Cycling Cape Town -Frequently Asked Questions
How long will we be riding for each day?
Do I have to be fit?
What kind of bike will I need?
What gear should I bring?
Flat pedals or SPDs (MTB)?
Do I have to bring my own bike?
Can I rent a bike?
Will I be able to get spares?
What can I expect from the riding?
How hard is the riding really going to be?
Do I have to ride everyday?
Is there a support vehicle?
Will my bike be safe in the evenings?
Will I be safe in the evenings?!
I am planning to travel alone - can I still book?
What qualifications do your guides have?
Are there other things to do if not all our party cycle?
What qualifications do your guides have?
Insurance - can you recommend any?
Transfers?
What sort of weather conditions can I expect?
How much does food and beer cost?
Can I take my bike on the plane?
Getting here?
When are you open?
Do I need a visa?
Not found an answer to your questions?
How long will we be riding for each day?
Most of our mountain biking days will be split up into a 2-3 hour ride in the morning followed by a lunch and then a 1-2 hour ride in the afternoon if you’re feeling up to it. The road ride days are much longer (see the Road Itinerary for approximate riding times) but all our South Africa bike rides will leave you with a huge tired grin on your face!
Do I have to be fit?
If you ride regularly, for example every other weekend then you should be fine. We do our best to place you in a group with similar skills and fitness and you can trust us that you will be a lot fitter and ride faster than when you arrived!
If you are technically good then you will love cycling Cape Town trails. If you are less experienced then you will become more so – the variation in terrain types really does cater for all.
We offer different Cape Town cycling holidays for different fitness levels during the year. From relative beginners to epic Pro training rides in the off season. Look out for our special tours based around the best South Africa bike races around the country.
What kind of bike will I need?
A light weight full suspension bike of 4 to 6 inches of travel will treat you well. However, guests come out on everything from single speed flat-barred XC hardtails to 7 inch freeride rigs. We (the guides) ride mostly on hardtails or trailbikes with disc brakes.
Tubeless tyres are preferable and if you are using tubes bring along a few spares with sealant in them - the thorns can be nasty in some areas, at certain times of the year.
We highly recommend that you service your bike at your local bike store before your going on a South Africa bike holiday to ensure you don’t lose out on any riding.
What riding gear should I bring?
- Helmets are compulsory.
- We don’t generally wear body armour while XC riding. But if you are keen to do some more hardcore riding and jumping then bring along whatever you have.
- For the less experienced riders, we recommend investing in some shin guards (you can buy them here) - they give you huge amounts of confidence when you are trying new, challenging terrain.
- Sunglasses (for riding and driving) are highly recommended - it’s super bright here!
- Riding shoes and sun protection of at least SPF30 (you will still get an amazing tan!)
- Any spares that are unique to your bike or that you think you might battle to find here.
- Gloves
- Hydration pack and your favourite energy juice.
Flat pedals or SPDs (MTB)?
Bring both if you have. If you normally ride clipped in, our trips are a great chance to learn how to ride with flats. We have great places to learn to jump and a range of North shore options to learn on. The great thing about these options are that you don’t get intimidated into riding beyond your means. The key is “baby steps”!
Do I have to bring my own bike?
No – but we recommend it. People always know their own bikes implicitly and get the best out of the riding offered if they use their own bikes. It is worth the hassle of airline transport! We do offer bike hire if you need.
Can I rent a bike?
Yes – We have a small fleet of well looked after bikes for hire depending on your preference. Let us know what pedals you normally use. Have a look at our Bike Hire to see what is available.
Will I be able to get spares?
Definitely. We have great links with one of the biggest bike stores in Cape Town with a massive range of bikes and parts, and we are great friends with the smallest bike store in Cape Town with great knowledgeable service, amazing wheel building skills and endless bike banter.
What can I expect from the riding?
South Africa is famously known for it’s diverse population as well as it’s incredible fauna and flora - the riding even more so! A bit of everything all bundled up into one experience of a lifetime. You might even get to ride amongst wild animals, it is Africa after all! (lions in the streets etc ;-)
As far as South Africa bike riding goes, you can expect incredible views, isolation, smooth flowing mountain bike specific singletrack with fast bermed corners as well as rocky chutes, gnarly unforgiving terrain, north shore and downhill race tracks if you choose. You can expect the best cycling Cape Town can offer!
How hard is the riding really going to be?
As easy or hard as you want it to be! Generally the smoother trails are also the lower trails so that’s great for XC riding but if you want to experience the more technical, rocky trails with a bit of “Gnar!” then we have to pedal further up the slopes and will tax you more on both the ups and the downs.
As for the road tours, our lead guide is a pro but in our summer she’s here for base training so the rides are generally long and slow paced. Of course, there are some interval days to get your heart rate up and if you want to try and out-sprint her, well… you can try!
Do I have to ride everyday?
No. Your holiday is about YOU! We will ride however much or little as you like. If you choose not to ride on any day, we can suggest a host of other experiences, from lying on the beach to abseiling down the face of Table Mountain.
Is there a support vehicle?
Yes. We have a comfortable, air conditioned van and trailer that will transport you to and from trail heads and supply you with support if necessary.
Will my bike be safe in the evenings?
Absolutely – we endeavour to take as good care of your bikes as we do you! The guest houses we put you up in, have a good understanding of what your bike means to you and often you can keep it in your room. On the road we don’t suggest cycling Cape Town at night.
Will I be safe in the evenings?!
South Africa gets a lot of bad press when it comes to crime - the media here (actually all over) is bent on pessimism and fear-mongering and this is unfortunately the only side of the story that tourists hear about. You will experience first hand how safe this country really is and how friendly the people really are. As the Xhosa proverb says “Ukuhamba kukufunda” (pronounced “Ookoo humba kookoofoonda”)- Travelling is learning.
I am planning to travel alone - can I still book?
Definitely! Our South Africa bike tours are very social in nature and a great way to meet people from around the world. We do offer a single supplement on all our rooms if you wish.
Are there other things to do if not all our party cycle?
Yes. Cape Town is one of the top tourist destinations in the world and we have a massive range of activities and places to see. If your better half doesn’t ride then we can arrange a customised South Africa bike holiday for them that coincides with yours.
What qualifications do your guides have?
THETA registered Adventure guiding qualification (an absolute must in South Africa)
SMBLA - The Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award scheme is recognised as a model of best practice throughout the UK.
First Aid - Wilderness First Aid
By South African Law (Act no. 72 of 1993 + the Tourism Amendment Bill 2001) any Tour Guide must be registered as a tourist guide and must have passed a prescribed training course at an accredited training institution approved by THETA (Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Education & Training Authority)
So before booking always check whether your guide is registered through THETA! This law ensures that tourists receive professional, informative and safe tours and that “fly by night” operators are singled out.
Insurance - can you recommend any?
Travel insurance is essential on any holiday, particularly an adventure holiday. It is a condition of booking with iRide Africa that you have travel insurance which must be effected at the time of booking.
There are a number of insurance providers around that can provide you with a good adventure sports activity insurance.
Transfers?
We’ll pick both you and your bike up from Cape Town International airport - We’ll drop you off as well but you will not want to go back home!
What sort of weather conditions can I expect?
Cape Town has a temperate, Mediterranean climate. September 1st is officially the first day of spring and things really start to hot up toward the end of the month when clear skies and balmy temperatures provide a nice way to ease into the heat of summer. Summer brings sunshine and maximum temperatures of between 19-35 degrees Celsius. Cape Town’s southerly position means summer days are extremely long with sunrise before 5:00am and sunset after 8:30pm at the height of summer!
Cycling Cape Town in our Winter is relatively mild, with July considered the coldest and wettest month. It usually snows in Ceres, a rural hamlet outside of Cape Town in the Western Cape, and locals and tourists alike commute out of the city to take part in the African novelty of snowball fights and snowman building.
You can even book a tour in our winter if you are having a miserable summer in the North. You may have a couple of rainy days during your stay but usually we can escape most of the rain by moving into the mountains and desert. The riding will actually be even better because the soil packs up nicely and becomes way more solid and grippy - and you’ll have the added advantage of seeing Cape Town all green and lush!
What clothes should I bring?
Our weather is pretty mild all year round. That said, we always hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
- We recommend you bring at least 3 sets of riding pants and tops (washing of kit is done at most of our accommodation, except for the really rural ones).
- In the cooler months long tights and arm warmers can keep you warmer.
- Full finger gloves are good but some people find them too hot in summer.
- Bring along a thin outer layer with sweat wicking properties and in winter we would advise on cycling specific waterproof tops… just in case!
- As far as normal clothes go, focus on shorts, comfortable closed shoes and open shoes (slops), t-shirts, thin & warm long sleeve tops and a warm jacket and some long trousers.
How much does food and beer cost in South Africa?
BEER = from £0.9 a bottle in pubs / £1 per Litre in shops!!
FOOD = Way cheaper than the UK or Europe and some of the best food you’ll ever taste. A good main meal in SA costs about ZAR 80 (South African Rands)
Can I take my bike on the plane?
Yes - most major Airline carriers will take bikes (in a box/bag) as 1 piece of your luggage hold allowance. Take note that most airlines charge excess baggage per kilogram. Please check with your airline before packing!
Most bike shops will give you a bike box for free- a dedicated bike bag in a bike box is the best solution.
Getting here?
There are a number of international flights to Cape Town International Airport every day.
When are you open?
The weather is so good here that we are open year-round except for July and August (except for 2010!).
Do I need a visa?
Most countries do not need a visa to visit South Africa. Check with your travel agent or South African consulate in the country in which you reside.
How much money should I bring?
Our Cape Town cyling holidays take such good care of you that you shouldn’t need to bring too much extra money. We suggest you bring about R3000 (check our currency converter at the bottom of our blog page) with you to take care of any dinner expenses, as well as any goodies you might want to buy while you are here. The best option would be to use your credit card whilst here and bring a little cash for ease of use.
There are many foreign exchange branches here and VISA & Mastercard credit cards are widely accepted throughout South Africa in both shops and restaurants.
How can I stay in contact with the world whilst on holiday?
South Africa has a very good mobile phone network so if you have international roaming activated on your phone bring it along. You might, at times be in very remote areas where there will not be signal so don’t expect to be ‘available’ at all times. You can also bring along your phone and just buy a sim card here or use internet shops in the towns/B&Bs.; Be warned that the internet connectivity is quite a bit slower than Europe/UK/America!
Not found an answer to your questions?
We’re sure you may have many other thoughts - please email us your questions and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
“Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling.” James E. Starrs
