In Part 2 of our four-part reveal of the 2024 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin, we focus on bikes. Mountain bikes primarily, obviously, but also eBikes and Gravel Bikes. A total of 2927 took our 70-question survey in December 2024, giving a good idea of bike related patterns and preferences of the South African mountain bike market, including brands, cost, components, tyres and more.
Since this has tables, it’s best viewed on a laptop or desktop computer. On a mobile phone, turn to landscape for best viewing.
What brand of bicycle do you ride/race currently (if you have more than one, mark your primary bike brand)?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 20.35% | 20.41% | 20.83% | 21.85% | 19.53% | 21.15% |
| SCOTT | 14.59% | 14.93% | 16.20% | 15.35% | 15.14% | 19.80% |
| TREK | 12.33% | 12.13% | 10.04% | 8.01% | 6.40% | 3.06% |
| Giant | 6.68% | 6.90% | 7.03% | 8.89% | 9.49% | 8.91% |
| Cannondale | 6.54% | 6.94% | 6.46% | 7.22% | 6.47% | 7.02% |
| Titan | 5.80% | 5.23% | 3.72% | 3.22% | 3.64% | 0.99% |
| Silverback | 4.36% | 3.93% | 5.00% | 5.35% | 8.32% | 5.94% |
| Merida | 4.14% | 3.85% | 5.68% | 5.87% | 6.60% | 6.57% |
| Santa Cruz | 3.47% | 4.02% | 3.11% | 3.41% | 3.15% | 2.97% |
| Pyga | 3.10% | 3.30% | 4.43% | 3.64% | 2.40% | 4.14% |
| Orbea | 2.84% | 1.80% | 0.84% | – | – | – |
| Momsen | 2.07% | 2.72% | 3.01% | 3.12% | 3.48% | 3.78% |
| Liv | 1.14% | 0.96% | 0.67% | 0.39% | – | – |
| Canyon | 0.85% | 0.33% | 0.67% | 0.39% | 0.49% | 0.54% |
| Norco | 0.81% | 1.38% | 1.42% | 1.21% | 1.17% | 1.17% |
| Yeti | 0.74% | 0.92% | 0.84% | 0.79% | 1.04% | 1.08% |
| KTM | 0.70% | 0.92% | 0.67% | 0.98% | 1.04% | 1.26% |
| GT | 0.70% | 0.59% | 0.78% | 1.08% | 1.59% | 1.53% |
| Rocky Mountain | 0.52% | 0.59% | 0.50% | 0.79% | 0.71% | 0.72% |
| Bianchi | 0.37% | 0.50% | 0.74% | 0.75% | 0.49% | 0.72% |
| BMC | 0.37% | 0.39% | – | – | – | – |
| Other | 7.53% | 7.65% | 6.83% | 6.21% | 7.03% | 6.04% |
Not much change over the previous year for most brands. Giant moved into fourth above Cannondale, while Orbea and Liv also improved their ranking somewhat.
There were 91 bike brands mentioned!
What did your bike cost?
| Cost of bike | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under R10 000 | 4.47% | 4.68% | 3.92% | 4.95% | 6.66% |
| R10 000-R14 999 | 5.72% | 5.02% | 5.85% | 6.50% | 9.36% |
| R15 000-R19 999 | 4.21% | 5.69% | 6.02% | 5.97% | 6.63% |
| R20 000-R24 999 | 4.65% | 4.06% | 4.74% | 5.58% | 6.43% |
| R25 000-R29 999 | 5.02% | 4.18% | 5.41% | 5.38% | 6.53% |
| R30 000-R34 999 | 4.91% | 4.89% | 5.11% | 6.10% | 6.92% |
| R35 000-R39 999 | 4.54% | 4.68% | 4.94% | 6.46% | 6.95% |
| R40 000-R44 999 | 4.43% | 4.98% | 5.58% | 6.17% | 6.08% |
| R45 000-R49 999 | 4.62% | 4.94% | 5.51% | 5.05% | 5.10% |
| R50 000-R54 999 | 4.32% | 4.06% | 4.70% | 4.43% | 4.35% |
| R55 000-R59 999 | 2.92% | 2.97% | 2.88% | 3.31% | 3.41% |
| R60 000-R64 999 | 3.29% | 3.14% | 3.32% | 3.77% | 3.31% |
| R65 000-R69 999 | 2.92% | 3.39% | 2.74% | 4.04% | 3.35% |
| R70 000-R74 999 | 2.95% | 3.76% | 3.48% | 2.82% | 3.09% |
| R75 000-R79 999 | 2.33% | 2.93% | 2.84% | 3.05% | 2.60% |
| R80 000-R84 999 | 3.73% | 4.39% | 4.53% | 3.38% | 2.66% |
| R85 000-R89 999 | 2.58% | 2.63% | 2.88% | 2.85% | 2.08% |
| R90 000-R94 999 | 2.40% | 2.97% | 2.40% | 2.33% | 2.05% |
| R95 000-R99 999 | 2.33% | 2.55% | 2.06% | 2.20% | 1.40% |
| R100 000-R109 999 | 5.24% | 4.39% | 4.50% | 3.74% | 3.28% |
| R110 000-R119 999 | 3.06% | 3.68% | 3.21% | 2.99% | 1.82% |
| R120 000-R129 999 | 3.69% | 3.47% | 2.84% | 2.26% | 1.59% |
| R130 000-R139 999 | 2.66% | 1.59% | 1.59% | 1.64% | 0.94% |
| R140 000-R149 999 | 2.55% | 2.13% | 2.00% | 1.21% | 0.88% |
| R150 000 or more | 10.45% | 8.82% | 6.94% | 3.81% | 2.50% |
The average bike price based on this survey for 2024 is R72 439. Quite a jump from the previous year (R55 763), but not too big a jump from 2022 (R65 450). In 2024, 27.65% of bikes were over R100 000, while in 2023, that figure was 24.08%.
Average bike price
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R72 439 | R55 763 | R65 450 | R55 000 | R48 971 |
Which accurately describes your bike best?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It’s a hardtail | 18.35% | 19.36% | 19.59% | 21.42% | 24.34% |
| It’s a full-suspension | 70.31% | 68.93% | 69.42% | 66.47% | 63.80% |
| I own both hardtail and full-suspension bikes | 11.34% | 11.71% | 10.99% | 12.11% | 11.86% |
Not much change here, with full-suspension still dominant and growing slightly.
What wheel size is your mountain bike?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-inch | 90.44% | 90.38% | 90.22% | 89.50% | 86.81% |
| 27.5-inch (650b) | 3.66% | 3.72% | 4.87% | 5.41% | 7.15% |
| 27.5-inch Plus | 1.48% | 1.63% | 0.78% | 1.15% | 1.33% |
| 26-inch | 2.73% | 2.97% | 3.32% | 3.94% | 4.71% |
| Mullet | 1.70% | 1.30% | 0.81% | – | – |
Confirmation that South Africa is still the 29-inch wheel capital of the world…
What material is your mountain bike’s frame made from?
| Frame material | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon fibre | 57.68% | 59.05% | 55.75% | 52.95% | 47.74% |
| Aluminium | 32.57% | 31.79% | 34.27% | 35.76% | 39.75% |
| Carbon/Alloy combo | 7.27% | 7.07% | 7.65% | 8.63% | 9.52% |
| Other (steel, titanium etc) | 2.47% | 2.09% | 2.33% | 2.66% | 2.99% |
For the first time since we launched our survey, a slight drop in carbon fibre. But it’s still the dominant frame material.
How many chainrings does your mountain bike have?
| Number of chainrings | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 chainring | 88.12% | 81.81% | 82.31% | 74.87% | 67.99% |
| 2 chainrings | 9.01% | 12.05% | 10.89% | 15.41% | 19.24% |
| 3 chainrings | 4.87% | 6.15% | 6.80% | 9.71% | 12.77% |
The simplification of drivetrains continues with more and more entry-level bikes now also coming specced with a 1×10, 1×11 or 1×12 set-up.
Which component brand does your mountain bike mostly have on it?
| Component brand | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRAM | 45.09% | 42.95% | 43.34% | 39.11% | 36.04% |
| Shimano | 37.19% | 39.82% | 38.02% | 42.06% | 45.40% |
| Shimano/SRAM mix | 15.44% | 15.81% | 17.59% | 17.88% | 17.52% |
| Other | 2.29% | 1.42% | 1.05% | 0.95% | 1.04% |
Interesting to observe the swing from Shimano to SRAM over the past five years, with the latter continuing to increase its percentage in 2024. Also interesting to see the drop in Shimano/SRAM mix and the slight increase in ‘Other’.
Which brand is your brakeset?
| Brakeset brand | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Shimano | 51.40% |
| SRAM | 35.30% |
| Magura | 2.95% |
| Tektro | 2.33% |
| Formula | 1.37% |
| Hope | 1.33% |
| TRP | 0.59% |
| Hayes | 0.15% |
| I don’t know | 3.80% |
| Other | 0.78% |
This is a new question, added to explore the component brand breakdown with a bit more depth. Not surprisingly, Shimano and SRAM hold the majority of market share with German brand, Magura heading up the rest.
Which type of pedal do you ride with?
| Pedal type | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleat pedal (clip-in) | 81.97% | 82.24% | 84.48% | 82.52% |
| Flat pedal | 12.25% | 11.64% | 8.66% | 10.59% |
| I use both | 5.77% | 6.12% | 6.86% | 6.89% |
Not surprisingly, not much change over the previous year.
If you have a suspension fork, what brand is it?
| Suspension fork brand | 2024 |
|---|---|
| RockShox | 49.37% |
| FOX | 31.86% |
| Cannondale Lefty | 4.96% |
| Manitou | 1.34% |
| DT Swiss | 1.12% |
| Ohlins | 1.08% |
| X-Fusion | 0.67% |
| I’m not sure | 6.71% |
| Other | 2.91% |
A new question and confirmation that, not surprisingly, RockShox and FOX dominate. Interesting to see Cannondale Lefty is third and a bit of a concern that 6.71% (180 mountain bikers) say they’re not sure…
If you have a rear shock, what brand is it?
| Rear shock brand | 2024 |
|---|---|
| FOX | 42.21% |
| RockShox | 40.52% |
| X-Fusion | 3.68% |
| DT Swiss | 1.56% |
| Ohlins | 0.68% |
| Manitou | 0.30% |
| I’m not sure | 8.11% |
| Other | 2.96% |
Another new question and another unsurprising confirmation that FOX and RockShox dominate the rear shock brands. As with suspension forks, a little concerning that so many are not sure what their rear shock brand is…
What brand of tyre do you prefer?
| Tyre brand | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxxis | 57.39% | 58.72% | 59.74% | 57.32% | 57.72% |
| Specialized | 12.11% | 12.84% | 13.02% | 12.93% | 12.38% |
| Vittoria | 8.71% | 8.24% | 8.66% | 9.81% | 9.94% |
| Schwalbe | 6.72% | 6.82% | 6.39% | 6.30% | 4.87% |
| Bontrager | 3.99% | 3.85% | 3.59% | 2.82% | 3.22% |
| Continental | 2.62% | 2.93% | 3.04% | 4.07% | 4.94% |
| Tufo | 1.40% | 0.70% | – | – | – |
| Pirelli | 1.37% | 1.21% | 1.05% | 0.69% | 0.29% |
| Kenda | 1.22% | 1.17% | 0.68% | 1.21% | 0.97% |
| Goodyear | 1.11% | 0.67% | 0.27% | – | – |
| Other | 2.76% | 1.31% | 0.95% | 1.86% | 0.78% |
| WTB | 0.25% | 0.41% | 0.39% | 0.75% | |
| Hutchinson | 0.21% | 0.27% | – | – | |
| Onza | 0.17% | 0.44% | 0.79% | 1.07% | |
| CST | 0.13% | 0.17% | 0.33% | 0.45% | |
| Mitas | 0.13% | 0.7% | 0.26% | 0.26% | |
| Michelin | 0.08% | 0.30% | 0.33% | 0.45% | |
| Vredestein | 0.08% | 0.27% | 0.23% | 0.42% | |
| Panaracer | 0.08% | 0.10% | – | – | |
| Other | 1.31% | 0.95% | 1.86% | 0.78% |
Not much change in the past year. Maxxis retains its very dominant position at the top although it did drop another percentage point. Tufo moved up a couple of spots from ninth to seventh.
Does your mountain bike have a dropper seatpost?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes and I use it all the time | 46.31% | 42.79% | 41.37% |
| No | 42.58% | 46.76% | 50.51% |
| Yes, but I don’t really use it | 11.12% | 10.46% | 8.12% |
As expected, the trend is towards more and more riders using a dropper seatpost. Many mid-range and most high-end mountain bikes come standard with a dropper seatpost these days too. If only that 11.12% knew what superpower they had… Skills instructors need to be offering unlocking this.
Do you own an eBike?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 13.37% | 12.67% | 9.94% |
| No | 83.75% | 83.40% | 86.36% |
| I plan to buy one soon | 2.36% | 3.14% | 3.21% |
| Other | 0.52% | 0.79% | 0.47% |
A little bit more growth here, which is not that surprising. eBikes are enabling and are being increasingly embraced.
If you own an eBike, what brand do you have?
| Bike brand | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 26.41% | 28.74% | 44.89% |
| TREK | 15.12% | 15.13% | 12.58% |
| SCOTT | 10.75% | 11.49% | 10,20% |
| Giant/Liv | 9.29% | 8.24% | 11.22% |
| Orbea | 4.37% | 1.34% | 2.72% |
| Cannondale | 2.73% | 2.11% | 1.70% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.55% | 3.45% | 1.70% |
| Pyga | 1.64% | 1.15% | 2.72% |
| Silverback | 0.91% | 0.57% | 1.70% |
| Titan | 0.73% | 1.15% | 0.68% |
| Merida | 0.73% | 0.77% | 3.06% |
| KTM | 0.73% | 0.57% | 1.02% |
| Outer | 0.73% | – | – |
| Vincent | 0.55% | 0.96% | 0.68% |
| Bianchi | 0.55% | 0.77% | 0.68% |
| Other | 22.22% | 23.18% | 1.02% |
| Other | 23.18% | 1.02% |
We’re unsure why some of those that don’t own an eBike respond to this question and then write ‘N/A or ‘Don’t own one’ under OTHER. Actually, we are sure, they didn’t read the question properly. Anyway, Specialized is still tops, but dropped little in market share. Giant/Liv and Orbea both showed positive movement over the previous year.
Do you own a gravel bike?
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 18.72% | 16.90% | 12.18% |
| No | 74.85% | 76.54% | 81.94% |
| I plan to buy one soon | 6.43% | 6.57% | 5.89% |
Although still a lot smaller than mountain biking, there’s a growing interest in gravel riding and racing and the stats here confirm that.
What Gravel bike brand do you own?
| Bike brand | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 22.00% | 19.91% | 20.05% |
| TREK | 14.93% | 13.78% | 6.95% |
| Giant/Liv | 9.04% | 8.53% | 9.62% |
| Titan Racing | 7.86% | 4.81% | 2.94% |
| SCOTT | 6.09% | 7.00% | 3.74% |
| Cannondale | 5.50% | 7.87% | 7.21% |
| Silverback | 3.54% | 3.24% | 2.94% |
| Bianchi | 3.54% | 3.06% | 2.67% |
| Curve | 2.55% | 1.75% | 4.27% |
| Merida | 2.55% | 2.18% | – |
| Norco | 2.55% | 2.84% | 1.87% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.36% | 2.62% | 1.60% |
| Orbea | 2.36% | 1.53% | – |
| Momsen | 2.16% | 3.06% | 3.20% |
| Canyon | 2.16% | 1.53% | 4.01% |
| Rondo | 1.96% | 0.65% | 3.47% |
| BMC | 1.38% | 0.87% | – |
| Pinarello | 1.38% | 0.87% | – |
| Rook | 1.18% | 1.53% | 2.40% |
| Basso | 0.98% | 1.09% | 1.33% |
| Niner | 0.79% | 0.65% | 1.06% |
| Ridley | 0.79% | 0.65 | 1.06% |
| Sling | 0.59% | 0.87% | 1.33% |
| Raleigh | 0.39% | 1.09% | – |
| Avalanche | 0.39% | 0.65% | – |
| Open | 0.39% | 0.65% | – |
| Ritchey | 0.39% | 0.65% | 1.06% |
| Lynskey | 0.20% | 0.65% | 1.33% |
| Other | 31.04% | 2.77% | 14.56% |
Specialized remains the top brand here, with Titan Racing, Bianchi, Curve, Pinarello, Rook and Orbea all making some positive gains. Other is a high percentage because many that commented said they don’t own a gravel bike or N/A.
Do you have a favoured bike-wash brand?
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 30.13% |
| No | 69.87% |
A new question for 2024 and quite relevant since we wash our bikes often!
If you have a favoured bike-wash brand, which do you use?
| Bike-wash brand | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Muc-Off | 33.85% |
| Squirt | 16.80% |
| Ecologic | 12.69% |
| Namgear | 8.34% |
| Cleen Green | 3.26% |
| Dirt Nurse | 2.78% |
| Sunlight dish liquid | 1.81% |
| Prepsol | 1.69% |
| Bike Make Up | 1.45% |
| Liqui Moly | 1.45% |
| Motul | 1.08% |
| Other | 14.75% |
An interesting spread of brands here, with UK brand Muc-Off quite prominent, followed by Squirt and Ecologic, both South African brands.
Do you have a favoured drivetrain lubricant brand that you use?
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 60.75% |
| No | 39.25% |
While less than a third have a favoured bike-wash brand, almost two thirds are brand-loyal when it comes to lubricant.
If you have a favoured drivetrain lubricant brand, which do you use?
| Lubricant brand | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Squirt | 53.33% |
| Smoove | 21.02% |
| Muc-Off | 7.04% |
| Ryder | 1.80% |
| Liqui Moly | 1.43% |
| White Lightning | 1.43% |
| Finish Line | 1.37% |
| Q-Bike | 1.18% |
| BAT | 1.12% |
| Motul | 0.74% |
| Max Wax | 0.68% |
| Silca | 0.68% |
| Blub | 0.62% |
| Other | 7.48% |
South African brands, Squirt and Smoove occupy almost three-quarters of the preferred drivetrain lubricant market share.
Did you miss Part 1 of our 2024 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin? Here’s the link. Look out for Parts 3 (Performance) and 4 (Gear) coming soon.
