offering a very similarly routed trip to James' Turin Nice. Their offer came in at the knock down price of £4,500 if I remember correctly. If I recall, Scotroutes made a contribution which could be summed up as these outrageous fees are a sort of tw@ tax as the type of people attracted by the glossy marketing and opportunity to have the adventure of a lifetime, really make you earn the silly money you charge them, if only to pay for the surgery to repair a very bitten tongue post event.

He'll get to ride for 3 days in Wales

You may need to be careful under the trade descriptions act and i advise you to stick to saying "you will get three days in Wales with your bike"

I reckon if James or Stu were going to sort me out a five star hotel, a gourmet meal and limitless booze, wash/spanner my bike, do all my ride catering, etc they'd probably want £500 a day to do it as well.

Horses for courses, innit. If I had the money I wouldn't say no, I'd also like to think I'd rough it once in a while.

when that well known purveyor of cycling clothing much beloved of Stu

Contrary to popular belief, I admire them greatly. You really can't fault their business model and marketing.

I reckon if James or Stu were going to sort me out a five star hotel, a gourmet meal and limitless booze, wash/spanner my bike, do all my ride catering, etc they'd probably want £500 a day to do it as well.

Very true. The seemingly mind-blowing price of the alpine trip probably represents far better value than $500 for a couple of days bikepacking. I think many of us grew up in a time when people didn't have the level of disposable income they do now, so it's hard for us to adjust but on the plus side, it probably accounts for the slightly DIY punk ethos that reigns ... and long may it

it probably accounts for the slightly DIY punk ethos that reigns ... and long may it

Well said that man!

Bearbonesnorm wrote:The TransSouthDakota just caught my eye. Bikepacking with a few miles of packrafting thrown in for good measure ... then I saw that the shorter 340 miler was $499 and the longer, 740 mile route, a mere $599. I think you may get the use of a packraft but at that kind of money, I'd be expecting to take the thing home with me too.

Anyway, here you go: http://www.transsouthdakotarace.com/registration

If you want to ride in South Dakota, you could do a lot worse than the Black Hills Expedition. I got a third of the way round but it was excellent until that point. Also it’s free, and run by a really nice guy.

I'd be cool with paying decent money for a guide... but I find myself wondering what the hell you're paying for on a lot of events (and yes, I'm guilty of doing some of them).

pistonbroke wrote:I think we had a similar debate a few months ago when that well known purveyor of cycling clothing much beloved of Stu was offering a very similarly routed trip to James' Turin Nice. Their offer came in at the knock down price of £4,500 if I remember correctly. If I recall, Scotroutes made a contribution which could be summed up as these outrageous fees are a sort of tw@ tax as the type of people attracted by the glossy marketing and opportunity to have the adventure of a lifetime, really make you earn the silly money you charge them, if only to pay for the surgery to repair a very bitten tongue post event.

Watch the Barbie "out-takes" from Toy Story 2....