In Part 2 of our four-part reveal of the 2025 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin, we focus on bikes. Mountain bikes primarily, obviously, but also a glimpse of eBikes and Gravel Bikes. A total of 2504 took our 70-question survey in December 2025, giving a good idea of bike related patterns and preferences of the South African mountain bike market, including bike brands, bike 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)?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 22.36% | 20.35% | 20.41% | 20.83% | 21.85% | 19.53% | 21.15% |
| SCOTT | 14.50% | 14.59% | 14.93% | 16.20% | 15.35% | 15.14% | 19.80% |
| TREK | 10.28% | 12.33% | 12.13% | 10.04% | 8.01% | 6.40% | 3.06% |
| Giant | 7.23% | 6.68% | 6.90% | 7.03% | 8.89% | 9.49% | 8.91% |
| Titan | 6.14% | 5.80% | 5.23% | 3.72% | 3.22% | 3.64% | 0.99% |
| Cannondale | 5.60% | 6.54% | 6.94% | 6.46% | 7.22% | 6.47% | 7.02% |
| Santa Cruz | 4.38% | 3.47% | 4.02% | 3.11% | 3.41% | 3.15% | 2.97% |
| Pyga | 4.13% | 3.10% | 3.30% | 4.43% | 3.64% | 2.40% | 4.14% |
| Merida | 3.97% | 4.14% | 3.85% | 5.68% | 5.87% | 6.60% | 6.57% |
| Silverback | 3.63% | 4.36% | 3.93% | 5.00% | 5.35% | 8.32% | 5.94% |
| Orbea | 3.13% | 2.84% | 1.80% | 0.84% | – | – | – |
| Momsen | 1.88% | 2.07% | 2.72% | 3.01% | 3.12% | 3.48% | 3.78% |
| Norco | 0.87% | 0.81% | 1.38% | 1.42% | 1.21% | 1.17% | 1.17% |
| GT | 0.66% | 0.70% | 0.59% | 0.78% | 1.08% | 1.59% | 1.53% |
| Yeti | 0.66% | 0.74% | 0.92% | 0.84% | 0.79% | 1.04% | 1.08% |
| Bianchi | 0.58% | 0.37% | 0.50% | 0.74% | 0.75% | 0.49% | 0.72% |
| Canyon | 0.50% | 0.85% | 0.33% | 0.67% | 0.39% | 0.49% | 0.54% |
| Cube | 0.41% | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Liv | 0.41% | 1.14% | 0.96% | 0.67% | 0.39% | – | – |
| KTM | 0.41% | 0.70% | 0.92% | 0.67% | 0.98% | 1.04% | 1.26% |
| Other | 6.47% | 7.53% | 7.65% | 6.83% | 6.21% | 7.03% | 6.04% |
| Other | 7.53% | 7.65% | 6.83% | 6.21% | 7.03% | 6.04% |
Still the same top four brands as the previous year, with Specialized increasing slightly, SCOTT staying pretty much the same and TREK decreasing slightly in market-share percentages. In fourth, Giant also increased slightly over the previous year.
Titan and Cannondale swapped positions (5th and 6th), while Silverback dropped from 7th to 10th.
Santa Cruz (9th to 7th) and Pyga (10th to 8th) both moved up a couple of spots and Merida dropped down one from 8th to 9th. Orbea stayed at 11th but gained a bit of market share and Cube made its presence felt for the first time.
There were 94 bike brands mentioned!
What did your bike cost?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under R10 000 | 3.22% | 4.47% | 4.68% | 3.92% | 4.95% | 6.66% |
| R10 000-R14 999 | 3.85% | 5.72% | 5.02% | 5.85% | 6.50% | 9.36% |
| R15 000-R19 999 | 4.52% | 4.21% | 5.69% | 6.02% | 5.97% | 6.63% |
| R20 000-R24 999 | 4.10% | 4.65% | 4.06% | 4.74% | 5.58% | 6.43% |
| R25 000-R29 999 | 4.31% | 5.02% | 4.18% | 5.41% | 5.38% | 6.53% |
| R30 000-R34 999 | 4.89% | 4.91% | 4.89% | 5.11% | 6.10% | 6.92% |
| R35 000-R39 999 | 3.64% | 4.54% | 4.68% | 4.94% | 6.46% | 6.95% |
| R40 000-R44 999 | 3.43% | 4.43% | 4.98% | 5.58% | 6.17% | 6.08% |
| R45 000-R49 999 | 3.93% | 4.62% | 4.94% | 5.51% | 5.05% | 5.10% |
| R50 000-R54 999 | 5.10% | 4.32% | 4.06% | 4.70% | 4.43% | 4.35% |
| R55 000-R59 999 | 3.01% | 2.92% | 2.97% | 2.88% | 3.31% | 3.41% |
| R60 000-R64 999 | 3.26% | 3.29% | 3.14% | 3.32% | 3.77% | 3.31% |
| R65 000-R69 999 | 2.88% | 2.92% | 3.39% | 2.74% | 4.04% | 3.35% |
| R70 000-R74 999 | 3.30% | 2.95% | 3.76% | 3.48% | 2.82% | 3.09% |
| R75 000-R79 999 | 3.05% | 2.33% | 2.93% | 2.84% | 3.05% | 2.60% |
| R80 000-R84 999 | 3.43% | 3.73% | 4.39% | 4.53% | 3.38% | 2.66% |
| R85 000-R89 999 | 2.88% | 2.58% | 2.63% | 2.88% | 2.85% | 2.08% |
| R90 000-R94 999 | 2.51% | 2.40% | 2.97% | 2.40% | 2.33% | 2.05% |
| R95 000-R99 999 | 2.38% | 2.33% | 2.55% | 2.06% | 2.20% | 1.40% |
| R100 000-R109 999 | 5.43% | 5.24% | 4.39% | 4.50% | 3.74% | 3.28% |
| R110 000-R119 999 | 4.35% | 3.06% | 3.68% | 3.21% | 2.99% | 1.82% |
| R120 000-R129 999 | 4.06% | 3.69% | 3.47% | 2.84% | 2.26% | 1.59% |
| R130 000-R139 999 | 2.55% | 2.66% | 1.59% | 1.59% | 1.64% | 0.94% |
| R140 000-R149 999 | 2.93% | 2.55% | 2.13% | 2.00% | 1.21% | 0.88% |
| R150 000 or more | 13.00% | 10.45% | 8.82% | 6.94% | 3.81% | 2.50% |
The average bike price based on this survey for 2025 is R96 783. That’s rather extreme, but pans out when you see the percentage of bikes that cost more than R100 000 has risen from 11.01% in 2020 to 32.32% in 2025.
Average bike price
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R96 783 | R72 439 | R55 763 | R65 450 | R55 000 | R48 971 |
Which accurately describes your bike best?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It’s a hardtail | 15.01% | 18.35% | 19.36% | 19.59% | 21.42% | 24.34% |
| It’s a full-suspension | 73.08% | 70.31% | 68.93% | 69.42% | 66.47% | 63.80% |
| I own both hardtail and full-suspension bikes | 11.91% | 11.34% | 11.71% | 10.99% | 12.11% | 11.86% |
The hardtail prevalence is diminishing each year…
What wheel size is your mountain bike?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-inch | 91.47% | 90.44% | 90.38% | 90.22% | 89.50% | 86.81% |
| 27.5-inch (650b) | 2.59% | 3.66% | 3.72% | 4.87% | 5.41% | 7.15% |
| 27.5-inch Plus | 0.96% | 1.48% | 1.63% | 0.78% | 1.15% | 1.33% |
| 26-inch | 2.62% | 2.73% | 2.97% | 3.32% | 3.94% | 4.71% |
| Mullet | 2.34% | 1.70% | 1.30% | 0.81% | – | – |
Confirmation that South Africa is still the 29-inch wheel capital of the world…
Which component brand does your mountain bike mostly have on it?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRAM | 49.50% | 45.09% | 42.95% | 43.34% | 39.11% | 36.04% |
| Shimano | 34.03% | 37.19% | 39.82% | 38.02% | 42.06% | 45.40% |
| Shimano/SRAM mix | 15.18% | 15.44% | 15.81% | 17.59% | 17.88% | 17.52% |
| Other | 1.30% | 2.29% | 1.42% | 1.05% | 0.95% | 1.04% |
After a slight drop the previous year, carbon-fibre regained its momentum.
How many chainrings does your mountain bike have?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 chainring | 88.92% | 88.12% | 81.81% | 82.31% | 74.87% | 67.99% |
| 2 chainrings | 6.90% | 9.01% | 12.05% | 10.89% | 15.41% | 19.24% |
| 3 chainrings | 4.18% | 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 single-chainring drivetrains.
Which component brand does your mountain bike mostly have on it?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRAM | 49.50% | 45.09% | 42.95% | 43.34% | 39.11% | 36.04% |
| Shimano | 34.03% | 37.19% | 39.82% | 38.02% | 42.06% | 45.40% |
| Shimano/SRAM mix | 15.18% | 15.44% | 15.81% | 17.59% | 17.88% | 17.52% |
| Other | 1.30% | 2.29% | 1.42% | 1.05% | 0.95% | 1.04% |
After a brief ‘dip’ in 2023, SRAM appears to be continuing with its mountain bike segment momentum in South Africa.
Which brand is your brakeset?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shimano | 50.25% | 51.40% |
| SRAM | 38.55% | 35.30% |
| Magura | 3.64% | 2.95% |
| Tektro | 1.34% | 2.33% |
| Formula | 0.67% | 1.37% |
| Hope | 1.17% | 1.33% |
| TRP | 0.33% | 0.59% |
| Hayes | 0.17% | 0.15% |
| I don’t know | 2.84% | 3.80% |
| Other | 1.05% | 0.78% |
Hard to see a pattern after just two years of analysis, but with most mountain bikes OEM-specced with SRAM or Shimano, the dominance of these brands isn’t surprising.
Which type of pedal do you ride with?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleat pedal (clip-in) | 83.40% | 82.75% | 81.97% | 82.24% | 84.48% | 82.52% |
| Flat pedal | 11.29% | 12.48% | 12.25% | 11.64% | 8.66% | 10.59% |
| I use both | 5.31% | 4.76% | 5.77% | 6.12% | 6.86% | 6.89% |
If you have a suspension fork, what brand is it?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| RockShox | 53.55% | 49.37% |
| FOX | 30.37% | 31.86% |
| Cannondale Lefty | 4.16% | 4.96% |
| DT Swiss | 1.35% | 1.12% |
| Ohlins | 1.26% | 1.08% |
| Manitou | 1.01% | 1.34% |
| X-Fusion | 0.50% | 0.67% |
| I’m not sure | 4.96% | 6.71% |
| Other | 2.82% | 2.91% |
RockShox remains the leading brand of suspension fork, gaining some market share over the previous year.
If you have a rear shock, what brand is it?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| RockShox | 45.40% | 40.52% |
| FOX | 39.42% | 42.21% |
| X-Fusion | 2.29% | 3.68% |
| DT Swiss | 2.15% | 1.56% |
| Ohlins | 0.98% | 0.68% |
| Manitou | 0.37% | 0.30% |
| I’m not sure | 6.35% | 8.11% |
| Other | 3.04% | 2.96% |
What brand of tyre do you prefer?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxxis | 59.23% | 57.39% | 58.72% | 59.74% | 57.32% | 57.72% |
| Specialized | 14.13% | 12.11% | 12.84% | 13.02% | 12.93% | 12.38% |
| Vittoria | 8.94% | 8.71% | 8.24% | 8.66% | 9.81% | 9.94% |
| Schwalbe | 7.10% | 6.72% | 6.82% | 6.39% | 6.30% | 4.87% |
| Bontrager | 2.29% | 3.99% | 3.85% | 3.59% | 2.82% | 3.22% |
| Continental | 1.58% | 2.62% | 2.93% | 3.04% | 4.07% | 4.94% |
| Pirelli | 1.42% | 1.37% | 1.21% | 1.05% | 0.69% | 0.29% |
| Kenda | 1.29% | 1.22% | 1.17% | 0.68% | 1.21% | 0.97% |
| Goodyear | 1.25% | 1.11% | 0.67% | 0.27% | – | – |
| Tufo | 0.91% | 1.40% | 0.70% | – | – | – |
| Hutchinson | 0.62% | 0.21% | 0.27% | – | – | – |
| WTB | 0.20% | 0.25% | 0.41% | 0.39% | 0.75% | – |
| CST | 0.16% | 0.13% | 0.17% | 0.33% | 0.45% | – |
| Michelin | 0.16% | 0.08% | 0.30% | 0.33% | 0.45% | – |
| Other | 0.45% | 2.76% | 1.31% | 0.95% | 1.86% | 0.78% |
| 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% |
Maxxis retains its position as the most dominant tyre brand by far. Specialized remains a distant second, but grabbed a bit more market share – the most it’s had in the past six years.
Does your mountain bike have a dropper seatpost?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes and I use it all the time | 50.17% | 46.31% | 42.79% | 41.37% |
| No | 37.08% | 42.58% | 46.76% | 50.51% |
| Yes, but I don’t really use it | 12.75% | 11.12% | 10.46% | 8.12% |
Pleasing to see the continued increase in dropper-post possession and use. That 12.75% group don’t know how much their riding could improve if they just pushed the button/lever…
Do you own an eBike?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 17.27% | 13.37% | 12.67% | 9.94% |
| No | 79.68% | 83.75% | 83.40% | 86.36% |
| I plan to buy one soon | 2.34% | 2.36% | 3.14% | 3.21% |
| Other | 0.71% | 0.52% | 0.79% | 0.47% |
eBike ownership continues to increase. To be expected with this growing segment.
If you own an eBike, what brand do you have?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 35.72% | 26.41% | 28.74% | 44.89% |
| TREK | 15.22% | 15.12% | 15.13% | 12.58% |
| SCOTT | 12.89% | 10.75% | 11.49% | 10,20% |
| Giant/Liv | 10.35% | 9.29% | 8.24% | 11.22% |
| Santa Cruz | 4.01% | 2.55% | 3.45% | 1.70% |
| Pyga | 3.80% | 1.64% | 1.15% | 2.72% |
| Titan | 3.59% | 0.73% | 1.15% | 0.68% |
| Cannondale | 3.17% | 2.73% | 2.11% | 1.70% |
| Orbea | 2.32% | 4.37% | 1.34% | 2.72% |
| Bianchi | 2.11% | 0.55% | 0.77% | 0.68% |
| Cube | 1.05% | – | – | – |
| Husqvarna | 1.05% | – | – | – |
| Vincent | 0.63% | 0.55% | 0.96% | 0.68% |
| Silverback | 0.42% | 0.91% | 0.57% | 1.70% |
| Commencal | 0.42% | – | – | – |
| Avalanche | 0.42% | – | – | – |
| Teewing | 0.42% | – | – | – |
| Berria | 0.42% | – | – | – |
| Merida | 0.21% | 0.73% | 0.77% | 3.06% |
| KTM | 0.21% | 0.73% | 0.57% | 1.02% |
| Outer | 0.21% | 0.73% | – | – |
| Centurion | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Ecotron | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Moustache | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Nox | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Smart | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Vanmoof | 0.21% | – | – | – |
| Other | 0% | 22.22% | 23.18% | 1.02% |
This year we counted and listed every single eBike brand named by respondents.
Do you own a gravel bike?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 21.74% | 18.72% | 16.90% | 12.18% |
| No | 72.58% | 74.85% | 76.54% | 81.94% |
| I plan to buy one soon | 5.69% | 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?
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized | 24.78% | 22.00% | 19.91% | 20.05% |
| TREK | 11.34% | 14.93% | 13.78% | 6.95% |
| Giant/Liv | 8.02% | 9.04% | 8.53% | 9.62% |
| SCOTT | 6.28% | 6.09% | 7.00% | 3.74% |
| Titan Racing | 4.88% | 7.86% | 4.81% | 2.94% |
| Merida | 4.88% | 2.55% | 2.18% | – |
| Cannondale | 3.83% | 5.50% | 7.87% | 7.21% |
| Silverback | 2.96% | 3.54% | 3.24% | 2.94% |
| Santa Cruz | 2.96% | 2.36% | 2.62% | 1.60% |
| Avalanche | 2.61% | 0.39% | 0.65% | – |
| Bianchi | 2.44% | 3.54% | 3.06% | 2.67% |
| Curve | 2.44% | 2.55% | 1.75% | 4.27% |
| Canyon | 2.44% | 2.16% | 1.53% | 4.01% |
| Cube | 2.09% | – | – | – |
| Momsen | 1.91% | 2.16% | 3.06% | 3.20% |
| Orbea | 1.57% | 2.36% | 1.53% | – |
| Norco | 1.04% | 2.55% | 2.84% | 1.87% |
| Rondo | 1.04% | 1.96% | 0.65% | 3.47% |
| Rook | 1.04% | 1.18% | 1.53% | 2.40% |
| Basso | 0.69% | 0.98% | 1.09% | 1.33% |
| Niner | 0.52% | 0.79% | 0.65% | 1.06% |
| Pinarello | 0.52% | – | – | – |
| 3T | 0.52% | – | – | – |
| Cervelo | 0.52% | – | – | – |
| Core | 0.52% | – | – | – |
| GT | 0.52% | – | – | – |
| Ridley | 0.34% | 0.79% | 0.65 | 1.06% |
| Sling | 0.34% | 0.59% | 0.87% | 1.33% |
| BMC | 0.34% | 1.38% | 0.87% | – |
| Raleigh | 0.43% | 0.39% | 1.09% | – |
| Open | 0.43% | 0.39% | 0.65% | – |
| Ibis | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Litespeed | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Look | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Standert | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Stevens | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Time | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Cabal X | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Winspace | 0.43% | – | – | – |
| Ritchey | 0.17% | 0.39% | 0.65% | 1.06% |
| Lynskey | 0.17% | 0.20% | 0.65% | 1.33% |
| Wilier | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| TOA | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Tantan | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Storck | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| SP Cycle | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Sondor | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Salsa | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Rose | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Ribble | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Mondraker | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| J Guillem | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| FARR | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Enve | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Ellsworth | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| De Rosa | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Cipollini | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Chiru | 0.17% | – | – | – |
| Other | 0% | 31.04% | 2.77% | 14.56% |
We counted and listed every brand mentioned by respondents this year. Almost a quarter own a Specialized gravel bike, which is quite significant.
Do you have a favoured bike-wash brand?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 50.50% | 30.13% |
| No | 49.50% | 69.87% |
Quite a difference over the previous year! We’re not sure why the big shift…
If you have a favoured bike-wash brand, which do you use?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Muc-Off | 31.89% | 33.85% |
| Ecologic | 16.28% | 12.69% |
| Squirt | 15.91% | 16.80% |
| Cleen Green | 9.56% | 3.26% |
| Namgear | 6.23% | 8.34% |
| Liqui Moly | 3.88% | 1.45% |
| Sunlight dish liquid | 3.82% | 1.81% |
| Dirt Nurse | 2.65% | 2.78% |
| Prepsol | 2.40% | 1.69% |
| Bike Make Up | 1.17% | 1.45% |
| Motul | 0.92% | 1.08% |
| Other | 5.24% | 14.75% |
UK brand Muc-Off remains the favourite with Ecologic pushing Squirt down to third spot – both are South African brands.
Do you have a favoured drivetrain lubricant brand that you use?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 84.74% | 60.75% |
| No | 15.26% | 39.25% |
Also a fairly big shift in the past year in this question.
If you have a favoured drivetrain lubricant brand, which do you use?
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Squirt | 52.32% | 53.33% |
| Smoove | 20.86% | 21.02% |
| Muc-Off | 6.89% | 7.04% |
| Liqui Moly | 4.43% | 1.43% |
| White Lightning | 2.85% | 1.43% |
| Q-Bike | 2.59% | 1.18% |
| Finish Line | 1.88% | 1.37% |
| Ryder | 1.71% | 1.80% |
| Max Wax | 1.01% | 0.68% |
| Motul | 0.96% | 0.74% |
| BAT | 0.83% | 1.12% |
| Silca | 0.70% | 0.68% |
| Blub | 0.61% | 0.62% |
| Other | 2.28% | 7.48% |
South African brands, Squirt and Smoove still occupy almost three-quarters of the preferred drivetrain lubricant market share.
Did you miss Part 1 of our 2025 South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented by Garmin? Here’s the linkhttps://www.treadmtb.co.za/2025-sa-mountain-biking-survey-the-results/ Look out for Parts 3 (Performance) and 4 (Gear) coming soon.
