Cycling / MTB: Only a few more sleeps until the start of the Cape Epic 17 on Sunday 2019th March. MTB fans around the world are looking forward to the first big highlight of the year; not only from a sporting point of view, but also because of the great pictures that the race delivers year after year.
The breathtaking landscape of South Africa, through which the single trails meander that make up the demanding route, is the canvas on which the two-wheeler artists in the starting field conjure up the beautiful painting Cape Epic every year. However, these pictures also want to be captured first and hardly anyone can fool the organizer in the MTB area: Three camera helicopters, countless stationary cameras and motorbikes bring the pictures directly from the heat of the Cape to the broadcasting station and from there to the whole World. Also particularly exciting and unique are the two camera e-bikes, which will join the field for the fourth time in 2019 and thus provide live images directly from the trail.
However, this type of live transmission - directly from the trail out into the world - poses very special challenges for the riders, the bikes and the camera technology. Anyone who gets that close to the drivers in potentially decisive phases of the race must know what they are doing, there is no question about that. With the two former Team BULLS drivers Stefan Sahm and Thomas Dietsch, however, there are two extraordinarily experienced "camera bikers" in the field. Sahm was able to win the Epic three times during his playing days and Dietsch was also on the podium. They know exactly how an athlete feels in such moments and they use this experience to be as invisible as possible in the action. Of course, it doesn't work entirely without technical aids: They receive instructions by radio as to when a gap will open up, when restraint is required and which drivers should be given special attention.
A complex technical construct is responsible for the corresponding images, some of which hangs on the chests of the two camera drivers and some of which disappears into their backpacks. This year, the new GoPro Hero7 Black is being used for the first time, which is mounted on a specially made gimbal - that's what filmmakers call an electronically stabilized tripod. An external battery reliably supplies the camera with power while driving, so that there is no need to change the camera battery. The rucksack then contains the transmission box itself, with eight (!) SIM cards at its heart. These bundle all available mobile phone signals in order to create the highest possible bandwidth. The entire construct has a total weight of well under 5kg - a huge difference to the past, when the weight was easily doubled.
The Cape Epic camera e-bike: Bulls E-Stream Evo AM4
However, all of this is only possible with the use of modern e-mountain bikes. Thanks to the motor support, Sahm and Dietsch can jump back and forth between the individual driver groups. Incidentally, it is planned that the two will accompany all stages from start to finish. As has been the case since the camera e-bike project began, the duo will once again be riding Bulls e-MTBs this year – more precisely, on the Bulls E-Stream Evo AM4. In contrast to the highly individual and unique transmission technology, the two bikes are almost completely standard equipment - only ergonomic components such as saddles or grips are used, which the two have been used to for years.
With a full 150mm of suspension travel and the wide plus tires, the dusty trails lose some of their terror and the great smoothness allows the rider to concentrate on the correct camera alignment and the action itself. Stefan Sahm is enthusiastic about the new Brose Drive S Mag motor: "With its 90 Newton meters of torque, the engine really packs a punch." Thomas Dietsch adds: “The motor is also very quiet, almost noiseless. This is also important when you are between the racers. Nothing annoys the pros more than a humming e-bike that easily rides around them when they are at the limit.” The Super Core battery developed by Bulls with a capacity of 750 Wh is also of great importance to both of them. The 120Wh more compared to the predecessor mean approx. 15km more range at full racing speed. Incidentally, the batteries are always changed at the supply points, where the racers also get new “energy”.
More information about the Bulls E-Stream Evo AM4
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www.cape-epic.com
www.bulls.com
To the Bulls E-Stream Evo AM4 at bulls.de