In the final of our four-part reveal of the results of the 2023 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin, we examine gear choices. There was a total of 2467 respondents. Here’s a look at the preferences South African mountain bikers have for helmets, shoes, eyewear, clothing and other gear selections, with comparisons to previous years where relevant.
What brand of helmet do you currently ride with?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 19.11% | 18.84% | 19.44% | 17.98% |
| SCOTT | 13.89% | 12.00% | 11.89% | 10.81% |
| Giro | 10.08% | 11.53% | 11.36% | 12.18% |
| Bell | 6.77% | 9.03% | 10.80% | 13.30% |
| Bontrager | 6.18% | 4.55% | 4.45% | 3.57% |
| Leatt | 5.50% | 6.19% | 4.58% | 2.65% |
| Fox | 4.95% | 4.38% | 4.22% | 4.39% |
| Rudy Project | 4.23% | 5.85% | 7.67% | 8.78% |
| POC | 2.92% | 2.67% | 2.79% | 1.70% |
| Kask | 2.75% | 2.56% | 2.39% | 2.33% |
| First Ascent | 2.21% | 2.77% | 3.22% | 3.47% |
| UVEX | 2.66% | 3.15% | 3.09% | 3.77% |
| Oakley | 2.50% | 1.03% | 0.66% | – |
| MET | 2.28% | 1.74% | 1.46% | 2.39% |
| Lazer | 2.16% | 1.68% | 2.16% | 1.93% |
| Abus | 2.07% | 1.95% | 1.26% | – |
| Giant | 0.97% | 0.96% | 0.80% | – |
| Smith | 0.93% | – | – | – |
| Titan Racing | 0.76% | 1.03% | 0.60% | – |
| Catlike | 0.72% | 1.20% | 1.56% | 2.39% |
| IXS | 0.72% | 0.85% | 0.70% | – |
| 100% | 0.50% | – | – | – |
| Other | 14.27% | 6.05% | 4.90% | 8.36% |
Specialized retained its top spot, while SCOTT and Bontrager saw good increases in marketshare. Giro, Bell and Leatt all dropped slightly as most other brands saw small improvements. Smith and 100% entered the top 20.
What brand of eyewear do you currently ride with?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakley | 45.47% | 42.95% | 39.97% | 37.05% |
| Rudy Project | 11.47% | 11.49% | 14.02% | 15.13% |
| D’Arcs | 7.78% | 8.52% | 8.34% | 8.65% |
| Rockbros | 4.52% | 3.73% | 1.54% | – |
| 100% | 4.43% | 3.66% | 3.85% | 2.88% |
| Adidas | 3.56% | 3.80% | 4.98% | 6.03% |
| Ocean | 3.47% | 4.00% | 4.65% | 5.90% |
| UVEX | 3.39% | 3.11% | 3.19% | 4.91% |
| Bondi Blu | 2.34% | 1.88% | 2.39% | 2.69% |
| 30 South | 1.95% | 2.50% | 3.10% | – |
| Prescription | 1.91% | – | – | – |
| Scicon | 0.73% | – | – | – |
| Alba Optics | 0.47% | – | – | – |
| Sofia Moda | 0.47% | – | – | – |
| Pit Viper | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Other | 7.47% | 14.36% | 12.97% | 16.76% |
Because a fair chunk of respondents list ‘Prescription’ each year, we added it to the featured brands list. We also added a few other brands that got at least 10 mentions this year. Oakley remains the dominant brand in this category, increasing its market share even more, while 100% moved into the top five for the first time. A total of 93 brands were mentioned, some fashion brands.
Do you ride/race with an undergarment?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Only when it’s cold | 53.18% | 54.14% | 57.84% | 55.75% |
| Yes, in all weather | 15.97% | 14.57% | 11.93% | 10.74% |
| No | 30.85% | 31.23% | 30.23% | 33.51% |
What brand of jersey do you race/ride with currently?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciovita | 42.41% | 35.98% | 29.87% | 22.29% |
| First Ascent | 9.40% | 10.70% | 11.59% | 14.39% |
| Anatomic | 6.18% | 8.04% | 10.56% | 15.08% |
| Fox | 4.02% | 4.34% | 3.59% | 4.48% |
| Enjoy | 3.17% | 3.86% | 3.69% | 5.67% |
| Specialized | 3.13% | 3.08%s | 3.46% | 4.89% |
| Leatt | 2.75% | 2.74% | 2.09% | 0.71% |
| Assos | 1.86% | 1.92% | 1.96% | 2.56% |
| Cape Storm | 1.77% | 1.81% | 2.69% | 4.24% |
| Castelli | 1.65% | 1.40% | 1.76% | 1.77% |
| Van H | 1.65% | 2.02% | 1.23% | 0.47% |
| Panda | 1.44% | 1.87% | 1.83% | 1.88% |
| Maxed | 1.39% | 0.96% | 1.36% | 1.57% |
| Race Pace | 1.35% | 1.27% | 1.10% | 0.41% |
| VYE | 1.27% | 0.85% | 0.86% | 0.58% |
| F-Tech | 0.97% | 1.56% | 2.03% | 3.59% |
| Rapid Sports | 0.88% | 0.65% | 0.76% | 0.44% |
| Lassen | 0.80% | 0.99% | 1.03% | 1.23% |
| SCOTT | 0.80% | 0.75% | 1.10% | 0.75% |
| Velotex | 0.76% | 1.23% | 1.63% | 2.05% |
| Monton | 0.76% | – | – | – |
| OTR | 0.72% | 1.20% | 0.63% | 0.58% |
| Kalas | 0.63% | 0.79% | – | – |
| Rapha | 0.50% | – | – | – |
| Other | 9.61% | 12.49% | 11.76% | 5.98% |
Ciovita continues its remarkable dominance, taking another 6% market share, with both of its main rival brands – First Ascent and Anatomic – losing a bit. Established brand, Rapha, and new (to us) brand, Monton, entered the top 20. This is a very competitive segment as more than 100 jersey brands were mentioned in the responses.
Which style of shorts do you prefer?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bib-shorts | 62.25% | 62.79% | 60.90% | 59.71% |
| Regular cycling shorts | 17.97% | 14.88% | 15.51% | 16.84% |
| Baggy shorts with own padded liner | 10.08% | 11.35% | 11.66% | 12.32% |
| Baggy shorts over Lycra cycling shorts | 9.70% | 10.98% | 11.93% | 11.14% |
Regular cycling shorts increased a bit, which indicates more women or more newcomers took our survey – or both.
What brand of shorts OR bib-shorts do you ride with currently?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciovita | 35.30% | 27.39% | 20.20% | 13.97% |
| Assos | 11.86% | 14.16% | 15.25% | 14.53% |
| First Ascent | 11.19% | 12.76% | 14.88% | 16.31% |
| Specialized | 4.15% | 3.90% | 4.55% | 5.51% |
| Indola | 3.18% | 4.27% | 5.08% | 5.41% |
| Fox | 3.18% | 4.14% | 3.79% | 4.16% |
| Castelli | 3.14% | 3.18% | 3.32% | 2.74% |
| Maxed | 2.58% | 1.78% | 1.30% | 1.85% |
| Leatt | 2.08% | 1.64% | 1.59% | 0.69% |
| Anatomic | 1.95% | 2.98% | 4.09% | 6.87% |
| Cape Storm | 1.61% | 1.95% | 2.72% | 4.79% |
| Enjoy | 1.48% | 1.61% | 1.59% | 1.94% |
| Panda | 1.10% | 1.16% | 1.40% | 0.79% |
| Van H | 1.06% | 1.09% | 0.88% | – |
| Endura | 1.06% | 0.89% | 1.16% | 1.65% |
| Pearl Izumi | 0.85% | 0.85% | 1.13% | 1.32% |
| Vye | 0.85% | 0.58% | 0.60% | 0.42% |
| Velotex | 0.81% | 1.09% | 1.33% | 1.51% |
| F-Tech | 0.72% | 0.96% | 1.06% | 1.98% |
| OTR | 0.64% | 0.51% | 0.37% | – |
| Giordana | 0.59% | 0.96% | 0.56% | 0.79% |
| Lassen | 0.47% | 0.72% | 0.76% | 0.56% |
| Kalas | 0.42% | 0.58% | – | – |
| Other | 9.07% | 10.2% | 9.07% | 6.11% |
There was a total of 111 brands were mentioned by respondents in this question! Ciovita continues to charge ahead grabbing another 7% in a year! Assos and First Ascent both dropped, but remain firmly in second and third respectively.
What brand of socks do you ride with currently?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versus | 33.31% | 33.96% | 32.39% | 30.89% |
| Sox Footwear | 22.03% | 19.15% | 13.36% | 7.76% |
| Falke | 14.79% | 20.21% | 26.28% | 32.59% |
| Ciovita | 5.38% | 1.33% | – | – |
| I Love Boobies | 4.28% | 2.77% | 2.52% | 1.77% |
| Grumpy Monkey | 3.43% | 3.90% | 5.51% | 4.52% |
| Specialized | 2.33% | 2.26% | 2.96% | 2.98% |
| Cycle Lab | 1.69% | 1.95% | 1.46% | 1.80% |
| Fox | 1.19% | 0.92% | 0.96% | 1.34% |
| First Ascent | 0.97% | 1.37% | 0.90% | 0.98% |
| Shimano | 0.81% | 0.92% | 0.93% | 1.47% |
| Wattz | 0.64% | 0.75% | 0.80% | 1.70% |
| DeFeet | 0.42% | 0.44% | 0.53% | 0.49% |
| Other | 8.72% | 8.16% | 8.04% | 7.83% |
Four brands now hold 75% of the sock market share. Versus remains in top spot, but Sox has now moved into second above Falke. Ciovita has moved quickly upwards in its second year in this category.
What brand of shoe do you wear currently?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 22.38% | 24.08% | 24.98% | 23.25% |
| SCOTT | 12.27% | 11.63% | 10.00% | 8.74% |
| Shimano | 12.02% | 12.48% | 13.32% | 13.06% |
| Bontrager | 6.70% | 5.78% | 4.95% | 4.99% |
| Giro | 6.62% | 6.40% | 7.57% | 8.47% |
| First Ascent | 5.19% | 4.45% | 3.79% | 4.72% |
| Leatt | 4.44% | 3.37% | 1.93% | 0.73% |
| SIDI | 4.27% | 4.51% | 5.55% | 5.12% |
| Louis Garneau | 2.38% | 3.45% | 4.29% | 6.06% |
| Lake | 2.17% | 1.50% | 1.40% | 1.45% |
| Ryder | 2.13% | 2.15% | 2.33% | 2.81% |
| Fizik | 2.09% | 2.80% | 2.43% | 2.34% |
| Olympic | 1.46% | 2.09% | 2.23% | 3.88% |
| 5Ten | 1.38% | 1.68% | 2.03% | 2.54% |
| Ride Concept | 1.13% | 1.16% | 0.96% | 0.46% |
| Maxed | 1.13% | 0.96% | 1.16% | 1.37% |
| FLR | 1.13% | 0.65% | 0.73% | 0.63% |
| Cape Storm | 1.04% | 0.92% | 1.59% | 2.07% |
| Adidas | 0.88% | 0.58% | 1.00% | 1.70% |
| Gaerne | 0.71% | 1.27% | 1.00% | 0.43% |
| GTL | 0.62% | – | – | – |
| Other | 7.75% | 5.95% | 5.22% | 2.54% |
Specialized remains the most popular shoe brand, but lost a little more of its market share, while SCOTT moved above Shimano into second spot. Bontrager, First Ascent, Leat, Lake and FLR all enjoyed small increases in market share. GTL entered the top 20 as a few other brands dropped out. There were 56 brands mentioned by respondents.
What brand of gloves do you wear currently?
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 18.18% | 17.99% | 18.04% | 18.07% |
| Fox | 14.28% | 13.99% | 13.19% | 13.82% |
| Giro | 11.06% | 11.01% | 12.89% | 14.06% |
| First Ascent | 8.35% | 7.42% | 6.91% | 8.51% |
| Leatt | 6.23% | 6.29% | 5.22% | 3.09% |
| Louis Garneau | 5.97% | 6.67% | 6.84% | 8.20% |
| SCOTT | 4.45% | 4.82% | 4.39% | 5.89% |
| 100% | 3.98% | 3.32% | 2.16% | 1.02% |
| Ryder | 3.90% | 3.35% | 3.09% | 3.67% |
| Ciovita | 3.35% | 3.25% | 0.66% | – |
| Bontrager | 2.58% | 2.22% | 2.39% | 2.65% |
| Lizzard | 1.78% | 2.05% | 2.56% | 2.43% |
| Maxed | 1.74% | 1.20% | 1.50% | 0.47% |
| Giant | 1.69% | 2.60% | 3.19% | 4.73% |
| Cyclo-Gel | 1.65% | 2.19% | 1.93% | 0.44% |
| Cape Storm | 1.27% | 1.20% | 1.26% | 3.09% |
| Other | 9.53% | 10.43% | 9.67% | 5.48% |
Specialized retains a firm grip on the glove brand popularity, while Fox maintains its second spot with another small increase. Giro maintains its third spot, while First Ascent, 100%, Ryder, Ciovita, Bontrager, Maxed and Cape Storm all experienced small increases.
What is your hydration preferences when riding/racing?
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| I only use bottles | 47.71% | 54.86% |
| I only use a hydration pack | 7.03% | 5.92% |
| I use bottles & a hydration pack | 45.25% | 39.23% |
We added this question last year due to the growing presence of hydration packs. In 12 months, the use of hydration packs has increased even more.
If you use a hydration pack, which brand do you use?
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Camelbak | 49.13% | 47.86 |
| USWE | 28.25% | 19.31% |
| First Ascent | 5.22% | 6.64% |
| K-Way | 3.34% | 1.52% |
| Maxed | 2.57% | 2.59% |
| Osprey | 2.23% | 2.29% |
| Decathlon | 2.16% | 0.99% |
| Cape Storm | 1.88% | 1.37% |
| EVOC | 1.46% | 0.76% |
| Thule | 1.39% | 2.74% |
| Leatt | 1.18% | 1.45% |
| Salomon | 1.18% | 0.83% |
| Other | 6.54% | 11.60% |
Camelbak increased its dominance in a category it essentially created and USWE experienced a significant leap in market share.
Do you ride with body protection gear?
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Yes, always | 2.54% |
| No | 87.42% |
| Only for high-risk rides/events | 10.04% |
With the growing popularity of Enduro and Downhill, we added this question for the first time. We will watch it with interest over the next few years as the younger generation enters the primary consumer market.
If you ride with protection gear, which brand do you use?
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Leatt | 50.54% |
| G-Form | 26.37% |
| Specialized | 4.67% |
| POC | 3.29% |
| Ion | 2.19% |
| SCOTT | 1.37% |
| 7IPD | 1.09% |
| IXS | 0.82% |
| Oakley | 0.82% |
| Troy Lee Designs | 0.82% |
| Alpine Stars | 0.82% |
| Addo | 0.27% |
| Icon | 0.27% |
| Race Face | 0.27% |
A total of 364 answered gave their brand name preferences for this question.
Did you miss the first three parts of the reveals to the 2023 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin? Well, here are the links:
Part 1: 2023 SA MOUNTAIN BIKING SURVEY: THE RESULTS!
Part 2: SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP MTB, GRAVEL AND EBIKE BRANDS
Part 3: PERFORMANCE DEVICES FAVOURED BY SA MOUNTAIN BIKERS
