Cape Town’s big weekend

This weekend, more than 20,000 cyclists will take to the car-free roads of the Cape Peninsula for the 45^thedition of the world’s largest timed cycling race. Yes, it’s Cape Town Cycle Tour again!

The CTCT – previously the Argus Cycle Tour – is a beautiful experience and a huge asset for the Cape Town economy as thousands of people travel to the city to participate. According to David Bellairs, the director of the Cycle Tour Trust, just under half of this year’s entrants will be coming from outside the Western Cape to ride the full 109km route.

We wanted to know how much the CTCT benefits Cape Town, and what kind of financial investment is required when it comes to your bike and your gear. First, we identified 22seven users who entered last year's event. Then we split this group into those who live in the Western Cape and those who travelled from other provinces. Of the group who travelled from other provinces, over the weekend of the 2022 Cycle Tour, the average rider spent R1,120 on eating out and entertainment – two categories that are most likely to benefit the local economy. By comparison, entrants from the Western Cape spent R767 on the same categories. This shows the value to Cape Town of attracting participants from outside the region…

Next, we wanted to know what it takes to ride the Cycle Tour. Not the physical effort – the financial cost! To find out, we tracked the spending of users who entered the 2022 Cycle Tour at more than 25 bike shops across the country over the six months leading up to the event. The average spend by 22seven users was R1,680 over the period, or R280 per month.

Are you riding this year? Good luck to all the participants! Hope the sun shines and the wind stays away. Have a safe ride and enjoy.