Some of the benefits that PPA offers its members include the following:
FUNRIDES
Some 70 events - from road funrides to off-road events, including an annual overnight tour - are organised annually under the PPA umbrella around Cape Town, the Peninsula and the Western Cape. PPA's event co-ordinators ensure that funride organisers are fully briefed to put on an event that conforms to PPA's standards. Safe cycling is ensured at these events by the presence of traffic officials and the PPA crew, while medical assistance, sweep vehicles and water points are standard at PPA events.
PPA NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR
PPA members receive a weekly email newsletter with the latest funride updates and general PPA news.
PPA members also receive a regular printed calendar with details of events, venues, starting times, dates and distances and general event information through the post. Printed copies of the calendar are always available at the PPA office and from the PPA Mobile Office at PPA funrides.
EASY ENTRY TICKETS
Members can purchase “Easy Entry” tickets from the PPA office or at the PPA info table at the end of the funrides. The tickets give members a saving on the late entry fee and can be used at all events on the PPA calendar where the standard PPA-recommended fees apply. No standing in long queues! No filling out of forms at the entry tables!
Easy Entry tickets are valid for a period of eighteen months. All old “pink“ Easy Entry tickets ceased to be valid after December 2006.
Note: While the majority of funrides use the standard recommended PPA entry fees, some funrides do charge slightly higher prices to increasing costs. Please check beforehand with the organiser to see if an event will accept Easy Entries.
SEEDING
PPA members are automatically seeded and receive a free funride seeded number. This number is posted to PPA members living in the Western Cape. NOTE: Seeded numbers and membership cards are posted within a week of a member joining/renewing. If you have not received your number/card within a week, or by the time you want to participate in an event, please contact the PPA Office immediately on (021) 689-8420.
Members living outside the Western Cape (living more than 500 km from Cape Town) can request numbers should they be coming down to Cape Town to participate in a funride - funride numbers and membership cards would not automatically have been posted to you.
Paid-up members are re-seeded every year in July according to their finishing time in timed events. Funride numbers for the new season will be posted to paid-up members. Members can also apply for and pay for a new/upgraded seeded number on a monthly basis, should they qualify for and want a new number. See the “seeding“ section on this web site for more information.
PPA members who have never done a Cycle Tour nor one of the Cycle Tour seeding series events, are placed in the PPA seeded categories for the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour ahead of the “open“ seeded groups.
FORGOTTEN SEEDED NUMBERS AT EVENTS?
You need your seeded number to be able to start in your normal start grou[. If you have forgotten your seeded number at home, you have two options:
(a) Buy a temp number at R5 from the organisers and start in the unseeded groups at the back of the field, and just ride for fun
(b) Go to the PPA Mobile Office and check if you are listed on the database. If so, you'll be able to buy a seeded number to use on the day at R30. This special number (NOTE: This is not the same as the temp number issued by the organisers to unseeded riders) will allow you to start in your normal seeded group on the day.
NOT RECEIVED YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD AND WANT TO ENTER AN EVENT?
(a) Contact the PPA Office before you enter the event and ask for confirmation of your PPA membership number, and an email/fax to use until your card reaches you
(b) Ask for your card to be taken out to the next event that you intend participating in, so that you can collect it there
(c) Go to the PPA Mobile Office at the event and ask them for proof of your membership, to take to the registration table
NOTE: All events that use the Racetec Online Entry system will automatically see you as a paid-up PPA member when you enter online, as Racetec, PPA and the Cycle Tour share a database.
TIMING
All members can purchase a personal timing transponder which can be used at all events timed by WINNING TIME, including the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour. All PPA funrides are timed and you can research your cycling history on the PPA website. Timing allows you to be re-seeded (on a monthly basis) if your times improve at these events.
Please note that the results of only paid-up PPA members are displayed on the web site. If your results are not showing, please contact the PPA office to check your membership status.
Please also note that you will only receive results for an event if you wore your personal transponder (“timing chip“). No chip - no time. Times cannot be added manually if you have forgotten your chip at home...
OVERNIGHT TOURS
From time to time, PPA organises highly popular informal recreational tours, where the emphasis is simply on relaxing and having fun while using the bicycle as a means of transport. We find a nice venue, cycle there, camp overnight and generally just enjoy spending some quality time with like-minded people. See the OVERNIGHT TOURS section on our web site for more information.
LEAGUES / "PRO CLASSIC SERIES"
PPA caters for league races at certain funrides for those cyclists who qualify. The categories are: scholars, elites, sub-veterans, veterans, masters and women. Please see the LEAGUES section on our web site for more information.
MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENTS
Organised, timed mountain bike fun-rides are arranged at off-road venues around Cape Town. These venues are often not open to the public during the year.
RECREATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKING
PPA is instrumental in managing trail maintenance projects in the Western Cape, helping to make single track riding possible at several popular riding destinations. Amongst others, the PPA regularly pays for single-track sections to be created and maintained at Grabouw, Jonkershoek, Lebanon and Tokai.
COST BENEFITS
PPA members save in the following ways (July ’09 – June 2010):
Pre-entries: Online entries are in most cases the cheapest entry to an event. While funride organisers can set their own entry fees in order to make the figures work (especially if they do not have a sponsor), PPA continues to fight for the lowest possible entry fees for its members. Currently the PPA recommended pre-entry fees are R70 for PPA members and R100 for non-members.
Easy entries are sold to PPA members only. Books containing five individual tickets (single-use entries) cost R400 (ie R80 per ticket at the time of writing. Please check with the PPA Office as this price does get increased from time to time). Family easy entries cost R1000 for a book of five (R200 per ticket), and can be used by up to four family members as per PPA family membership.
Late entries: For most events, PPA members pay R100,00 while non-PPA members pay R120 (plus R5,00 for a temporary, unseeded event number. Note that cyclists who are not a member of an Association like PPA or a cycling club affiliated to Cycling South Africa, need to take out an additional R30 CSA day license for all road events over 40km and all MTB events over 20km)
Transponders: PPA members can buy personal transponders at R100,00 each, either at the PPA Office, online or at events supported by PPA. Please note that you will need to show your PPA membership card should you want to buy a transponder at an event.
DISCOUNTS
Cape Storm: PPA members qualify for a 10% discount on Cape Storm apparel and 5% discount on non-Cape Storm apparel at any of the Cape Storm Retail Concept Stores, on presentation of a valid PPA membership card.
Reeds Motorgroup: Reeds is the official vehicle sponsor of the PPA for 2007. Contact Mike Powell at Tygervalley Reeds on mikep@reeds.co.za / (021) 910-7660 / 083 656 9940 to organise a test-drive of one of their great vehicles or to chat about your PPA discount.
Cycle dealers: PPA members qualify for a discount at some cycle dealers around the greater Cape Town, upon production of a valid membership card. Enquire at your friendly local cycle shop!