The 2021 South African Mountain Bike Survey, presented by Garmin attracted a total of 3093 respondents, quite similar to the 3128 of 2020. Of the that number, a total 2749 answered every one of the 50 questions (not every question relates to everyone). Here’s the first of four reveals about what South African mountain bikers prefer when it comes to racing, training and sports supplements.
We will split the survey results reveal into four parts – Rider Stats, Bike Stats, Gear Stats and Performance Stats. Where relevant, we will include a comparison to the same question from 2020 and 2019. We ran the survey for a period of four weeks (essentially, the entire month of December 2021), promoting it on our website, in our weekly mailer and via our social media channels. We also boosted social media posts with the aim of reaching those outside our own regular readership.
NOTE: ON A MOBILE DEVICE, TABLES BEST VIEWED IN LANDSCAPE
Where do you live?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Gauteng | 47.66% | 51.18% | 48.90% |
| Western Cape | 32.36% | 27.08% | 27.31% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 8.86% | 8.50% | 8.29% |
| Eastern Cape | 3.39% | 5.18% | 4.93% |
| Mpumalanga | 2.30% | 1.85% | 2.74% |
| North West | 1.62% | 1.82% | 2.50% |
| Free State | 1.42% | 1.57% | 2.03% |
| Limpopo | 0.74% | 1.02% | 1.02% |
| Northern Cape | 0.58% | 0.54% | 0.63% |
| I live in a neighbouring country | 0.36% | 0.64% | 0.94% |
| I live outside Southern Africa | 0.71% | 0.61% | 0.70% |
Have that many Gautengers moved to the Western Cape in the past year? Regardless of the reason for the shift in percentages, those two provinces contain 80.02% of the South African mountain bike market…
How long have you been mountain biking for?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| One year or less | 3.85% | 6.30% |
| 1-2 years | 6.76% | 7.03% |
| 2-3 years | 7.24% | 8.38% |
| 3-5 years | 13.45% | 13.97% |
| 5-10 years | 26.48% | 27.78% |
| 10-15 years | 22.50% | 17.87% |
| 15-20 years | 9.67% | 8.92% |
| More than 20 years | 10.05% | 9.75% |
Based on this survey, the percentage of those mountain biking for five years or less went from 35.68% in 2020 down to 31.3% in 2021, with the 5-15 years segment increasing from 45.65% in 2020 to 48.98% in 2021. An industry shortage of new bikes in the past year could account for that one-year-or-less drop compared to 2020, which by contrast, was probably the biggest year for new bike sales ever.
What level of mountain biker would you say you are?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Very social | 3.04% | 4.38% | 2.50% |
| Recreational | 23.21% | 25.83% | 22.14% |
| Very keen | 51.08% | 47.15% | 51.10% |
| Highly committed | 22.66% | 22.63% | 24.26% |
Some shifts here in the past year, but actually quite similar to 2019.
Which is most applicable to you in terms of your occupation?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| I am a learner (still at school) | 2.33% | 2.08% | 0.55% |
| I am a student | 1.68% | 2.11% | 2.11% |
| I am currently unemployed | 1.68% | 2.37% | 0.86% |
| I am a stay-at-home parent/spouse | 1.36% | 1.79% | 1.80% |
| I work part-time in one or more jobs | 3.59% | 3.42% | 2.58% |
| I have a full-time job with a salary | 58.135 | 59.49% | 61.50% |
| I own a business | 24.64% | 23.95% | 27.39% |
| I am retired | 1.65% | 4.80% | 3.21% |
Not much different from 2020 in most categories – pleasing to see the unemployed number go down a bit though…
What is your age category?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| 12-15 years | 1.13% | 0.86% |
| 16-19 years | 1.75% | 1.95% |
| 20-24 years | 2.30% | 2.40% |
| 25-29 years | 3.91% | 5.05% |
| 30-34 years | 7.66% | 7.61% |
| 35-39 years | 12.32% | 13.20% |
| 40-44 years | 17.01% | 16.24% |
| 45-49 years | 17.56% | 18.70% |
| 50-54 years | 15.78% | 15.03% |
| 55-59 years | 10.77% | 10.23% |
| 60-64 years | 5.95% | 5.56% |
| 65-69 years | 2.65% | 2.24% |
| 70 and older | 1.23% | 0.93% |
Very similar to last year and notable that 70.95% are over the age of 40, confirming the lifestyle nature of mountain biking – travel, health and fitness – as well as the relatively high cost of bikes and gear affordable to those in higher-earning positions. It’s also important to note that teens generally don’t take surveys and the teen numbers are obviously much higher than reflected here.
What is your sex?
| Sex | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Female | 20.98% | 19.12% | 15.88% |
| Male | 79.02% | 80.88% | 84.12% |
There’s definitely an increase among women riding mountain bikes. It’s evident on the trails, but this helps with some confirmation.
In a normal year (not affected by Covid restrictions), how often would you say you participate in a MTB race – on average?
| Participation frequency | 2021 | 2020 |
| As often as I can/more than twice a month | 8.21% | 7.96% |
| About once a month | 12.38% | 16.11% |
| About 3-6 times a year | 45.13% | 45.24% |
| Not often – two or fewer times a year | 34.27% | 30.69% |
There’s no doubt that races/events are still essential to the South African mountain biker, with almost 65.72%% doing at least three events/races in a (normal) year.
What type of mountain bike races/events do you participate in mostly (you can choose more than one)?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Fun Rides (less than 20km) | 4.95% | 5.82% |
| Fun Races (20-25km) | 11.74% | 15.60% |
| Half-marathons (30-45km) | 36.76% | 41.59% |
| Marathons (50-90km) | 51.73% | 48.82% |
| Ultra-marathons (90-180km) | 22.05% | 18.22% |
| Ultra-endurance Races (180km+) | 12.77% | 12.18% |
| Short stage races (2-4 days) | 39.28% | 37.21% |
| Long stage races (5-9 days) | 9.57% | 10.36% |
| Cross-country (XCO) | 13.39% | 11.25% |
| Downhill | 2.20% | 1.66% |
| Enduro | 7.53% | 6.62% |
| Dirt jumping | 0.97% | 0.80% |
| I don’t do races/events | 9.09% | 8.06% |
Half-marathons, marathons and short stage races are still the most popular, but it’s interesting to see the growth in XCO, Downhill and Enduro, all of which generally appeal to younger riders and more serious racers.
Did you participate in any mountain bike races in the Covid-19-affected year?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Yes | 55.32% | 40.31% |
| No | 44.68% | 59.69% |
Although still quite restricted, there was more racing in 2021 than in 2020, so it makes sense to see this shift. Thanks to the resilient, committed race organisers and their sponsors that are trying to keep things as normal as possible. Let’s hope 2022 has no government-enforced disruptions!
Do you feel that the growth and accessibility of MTB trails parks has reduced your desire/need to enter races/events?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Yes | 16.17% | 14.67% | 16.04% |
| No | 59.30% | 58.82% | 54.93% |
| To an extent yes | 24.54% | 26.47% | 27.54% |
There’s still a really good appetite for events/races. This will hopefully be maintained in 2022, which has started well in terms of events taking place, albiet with some number restrictions.
Do you feel that the depressed South African economy in the past couple of years has reduced your ability to enter races/events?
| 2022 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Yes | 40.93% | 36.51% | 34.98% |
| No | 31.49% | 34.43% | 32.24% |
| To an extent yes | 27.58% | 29.06% | 32.79% |
Unfortunately, the economy continued its slump in 2021. Trails parks have reported that numbers remained high in 2021 despite the lowering on restrictions for races/events.
Are you a member of an established/official cycling club?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Yes | 45.20% | 41.98% | 45.15% |
| No | 54.80% | 58.02% | 54.85% |
Very similar to 2019, which is rather positive for clubs.
Do you normally take an annual Cycling South Africa (CSA) membership?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Yes | 34.17% | 33.70% | 40.30% |
| No | 41.13% | 42.07% | 35.68% |
| Only if I have to | 24.70% | 24.23% | 24.02% |
For those that are highly committed to racing, it can become costly to keep paying for a CSA day licence (R50 per day) at races. An annual licence at R250 just makes sense (R150 for 16-and-unders). A full racing licence – for those intent on racing at provincial, national and international level – costs R450 per year.
Do you have a Strava account?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Yes, I’m a subscriber | 41.32% | 34.78% |
| Yes, I use the free version | 49.43% | 55.56% |
| No | 9.25% | 9.65% |
The overall percentage of Strava users is similar to last year, but there’s a fairly big shift from free version users to subscribers. It costs R600 per year (upfront payment), or R110 per month. It’s really very useful with loads of insightful features. It makes a great birthday gift for a keen mountain biker.
Do you use sports supplements for riding/racing energy/recovery?
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Yes | 63.30% | 58.95% |
| No | 14.71% | 15.47% |
| Sometimes | 21.99% | 25.58% |
If you use sports supplements, which brand do you prefer?
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| 32GI | 15.91% | 13.03% | 10.97% |
| Biogen | 15.00% | 16.94% | 18.09% |
| USN | 13.23% | 13.18% | 15.40% |
| Cadence | 6.26% | 5.85% | 6.18% |
| Enduren | 5.24% | 3.31% | 2.80% |
| PVM | 4.90% | 5.77% | 2.57% |
| Hi5 | 4.86% | 4.88% | 5.48% |
| Powerbar | 4.79% | 6.18% | 4.55% |
| RaceFood | 4.79% | 5.21% | 1.63% |
| GU | 4.18% | 3.98% | 4.78% |
| Hammer | 4.15% | 4.50% | 5.83% |
| Named Sport | 4.11% | 2.32% | – |
| Herbalife | 1.70% | 2.05% | 1.75% |
| SISS | 1.32% | 1.38% | 2.68% |
| Cytomax | 1.28% | 2.31% | 1.40% |
| Sponser | 0.68% | 1.53% | 1.40% |
| Others | 7.61% | 7.58% | 14.49% |
Interesting to see 32GI continue its steady market-share increase and take the top spot in 2021. Other notable increases come from Enduren and Named Sport.
PART 2: THESE ARE SA’S MOST POPULAR MOUNTAIN BIKE BRANDS
PART 3: THE GPS BRANDS THAT SOUTH AFRICAN MOUNTAIN BIKERS FAVOUR
Part 4: THESE ARE SA’S MOST POPULAR MTB GEAR BRANDS
