Mountain Bike SA

20/08/2026

New from Garmin: meet the CIRQA Smart Band ⌚

A screen-free fitness tracker designed to keep tabs on your health and recovery without another screen demanding your attention.

⚡ Up to 10 days of battery life
❤️ Tracks heart rate, sleep, stress & skin temperature
📱 All your insights in the Garmin Connect app
💪 Wear it on your wrist or as an arm band
🚫 No subscription required

RRP: R4,499

https://www.bikeruntri.co.za/post/garmin-cirqa-smart-band-screen-free-health-and-fitness-tracker

Garmin has announced the CIRQA™ Smart Band, a screen-free smart band for health and fitness tracking, with data accessible through the Garmin Connect™ app. The band offers up to 10 days of battery life and does not require a subscription.

02/08/2026

Four months. One campervan. Seven Enduro World Cup rounds across Europe.

Mountain Bike Mag contributor Jason Boulle became the first South African to complete a full Enduro World Cup season — sleeping in parking lots from Andorra to the Alps, working on his own bike, racing up to five hours a day on 17kg+ bikes built for punishment.

It cost him more than most people see on race day. His wife Leslie didn't choose this life — but she's backed every kilometre of it.

How his first World Cup season actually went — "The Call of the World Stage," inside our Autumn 2026 issue. 🚵‍♂️

Read the article and
📖 Grab your copy of Mountain Bike Autumn 2026 — link in bio.

23/07/2026

Humans first. Bike riders always.

Silent Spokes is for every bike rider who values life—and everyone who can help build a culture of more conscious, respectful road sharing.

Join us on 30 July for the premiere of this short documentary exploring grief, resilience and the urgent need for safer roads for cyclists in South Africa.

Following the screening, the conversation will continue with a panel featuring Pedal_Power_Association CEO Neil Robinson, cycling advocacy thought leader Andrew Wheeldon and Bicycling Magazine Jon Minster MCed by our very own Paul Ingpen

🕠 Doors open: 17:30
🎬 Screening: 18:10

This is an evening for road cyclists, mountain bikers, gravel riders, triathletes and anyone who believes every person deserves to get home safely.

Tickets are limited. Book via the link in bio.

23/07/2026

🇿🇦 Congratulations to our 2026 South African XCO National Champions!

South Africa's two standout cross-country riders once again showed why they continue to set the benchmark.

Alan Hatherly Athlete claimed the men's title while
Candice Lill successfully defended her national title. Both of them winning with commanding performances, extending their reign at the top of South African XCO.

Behind them, the next generation put together some impressive rides, chasing two riders who continue to raise the standard of South African mountain biking. The future looks bright.

Congratulations to every rider who earned a national title and proudly pulled on the green and gold jersey. 💚💛

25/06/2026

MTB Magazine editor Paul Ingpen planned an active safari holiday across the breadth of Botswana to share his love for the bush with his growing girls.

Their two-wheel game rides took them deep into pristine wilderness areas in the Tuli Block, and then on adventures around the Makgadikgadi Pans and Okavango Delta, immersing them fully into the magic of wild landscapes.

Read more on our website and read the full in-depth experience in the autumn edition of our mag, on shelves now
https://www.bikeruntri.co.za/post/bush-biking-in-beautiful-botswana

23/05/2026

Tomorrow is SA Champs 🇿🇦🏁

As the country's best line up for the SA Marathon and Enduro Champs, new Pedal range is built for the detail that decides long days in the saddle: the contact point between foot and pedal.

It's where power transfers cleanly — or bleeds away to friction. Pressure-free zones neutralise the hot spots an ordinary sock creates under high-torque climbing, and a dedicated left/right fit cuts the micro-sliding that turns into blisters over back-to-back race days.

In endurance riding, friction is the enemy of momentum. The small things add up.

Good luck to the Champs and lining up tomorrow 👊

Read more at the link below

https://www.bikeruntri.co.za/post/don-t-waste-watts-pedal-to-the-medal-with-falke-s-new-pedal-range

08/05/2026

“The Umkomaas valley descent is possibly the best stretch of mountain bike riding on the planet. It’s what riders have been traveling to the Underberg for since 2005”
, Mountain Bike SA editor

DAY 2 — THE DAY SHOWS ITS TEETH

What riders and fans can expect on day 2 of the mountain bike stage race:

96km.
1 896m of climbing.
And the stage that turns excitement into grit.

If Day 1 is about settling in, Day 2 is where the race becomes real. Riders wake up at Mackenzie Club carrying a little more fatigue, a lot more confidence and the growing understanding that sani2c is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one.

But this is also the day the route fully reveals why so many riders return year after year.

From dramatic valley views and flowing descents to endless stretches of purpose-built singletrack, Day 2 packs in some of the most iconic riding of the entire event. It’s tough, rewarding and unforgettable in equal measure.

What riders look forward to on Day 2:
• Early morning riding through mist-covered valleys
• Legendary trails like Murray’s Meander and Steve’s Spruit
• The floating bridge crossing at Little Africa
• Long flowing singletrack through forests and open hillsides
• The atmosphere and relief of arriving at Jolivet after one of the hardest days on the bike

Day 2 also has a way of exposing mistakes. Riders who pushed too hard on Day 1 usually start feeling it here. Climbs feel steeper, nutrition becomes critical and patience suddenly matters even more.

But somewhere between the suffering and the scenery, something shifts. Riders stop focusing purely on distance and start appreciating the experience itself — the conversations at water points, the silence in the valleys, the sound of tyres through dust and grass.

By the time riders roll into Jolivet, dusty and exhausted, the race feels different. The nerves are gone. The adventure has fully taken over. 🚵‍♂️

Read our full KAP sani2c guide in our Autumn edition, on shelves now!

30/04/2026

The Autumn edition of Mountain Bike mag is on shelf now

Africa's biggest off road cycling mag is packed with soulful stoke. The unique, large format glossy mag features deep story telling and powerful images to sit back and soak up in your offline me-time, feeding your chosen passion.

Exploring places to ride, speaking to interesting riders, checking out new bikes & tech, plus races to plan — just 3 times annually. A refreshingly stark contrast to the noise of social media.

Our cover feature describes a biking holiday across Botswana, possibly the closest you'll ever get to nature outside a game vehicle. It's a short hop from Jozi, warm in our winter, and they are well geared for us fat tyred bush lovers. Read why you should add it to your biking bucket list.

Speaking of Jozi, we take a good look at places to ride around Pretoria. There's so much more sweet trail up north than we realised.

If the winter weather is getting too much, follow our intrepid bike packer to Europe where he raced the 1000km Alps Divide. Or Jason Boulle next level romantic endure alpine holiday. Or enjoy the story of our global crew who travelled to Peru to ride the wilds of Patagonia.

New season, new gear — we feature some cool new stuff.

We get to know Cape Epic winner Alessandra Keller & SA Champ Marc Pritzen plus hear how amputee athletes Travis Warwick-Oliver and Mhle Gwala dealt with mechanical disasters to finish the most iconic stage race.

Over 40 picture-filled pages of races for the next 12 months — Sani2c, Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen all the high profile gravel races, and a full listing of local MTB races from June to December.

We end on a controversial note. Was the shortening of the pro ladies route a high 5 or a slap in the face? Two celebrated pro women share opposing perspectives. Share your opinion on our upcoming reader poll on Instagram and Facebook.

All this for less than a hundred bucks.
Find a local store on our stockist list at www.BikeRunTri.co.za
If you prefer digital you can download it here:
https://joom.ag/QLKd

Note that Pick n Pay have a great 2 edition special if you can find one in time.

22/04/2026

They call it the ultimate souvenir for the ultimate race.

If you lined up at the start, suffered through the climbs, felt the African sun on your back and crossed that finish line — this is the keepsake that does it justice.

150 pages of large format mountain bike stoke, packed with every stage, every story and the riders who made it happen.

And if you didn't ride Epic this year?
There's no better way to live it and learn it. World champions, inspiring images, over 20 years of history and the kind of coffee table book that'll have every mtb fan reaching for it.

This is your last chance to get a physical copy. Once they're gone, they're gone. Find us at Exclusive Books, Woolworths, Spars and leading bike shops country wide — or hit the link in bio to track down your nearest stockist.

Don't say we didn't warn you. 👆📖✨