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Bicycles sporting bar coding solutions

Bar coding provides a great deal of value, controlling product movement in the field of business, and now also in the field of sport. Bar code and mobile solutions provider Harmonic Group, demonstrated the value of the technology during the Cape Epic mountain bike, reportedly the biggest mountain bike stage race in the world. The cyclists used bar coding to ensure that their luggage and support equipment was tracked, managed and available at the end of each stage.

Covering a considerable distance, the event took two-person teams from Knysna through Outeniqua to the Spier Wine Estate. Five radio scanners were deployed to cover the distance, providing interactive updates as the rider's equipment moved from stage to stage.

Says Barry Baetu, managing director of Harmonic Group, "When sportspeople are out in the field - or on the road in this case - the last thing they want to worry about is the safety of their personal belongings. With the solution that we sponsored, together with Imperial Logistics, which supplied the transport, competitors were able to focus on the race secure in the knowledge that their kit would arrive safely at the finish line, even before they did."

Barry Baetu, Harmonic Group

The solution made use of five scanners, connected to the custom made Bagtrac application. At every start and finish point, all luggage and equipment was scanned into the system, guaranteeing the arrival and dispatch of the goods between stages.

"This is another great demonstration of how technology has been effectively used to help make a transport scenario simpler and easier to manage. With 550 cyclists taking part, it was important for the race organisers and sponsors to provide an enjoyable and safe environment for the competitors. We believe the bar coding solution played a pivotal part in providing that environment," says Jacques Hollands, business development manager at Imperial Logistics.

The solution also demonstrated another useful feature of bar coding, continues Baetu, "We were brought in at quite a late stage, but because bar coding is a proven technology, set-up for the race was rapid and straightforward. The equipment was also sufficiently rugged to handle the demanding environment of this outdoor event," he concludes.

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