M sticks near Kyalami race track. Once we grew out of
E D’ S L E T T E R
Sunny SA is a gravel grinder’ s dirtopia
y early childhood home was off a sand road in the
M sticks near Kyalami race track. Once we grew out of
BMX and choppers, our need for greater speed and distance came in the form of 2x5 10-speed steel-frame road bikes. We rode without shirts or helmets, corrugations were a given, and most corners at speed offered a 50 / 50 chance of grazed elbows. Those were the glory years. I’ m pretty sure most of our readers have fond memories of similar off-road adventures in every corner of our magnificent sun-soaked South Africa. It’ s a way of life for us here.
We still have nearly 600 000 kilometres of gravel roads, and most of them are relatively well maintained, quiet and beautiful. This may just be the best country to live in for gravel bikers. Add fine weather year-round, truck and taxi traffic on generally deteriorating tar roads, and our penchant for all things endurance, and it’ s no wonder sales of both gravel bikes and gravel race entries are skyrocketing. Even our highest-profile MTB and road-riding stars have switched to professional gravel racing. I think it’ s safe to say that gravel biking is officially a thing.
It has such unlimited potential to grow, too. It presents mountain bikers with much less intimidatingly technical trail riding, and road riders with safer and more fun ways to explore our wide open spaces. With sand roads leading everywhere, often into the middle of nowhere, this exciting new landscape requires a roadmap to guide excited gravellers on where to go and what to ride. That’ s why we recognised the need for a dedicated Gravel Bike magazine. A mag to celebrate the people, places and equipment that will empower more cyclists to get the most out of gravel riding. We want to deliver inspiration, education and motivation, and hope that our beautiful images, stories and insights from a mix of leading authorities and passionate riders deliver on this promise. Sit back and enjoy some much-needed offline me-time paging through the nearly 150 large-format pages that we’ ve prepared for your reading pleasure.
You’ ll get to know Aussie legend Lachlan Morton( p38), who’ s coming back to SA to ride Nedbank Gravel Burn with the likes of Tom Pidcock, Matt Beers and a host of other global stars, including Saffa sweetheart Mariske Strauss
Even our highest-profile MTB and roadriding stars have switched to professional gravel racing. I think it’ s safe to say that gravel biking is officially a thing”
( p108) who’ s been through living hell to get back for the Burn. You’ ll find a plethora of rides all over South Africa to add to your bucket list, explained in detail by experienced local riders who know their backyards best. Plus we travel to Lesotho( p28) and as far away as Finland( p60), where reindeer roam but you won’ t need a sleigh. So many roads, so little time.
We get that some gravel grinders can be tooth-rattling pneumatic drills to the less hardened among us, so we’ ve got a shopping list of stuff that will make your bike more comfy( p72). If racing is your mojo muti, you’ ll also enjoy our selection of events across South Africa and into Namibia( p82). We’ re keen to hear which you’ d add( or drop), and why. Let’ s hear about more fun races in cool or undiscovered places.
We know there’ s still some debate on whether a gravel or mountain bike makes more sense on our often corrugated gravel. We spoke with a few local legends, including Kev Benkenstein( p52), Mike Woolnough( p142), Dan Craven( p118) and Steve Burnett( p146), each with 10 000 hours + of hard-earned wisdom, to add their take on the great gravel bike debate.
We would love to hear your thoughts too, plus your feedback on this launch edition. Send us your feature suggestions and your own stories, be they about why you love to ride, some hiddengem routes, or tips on how to pimp your bike and improve performance. Dive right in, my email address is below. We do this for you, and we hope you’ ll be amped to share the stoke with your tribe.
See you out there on the dirt, starting with a week of riding deep into the Karoo and sharing stories around the campfire flames at Gravel Burn. Bring it on!
paul @ electricink. co. za BikeRunTri. co. za Gravel Bike Mag @ gravelbike _ sa
PHOTOGRAPH ACTION PHOTO / RACE TO THE SEA
14 | GRAVEL BIKE