Cape Argus Lifecycle Expo 2013 attracts the cycling masses

Cycling was at the forefront of everyone’s mind this week as the Cape Argus Lifecycle week and expo built up to the annual cycling event on Sunday 10 March. 

The Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay cycle tour (or the ‘Argus’) saw 35 000 cyclists and many more supporters take to the streets of Cape Town. 

The Lifecycle expo attracted over 80 000 visitors to the Good Hope Centre this year

As cyclists flocked to the expo to register and collect their race packs, families, friends and cyclists alike absorbed the atmosphere of excitement as the annual event drew near.   

What started as an idea from Eddy Cassar when he watched cycle apparel company Rapid Sports selling its wares from a trestle table alongside Camps Bay soccer fields in 1991, has grown to be one of the largest shows of its kind in the country. 

The Lifecycle Expo, which has been running for over 20 years, has more than 320 exhibitors from around the world, as well as an average of 78 000 visitors annually. This year the Lifecycle expo (7-9 March) saw over 80 000 visitors entering the Good Hope Centre in Sir Lowry Road, Cape Town.

Exhibitors had plenty opportunity to sell to cycle crazed visitors. Suppliers to the cycling retail trade as well as retailers had opportunity to market show specials, new products and ventures to cycling fans.    

Cape Union Mart

Sportsmans Warehouse

Chris Willemse Cycles 

Coimbra Cycles

Olympic Cycles

Retailers such as Olympic Cycles, Coimbra Cycles/Cycle House George, Chris Willemse Cycles, Sportsmans Warehouse and Cape Union Mart, amongst others, were popular stops for cycling fans.

Suppliers such as Breakthru Sports, Ocean Eyewear, Cape Cycle Systems (suppliers of Camelbak and Evo bikes), Medac (suppliers of Rocket Sports), GU Energy gels, Omnico (suppliers of GoPro and Cannondale), Polar heart rate monitors, Adventure Inc (suppliers of Buff headgear and Osprey backpacks), Felt bicycles and adidas, amongst others, interacted with the cycling masses.  

GU energy gels

Ocean Eyewear, distributed by Dragons Sport

Camelbak, distributed by Cape Cycle Systems

Osprey backpacks and Buff headwear, distributed by Adventure Inc

GoPro, distributed by Omnico 

Rockets compression gear, distributed by Medac

Polar heart rate monitors

EVO Bikes, distributed by Cape Cycle Systems

Felt bicycles, distributed by Worldview Sport

adidas SA showcased their cycling range

The Lifecycle Expo is also an opportunity for fund raising and non-profit organisations, such as the WWF Panda initiative (see below), to connect with cyclists. 

The WWF Panda Peloton stand

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Cape Union Mart winter gear exhibition

K-Way winter gear exhibition

Cape Union Mart’s exclusive brand K-Way held a winter gear exhibition at the Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) in Cape Town on Thursday 28 February. K-Way now has eight tent models, six sleeping bag models, 25 backpack models and numerous different styles of women’s and men’s fleeces, soft shells, shells, foul weather jackets and down jackets for 2013.
  

K-Way's range of backpacks on display

The tents vary from leisure to technical, with water head ratings of 1 500mm–3 000mm. K-Way’s sleeping bags are made from synthetic materials as well as down. Some of the sleeping bags are made from recycled materials and they are rated at risk, transition and comfort temperature ratings. 

K-Way's tents range from leisure to technical

Synthetic and down sleeping bags

K-Way factory staff members were also at the exhibition to show the final production process of  their technical fleece jackets.

K-Way factory staff producing the final stages of a technical fleece jacket

Granville du Preez of K-Way's factory holds up the finished product

The feedback received from people using the K-Way products is that K-Way’s products have greatly improved over the past few years, explains marketing manager Nick Bennett. “Our product developers attend international trade shows to ensure that developments are on par with international trends.”

Nick Bennet and Penny Parker of K-Way

 K-Way is involved in many outdoor pursuits, says Bennett. Apart from the regular team building hikes and outdoor walks K-Way and Cape Union Mart organises for staff, expeditions such as Kilimanjaro and Everest base camp treks are also organised by the company.

Andre Calitz and Kingsley Holgate, K-Way ambassadors, at the event

K-Way is a sponsor of the Cape Leopard Trust, the Cederberg based Black Eagle project, trail runner Andre (AJ) Calitz, outdoor adverturer Kingsley Holgate and mountain biker Letshego Moshoeu, who will attempt to become the first black female to finish the ABSA Cape Epic this year.

Adventure photographer Jacques Marais (left), Andre Calitz , Kingsley Holgate and
Nick Bennett discuss new outdoor pursuits

In 2012 K-Way partnered with a number of trail running events as well as the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour and launched their range of cycling apparel.

The WWF Panda Peloton cycling kit

The brand will also provide cycling kit to the WWF Panda Peloton who will be riding in this year’s Argus Cycle Tour. The initiative seeks to raise awareness and funds for the WWF’s work.     

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za