The 2023 South African Mountain Bike Survey, presented by Garmin attracted a total of 2467 respondents. Of the that number, a total 2120 answered every one of the 60 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, sports supplements, motor car brand, bike rack brand and more…
We split the survey results reveal into four parts – Rider Stats, Bike Stats, Performance Stats and Gear Stats. Where relevant, we include a comparison to the same question from the previous years. We ran the survey for a period of six weeks, 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.
Since this has tables, it’s best viewed on a laptop or desktop computer. On a mobile phone, turn to landscape for best viewing.
Where do you live?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | 48.03% | 44.67% | 47.66% | 51.18% | 48.90% |
| Western Cape | 32.79% | 38.23% | 32.36% | 27.08% | 27.31% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 8.51% | 7.73% | 8.86% | 8.50% | 8.29% |
| Eastern Cape | 3.24% | 2.77% | 3.39% | 5.18% | 4.93% |
| North West | 1.42% | 1.73% | 1.62% | 1.82% | 2.50% |
| Mpumalanga | 1.86% | 1.63% | 2.30% | 1.85% | 2.74% |
| Free State | 1.22% | 1.03% | 1.42% | 1.57% | 2.03% |
| Limpopo | 1.50% | 0.67% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 1.02% |
| Northern Cape | 0.36% | 0.37% | 0.58% | 0.54% | 0.63% |
| I live in a neighbouring country | 0.49% | 0.57% | 0.36% | 0.64% | 0.94% |
| I live outside Southern Africa | 0.57% | 0.60% | 0.71% | 0.61% | 0.70% |
The biggish shift between the Western Cape and Gauteng from 2021 to 2022 seems to have swung back again in 2023. KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape also showed a similar portion to two years ago. Regardless of the biggish and small shifts, Gauteng remains the most populated mountain biking province and a total of 80.82% of South Africa’s mountain bikers live in just two provinces.
How long have you been mountain biking for?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One year or less | 4.82% | 3.60% | 3.85% | 6.30% |
| 1-2 years | 7.62% | 6.07% | 6.76% | 7.03% |
| 3-4 years | 13.30% | 8.10% | 7.24% | 8.38% |
| 5-6 years | 13.13% | 11.87% | 13.45% | 13.97% |
| 7-10 years | 16.17% | 24.00% | 26.48% | 27.78% |
| 11-15 years | 18.81% | 21.13% | 22.50% | 17.87% |
| 16-19 years | 8.88% | 11.20% | 9.67% | 8.92% |
| More than 20 years | 17.27% | 14.03% | 10.05% | 9.75% |
Quite a few shifts here, but the important thing for the industry is that according to this survey, newcomer numbers are growing. By the same token, it looks like more and more experienced (more than 20 years) riders take this survey each year.
What level of mountain biker would you say you are?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very social | 5.51% | 4.40% | 3.04% | 4.38% | 2.50% |
| Recreational | 27.20% | 22.57% | 23.21% | 25.83% | 22.14% |
| Very keen | 43.13% | 48.60% | 51.08% | 47.15% | 51.10% |
| Highly committed | 24.16% | 24.43% | 22.66% | 22.63% | 24.26% |
While ‘highly committed’ seems to remain stable, the ‘very keen’ lot is diminishing, with ‘recreational’ and ‘very social’ on the rise.
Which is most applicable to you in terms of your occupation?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am a learner (still at school) | 4.05% | 2.33% | 2.33% | 2.08% | 0.55% |
| I am a student | 2.39% | 1.70% | 1.68% | 2.11% | 2.11% |
| I am currently unemployed | 1.78% | 1.43% | 1.68% | 2.37% | 0.86% |
| I am a stay-at-home parent/spouse | 1.86% | 0.80% | 1.36% | 1.79% | 1.80% |
| I work part-time in one or more jobs | 3.40% | 3.30% | 3.59% | 3.42% | 2.58% |
| I have a full-time job with a salary | 50.10% | 55.37% | 58.135 | 59.49% | 61.50% |
| I own a business | 26.02% | 26.83% | 24.64% | 23.95% | 27.39% |
| I am retired | 6.08% | 4.23% | 1.65% | 4.80% | 3.21% |
| I am a pensioner | 2.43% | 2.33% |
Over the past five years, the number of mountain bikers that have a full-time job with a salary has dropped to just over 50% (from 61.50% in 2019). The growth in school and tertiary education numbers is encouraging. We think this is more a result of more youngsters taking the annual survey rather than newcomers to the sport, but would be happy if that’s the case.
What is your age category?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-15 years | 1.74% | 1.00% | 1.13% | 0.86% |
| 16-19 years | 3.24% | 2.47% | 1.75% | 1.95% |
| 20-24 years | 3.45% | 2.33% | 2.30% | 2.40% |
| 25-29 years | 5.39% | 4.40% | 3.91% | 5.05% |
| 30-34 years | 5.80% | 7.60% | 7.66% | 7.61% |
| 35-39 years | 11.19% | 12.47% | 12.32% | 13.20% |
| 40-44 years | 13.30% | 14.07% | 17.01% | 16.24% |
| 45-49 years | 15.77% | 16.10% | 17.56% | 18.70% |
| 50-54 years | 14.75% | 15.03% | 15.78% | 15.03% |
| 55-59 years | 10.58% | 11.03% | 10.77% | 10.23% |
| 60-64 years | 8.31% | 8.73% | 5.95% | 5.56% |
| 65-69 years | 4.54% | 3.47% | 2.65% | 2.24% |
| 70 and older | 1.95% | 1.30% | 1.23% | 0.93% |
Looking at the 2022 to 2023 stats we see this:
12-29 years: up 3.62%
30-39 years: down 3.71%
40-49 years: down 1.10%
50-59 years: down 0.72%
60-plus years: up 1.3%
There’s a small increase in the older age groups (over 60) and solid increase in the young (under 30), which is encouraging. A small drop in the middle aged (40-59), but what happened to those in their 30s over the past year? Is Padel that much cheaper?
What is your sex?
| Sex | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 24.77% | 17.87% | 20.98% | 19.12% | 15.88% |
| Male | 75.23% | 82.13% | 79.02% | 80.88% | 84.12% |
After an almost 3% drop from 2021 to 2022, the female segment of our survey swung by almost 7%! Or it just normalised, as we did also run a Women’s MTB survey in 2022 which could likely have created a disruption. Either way, the fact that almost a quarter of South African mountain bikers are women is quite significant.
How often would you say you participate in a MTB race – on average – in a year?
| Participation frequency | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As often as I can/more than twice a month | 9.57% | 7.43% | 8.21% | 7.96% |
| About once a month | 9.32% | 10.33% | 12.38% | 16.11% |
| About 3-6 times a year | 41.51% | 45.83% | 45.13% | 45.24% |
| Not often – two or fewer times a year | 39.60% | 36.40% | 34.27% | 30.69% |
Some shifts but overall, almost 40% now not racing as frequently compared to 30% four years ago. Still though, that’s just over 60% that enter a race at least three times a year and emphasises the importance of events in our market.
What type of mountain bike races/events do you participate in mostly (you can choose more than one)?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fun Rides (less than 20km) | 6.89% | 5.57% | 4.95% | 5.82% |
| Fun Races (20-25km) | 12.57% | 11.37% | 11.74% | 15.60% |
| Half-marathons (30-45km) | 32.96% | 34.57% | 36.76% | 41.59% |
| Marathons (50-90km) | 48.72% | 51.97% | 51.73% | 48.82% |
| Ultra-marathons (90-180km) | 20.31% | 23.33% | 22.05% | 18.22% |
| Ultra-endurance Races (180km+) | 10.01% | 12.27% | 12.77% | 12.18% |
| Gravel Races (40-180km) | 19.70% | – | – | – |
| Short stage races (2-4 days) | 34.45% | 38.27% | 39.28% | 37.21% |
| Long stage races (5-9 days) | 10.01% | 10.93% | 9.57% | 10.36% |
| Cross-country (XCO) | 13.05% | 13.70% | 13.39% | 11.25% |
| Downhill | 2.15% | 2.43% | 2.20% | 1.66% |
| Enduro | 8.47% | 10.27% | 7.53% | 6.62% |
| Dirt jumping | 0.97% | 0.87% | 0.97% | 0.80% |
| I don’t do races/events | 10.01% | 9.17% | 9.09% | 8.06% |
Half-marathons, marathons and short stage races are still the most popular types of events. We added Gravel Races as an option due to their sudden growth in 2023 and, not surprisingly, discovered they’re quite popular.
Do you feel that the growth and accessibility of MTB trails parks has reduced your desire/need to enter races/events?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 18.00% | 17.90% | 16.17% | 14.67% | 16.04% |
| No | 58.21% | 55.63% | 59.30% | 58.82% | 54.93% |
| To an extent yes | 23.79% | 26.47% | 24.54% | 26.47% | 27.54% |
Trails-park riding and events seem to have reached a stable co-existence as each essentially supports the other.
Do you feel that the depressed South African economy in the past couple of years has reduced your ability to enter races/events?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 39.97% | 36.43% | 40.93% | 36.51% | 34.98% |
| No | 30.73% | 35.80% | 31.49% | 34.43% | 32.24% |
| To an extent yes | 29.31% | 27.77% | 27.58% | 29.06% | 32.79% |
There was definitely a drop in entries for most events in 2023, which was an incredibly challenging year for South Africans from an economic perspective.
Are you a member of an established/official cycling club?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 49.66% | 55.33% | 45.20% | 41.98% | 45.15% |
| No | 50.34% | 44.67% | 54.80% | 58.02% | 54.85% |
Another pendulum swing in 2023. The fact that in order to secure a Cycling South Africa membership (essentially a licence to race), you must belong to a club really does favour clubs. Unfortunately, there just aren’t many clubs that offer any real value to mountain bikers (they tend to be more structured around road cycling).
Do you normally take an annual Cycling South Africa (CSA) membership?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 33.20% | 35.03% | 34.17% | 33.70% | 40.30% |
| No | 31.94% | 28.70% | 41.13% | 42.07% | 35.68% |
| Only if I have to | 34.86% | 36.27% | 24.70% | 24.23% | 24.02% |
For those that are highly committed to racing, it makes sense to buy an annual licence at R250 (R150 for 16-and-unders). A full racing licence – for those intent on racing at provincial, national and international level – costs R500 per year.
Do you have a Strava account?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, I’m a subscriber | 41.51% | 42.27% | 41.32% | 34.78% |
| Yes, I use the free version | 48.44% | 50.17% | 49.43% | 55.56% |
| No | 10.05% | 7.57% | 9.25% | 9.65% |
Curiously, the overall percentage of Strava users that took our survey is down slightly on last year. It’s still an extremely popular app and very difficult to imagine riding life without it! A Strava subscription costs R600 per year (upfront payment), or R89.99 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?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 68.87% | 64.07% | 63.30% | 58.95% |
| No | 11.15% | 13.27% | 14.71% | 15.47% |
| Sometimes | 19.98% | 22.67% | 21.99% | 25.58% |
The number of mountain bikers that use sports supplements is steadily increasing each year.
If you use sports supplements, which brand do you prefer?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biogen | 18.63% | 14.69% | 15.00% | 16.94% | 18.09% |
| 32GI | 17.31% | 13.66% | 15.91% | 13.03% | 10.97% |
| USN | 11.12% | 12.41% | 13.23% | 13.18% | 15.40% |
| Enduren | 6.06% | 5.82% | 5.24% | 3.31% | 2.80% |
| Cadence | 6.02% | 7.47% | 6.26% | 5.85% | 6.18% |
| PVM | 4.44% | 5.04% | 4.90% | 5.77% | 2.57% |
| Named Sport | 4.39% | 4.93% | 4.11% | 2.32% | – |
| Powerbar | 4.13% | 6.00% | 4.79% | 6.18% | 4.55% |
| Hi5 | 3.60% | 3.35% | 4.86% | 4.88% | 5.48% |
| Hammer | 3.56% | 3.24% | 4.15% | 4.50% | 5.83% |
| GU | 2.72% | 3.35% | 4.18% | 3.98% | 4.78% |
| RaceFood | 2.37% | 3.98% | 4.79% | 5.21% | 1.63% |
| Sponser | 1.14% | 0.74% | 0.68% | 1.53% | 1.40% |
| SISS | 1.10% | 1.03% | 1.32% | 1.38% | 2.68% |
| Herbalife | 0.92% | 1.18% | 1.70% | 2.05% | 1.75% |
| Cytomax | 0.35% | 1.22% | 1.28% | 2.31% | 1.40% |
| Others | 12.13% | 11.89% | 7.61% | 7.58% | 14.49% |
Biogen and 32Gi remain the two most popular brands among South African mountain bikers, both gaining market share over 2022. USN remains in third, but dropped slightly in market share, while Enduren moved up to fourth spot, pushing Cadence down to fifth.
What motor vehicle brand do you drive? If more than one, choose the primary brand and add the other into the Other comment box.
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota | 22.60% | 22.34% |
| Volkswagen | 15.86% | 12.25% |
| Ford | 13.73% | 14.34% |
| Suzuki | 4.22% | 2.81% |
| Nissan | 4.09% | 5.18% |
| BMW | 3.96% | 4.28% |
| Audi | 3.83% | 3.56% |
| Land Rover | 3.79% | 3.53% |
| Hyundai | 3.41% | 3.43% |
| Renault | 2.77% | 2.26% |
| Mercedes Benz | 2.68% | 3.39% |
| Kia | 2.21% | 2.12% |
| Volvo | 2.17% | 1.54% |
| Mitsubishi | 2.17% | 2.40% |
| Isuzu | 2.08% | 2.12% |
| Mazda | 2.04% | 2.19% |
| Subaru | 1.66% | 1.78% |
| Honda | 1.36% | – |
| Chevrolet | 1.23% | 1.57% |
| Jeep | 1.10% | 0.89% |
| Haval | 0.98% | 0.92% |
| GWM | 0.68% | – |
| Porsche | 0.68% | – |
| Chery | 0.59% | – |
| Other | 4.95% | 7.00% |
Toyota remains in the top spot, while Volkswagen moves above Ford into second place. Suzuki moves from 10th in 2022 to fourth in 2023, which is the most notable positional change.
How do you normally transport your bike by motor vehicle?
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear-mount towbar rack | 53.18% | 56.03% |
| In the back of a bakkie/van | 15.12% | 14.43% |
| Back seat or boot | 12.93% | 11.30% |
| Rear-mount clip/hanging rack | 7.34% | 7.73% |
| Roof rack | 6.24% | 8.43% |
| On top of a bakkie bin | 2.68% | – |
| On top of a trailer | 0.69% | – |
| Sucker pads | 0.20% | 0.23% |
| Other | 1.62% | 1.83% |
We’re still amazed that almost 13% transport their mountain bike in the back seat or boot of their car! We added two new options based on feedback we received under ‘Other’ in 2022 – on top of bakkie bin and on top of a trailer.
If you use a bike rack, what brand do you own?
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Thule | 67.04% | 68.50% |
| Buzzrack | 7.82% | 6.93% |
| Holdfast | 5.84% | 7.03% |
| I made my own | 1.13% | – |
| Raleigh | 0.61% | 0.36% |
| Peruzzo | 0.57% | 0.53% |
| EZ Rack | 0.57% | 0.13% |
| Bosal | 0.49% | 0.26% |
| Yakima | 0.45% | 0.36% |
| Westfalia | 0.41% | 0.40% |
| Saris | 0.32% | 0.56% |
| Frontrunner | 0.30% | – |
| Marvel | 0.16% | 0.40% |
| Double D | 0.12% | 0.10% |
| Geof | 0.12% | 0.10% |
| Sea Sucker | 0.12% | 0.10% |
| Tree Frog | 0.04% | 0.10% |
| I don’t own a bike rack | 11.47% | – |
| Other | 2.24% | – |
Little surprise to see Thule still so dominant at the top, but interesting to see Buzzrack move into second, pushing Holdfast down a slot. At No. 4 is ‘I made my own’! Perhaps not surprising for an enterprising nation like South Africa, but still a rather curious statistic.
Look out for Parts 2, 3 and 4 reveals of our 2023 SA Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin over the next few weeks.
