Benefits of PPA Membership
PPA membership works out to R22 per month per main member per year, and the annual subs for a main member is paid-for in savings if you do 5 events per year; the more events you do, the bigger the savings. Membership benefits include:
- PPA members pay discounted entry fees for events on the PPA calendar (savings of R10+ per event)
- PPA members receive a seeded funride number to use at PPA events,
- PPA members wearing seeded numbers start in front of non-members,
- PPA pays Racetec to time PPA members who wear their transponders at PPA events ,
- PPA members receive a weekly email newsletter with event information,
- PPA members can ride certain MTB trails at a discounted fee,
- PPA members receive various discounts, listed below, and
- PPA members can log onto a dedicated web section and interact with other PPA members.
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 members can enter these events at discounted entry fees, and get preferential start seeding.
COST BENEFITS
PPA members save, amongst others, in the following ways :
Pre-entries: 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 members receive discounted event entry fees. PPA members pay at least R10 less than non-PPA members and also do not have to pay any additional Cycling South Africa day license fees… which adds up if you do a few events during the year! In this way, your PPA annual membership fees are paid for in discounts if you do 5 or more events per year.
Late entries: PPA members also receive a discount on late entries.
Transponders: PPA members can buy personal transponders (“timing chips”) at the PPA Office, online or at events supported by PPA.
Discounts at MTB trails: PPA members do, however, already get a 50% discount when riding the new Schapenberg MTB trails near Somerset West. We have just allocated more funding for new trails towards Grabouw/Houwhoek and additional trails near Somerset West, and PPA members will also get a 50% discount when riding any of these trails. The PPA is in the process of negotiating more similar discounts at other trails.
Other: While the largest portion of your membership fees are used to run the Association, any remaining funds are used to fund worthwhile cycling projects, from lobbying for cycle paths to assisting riders from previously disadvantaged areas and creating new MTB paths, so in a small way every member assists the Association to ‘put back’ into cycling.
SEEDED FUNRIDE START GROUPS
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 are posted within a week of a member joining/renewing. If you have not received your number within a week, or by the time you want to participate in an event, please contact the PPA Office immediately on (021) 689-8420.
Two seeded numbers are in use: A MTB number is used at MTB events, and a road number is used at road events. You cannot use the road number at MTB events, and vice versa. Please see the SEEDING page for more information.
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 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.
FORGOT YOUR SEEDED NUMBER AT HOME?
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:
(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.
LOOKING FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP NUMBER?
(a)You can find your membership number online by registering for the MyPPA section – your membership details will come up automatically every time you log on after that.
(b) You can also contact the PPA Office before you enter the event and ask for confirmation of your PPA membership number
(c) From July 2011, you’ll be able to print your electronic membership card off the MyPPA section of the website, as and when you need it
(c) If you have forgotten your membership number and are at an event, just go to the PPA Mobile Office at the event and ask them to look up your membership number on the database, 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 AND RESULTS
All members can purchase a personal timing transponder which can be used at all events timed by RACETEC, including the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. PPA pays Racetec to time PPA members at most routes on the PPA calendar, although a few of the shorter routes are untimed. Timing and regular results allows you to be re-seeded 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. PPA members receive a substantial discount to enter these tours, and get first preference to fill the tour. See the events section 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. PPA members can enter the league series.
MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENTS AND TRAILS
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. PPA members pay discounted entry fees to participate at these MTB events. PPA members also receive a 50% discount to ride the Schapenberg MTB trails at Ongegund near Somerset West. Once new trails have been built at Thandi, Houwhoek and Hermanus, PPA members will also be able to ride these trails at a discount. These trails are being built in the 2011-2012 project funding year.
PPA ELECTRONIC EVENTS NEWSLETTER
PPA members receive a weekly email newsletter with the event information for that weekend.
‘MY PPA’ ON THE PPA WEBSITE
PPA members can register a web profile for this website, which allows you to check and change your details online, check your latest results and seeding when you log on, print an electronic membership card, and interact via various social media options with other PPA members.
EASY ENTRY TICKETS
Easy Entry tickets are no longer sold and are being phased out; members are advised to pre-enter online (this is the cheapest option of entering an event), or to do a late entry on the day. Easy Entry tickets duly validated by the PPA Office are valid until their expiry date. Please note that tickets cannot be re-validated/re-dated, nor resold – they are valid only when presented at events by the original buyer.
PPA CYCLING TOP!
Order your PPA cycling top via the PPA office. R350 each, VAT included. Contact Shana at the PPA Office for more information.
FURTHER DISCOUNTS
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ICE-ID Emergency contact details: PPA members can now buy the ICE ID emergency information band at R120 (normal price R179) excl postage of R25. Just click here , register on the site and then type PPA in the discount coupon code box to get the discount.
