23 bike buyer's guide
Bicycling South Africa|January/February 2023
The best bikes for every rider - Available right now.
By Jon Minster
23 bike buyer's guide

RACE

Racing is a big deal in South Africa, whether you're clipping in for a sub-three Cycle Tour attempt or dicing your mates at Wines2Whales. There's also a growing number of gravel races on the calendar. Unsurprisingly, racing is a massive focus for bike brands. On the mountain-bike front, suspension is constantly improving, weight is coming down and handling is getting better. Same with road bikes - they all have disc brakes now, clearance for wider tyres and aerodynamic frames.

The sky's the limit when it comes to how much you want to spend. The top race bikes all clock in at well over R200k. But instead of featuring those, we've looked at models a bit further down the food chain. You still get a thoroughbred bike, but you don't have to take out a second bond on your house. It all comes down to how much you're prepared to spend to shave off grams and get closer to the podium.

XC/MARATHON

THE EPIC SLAYER

SPECIALIZED EPIC PRO

R170 000 / SPECIALIZED.COM

The Epic has the right name. Matt Beers and his partner Jordan Sarrou rode the S-Works version of this bike to victory in the 2021 ABSA Cape Epic, and Beers claimed third place in the 2022 race with Christopher Blevins.

And the best thing about a massive company like Specialized is that all the trickle-down tech from Beers' bike has been pumped straight into this model. ("A waterfall of performance, coming straight down from Mount S-Works" is how Spez puts it, rather poetically.)

BRAIN technology front and back locks out the suspension when the track is smooth, for extra efficiency, and opens it up automatically when things get rough. The rear triangle of the frame is extra-stiff to further enhance pedalling power, giving the bike hardtail-like performance on the climbs but plenty of cush

Esta historia es de la edición January/February 2023 de Bicycling South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición January/February 2023 de Bicycling South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BICYCLING SOUTH AFRICAVer todo
GEAR FOR THE AGES
Bicycling South Africa

GEAR FOR THE AGES

Some bicycle components, tools and accessories - by design, luck or a bit of both - become icons of performance, reliability and permanence in cycling.

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
Bicycling South Africa

A RACE LIKE NO OTHER

IN KENYA'S MAASAI MARA, KNOWN MORE FOR SAFARIS THAN CYCLING, THE MIGRATION GRAVEL RACE CHALLENGES RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THE WORLD WHILE FORGING A FUTURE FOR BIKE RACING IN AFRICA.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
July/August 2024
WAR ON WHEELS
Bicycling South Africa

WAR ON WHEELS

IF YOU GO FOR A RIDE IN CAPE TOWN AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CYCLING GANG WAR, WHERE THE WEAPONS OF CHOICE ARE STRAVA RECORDS AND SALTY COMMENTS ON INSTAGRAM. THIS IS THE TALE OF THREE RIVAL ROADIE CREWS AND A REMINDER THAT CYCLING IS A SPORT BEST TAKEN WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR.

time-read
7 minutos  |
July/August 2024
GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS
Bicycling South Africa

GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS

HAVE YOU GOT TOUR FEVER? If you have a good fitness base, let the pros inspire you to take your riding to the next level.

time-read
4 minutos  |
July/August 2024
THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START
Bicycling South Africa

THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START

\"THIS IS WHAT DECONDITIONING LOOKS LIKE,\" I said out loud to no one, as I looked at the heart-rate reading on my phone and gasped for breath. \"This shouldn't be so hard.\"

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
DEAR MARK CAVENDISH
Bicycling South Africa

DEAR MARK CAVENDISH

WHEN I FIRST STARTED FOLLOWING professional road cycling around 2014, you were at the top of your game.

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO
Bicycling South Africa

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO

POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS one of the most telling metrics in cycling - and thanks to indoor trainers, many more cyclists are now familiar with it. Right now it's never been easier to calculate your power-to-weight ratio and use it to improve your performance.

time-read
5 minutos  |
July/August 2024
EASY RIDER
Bicycling South Africa

EASY RIDER

A FEW YEARS AGO, my wife and I along with her parents, brother and his wife-cycled down the Danube River in Europe.

time-read
2 minutos  |
July/August 2024
LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP
Bicycling South Africa

LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP

AFTER JOINING LIDLTREK from UAE Team Emirates, South African national champ Ryan Gibbons aims to be the best lead-out man he can be - while also helping his new team in their quest to climb the World Tour rankings.

time-read
7 minutos  |
July/August 2024
6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER
Bicycling South Africa

6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER

TOP TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOLER AND RIDING STRONGER... NO MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January / February 2024