Originally designed as scenic walking and running trails, portions of Simbithi’s five nature trails – Mannies, Mfuleni, Nsimbi, Tamboti and Mngeni – have now been upgraded to accommodate mountain bikers, marking an exciting new chapter for residents who want to explore their surroundings on two wheels.

The result is a trail network that feels accessible yet rewarding, whether you’re a weekend rider, a family looking for outdoor activities or someone rediscovering cycling as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Mix of Fast and Fun

What makes Simbithi Eco-Estate particularly appealing is its setting. The trails wind through indigenous forest, alongside peaceful dams and across wetlands teeming with birdlife. It’s not unusual to pause mid-ride and take in the quiet or catch a glimpse of the ocean in the distance.

That said, the trails haven’t been designed only for leisure. With input from experienced trail builder Ian Wilson and the Simbithi environmental team, the network includes a mix of flowing sections and more technical features, allowing riders to build confidence and skill gradually.

Importantly, the design caters to all levels. Chicken runs provide easier alternatives around more challenging sections, making the trails inclusive for beginners and younger riders, while still offering enough variety to keep experienced cyclists engaged. Clear grading further helps riders choose routes that match their comfort level.

Great for families, parents and children can share the same trails, each navigating them at their own pace, creating a shared outdoor experience.

It’s a lifestyle

Beyond the trails themselves, cycling forms part of a broader outdoor lifestyle at Simbithi Eco-Estate. The Estate’s emphasis on environmental stewardship means that nature is always close at hand, encouraging residents to spend more time outside, whether riding, walking or simply exploring.

There’s also a strong sense of community around the trails. From informal group rides to skills development for younger cyclists, the introduction of mountain biking has added a new layer of connection among residents. The recent introduction of the Simbithi Hiking and Biking group enhances the community aspect of each trail, encouraging residents of all ages and persuasions to explore Simbithi’s natural beauty.

The estate is set to enhance the experience even further with the introduction of interactive trail maps and QR codes, making navigation simple and intuitive. Pause spots on each trail will also be added to educate residents and encourage them to document their experience.

In many ways, Simbithi Eco-Estate reflects a shift in how we think about cycling. It’s no longer just about distance or performance, but more about integration into daily life, about choosing to move, explore, and connect with your environment.

Here, the ride doesn’t require planning or travel. It’s simply part of coming home.

Watch the video below and click here for more info.

The post Simbithi Eco-Estate Gears Up for Cycling appeared first on Bicycling.

“Whether your goal is to improve strength, aerobic capacity, or even athletic development, kettlebells allow you to work on multiple fitness qualities.”

“Kettlebells offer a ton of versatility in a compact package,” says Kurt Ellis, C.P.T,. C.S.C.S., P.E.S, owner of Beyond Numbers Performance. “Whether your goal is to improve strength, aerobic capacity, or even athletic development, kettlebells allow you to work on multiple fitness qualities.”

But that doesn’t mean you need to cross the swing off your exercise list. After all, it’s a simple and effective exercise that can help you build power and explosiveness through your posterior chain (the muscles that run from the back of your shoulders all the way down to your heels).

That’s why you’ll still find a swing in this kettlebell workout Ellis designed. But it’s only one exercise in a routine that’s been specifically sequenced to improve your overall cycling performance, be it better posture in the saddle or a more powerful pedal stroke. Ellis recommends incorporating it into your strength training routine two to three times per week.

Perform the circuits sequentially, following the prescribed number of reps and rest periods for each circuit. You’ll need light, medium, and heavy-weight kettlebells. Ellis demonstrates each exercise so you can learn proper form.

Goblet March

Time: Alternate legs for 20-45 seconds

How to do it

The post This Kettlebell Workout Takes Your Strength and Conditioning to a New Level appeared first on Bicycling.

The sani2c is the world’s biggest mountain bike stage race and covers 270km over three days in two different events – the Adventure and the UCI ‘OG’ race.

For more check out sani2c.co.za

Check out the full race report HERE

The post The Best Pictures from the 2026 sani2c appeared first on Bicycling.

From the opening Prologue at Glencairn Farm, it was clear the men’s race would be defined by depth and tactical complexity rather than outright domination. Toyota Specialized Imbuko arrived with multiple genuine contenders, and the team immediately showed its strength when Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje claimed the Prologue victory ahead of Insect Science’s Johan van Zyl and Keagan Bontekoning, with Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2’s Jaedon Terlouw and Travis Stedman only a second further back.

From the opening Prologue at Glencairn Farm, it was clear the men’s race would be defined by depth and tactical complexity rather than outright domination.

Joubert recognised immediately how important numbers would become in such a tightly matched field, noting after the Prologue that having both Imbuko teams near the front could prove decisive “when the pace is so high”. That prediction would define much of the racing over the following three days.

The women’s competition, meanwhile, appeared to establish an early hierarchy. Samantha Sanders and Vera Looser of Efficient Infiniti Insure dominated the Prologue, while the battle behind them immediately developed into a fierce contest between Fortress Toyota’s Cherise Willeit and Ila Stow, Safari Essence Titan Racing’s Danielle du Toit and Roxanne Kemp, and Cycle Nation Enza Construction’s Frances Swanepoel and Rachel Seaman. Sanders described the Prologue trails as “sublime” despite rain in the build-up, while Looser, returning to sani2c after nearly a decade away, was enthusiastic about the growth and atmosphere of the event.

Stage 1 from Glencairn Farm to Mackenzie Club produced the kind of high-speed tactical racing for which sani2c has become known. With several traditional singletrack sections removed from the opening kilometres, the pace remained exceptionally high and breakaways repeatedly failed to stick. Nortje later admitted the course changes made it “just a little bit too fast” to establish meaningful gaps.

The men’s race came down to a dramatic sprint involving four teams. Marc Pritzen and Felix Stehli of Team Honeycomb 226ers ultimately edged out Stedman and Terlouw in a chaotic final dash into Mackenzie Club, with only seconds separating the leading teams. Joubert and Nortje were forced into damage control after a crash and dropped chain near the finish almost cost them contact with the leaders. Despite the setback, they managed to limit losses sufficiently to retain the overall lead.

The stage also offered an early glimpse into the strong dynamic between Stedman and Terlouw. Stedman, better known in South African cycling circles for his road pedigree, has adapted well to the demands of elite marathon mountain biking, while Terlouw demonstrated his tactical awareness in the closing kilometres.

Domination
In the women’s race, Sanders and Looser delivered a measured but authoritative performance to take Stage 1 by nearly ten minutes. Behind them, the battle for the remaining podium positions immediately became one of the stories of the race. Du Toit and Kemp edged Willeit and Stow in a sprint for second, while Swanepoel and Seaman remained within touching distance after recovering strongly later in the stage.

Stow later admitted she simply did not have the legs to fully respond to the tactical surges during the closing kilometres, while Swanepoel and Seaman already sensed the route ahead would suit their strengths better. The women’s General Classification after Stage 1 suggested the race for overall victory might already be settled, but the fight for the podium was only beginning.

Stage 2 to Jolivet Farm – the Queen Stage – reshaped the entire race. The brutal combination of the Umkomaas descent and the Unitrans Iconic Climb created the decisive turning point of the week.

For the men, disaster struck Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1 early in the stage when Nortje and Joubert suffered a snapped chain. The delay forced them into a desperate chase for the remainder of the day. Joubert later described it as “a proper disappointment” on a stage where momentum and positioning were critical.

Their misfortune created opportunity elsewhere. Pritzen and Stehli capitalised brilliantly, with Pritzen driving the pace relentlessly through the technical sections and Stehli surviving repeated accelerations on the climbs. Stehli later admitted much of his day involved simply “hanging onto Marc’s wheel”. The pair secured the stage victory and vaulted themselves into second on GC.

Yet even amid the reshuffled standings, Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2 quietly strengthened their overall position. Terlouw and Stedman resisted the temptation to overcommit after briefly opening a gap on Iconic, recognising that the long run home still favoured collaboration over risky solo efforts. Their tactical maturity became one of the defining features of the race.

Further back, Bontekoning and Van Zyl grew increasingly cohesive as a partnership, while Wessel Botha and Arno du Toit steadily recovered after spending much of the stage in a chasing group.

The women’s race on Stage 2 perhaps produced the deepest racing of the week. Sanders and Looser once again proved strongest, making their decisive move on Iconic after a largely tactical opening phase. But behind them, the race became a fierce four-team contest marked by crashes, regrouping and tactical alliances.

Willeit crashed during the demanding Umkomaas section but was able to continue. She later praised Swanepoel and Seaman for stopping briefly to check whether she was okay – a reminder of the sportsmanship that still underpins stage racing despite its growing professionalism.

As the race crossed the open roads into Kings Harvest, Fortress Toyota and Cycle Nation Enza Construction combined forces effectively, recognising their shared interest in distancing Du Toit and Kemp before the final stage. Swanepoel and Seaman, in particular, emerged from the Queen Stage as one of the revelations of the race. Seaman, riding only her second major stage race, grew visibly stronger with each day, while Swanepoel’s return to elite racing after motherhood added emotional weight to their performance.

By the time riders rolled out from Jolivet Farm for the final stage to Scottburgh Golf Club, almost every major classification remained under pressure.

Fast and Tactical
The final day delivered exactly what sani2c’s route designers intended – a furious, tactical charge to the coast. Clint’s Climb proved decisive as the leading men’s teams split the race early. Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1 and 2, together with Insect Science Safari Essence, committed fully to the move and rapidly established a gap that no chasing group could close.

Nortje and Joubert launched an all-out assault to recover from the previous day’s mechanical disaster and remarkably clawed their way back onto the final podium. Nortje later reflected that the comeback illustrated why “you never give up in mountain biking.” Meanwhile Botha and Du Toit secured second overall after finally enjoying a clean stage free from mechanical setbacks.

Nortje later reflected that the comeback illustrated why “you never give up in mountain biking.

At the front, however, Stedman and Terlouw never relinquished control. Their consistency across all four days ultimately proved more valuable than individual stage victories. For Stedman in particular, the victory marked another significant milestone in his transition from elite road racing back into top-level marathon mountain biking.

The women’s finale was equally tactical. Sanders and Looser again controlled the decisive moments, attacking roughly 15 kilometres from the finish to avoid a sprint against the rapidly improving Swanepoel and Seaman. Behind them, Fortress Toyota and Cycle Nation Enza Construction fought all the way to the Scottburgh Golf Club fairways, where Swanepoel and Seaman produced a late surge to secure second on the stage and third overall.

For Sanders and Looser, the overall victory reflected not just physical dominance but tactical composure throughout the week. Sanders described sani2c as “one of the most prestigious stage races around”, while Looser emphasised the increasingly high standard of women’s racing throughout the field.

By the time riders crossed the floating bridge and rolled into Scottburgh beside the Indian Ocean, the 2026 KAP sani2c had delivered exactly what has made the event endure for more than two decades – brutally competitive racing balanced by camaraderie, resilience and a uniquely South African stage-racing atmosphere.

General Classification after Stage 3

Men

1. Jaedon Terlouw, Travis Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) – 09:11:30
2. Wessel Botha, Arno du Toit (Insect Science Safari Essence) – 09:14:58
3. Tristan Nortje, Marco Joubert (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 1) – 09:15:19
4. Keagan Bontekoning, Johan van Zyl (Insect Science) – 09:20:56
5. Marc Pritzen, Felix Stehli (Team Honeycomb 226ers) – 09:33:01

Women

1. Vera Looser, Samantha Sanders (Efficient Infiniti Insure) – 11:19:07
2. Cherise Willeit, Ila Stow (Fortress Toyota) – 11:40:09
3. Frances Swanepoel, Rachel Seaman (Cycle Nation Enza Construction) – 11:43:00
4. Danielle du Toit, Roxanne Kemp (Safari Essence Titan Racing) – 12:00:51
5. Kylie Hanekom, Hayley Smith (Bike Hub) – 13:14:54

For full results, visit www.sani2c.co.za

The post Sani2C Wrap: Stedman and Terlouw Secure Title appeared first on Bicycling.

Every person’s answer is unique (although the terms ‘toned’ and ‘muscle definition’ come up a lot), but what they almost universally have in common is wanting to become leaner. In other words, their goal is to change their body composition by losing body fat and gaining lean muscle.

But leaner doesn’t necessarily mean lighter. This distinction is so important, and it’s why I refuse to use the term ‘weight loss’. Words matter much more than we often realise, and just because a phrase is common doesn’t make it accurate. When it comes to ‘weight loss’, it’s important that we get it right.

Weight isn’t just a metric, like max heart rate or respiratory rate. There are no morally loaded associations placed on a person’s average resting heart rate, for example. A lower resting heart rate doesn’t bear relevance to someone’s worth as a human being in our culture.

“For too many of us, that number on the scale becomes entangled with our perception of self-worth.”

Weight is different. What a person weighs is weaponised in our society, stigmatised, used to look down on another person, or to punch down on ourselves. For too many of us, that number on the scale becomes entangled with our perception of self-worth – and that can have damaging consequences. Even in 2026, that entanglement is still loudly reinforced, almost everywhere we look in our culture.

And because weight is different, so is using the term ‘weight loss’. 

Body composition

One of the things I work on with my clients is reframing their thinking around weight. We don’t talk about ‘weight loss’, as mentioned, and I specifically request that new clients stop using the scale for at least three months. Instead, before their first session, we do an InBody scan – a non-invasive body composition analysis that measures various components, such as body fat and muscle mass, using bioelectrical impedance to document their body composition. After three months, we do another scan.

The client who solidified my decision to eliminate ‘weight loss’ from my training lexicon came to me years ago. She was fixated on losing weight and the number on the scale, and it was hard to get her mind around not judging her progress that way. But she promised to try.

She followed the training programme I gave her to the letter. She overhauled her nutrition, and focused on intuitive eating instead of counting calories. She made sure she had enough protein and water daily, cut out added sugars, started getting at least seven hours of sleep each night, and learned ways to manage her stress levels. Over time, she got stronger and had more energy. She felt great, mentally and physically. In short, she was crushing it.

At the three-month mark, she gave in and weighed herself at home. When she arrived for her next session, she was in tears – completely defeated. Why? Because after working so hard, her weight hadn’t really budged. She was frustrated, angry and painfully disappointed.

I asked her if she’d like to do a new body composition scan. I had witnessed her progress, and I knew that her body weight wasn’t telling the full story. Her initial response was, “What’s the point?” But she eventually agreed, and together we looked at her initial and current body composition reports side by side.

And there it was: she had lost 1.4kg of fat and added about 1.8kg of muscle. The report also detailed the body fat loss and muscle gain in her arms, legs and torso. Later that day, she texted me to say she’d tried on a pair of jeans that hadn’t fit when she started training. Not only did they now fit, they were comfortably loose. In other words, she was much leaner, which was ultimately what she meant by ‘losing weight’. But because her weight hadn’t actually changed, she thought she’d failed.

Positive change

‘Losing weight’ is generally thrown around as a catch-all term that boils a complex subject down to a soundbite. Our bodies, goals and lives are far more layered than that. If someone comes to me for ‘weight loss’, it’s important that we unpack what the idea really means to that person. Once the layers are peeled back, it’s seldom – if ever – about simply seeing a smaller number on the scale.

Don’t get me wrong; body-change goals aren’t a negative thing, and if the body-neutrality movement has taught us anything, it’s that however we want to change – or not change – it’s our choice. If body composition change is your goal, my advice is to ditch your scale and stop basing your progress on bodyweight alone. Instead, settle into the understanding that body composition change is a long-term, ‘change the way you live’ thing, not a three-month ‘drop 5kg by summer’ tick-box exercise. 

The most important question is: what do you want to feel like in your body? Ultimately, that’s the goal that will serve you best.

This article first appeared on bicycling.com

The post I’m A Personal Trainer. Here’s Why I Don’t Tell My Clients To Lose Weight. appeared first on Bicycling.

We chatted – well, they chatted while I huffed and puffed a few responses in their general direction – before I veered off onto a trail that I always intended to take and in no way was a last-minute decision to save face while sputtering and spluttering next to the e-bikers. I rationalised my actions internally, telling myself it was too hot to be riding at this time of day, that my bike was the wrong shade of dark blue for summer cycling, and that the emotional distress of paying euro prices for a beer in Cape Town all affected my ability to climb.

“It dawned on me then that cyclists would make excellent politicians.”

It dawned on me then that cyclists would make excellent politicians. After all, we’re experts at lying to ourselves – and others – for personal benefit. We’re master manipulators of our own truth. We’re outstanding obfuscators of the facts. We’re fantastic fibbers. We’re deliriously delusional when it comes to our abilities and limits. We’re our own happy hype-squad.

How many times on a group ride have you heard the ailing member of the peloton offer an excuse like, “Sorry guys, my daughter washed my bike with salt water from her beach bucket, so none of my gears will change.”

Or, “I’m not sure what’s wrong. I feel great, but my power is down. It’s probably the pollen in the air coupled with the moon’s waxing gibbous phase. I’ll be stronger when it’s back to a waning crescent.”

One of the (many) criticisms I receive from my wife is that I never tell her the full story when we’re on a ride together. She’s a planner, and I’m a hopeless wing-it type. You can imagine how these philosophies collide in everyday life, but when it comes to cycling, it’s positively catastrophic. It usually boils over on a long ride, when one of us is taking strain (not me) and the other is feeling fine (me). My wife will ask something like, “How much longer is this climb?” and I, having no clue how long the climb is, will respond assertively that, “There’s just one more corner to go.” When that corner has come and gone, and the climb keeps rising, a stony silence descends on proceedings.

Over time, I’ve come to realise that I am far more willing to try and hoodwink myself and my ride partners than face the reality of a never-ending climb. I am happy to fudge the truth for momentary peace. (Yes, all linked to childhood trauma – blah blah, thanks.)

It was too much for my wife, who now seeks new sporting pastures. I have taken to riding with my child. “How much further until we can have a milkshake, dad?”

“Not far now, my girl. Just one more corner to go…”

The post The Lies Cyclists Tell To Themselves appeared first on Bicycling.

Bringing Real Elevation Indoors

Developed by Garmin, the Tacx Alpine introduces something that’s long been missing from indoor riding: the feeling of true elevation change. Instead of simply adjusting resistance, it physically raises and lowers the front of the bike to mirror gradients, simulating climbs of up to 25% and descents down to -10%.

The result is a ride that feels noticeably closer to being on the road — particularly when gradients start to bite.

A More Dynamic Indoor Ride

Paired with the Tacx NEO 2T or Tacx NEO 3M, the system adds a layer of movement that makes indoor sessions feel less rigid and more natural. There’s a subtle but important difference when the bike shifts beneath you on a climb, encouraging you out of the saddle, or to shift back in your saddle on a descent. It’s a more natural rhythm that better reflects outdoor riding.

For riders facing a winter block of base training, structured sessions, or simply want to keep fit over winter, that added realism can make a tangible difference to keeping you engaged on the bike.

Key benefits include:

• More realistic climbing stimulus for strength and endurance
• Reduced monotony during longer indoor sessions
• Improved body movement and positioning on gradients
• Greater motivation through interactive and immersive riding

Training, Routes and Integration

The Tacx Alpine integrates with the Tacx Training app and Garmin Connect, allowing riders to follow structured workouts, join virtual group rides or load route videos from around the world.

What you can expect:

• Automatic or manual gradient adjustments during rides
• Virtual steering functionality (with compatible apps)
• Access to immersive route videos and training plans
• Post-ride performance tracking and analysis

In a season where motivation can dip, that sense of progression and interaction is can make all the difference.

A Considered Investment

At R 23 999.00, the Tacx Alpine sits firmly in the premium category. But for riders committed to maintaining consistency through winter, it offers a more engaging way to build climbing strength and overall conditioning — without needing to brave the elements.

Click here for more info.

The post Bring Climbing Indoors with the Garmin Tacx Alpine appeared first on Bicycling.

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A doctor, cycling coach, three-time Cape Epic finisher and Marathon MTB World Champs participant, Freitas gave almost every endurance sport a go before settling on life as a cyclist (with a ‘sideline’ in medicine). “After studying, I went to East London for community service,” she says. “It’s an Ironman town, so I got sucked into that community. Then I ended up in Port Elizabeth, so it was only natural to do the full Ironman!

At the time, Freitas was working, studying and training. “I would be on call on a Friday night, finish in the morning, then go for a ride. I’d be back at work on Saturday afternoon, get home early Sunday morning, sleep for around six hours and then do my long run in the late afternoon. 

“Stairs were always an issue on the Monday morning – as were any patients, if I needed to crouch down to examine them!” 

Unsurprisingly, in trying to maintain this schedule, Freitas had a cycling epiphany. “I decided triathlon was too much, so I focused on cycling again.” Now, she says, her biggest challenge while working as a medical doctor at Cape Sports Medicine, and as a coach at Science2Sport, is following her own advice. 

“Before, when I raced a lot, I would just show up and go for it. I can’t exactly do that anymore, when I’m telling people to do the opposite!”

I take my coffee black, most of the time; unless I’m out riding. Then I have a flat white.

I’d love to go for a ride in Girona. Everyone – every professional cyclist – is there. Science2Sport has a lab there, too. I’ve been to Spain, but I’ve never ridden there, and I want to see what it’s all about. 

The secret to happiness is balance. And making time for your bicycle. You have to prioritise your mental health and happiness. I ride early in the morning to ensure that.

My greatest exhilaration comes from successfully riding a technically difficult descent that scares me – that feeling that you know you’re capable of more than you think you are.

My biggest fear is that same scenario, but not doing it successfully! And then ending up with a broken collarbone, which means I can’t ride or work, and I have to explain to all my patients what happened… 

A moment of pure clarity comes from travel. I get those moments if I’ve travelled to a foreign country, or somewhere totally different. (Especially bike-packing. I really enjoy bike-packing.) You arrive somewhere at night, you look at all the lights, look around without distractions; and you realise that you’re so lucky to be in that moment, in that place, at that time.

When I wake up I want to sleep more!

I rage against Well… it’s more sadness than rage, but it makes me sad that so many motorists have such a deep hatred of cyclists, and they don’t want to share the road with us. Victim blaming is something that people do; but when someone has passed away, and you’re still blaming them… that makes me really sad.

I wish we could get more girls to carry on riding after school, when they enter university or the workplace. There are a lot of girls in that high-school age group, but we lose them. Cycling is such a great sport; it gives you confidence and the opportunity to see your country and the world. 

The post Dr Nicola Freitas on Finding the Balance Between Medicine and the Bike appeared first on Bicycling.

You’ll need these everyday, household items to clean your bike:

1. Clean rags or old cotton T-shirts
2. Bottle brushes
3. Scrub brushes
4. Bucket
5. Soft, square-head brush for wheels
6. Garden hose with trigger-style spray head
7. Degreaser
8. Sponges
9. Dish soap

The Dos and Don’ts

DO
• Recycle your dish sponges. You’ll get another couple of months out of them on bike-wash duty.
• Floss with a clean rag between chain rings, cogs, and other hard-to-reach places.
• Be committed. A clean bike rides better and lasts longer.

Step 1: Chain
“Apply a degreaser and turn the cranks backward so the product gets on every link,” says Mike. “Then go have an espresso while it does its thing for 5 to 10 minutes.” Rinse with a gentle stream of water from the hose. If the chain is still grimy, apply small drops of dish soap like you would a lube, grip the chain in the rough side of your sponge, then turn the cranks for several rotations. Rinse.

Step 2: Drivetrain
Dip a stiff-bristled brush into one of your pre-filled buckets and scrub the chain rings. “Use a bottle brush or toothbrush to get into crevices around the teeth, pulleys, and rings,” Mike says. Rinse with a gentle stream of water and repeat if you still see any lingering crud. Next, grab your rear wheel and drip dish soap onto the cassette, scrub, then rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Step 3: Frame
Dip a clean, soft sponge into your second (fresh) bucket. Soap up the frame, working your way from front to back. “Be methodical so you remember what you’ve done,” Mike says. Rinse. If you have caliper brakes, clean the pads with the abrasive side of the sponge.

Step 4: Wheels
“I use softer and bigger brushes for tyres and rims so they get into crevices with less effort,” Mike says. Dunk your brush into the bucket you used for your frame. Starting at the valve, scrub all the way around the wheel, hit the spokes and hub, then flip the wheel to get the opposite side. Repeat on the other wheel. Rinse. (If you have disc brakes, use the soft side of a clean sponge with soap and water on rotors.)

The post A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Bike appeared first on Bicycling.