The Race
Bike & kit
What's allowed, what works, and what to carry, from the lessons of the first edition.
Bike requirements
Recommended setup
What the first edition taught us about the bike that works best here.
- Frame
- A light, compliant frame will carry you through 750 km without too much punishment. Gravel suspension insulates you better from road buzz and is worth considering. Riders who converted full-suspension mountain bikes to drop bars found the weight and efficiency trade-off wasn’t worth it.
- Tyres
- Go tubeless with plenty of sealant and rim inserts. Fit the widest tyre your frame takes: 45C is the absolute minimum we recommend, but why not follow the trend and go wider? After all, this is African gravel.
- Bars
- Narrow, flared drop bars give an aero position on the hoods and control on descents. Consider double tape or gel inserts.
- Shoes and pedals
- Use MTB shoes and pedals. The route has river crossings and rough sections where road setups struggled in 2025. A stiff-soled gravel shoe keeps pedalling efficient.
- Gearing
- 1x for simplicity or 2x for closer ratios; either works. Make sure you have a long gear for fast sections and a bail-out gear for steep climbs late in the week.
- Bottle cages
- Corrugations happen. Test cages, add gripper tape or elastic bands, and test again.
- Lube
- Conditions are usually dry and dusty, but it can rain. Pack options and apply regularly.
- Clothing
- Pack for everything: bib shorts, jerseys, gilet, long-sleeve jacket, base layers, gloves and eyewear. Laundry packages are available and there are wash lines in camp, so you don’t need seven full kits.
- Hydration
- Ride with two bottles and refill both at every Padstal. A hydration pack is worth considering; the Karoo heats up during the day.
- Inflation
- Carry at least two CO₂ canisters, a good tyre plug kit with spare plugs, and a charged electric pocket pump.
What to carry
There are Padstals with tech support on every stage, but carry the basics.
Off the bike: see the packing list in the Rider Hub.
- Multitool with chain breaker
- Hand pump, 2 × 24 g CO₂ canisters and a small bottle of sealant
- Chain quick link
- Tyre kit: plugs, 2 tyre levers, boot, spare valve core and tube
- Spare AXS battery (charged), or a tested power bank with Di2 cable
- Spare derailleur hanger and any parts specific to your bike
- Sintered brake pads, in case of extreme weather
- 2 medium zip ties, a small pocket knife, and duct tape wrapped around the seatpost
Questions
Why gravel bikes only?
The route is pure gravel and ideally suited to a gravel bike: off-road tyres for the terrain, drop bars for speed. When everyone rides gravel bikes, the playing field is level and group riding is more enjoyable. Wide, straight MTB-style bars are also less safe at speed in a peloton of drop-bar bikes.
Drop bars are the rule. You may fit drop bars to a mountain bike. See Bike & kit.
Are aero bars allowed?
No. Clip-on and out-front aero bars are prohibited for everyone’s safety: the racing involves fast group riding on unpredictable surfaces, and aero bars reduce braking and control.