Innholdsfortegnelse for Nov/Dec 2025 i Bicycling South Africa

“… an Americano with hot milk. I should be daring and order a cortado one day, but I’m still working up to it. Baby steps.”– JON MINSTER, EDITOR “…a double espresso. The act of gently stirring a double espresso while in cycling kit, wearing a casquette, at a sidewalk table, is the coolest thing ever.”– MIKE FINCH, PUBLISHER “…a refreshing glass of anything besides 'mud' – I have my reasons… Iced tea is a favourite.”– MARK ARENDSE, SENIOR DESIGNER “…a double cortado and banana loaf, no mucking about. Both keep me charged up for the return leg home.”– PAUL GODDARD, AD GUY “…cappuccino and a muffin. Call me a creature of habit. One day I might branch out; but for now, this does the trick.”– KIRSTEN CURTIS, ONLINE…

WHEN THE CAPE EPIC made the decision to add media e-bikes to their coverage, it changed the way fans experienced the racing. For the first time, the audience was dropped into the heat of the action as the e-bike camera crew chased the leaders into tight corners, through bumpy singletrack and up never-ending climbs. It’s fair to say that the addition of the e-bike camera has been the event’s most important innovation of recent years – and present right from the start was Ila Stow. With a mountain biking pedigree that stretches back to a childhood full of bikes (her stepfather is former downhill champ Chris Nixon), she was the perfect woman for the job. That was then… Stow has since switched her focus back to elite-level racing in the…

WHAT MAKES THE DOUBLE CENTURY UNIQUE? A few things, actually. To start with, it’s 202km long – that’s a heck of a long distance, whether you’re an amateur, a pro, or one of those middle-aged ‘semi-pro’ okes in between. The race takes place outside a major centre, so travel logistics play a part in your prep and planning. The 12-person team format is a restriction in that you're unlikely to find 12 committed teammates who can all train and ride at the same level. And you stop for a lunch break around halfway, then get back on your bike for another 100km of riding. Add all of that up – plus the fact that the race takes place just after winter, when riders are not always in peak shape –…

I’M WRITING THIS FROM A MUGG & BEAN – the only place safe from the prying eyes of Cape Town’s elite cyclists, who would never drink their cortados at a coffee chain. There are a handful of protagonists in the race to become Kings of the Atlantic Seaboard – the official title, coined by an anonymous Instagram account in late 2023, and a far greater accolade than making it onto the top step at the Old Mutual Wealth Double Century. The major players are Pure Savage (Cape Town’s most insufferable cycling group), Mother Amateur Bicycling Club (media-savvy hipsters with moustaches) and La Perla Classic (also known as LPC, and made up of elite Cape citizens on the wrong side of 45). In recent years, new players such as East City…

WHEN IT COMES TO RIDING FASTER, it’s easy to think the smartest way to get there is to ride hard all the time by doing endless speed sessions. That will help; but it will only get you so far, if you don’t have the basics dialled in with your riding technique. Because what’s the benefit in gaining speed if you have to slow down on every sharp turn? Or if every technical mountain-bike descent brings you dread? Or you’re left in the dust on the group gravel ride at the base of the first significant hill? KEY CORNERING TECHNIQUES Cornering isn’t just turning – it’s an important skill requiring good use of body position, braking control, line choice and terrain awareness, whether you’re riding on the road or the trail. The…

1 DRINK PLENTY BEFORE YOU START Starting your ride well hydrated is very important, especially when it’s hot – you need to make sure your body stays well hydrated throughout the day. Drink 500–750ml of water or sports drink in the hour before you set off. This way, you begin with a good fluid balance. 2 DRINK EVERY 15 MINUTES Drink regularly, not just when you feel thirsty. As a guideline, it’s useful to take a few large sips every 15–20 minutes. Research has shown that it’s better to drink a slightly larger amount a few times than to take very small sips more frequently. Do you forget to drink? Make sure your cycling computer displays the time, so you can remind yourself to drink at the right moments. Some computers will…

ALAN HATHERLY became only the fifth rider in the history of the UCI Mountain Bike XCO World Championships to win two or more titles when he romped to victory for the second year in a row at Valais in France during September. Hatherly took the title riding a brand-new bike – Giant’s latest version of their iconic Anthem – due to arrive in South Africa in January 2026. Eagle-eyed fans might have noticed the main difference: the suspension design is completely different to that of the current Anthem. It’s an evolution of Giant’s FlexPoint Pro set-up, but with the shock now mounted horizontally, similar to race bikes from competitor brands such as Specialized and Cannondale. ◼ Tyres Maxxis Aspen 2.4”, 170tpi, insert in the rear tyre ◼ Tyre Pressures Front 1…

BACK TO THE SEA… Next year, go2berg becomes go2sea. It’s not a new event in terms of ethos and community spirit; it’s simply a new route, with plenty of exciting new singletrack. CLARENS KICK-OFF The new route starts in Clarens and follows a similar route to that described here – until Em'seni. Then it’s off to Nottingham Road in the KZN Midlands, followed by a singletrack feast through Karkloof Nature Reserve and a stunning finale through the valleys of Zululand, along the Holla Trails network and onto the beach in Ballito. WHAT ABOUT LOGISTICS? There will be shuttles from major centres, and bike transport through All In Events (allinevents.co.za) – they collect your bike from a bike shop near your home, and send it back there after the race. Contact…

THE TREK CHECKPOINT ALR gets a lot right – far more than it gets wrong. Yes, you can nitpick the stock wheels and tyres, or wish for the SL’s downtube storage and IsoSpeed decoupler, but those trade-offs help keep the price in check while preserving what matters: confident handling, generous tyre clearance, real-world durability, and an upgrade-friendly platform. The result is a thoroughly well-thought-out aluminium gravel bike that feels ready for anything from weekday groad rides to loaded weekend overnighters, or even that gravel race that’s on your bucket list. WHY IT’S COOL Well, it brings plenty of gravel-bike capability, and makes that capability available to more riders. Tyre clearance has been increased to 50mm; there are abundant mounts; it’s compatible with a dropper post and suspension… You can commute,…

THE ALL-IN-ONE CLIMBING/AERO BIKE was probably the biggest gear story of the 2025 Tour de France, but there were many other interesting equipment choices. If you looked closely, you might have noticed some riders had skipped a front derailleur, using a 1x drivetrain. And not just on flat stages: 1x drivetrains were used even on the toughest climbing days. Non-pro riders like us should be cautious about making equipment choices based solely on what the pros are using – we’re not as fast as they are, and we don’t have a convoy of cars following us to handle the issues that might crop up. But still, you might be wondering: why would someone choose 1x on a road bike? Do I want that? These questions become even more relevant when…

WHAT GETS YOU UP IN THE MORNING? I’m lucky to live a blessed life – my energy comes from gratitude for being surrounded by a wonderful family, good health, and a job that I absolutely love. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? ‘Ordinary people’ doing extraordinary things; people who have been dealt a tough hand in life and yet live far more meaningfully than those who have been luckier. The inspiration comes from their attitude and resilience. It’s what I aspire to be. HOW DO YOU STAY ACTIVE? I’ve always played sports, so it’s a mix of things. At the moment, it’s soccer, gym and cycling. Regular sauna sessions also help with sweating! IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? To see our humanity and kindness shine…

LIKE MANY BIG CYCLING EVENTS, the Old Mutual Wealth Double Century attracts a mix of seasoned campaigners and total newbies. This creates a concentration of cyclists in Swellendam who know either nothing or everything about cycling. As is the case with modern politics, there is no centre. If you’re a lucky DC beginner, then you might have a few old hands in your race-day squad to offer guidance. But even if you’re a veteran of multiple races, there’s always something that’s been left off the checklist as the excitement builds for the start gun. Fear not: we have you covered, with this thorough, exhaustive and entirely serious etiquette guide… 1 PACK IT, CHECK IT, CHECK IT AGAIN Even the most experienced cyclist can fall prey to a momentary lapse of…

HOW MUCH SHOULD A CYCLIST DRINK? To be frank, we don’t know. The amount of fluid you lose depends greatly on your fitness level, how well you’re accustomed to riding in the heat, and simply on your individual rate of fluid loss. It’s a highly personal thing. One cyclist might sweat as little as 200ml per hour, while there are reports of athletes sweating more than 1.4 litres per hour! Plus, the concentration of sodium in the sweat we lose also varies enormously from person to person. The rule of thumb is to assume an average of around 1 000mg per litre, but it can range from half of that to more than 3 000mg per litre. HYDRATION AND WEIGHT LOSS You’ve probably learnt that you weigh less after exercise…

AT MADE THIS YEAR – THE HAND-BUILT and custom bicycle trade show in the US – several mountain bikes were built around the emerging 32-inch wheel standard. The custom bike to your left, for example, made by Cameron Falconer, was displayed at the Astral wheels booth. It’s a stunning example of the trend, outfitted with a suspension fork (and brakes) from German company Intend Bicycle Components. The Falconer was at the Astral booth to showcase prototypes of their 32-inch Outback alloy MTB rims. So-called ‘32ers’ were also seen at the BTCHN and Neuhaus booths. A show like MADE often telegraphs trends that will soon go mainstream. And it looks like we’re at the beginning of the next big wheel shake-up. We’ve been through this before. As a grizzled old gear guy,…