Bike Check!
Mountain biking legend, Bart Brentjens was able to get a closer look at some incredible bikes during the 2024 Absa Cape Epic. These magnificent machines were battle tested in the Untamed. Check them out…
SCOTT Spark RC – Absa Cape Epic Special Edition
Pilot: Nino Schurter
Race proven in World Cups, the World Championships and the Absa Cape Epic, Schurter’s SCOTT Spark RC is one of the most desirable cross-country and marathon mountain bikes in the world. This special edition machine is currently available as a prize, for anyone who enters the World Bicycle Relief raffle. Find out how you could win it here!
Liv Pique Advanced 29 0
Pilot: Ila Stow
Launched just ahead of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic the Liv Pique Advanced 29 is Giant’s sister brand’s women’s specific cross-country and marathon platform. It features the FlexPoint Pro suspension system, as seen on Giant’s Anthem bikes, 115 millimetres of rear travel and a 120 millimetre travel fork. A pair of mounting points, on the underside of the top tube, allow riders to mount a second water bottle in the front triangle; which is a game changer for stage racers.
Superior XF 9.9 Team
Pilot: Jaroslav Kulhavy
The Czech Express was back at the Absa Cape Epic for the first time since 2019 and racing aboard a brand-new bike. Kulhavy, Superior said, was instrumental in the design of the new XF platform and the 9.9 Team edition the three-time race winner rode in the 2024 event certainly looked like Kulhavy had set it up. His usual extreme saddle angle, saddle to handlebar drop, and long stem were all present, while the Superior XF frame looks light, fast and direct.
Canyon Lux World Cup Untamed Edition
Pilot: Andreas Seewald
Canyon’s new Lux World Cup CFR is a refinement of the outgoing, race proven platform. It offers 100 millimetres of travel, front and rear, in its usual World Cup CFR guide, but for the Absa Cape Epic Canyon SIDI created an Untamed Edition with 110 millimetres of travel thanks to a DT Swiss shock and fork. The colour scheme was inspired by the springbok and the upside down DT Swiss D 232 ONE dropper seatpost allowed the team to run saddle bags or puncture repair components on the seatpost without damaging the stanchion.
BULLS VUCA EVO AM 2
Pilot: Stefan Sahm
The Bulls media E-Bikers were treated to all-new machines in 2024. Based around the Pinion geared motor, which offers 12 internal gears as well as producing 85 Nm torque, the VUCA EVO AM 2 is noticeably different because of its belt drive. This clean and efficient system worked perfectly in the harsh African terrain, allowing Sahm and Co. to capture the racing action from inside the UCI men’s and women’s fields.
