32-inch wheels have been the talk of the mountain bike world for months, and prototypes have made racing appearances at the Absa Cape Epic and in UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, but at the 2026 Swiss Epic they arrived en masse. Or at least in a significant number, with Stoll Bikes claiming that there [...]
Trans Baviaans was founded in 2004 as a one-shot ride from Willowmore, in the Karoo, to Jeffrey’s Bay on the Indian Ocean. The finish has changed a few times over the years; initially, the race ended at Kabeljous, at the eastern edge of town, then it moved to the Fountains Mall, and finally to the [...]
I woke up to find sand in my bed, laughed Luke Lockhart-Ross, despite taking two showers after yesterday’s muddy slog at the 2024 Dr Evil Experience. Surely today wouldn’t be worse, right? Wrong! Stage 2 started with blue skies and high spirits. The gees was flowing, especially after Shaun Peters cracked a few jokes before [...]
365 days ago, I crashed, trying to keep up with the Dr Evil Experience, writes Luke Lockhart-Ross. Racing above my limits? Maybe. My fault? Definitely. The locals? Oh, they made sure to mock me! (Catch the "Lawndart Lockhart" saga here.) A year later, that grudge still nagged at me, but today, I left it in [...]
When asked about MTB meccas, does Plettenberg Bay make the list? Well, it should. Plett is a jewel of the Garden Route – great beaches, happy vibes in the town, year-round sunshine for the most part, and incredible mountain biking in every direction! The Dr Evil Classic is one of the reasons Plett should be [...]
I hardly ever get the chance to actually ride stage races. The last time I did a multi-day event myself was when I rode Trek2Teebus in April 2021. Usually, I work at events. That’s why, when Luke Lockhart-Ross offered me an entry to the mid-week Pinotage race at the 2022 FNB Wines2Whales I jumped at [...]
Getting out on a bikepacking adventure is as simple as packing a saddle bag, strapping a tent to your bike and throwing a few things in your backpack. Then all you have to do is hit the road, find a campsite and hope you don’t get eaten by a small mountain cat… It was dusk [...]
The southern ridgelines of the Drakensberg reach into the Eastern Cape. Breaking the Karoo plains into high mountain slopes and deep valleys. In summer the veld comes alive, emerald green after the rains. While in winter the grass stands tall, brittle and yellow. Nestled on one side of the dragon’s spine is Barkley East. On [...]
There’s a semi-secret outdoors lovers’ playground in the Overberg. Situated between Stanford, in the west, and Bredasdorp, in the east, it is bordered by mountains to the north and the ocean to the south. Boasting an exceptional diversity of fynbos, it was once a region best known for its protea farms; though increasingly wine farms [...]
Is there a more Eastern Cape phrase than “Hell’s Teeth”? It also happens to accurately describe the inaugural Maloti 100. It was without a doubt the toughest day I’ve ever spent on a bike. But it was still incredible and I’ll definitely be back in 2020. Truly Unique What makes the Maloti 100 so special [...]
