Active Hobo

Episoder

• 
  Ultimate Gravel Wheel Shootout 16.08.2026 54min

  Four of the most exciting gravel wheelsets go head-to-head in a real-world test, with the ENVE G SES 4.5, Csixx Gravel 65, Zipp 303XPLR SW and Roval Terra CL wheels tested on the same bikes, tyres and pressures. We put them through changing wind, gravel roads and a multi-directional course to see how speed, stability, comfort and handling compare outside the wind tunnel. The results were full of surprises, but clear differences in how each wheelset feels and performs. So which wheels would we actually spend our own money on?00:46 - The Four Wheelsets & Test Setup01:57 - Meet the ENVE, CSIXX, Zipp & Roval Wheels06:25 - How We Designed the Real-World Test07:33 - Csixx 65mm08:52 - ENVE G SES 4.509:50 - ZIPP 303XPLR SW10:37 - Roval Terra CL13:40 - Wheel Specs20:25 - Weight: Does It Really Matter?24:10 - Hooked vs Hookless Wheels26:36 - Warranty & Crash Replacement31:46 - The Overall Verdict45:05 - Which Wheel Would You Actually Buy?# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Doolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.zaCode: THEACTIVEHOBO30 (30% off, first 10 users)226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)East City Cycles🔗 https://eastcitycycles.com/Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #envewheels #zipp #carbonwheels #gravelwheelreview #ENVEGSES4.5 #Csixx65 #Zipp303XPLRSW #RovalTerraCL
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  She Broke Her Wrist a Week Before the Race — Then Finished Top 10 | Hayley Preen 14.08.2026 1t 25min

  She slept in her car at her first race in America. Two years later, she's finishing top ten in the toughest off-road series in the world.Hayley Preen is a South African cyclist who almost became a surgeon instead. In this conversation, she traces the whole path: competitive cross-country running and show jumping as a kid, a near-move to study medicine in America, an engineering degree at UCT that somehow coexisted with becoming national road champion, and the decision to walk away from a European road team that nearly broke her, only to find her real home in American gravel racing.This is a story about what it takes to back yourself completely when nobody's doing it for you yet, and what happens when it finally starts to pay off.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — From cross-country running to an accidental cycling career5:22 — Winning Road Nationals as a complete outsider10:18 — Chasing the Olympics, and missing out on Paris17:23 — A brutal European season, and the decision to walk away20:43 — Sleeping in a car at Sea Otter, then racing Unbound for the first time38:23 — Injuries, self-funding, and building a support network from scratch47:18 — The moment everything clicked at Gravel Burn57:37 — ChemChamp, Honeycomb, and finally turning professional72:29 — The dream of a South African pair winning the Cape Epic# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsHayley @hayleypreen# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #originstory #podcast #revive #capeepic #enduranceathletes #mtb
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  Specialized Crux 5 Review: The Fastest Gravel Bike in the World? 09.08.2026 20min

  The Specialized Crux 5 swept the Unbound Gravel podium 48 hours after launch — and set the tone for the future of this reiangined gravel race weapon It's the final bike in our review series and by a significent margin - the fastest.We closed out our gravel bike review series with the one everyone kept asking about: the Specialized Crux 5, tested in the same trim the local Toyota Specialized elite team races. This isn't a subtle update. Specialized redesigned the Crux from the tube shapes up, borrowing aero cues straight from the new Tarmac road bike, dropping the seat stays, and fully hiding the cables. The result is the fastest gravel race bike Specialized has ever built, and the results back it up: days after launch, riders on the new Crux 5 swept the podium at Unbound Gravel, cycling's toughest test of a race bike's credibility. On our trails, it's just as convincing. SRAM Red XPLR AXS shifting, room for genuinely massive 2.2-inch tyres without the drama of toe overlap, and a weight that came in at 7.6kg dry, lighter than every other bike we've tested in this series. It climbs like it's trying to prove a point, and those bigger tyres mean you can carry real speed downhill without the old Crux's reputation for harshness. Pricing runs the full spectrum: R80,000 gets you the same race-bred frame shape in a lower-spec build, all the way up to R280,000 for the full S-Works package our test bike sits just below. Whichever end of that range you're looking at, you're buying into the platform the fastest gravel racers on earth are choosing right now.This wraps our four-bike gravel review series. If you missed the Titan Racing, the Merida Silex, or the Cannondale SuperX, links are below. Let us know which one you'd actually buy..# === CHAPTERS ===========================0:00 — Cold Open: The Final Bike in the Series2:15 — Meet the Crux 5: Specs Breakdown5:18 — Massive Tyre Clearance: Room for 2.2" Rubber5:33 — The New Aero Seat Tube & Comfort Redesign7:17 — Flex-Tuned Handlebars9:12 — Climbing: A Dream to Ride Uphill9:58 — Descending on 2.2" Tyres13:01 — Weigh-In: 7.6kg Out of the Box13:20 — The Price Breakdown: R80k to R280k15:22 — Final Verdict: Why This Crux Won Unbound# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discountLink to product:https://specializedbicyclesafrica.com/collections/crux-5-eat-my-dust?srsltid=AfmBOor-v22Ykqu-T70YVWC_uEJJnfw2tKLwtEsFssCPQhIamAUYM4w4# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #specialized #superx3 #crux #crux5 #bikereview #gravelbikereview
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  The Huge Maintenance break through in cycling, KZN wins with Cycle Sunday & Tour de France Femmes 06.08.2026 47min

  Dave went in for a routine wash and lube. He came out having waxed his chain for the first time — and swearing he'll never go back to lube.Better drivetrain efficiency, and none of the black grease stain that never quite comes off your fingers. If you've ever wondered whether it's worth the hype or just a strong sales pitch, this is the honest answer.Also on this episode: listener feedback on Amashova, the iconic KZN race that deserves its comeback. A race where entry costs 50 rand and the whole thing runs on people who'd rather build the sport than complain about it ( https://www.facebook.com/p/Cycle-Sunday-61579290593407). And a full Tour de France Femmes breakdown — Kim Le Court's incredible solo move, and why she's the favourite heading into the final days.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — Intro & Listener Feedback04:15 Cycle Sunday KZN7:13 — The Ecosystem Problem: Getting More People Into Cycling13:48 — Cycling’s biggest breakthrough17:12 Freewheel Chain wax offering25:59 — Tour de France Femmes44:00 — Wrap-Up & A Preview of Road to Gravel Burn Nutrition# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsJuanita @juanitarosemackenzieNic White @nicwhitedotcoza# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #chainwax #tourdefrancefemmes #cyclesundays
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  Cannondale SuperX 3 Review – IS IT THE FASTEST GRAVEL BIKE? 03.08.2026 12min

  We tested the SuperX 3 in the same batch as the Titan Racing Switch Carbon Comp and the Merida Silex 7000, and it sits at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from both. This is Cannondale's dedicated race gravel bike, built to go fast, not to carry your camping kit. At 8.57kg it's the lightest bike we've weighed in the whole series, running mechanical Shimano GRX in a 2x setup, DT Swiss 370 hubs, and tyre clearance up to 51mm up front and 48mm out back if you want to push past the stock 40s. Frame storage is minimal on purpose: three bottle mounts and a top tube bag, nothing more, because this bike wants you moving fast enough that you won't need it. It's neither of our reviewers' first gravel bike, but it is their first Cannondale, and it's easy to see why the brand's owners talk about it like a cult. At R80,000, this is a genuinely competitive way into that world without giving up anything on performance. We scored it an 8 out of 10, and reckon a wider tyre choice is the only thing standing between this bike and a 9.0:00 — Cold Open: Meet the SuperX 30:40 — First Ride: Southern Suburbs to the Green Belts2:52 — Frame & Component Walkthrough5:55 — Weigh-In: The Lightest Bike We've Tested6:41 — Three Weeks on Gravel: The Real-World Test9:00 — Tyre Clearance: Room to Go Wider9:31 — The Price Reveal: R80,00011:09 — Final Verdict: Scoring the SuperX 3# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #titangravelbike #bikereview
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  We’re Going to Go 2 Sea! Tour de France Debrief, Jarryd from ECC joins us | The Breakaway EP27 30.07.2026 1t 50min
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  Merida Silex 7000 Review: The Comfiest Gravel Bike We’ve Ridden 24.07.2026 14min

  The Merida Silex 7000 might be the most comfortable gravel bike we've ridden — and it's not even trying to race you.We tested the Silex 7000 back to back with the Cannondale SuperX and the Titan Racing Switch Carbon Comp, and the contrast couldn't be bigger. Where those two want to race, the Silex wants to disappear into the hills for a week. Merida built this carbon gravel bike for exploring, not sprinting — mechanical Shimano GRX shifting, a wide-range mountain-bike cassette, 180mm rotors with genuinely serious stopping power, and tyre clearance up to 45mm (42mm once you fit mudguards). It comes ready to ride out of the box, complete with a water bottle, mini tool, and tubeless valves — a detail none of the other bikes we've tested this year bothered with. At roughly 9.55kg, it lines up with a Specialized Diverge, minus the suspension and the price tag. It's also home to the best small feature we've found on any bike this year: a magnetised Fidlock bottle cage that's worth the price of admission on its own. At R65,000, both our reviewers landed on a 9 out of 10 — not because it's flawless, but because for anyone chasing distance over speed, almost nothing touches it.0:00 — First Impressions: Smooth Criminal1:16 — Meet the Silex 70002:45 — Shimano GRX & That Stopping Power6:13 — The Fidlock Magnetic Bottle System9:12 — Comfort Test: Smoother Than a Diverge?10:42 — Weigh-In: 9.55kg With All the Extras11:38 — The Price Reveal: R65,00013:02 — Final Verdict: Scoring the Silex 700014:25 — Closing Thoughts# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #titangravelbike #bikereview
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  Is Your TT Bike Even Legal? A UCI Commissaire Explains | The Breakaway EP26 20.07.2026 31min

  Most riders have no idea if their TT bike would actually pass inspection. Dave sits down with Stephan, a national road cycling commissaire based at Cycle Lab N1 City, who measures TT bikes against UCI regulations for a living — and puts a bike through the exact test riders face on race day.Before the demo: reaction to the biggest story to come out of the Tour de France this week. Jonas Vingegaard crashed out of Stage 15 on the descent into Plateau de Solaison, ending his bid for a third yellow jersey with a fractured collarbone. Remco Evenepoel took the stage win, his first road victory at the Tour, while Tadej Pogačar showed real sportsmanship in how he handled the closing kilometres.Then it's down to business: what "default" position actually means, why the UCI cares about 750mm and category height limits, and why a bike that looks fine to the eye can fail on a technicality worth three millimetres.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — Cold Open: Coffee, Colours & Cycle Lab N1 City1:49 — Meet Stephan: Commissaire & TT Bike Specialist3:37 — Tour de France: Vingegaard's Crash & Pogačar's Sportsmanship5:32 — What Makes a Commissaire Qualified to Judge Your Bike?6:44 — Why the UCI Regulates TT Bikes: Man vs Machine10:42 — The Jig Demo: Measuring a "Default" Position18:10 — The Non-Compliant Bike Example19:44 — Category Heights Explained: Why Taller Riders Get Less Room25:41 — The Jig Built for Western Province Cycling26:17 — Why the Time Trial Is the Purest Test in Cycling30:35 — Chasing KOMs & Wrap-Up# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsJames Ross-Marsh @jamesrossmarsh# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXYSOIL SEARCHING on YOUTUBEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DYUE9tW24Ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZEaRtB5hzs🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling
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  Titan Racing Switch Carbon Comp Review: Worth It? 20.07.2026 12min

  We put the Switch Carbon Comp through three weeks and 500km of everything the Western Cape could throw at it: smooth tar, fast gravel, and rock climbs nobody sane would call "gravel." It didn't flinch. Titan Racing, a proudly South African bike brand out of Stellenbosch, built this as a genuine entry point into carbon gravel racing — wireless 1x12 SRAM Apex AXS shifting, Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres, and a carbon frame with clearance up to 50mm, all finished in one of the most understated paint jobs we've tested this year. At 9.4kg and under R53,000, it's the bike that had two reviewers arguing over whether it deserved an 8 or a 9 out of 10 — not because it's flawed, but because at this price, almost nothing else comes close. It's also built to grow with you: upgrade the wheels, widen the cassette, or just ride it stock for years. If you're gravel-curious and don't want to remortgage anything to find out, this is where you start.0:00 — Titan, What Have You Done? (First Reactions)1:47 — The Price Reveal: What R52,999 Buys You4:02 — Frame, Finish & The Minimalist Paint Job7:07 — Three Weeks, 500km: The Real-World Test7:31 — The Extreme Terrain Torture Test9:11 — Weigh-In: Does 9.4kg Hold Up?9:43 — Final Verdict: Scoring the Switch Carbon Comp11:39 — Final Thoughts (Your Turn)# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #giantrevoltreview #bikereview
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  The Hidden Economy of a Stage Race - And Why It Matters | The Breakaway EP25 17.07.2026 1t 14min

  Every rider who's done a stage race has seen it: the school kids handing out water, the local guy who's swept the same piece of singletrack all year so it's ready for you. James Beers joins The Breakaway to unpack what actually happens to the money you pay to enter a race — and why it matters more than most riders realise.This is a big one. James breaks down the real, direct link between event entry fees and rural community income in South Africa — school fees paid, local trail builders employed, families supported through a single race weekend. It's not corporate box-ticking. It's tangible, and it compounds year on year.We also get into the Giro d'Italia GC battle — Jonas Vingegaard's gearing, Tadej Pogačar's dominance, and what's coming in the next two weeks. Plus two big pieces of South African cycling news: performance coach Reece McDonald's move into the WorldTour pipeline with Q36.5 Pro Cycling, and Daryl Impey's new role as a Sport Director at Ineos Grenadiers for 2026.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — Intro: Do Races Actually Help Communities?2:05 — James Beers' Toyota Commercial Stunt Double Story6:35 — The Philosophy of Riding When the Stoke Is High15:10 — Cape Epic's UNCO Valley & the Beaded Bracelets23:14 — Craig Wapnick, go2berg & Community-Powered Events28:46 — Whose Job Is It to Fix the Trails?43:48 — The Trail Pass: An Easy Lever Riders Ignore49:14 — Giro d'Italia: Vingegaard's Gearing Under the Microscope52:47 — Could Different Gearing Have Changed the Giro?1:07:28 — Pinarello-Q36.5 & Reece McDonald's Move to the WorldTour Pipeline1:08:06 — Daryl Impey Joins Ineos Grenadiers as Sport Director1:14:18 — Wrap-Up & Thanks to James Beers# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling
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  Tristan Nortje: THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING | Active Hobo Film 14.07.2026 34min

  Tristan Nortje and Matt Beers made history in 2026 by becoming the first all South African team to win the worlds biggest mountain bike race - The Cape Epic.This film tells Tristan's story and how the result was his destiny foretold long before the day arrived. SPECIAL THANKS to TOYOTA SA, Specialized South Africa, Cape Epic, RideLife George, Matt Beers, Anika Boshoff, Linda Nortje & of course Tristan Nortje for letting us tell this story 🇿🇦#storiesmatter #capeepic #southafrica # === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b
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  THIRSTI HALF MARATHON and 10KM RUN - JOIN ACTIVE HOBO for the RUN UP! #springiscoming 13.07.2026

  THIRSTI is hosting its inaugural Half Marathon and 10km on the 29th of August 2026. Active Hobo has assembled a super crew to help you get there in tip top shape whether you want to race the event and set PB's or simple achieve something you never thought you could! Weekly runs with Terence Petterson (the influencer) Paige and Lindi (The brains and BIO's) and Alec (the storyteller) will ensure peak vibes and form! Free entry spot prises, THIRSTI Sports drinks and other cool giveaways weekly! Join us by simply DM'ing your whatsapp number and we'll add you to the group! #yourstorymatters #storiesmatter #springmarathon #thirsti
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  From Bike Shop to South Africa’s Biggest MTB Events | Dryland’s Henco Rademeyer 13.07.2026 1t 29min

  For the first time outside of COVID, Dryland Event Management had to cancel a race ten days before the start. Here's the man who made that call — and built a 20-year career on the events that came before it.Henco Rademeyer is the co-founder and director of Dryland Event Management, the team behind some of South Africa's toughest and most loved mountain bike stage races: the Attakwas Extreme, the Cape Pioneer Trek, the Tankwa Trek, and the brand-new Garden Route Giro. In this conversation he tells the story from the very beginning — running a bike shop in Oudtshoorn before online retail existed, realising that events drove more bike sales than anything else, and starting Dryland almost by accident with his co-founder Carel Herholdt.He walks through the flooding that forced the cancellation of the 2026 edition of The 36ONE MTB Challenge — a 361-kilometre race through the Klein Karoo that had never been called off outside of the pandemic — and the decision-making process behind making that call ten days out, with refunds rather than partial routes. He also gets into the business side most riders never see: how commercial partnerships made the events financially viable, why the average rider age has settled around 44, and why South Africa might have the best standard of mountain bike and gravel events in the world.This one is for anyone who's ever finished one of these races and wondered who actually builds them — and what it costs, physically and financially, to pull it off year after year.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — The 36ONE cancellation and 20 years of Dryland events0:27 — Inside the Garden Route Giro1:02 — From bike shop owner to accidental events founder4:41 — Attakwas: the race that started it all6:03 — The Cape Pioneer Trek and the move toward technical single track7:10 — Bernard le Roux joins, and Dryland starts to scale26:15 — A mountain biker's-eye view of Dryland's events31:03 — COVID, gravel's rise, and shifting rider demographics38:39 — The funniest and most dramatic moments in 20 years of events41:53 — Why Tankwa Trek is Henco's own personal favourite45:02 — Equipment trends: dual suspension, gravel, and changing customer expectations52:21 — The real cost of getting young riders into endurance sport72:24 — New recovery partnerships and what's coming for finishers76:45 — What Henco does when he's not running events78:05 — Why Drive to Survive changed sports storytelling forever80:37 — Cricket, rugby, and the cultural weight of schoolboy sport in South Africa# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsAlec @alec.gatesRegardt @regardt.stander# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #originstory #podcast #revive #capeepic #enduranceathletes #mtb
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  A story for cyclists, a story for the racers a story for South African. This is Tristan Nortje’s. 10.07.2026 1min

  Premier Wednesday 15 July 2026
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  Do races actually make an impact to communities? Breakaway Special Edition #storiesmatter 09.07.2026 2min
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  Do cycling events make a difference to communities ? Breakaway Special Edition 09.07.2026 58min

  This special edition of The Breakaway explores the powerful connection between cycling, community and the lives changed by every race. Do cycling races really make a difference beyond the finish line? We travelled to the heart of rural South Africa to uncover the untold impact that events like Berg & Bush, Oxpecker and G2C have on local communities, speaking to farmers, residents and race organizers to hear their stories firsthand. What we discovered challenged our assumptions, revealing how cycling creates jobs, builds schools, inspires young people and brings hope to places many riders never see. These trips have direct costs we struggle to absorb and bicycle rental and car rental didn’t have to be one of them. Thank you to TOYOTA SA, Specialized and Complete Cyclist for helping us and supporting what we do!#storiesmatter === CHAPTERS ===================================00:00 Introduction 01:01 Why We Flew Across South Africa 03:17 The Question Nobody Is Asking 07:15 Farmer Gary Explains the Real Impact of Racing 22:32 Visiting a School Built Through Cycling 28:28 Asking the Community: Do Races Really Matter? 32:47 A Different Perspective from the Community 36:27 How Local Businesses Benefit 40:00 Our Biggest Takeaway 42:11 Seeing the Impact Firsthand 48:48 The Opinions We Didn't Expect 52:35 The Sponsors Behind These Events 54:17 Do Cycling Races Actually Change Communities? 55:11 Why This Story Matters 57:42 Final Thoughts=== LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFm...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...=== FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: / @activehobo Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b=== THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsAlec @alec.gates=== MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/scicon...=== WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling
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  Road to Gravel Burn, Ep. 2: The Brutal First Test 06.07.2026 10min

  Cutting weight for the Nedbank Gravel Burn is only half the fight. The other half is not losing the strength to survive it.Five weeks ago, Dave couldn't activate some of his own muscles. He didn't know where his body was in space. Now, deep into an 8-week calorie deficit ahead of a 750km gravel stage race across South Africa's Great Karoo, he heads to a biokineticist in Westlake, Cape Town, to build the functional strength his cycling alone can't give him — the kind that keeps a rider upright, pain-free, and strong on day six of seven. It's not about looking strong. It's about not falling apart.What is a biokineticist?An exercise-therapy professional who uses movement science to build strength, stability, and resilience — often used by cyclists and endurance athletes to complement on-bike training.Why does strength training matter for a gravel stage race?A seven-day event like the Nedbank Gravel Burn demands more than fitness — riders need the core, glute, and postural strength to hold form and avoid injury deep into repeated long days on rough terrain.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — The Weight Cut Wasn't Enough1:55 — Why Cycling Fitness Isn't the Whole Picture2:39 — Meeting the Biokineticist Building Him From the Ground Up3:38 — Cycling First, Strength Second — Or the Other Way Around?5:23 — Five Weeks In: The Body Awareness Turnaround6:41 — Training That Complements, Not Competes With, the Bike9:47 — Protecting Muscle While the Weight Comes Off10:27 — Next Stop: Fuelling the Fight# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkinsAlec @alec.gatesRegardt @regardt.stander# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #podcast #toyota #gravelburn #gravelcyclist #enduranceathletes #mtb
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  Pinarello Grevil F9... Our Italian Love Affair 03.07.2026 16min

  The latest gravel superbike has arrived, and after spending time on the all-new Pinarello Grevil F9, it's safe to say this bike exceeded every expectation. In this review, we dive into its ride quality, comfort, handling, premium Italian craftsmanship, and whether its eye-watering price is truly justified. From high-speed gravel descents to technical terrain, we put the Grevil F9 through its paces to find out if it really is the ultimate gravel bike. Watch until the end to see who this bike is built for.00:00 Introduction01:00 First Impressions of the Pinarello Grevil F902:35 Why This Might Be the Best Gravel Bike Ever04:45 Wheels, Tires & Cockpit Setup07:15 SRAM, Frame Design & Premium Features10:10 In-Frame Storage & Practical Details12:40 Comfort, Geometry & Ride Position16:20 The Beauty of Italian Design19:30 Climbing & On-Trail Performance22:50 Descending Confidence & Stability26:15 Living With the Grevil F930:10 Is It Worth the Price?33:40 Who Is This Bike For?36:30 Final Verdict38:45 Closing Thoughts# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling #gravelbike #giantrevoltreview #bikereview
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  She’s 18, a World Champion, and Just Getting Started | Nadia van Wyk 02.07.2026 56min

  At 13, she cried until the start gun went off — then she raced. At 17, she won the XTERRA Youth World Championship in Italy. At 18, Nadia van Wyk is just getting started.This is the intro. The full origin story episode drops very soon — subscribe so you don't miss it.Nadia van Wyk is 18, from Durbanville in the Western Cape, and competes in more disciplines than most athletes manage in a career: XCO mountain biking, road cycling, track, duathlon, XTERRA, and horse riding on the side. She's a reigning XTERRA Youth World Champion, a U23 SA XCO MTB Champion, and a SA Duathlon Cross Champion. She homeschooled her matric year to compete at world level, skipping Grade 8 along the way to give herself more time. This week on The Breakaway, she talks about the mental cost of competing young, the nutrition challenges no one warns you about, why girls drop off from cycling at Grade 10, and what South African youth cycling actually looks like from the inside. Plus: Tour de France predictions, her favourite rider in the peloton, and what it was like to see Tadej Pogačar in person in Spain and think, "How is that small?"# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — Welcome: Meet Nadia van Wyk1:13 — Cycling, XTERRA, Horses: Her Multi-Discipline Life4:25 — Homeschooling to Compete at World Level5:36 — The Mental Game: Crying on the Start Line at 136:13 — Pre-Race Nutrition: The Thing Nobody Talks About10:14 — Why Homeschooling Works for Elite Young Athletes20:11 — How to Get More Girls on Bikes23:27 — What Titan Racing Is Doing for SA Youth Cycling31:18 — Downhill MTB: What She's Watching Right Now36:52 — XTERRA Explained + Worlds Qualification42:46 — Training Camp in Spain: Life on the Road45:08 — Tour de France: MvdP, Pogačar & Breakaway Love49:54 — SA Road Champs: Negative Racing and What to Do About It# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling
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  1,000 Kids, One Bike Race: Inside South Africa’s School Cycling Boom 30.06.2026 1t 18min

  Bertus van Zyl is the chairman of Western Cape Schools Cycling, the structure behind one of the most overlooked grassroots sporting movements in South Africa. In this conversation he traces the whole arc: how a hobby with his own kids turned into running a province's entire schools cycling programme, the legacy of Meurant Botha and the Spur Schools MTB League that built the foundation this all stands on, and what it actually takes — logistically and financially — to run a race for a thousand riders on a single weekend.He breaks down the gap that exists between mass-participation schools racing and the provincial and international pathway, and why some of South Africa's most talented young riders disappear from the sport entirely once school ends. He talks about the rivalry between Paul Roos Gymnasium and Paarl Boys' High, the corporate sponsors stepping in where Spur once stood, and his genuine belief that South Africa has the talent and the landscape to build a fully professional domestic mountain biking circuit — if the right investment shows up.This is a story about what gets built when a parent just wants to help out on a Friday afternoon, and it doesn't stop.# === CHAPTERS ===================================0:00 — Welcome and introducing Bertus van Zyl0:45 — From Hermanus parent to Western Cape Schools Cycling chairman2:33 — The legacy of Spur Schools MTB and Meurant Botha9:08 — How school cycling became a formal national structure12:39 — Formalising honorary colours and the safeguarding gap18:39 — The rivalry: Paul Roos Gymnasium vs Paarl Boys' High19:34 — Conrad Stoltz, Stellenbosch High, and the new wave of investment25:41 — Why South Africa's talent disappears after school30:56 — Insect Science, pro pathways, and what success could look like37:53 — A sport bursting at the seams: numbers, demographics and growth43:53 — Breaking out of "preaching to the choir"49:33 — FOMO, school videography, and the media gap60:00 — Inside race day: course design and what makes it fair for everyone62:35 — Bloemendal, rivalries, and the riders to watch this season69:32 — How a school joins Western Cape Schools Cycling71:22 — How host venues get chosen74:40 — Closing thoughts and the road to Nationals# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@activehobo?sub_confirmation=1Website: https://activehobo.com/Instagram: @theactivehoboStrava: https://strava.app.link/ciVbx92FJ2b# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/VRIeP2JYf5UFull podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/lGfvanjllXY🔗 Scicon Sports SA — Premium eyewear and luggage for cyclists who take their kit seriously. https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#ActiveHobo #CyclingPodcast #SouthAfricanCycling