Bicycling South Africa

Bicycling is South Africa’s leading cycling magazine and is aimed at both road and mountain biking enthusiasts. Launched in February 2003, it is published 10 times a year, targeting the fast-growing and affluent lifestyle cycling market – youngsters, adults, professional as well as casual cyclists. The magazine is filled with the best international and local content for every element of the cyclist’s life from training techniques and fitness information to inspiring human interest stories, event news, nutrition and motivation. Bicycling is also South Africa’s leading tester of bikes and gear with over 30% of the monthly magazine dedicated to the latest reviews so our readers can make the best choices.

Bicycling South Africa

What bike would you buy tomorrow, if you won the Lotto?

NEW BIKE DAY

THE BEAUTY OF THE RIDE

PETULANT PEEVES

CAROLINE’S QUEENS ARE RIDING HIGH

ALAN’S BIG YEAR

FINDING THE FUN IN FEAR • A LIFELONG ROADIE TRIES SINGLETRACK FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT DOES NOT GO AS PL ANNED.

PARK TOOL ADJUSTABLE TORQUE DRIVER 4-6NM • R1 199 / GEAR CHANGE AND TAKEALOT

FEEL THE BURN • WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT LACTIC ACID AND LACTATE THRESHOLD TRAINING

FIX YOUR ON-BIKE POSITIONING • FOLLOW THESE GENERAL GUIDELINES TO ENSURE YOU’RE IN A GOOD POSITION TO GENERATE THE MOST WAT TS WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EFFORT.

TOUR DE TSITSIKAMMA • THREE-DAY GARDEN ROUTE MTB EXPERIENCE.

BE THE BEST RIDER YOU CAN BE • THIS YEAR, TAKE THE ADVICE OF SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED RIDERS IN THEIR DISCIPLINES – AND PIECE TOGETHER THE BEST CYCLING VERSION OF YOURSELF.

RIDE THE ALPS ON GRAVEL! • YOU’VE SEEN THESE LEGENDARY PASSES ON THE GRAND TOURS: THE GALIBIER, THE FINES TRE, THE COL DU GRANON… BUT DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN CLIMB THEM ALL ON GRAVEL? HERE’S YOUR GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE ALPINE ADVENTURE. START SAVING!

2025 Bicycling BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE • NEW YEAR, NEW YOU! OR, IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE WAY TOO MUCH EFFORT, HOW ABOUT NEW YEAR, NEW BIKE? AH, THAT’S BETTER. HERE’S OUR PICK OF THE BEST BIKES FOR ALL BUDGETS, WHETHER YOU WANT TO RIDE TRAILS, EXPLORE GRAVEL DETOURS, RIDE A SUB-THREE CYCLE TOUR OR PUSH A BUTTON FOR EXTRA OOMPH.

MOUNTAIN • AS WE ROLL INTO 2025, THERE HAVEN’T BEEN AS MANY RADICAL CHANGES IN MOUNTAIN-BIKE DESIGN AS WE’VE WITNESSED IN PREVIOUS YEARS – 29-INCH WHEELS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR SLACKED-OUT GEOMETRY. THE BIKES THAT EXIST WORK, AND THE LATEST MODELS HAVE BEEN FINE-TUNED TO WORK EVEN BETTER.

XC/MARATHON

TRAIL

HARDTAIL

BIKES TO GROW WITH • GET YOUR KIDS INTO RIDING WITH THESE GREAT OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE FROM PRE-SCHOOLERS TO TEENS.

ROAD • IS THERE ANYTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A ROAD BIKE? IT’S THE MECHANICAL DEFINITION OF SPEED AND EFFICIENCY – YOUR PASSPORT TO FREEDOM. WHILE THE CATEGORY MIGHT BE LOSING SOME SALES TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A MORE VERSATILE GRAVEL BIKE, MODERN ROAD BIKES AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. AND THEY’RE MORE ADVANCED THAN EVER…

METAL

CARBON

KILLER RACE BIKES IF YOU WIN THE LOTTO • DREAM, BABY, DREAM.

GRAVEL • ABOUT 10 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST GRAVEL BIKES STARTED ROLLING ONTO DISTRICT ROADS, THIS ‘NEW’ CATEGORY HAS HIT THE BIG TIME. DUAL-SUSPENSION MOUNTAIN BIKES MIGHT STILL DOMINATE SALES IN SOUTH AFRICA, BUT GRAVEL BIKES ARE HOT ON THEIR HEELS. MANY BUYERS LOOKING FOR A NEW ROAD BIKE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERING A MORE VERSATILE GRAVEL BIKE INSTEAD.

RACE

EXPLORE

BATTLE OF THE BUDGET BIKES • YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND TRIPLE-DIGIT THOUSANDS ON A GRAVEL BIKE TO HAVE FUN. THE AVALANCHE DUST AND ROOK SCOUT ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF ‘BUDGET’ BIKES THAT PUNCH FAR ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT. WHICH ONE YOU CHOOSE DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF RIDING YOU WANT TO DO.

ELECTRIC • E-BIKES ARE HERE – AND THEY’RE HERE TO STAY. THE...