Words: Scott Sports
Video: Seager Films
Images: Ryan Franklin
What’s better than a handful of party laps with your best buddies while on holidays? Simply answered – more laps.
For the third instalment of Trail E-xplorer, Holger takes a break from hosting, while Brendan and Christian Fairclough jet over to meet up with local legend, shop owner and all-time MTB icon, Andrew Neethling in his home region of Western Cape, South Africa. With their Ransom eRIDEs beneath them, they set out to explore the vast trail networks around Somerset West and beyond, while sampling a mix of the finest non-wheeled offerings from around the area.
The Hanger Bike Co is owned and operated by Andrew and Jonty Neethling, and it makes the perfect place to fill up on those pre-ride essentials (coffee), ride out the door and straight into the Helderberg Bike Park and trail center. With 36 trails to explore and no shuttles running, the Ransom eRIDEs were the perfect bike to be able to conserve the energy on the climbs, while smashing down the descents at warp speed.
Next up, heading to the popular Jonkershoek, which is most likely the oldest trail network in SA. Jonkershoek is a part of the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve and is just a five-minute drive from Stellenbosch, which is the neighboring town to Somerset West. With 97km’s of trails and 4557m of descending, there’s loads to explore. Here, trails span from intermediate to expert, meaning there’s definitely something for everyone.
And lastly, Banghoek Conservancy is also in proximity to Stellenbosch and offers some truly amazing trails. There’s 74km’s of trails, 2537m of total descent and 38 lines to choose from. With the E-Bike, you have the power to explore the whole mountain before feeling too empty on your own watts. As is famous in the area, Brendan and Co encountered a herd of wild Eland running trailside, creating a wildly memorable experience.
