FAQ

Seeded funride numbers (road) are based on your results on the database and are granted only to paid-up PPA members, as seeding is a direct membership benefit.

The MTB numbers are permanent numbers and will not need to be changed every year. These can be collected at the MTB event. The board is R50 and is your timing chip for the event as well.

You can collect your seeded road or MTB either at the PPA Office, or from the PPA Mobile Office at the first road event you participate in during the membership year.

Seeding runs regularly take place during the year and during high season, even more than once a month. Please visit the seeding section of the web site at any stage to see if you qualify for a new number. A seeding run is done for every event, a sticker will then be allocated to you at registration with your current seeding. Ensure you collect the sticker in order to part take in the event.

You need your seeded number to be able to start in your normal start group. If you have forgotten your seeded number at home, you have two options:

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 at that event at R50 and you will be allowed to start in your normal seeded group on the day.

You will not be allowed to take part in the event without a race number.

Our physical address is: 9 Hill Park Lane, Mowbray

If you did NOT wear your transponder while participating in an event, please note that you cannot be credited with a result for that particular event. Results can unfortunately not be added manually.

NO TRANSPONDER – NO RESULT!

The next step is for Racetec to to check the race mat data for your transponder for a particular event.

As soon as you become a paid-up PPA member and we have a valid email address for you, you’ll receive our emails with event news and information. This email address will not be sold on to any outside organisation, and will be used only to communicate cycling event information and general PPA news to you. If you change email address, please ensure that your details are updated on the database, so that you do not miss out on some important event information!

Alternatively you can subscribe here: https://pedalpower.org.za/subscribe-to-newsletter/

(a)   If you go to the RESULTS page and enter your name and surname, your PPA membership number is returned on the next page in the very first column, called “Ref Nr”. The PPA membership number (again called “Ref Nr”) is also displayed when you enter an event through the Racetec online entry system.

(b) You are welcome to phone the PPA Office during office hours on 021 671 6340 / 4079.

(c)  You are also welcome to email us.

(d) 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. Your membership number will therefore automatically be entered.

If a timing chip is purchased online whilst entering for an event, it can be collected at any timed event from the Racetec staff. Generally, the Racetec admin table will be right next to the PPA admin table.

1) All PPA-sanctioned events timed by Racetec.
2) All major events timed by Racetec, such as Stellenbosch Cycle Tour, The Cape Town Cycle Tour, the 94.7 etc will be used unless the seeding criteria are not met. Team events such as the DC and certain MTB events that do not meet the criteria for seeding, are not used for seeding. If you have done other events eg Ironman, Absa Cape Epic, triathlons, or provincial races – in fact, anything that you think should be considered, just drop us an email and let’s see what we can do for you.

0861 849464

No, the timing chip is not included as some cyclists purchased a chip before joining PPA

You will get a result at all PPA events.

Seeding runs take place after every PPA event that qualifies for seeding. Racetec is contracted to manage our seeding and timing on behalf of the PPA.

The seeding index usually changes when we do the annual reseeding in August. This is because a 1% penalty per month comes into play for results that are more than 5 months old.

All events timed by RaceTec are used for seeding although for PPA-supported events. Team events eg the Double Century and listed events are not normally used for seeding. Events where there is insufficient data to gauge the difficulty of the event relative to other events, are also not used. While all results are used “as is” for road seeding, for MTB seeding, road results receive a 15% penalty.

Seeded numbers expire annually on 30 June, and specifically so as soon as the new season’s funride numbers are distributed.

Most road events on the PPA calendar, excluding the Cycle Tour and Cycle Tour seeding series events. You must use your PPA road number for road funrides, and the new Ractec MTB seeded number for the MTB funrides – you cannot use your road number at the MTB events. PPA members wearing their seeded funride numbers on their back line up in front of non-members.

Paid-up PPA members are eligible for one free road number every membership year. We make use of the Ractec MTB number therefore you are able to use this board, these do not need to renewed. You can collect either, or both.

If you only part take in one of the two disciplines you only require the race number / board for that discipline. Eg: MTB board or Road number

For your road funride seeding, all your results will count, as it has done in the past. For your new MTB seeding, all your results will still count, but your road results will now carry a penalty of 15%, while MTB results will not carry any penalty. The index calculations for road and MTB categories differ quite a bit. For the road funrides, we are working with 11 seeded start groups, while for MTB seeding we are working with only 8 seeded start groups. This means that, in all likelihood, your road and MTB seeding will differ quite a bit and your MTB seeding could even be higher than your road seeding.

Please look at the seeding page to see how your seeding index was calculated. If, according to your calculations, a mistake has been made, then please email the PPA office, providing all the following information: – Your name and PPA membership number – Your ID number – Your new seeding index, according to the database (eg 29.0045) – What you think your seeding should be, and why it should be different to that displayed on the database – Any additional supporting evidence (eg triathlon or tt or overseas results). Let us take a look for you!

Firstly, regularly participate in a PPA event, as events older than 5 months start carrying a 1% penalty (recent results are a truer reflection of ability than old results). Once you qualify for a better seeding, you will receive a new seeding sticker at the next event you do.

Funride results count 1/3 towards your seeding, provided all the criteria stated on the next page are met. You need results from THREE rides, and generally only the long routes count, before the system will seed you. If you do have results from three long rides, you have taken the adjusted winner’s time into consideration and the seeding still seems to be incorrect, then please email us.

For saddle sores, prevention is better than cure. Make sure your bike is set-up correctly, with the saddle at the correct height and tilt, and in the correct fore-aft position. Do not wear undies underneath your cycling shorts, and use petroleum jelly or chamois cream to prevent chafing. Wash immediately after a ride, and if possible, wash before a ride, ensuring that you dry-off properly before putting on your cycling pants. Do not increase your mileage suddenly – your bum needs to get used to sitting on the saddle! Watch wear you shave, so that hair follicles do not get blocked. Minimise moisture on a ride, so if you need to have a pit stop, dry off properly afterwards. If you still end up with blocked or infected glands or vaginal problems, seek medical advice.

This is a question best asked of your gynaecologist or obstetrician, but in general, healthy, active women benefit from mild regular exercise and that includes pregnant ones. More than one PPA member cycled until fairly late in the pregnancy with no ill effects (it is too soon to tell if the kid will be a better cyclist because of the training in the womb 😉 ). However, caution should be exercised as far as safety is concerned: Generally you should not ride in a race pr big group where there is a chance that you may fall. Never ride alone, and do not attempt to ride routes and distances that you could not easily complete before you fell pregnant. Consider putting wider, more stable tyres on your bicycle (or change to a mountain bike). Consider using a stationary bicycle or doing modified spinning classes.