Active Hobo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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