[Event] Sani Pass TT

[Knox1229]

Event Name: Sani Pass TT
When: 22/11/2025
Where: Premier Resort Sani Pass, Himeville, KwaZulu-Natal
Category: Mountain Bike

The Sani Pass TT is a pure Time Trial in the traditional sense but unique in every other way.

Starting at 1544m at the base of the Sani Pass in South Africa and climbing to 2877m at the Lesotho Border Post, riders will climb over 1300 vertical meters into the African sky.

Stretching 21km - the road to the top is 13km of tar to the South African Border Post, and then 8km of lung-busting gravel to the summit of the Pass.

Surrounded by the pristine environment of the Maloti Drakensberg World Heritage Site, riders will experience unparalleled vistas of the Southern Drakensberg, and air that thins with every pedal stroke.

The TT section is the 21km from the Base to the Summit, with the return trip being an untimed neutral zone that is safe and allows the riders to stop and enjoy the incredible views and suffering of those still heading upwards.

Go to Event Page.

[Sid the Sloth]

3 hours ago, Knox1229 said:

Event Name: Sani Pass TT
When: 22/11/2025
Where: Premier Resort Sani Pass, Himeville, KwaZulu-Natal
Category: Mountain Bike

 

The Sani Pass TT is a pure Time Trial in the traditional sense but unique in every other way.

 

 

Starting at 1544m at the base of the Sani Pass in South Africa and climbing to 2877m at the Lesotho Border Post, riders will climb over 1300 vertical meters into the African sky.

Stretching 21km - the road to the top is 13km of tar to the South African Border Post, and then 8km of lung-busting gravel to the summit of the Pass.

Surrounded by the pristine environment of the Maloti Drakensberg World Heritage Site, riders will experience unparalleled vistas of the Southern Drakensberg, and air that thins with every pedal stroke.

The TT section is the 21km from the Base to the Summit, with the return trip being an untimed neutral zone that is safe and allows the riders to stop and enjoy the incredible views and suffering of those still heading upwards.

 

Go to Event Page.

 

This sounds amazing. 

['Kaze Pete]

The Sani Transfrontier from years ago come to mind, but only the important part this time. The fun part left to be fun

[Knox1229]

Looks like a jol!  Multi-day races are fun and all, but sometimes you just want to get something done quickly so you can have a beer and some lunch 😄

[Anton Earle]

I like that they have a singlespeed category. Any advice on what ratio I should go with?

[Zebra]

…a dinner-plate sized gear on the back, and a small saucer-sized gear on the front…?!
 

💡

[Sepia]

For those who have not done it, you go into thin air.  Temperature at this time of the year may be viscous.

You bleed either way.

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

Having never been to Sani and not being very good at climbing (I’m stoic but not good) what chainring am I going with for this? 10-50 cassette and currently have a 32t ring. Rarely use the 50t but wouldn’t say I don’t use it at all. 

['Kaze Pete]

4 hours ago, RobynE 🚵‍♀️ said:

Having never been to Sani and not being very good at climbing (I’m stoic but not good) what chainring am I going with for this? 10-50 cassette and currently have a 32t ring. Rarely use the 50t but wouldn’t say I don’t use it at all. 

You’ll be very familiar with the 50 by the top. You might wish for something smaller than the 32 before the finish. And long for a lighter bike as you push yours through the switchbacks into thin air.

[mazambaan]

My 2c; it is, in my experience, always much colder with a cold wind at the top than up the pass. Take a jacket if you want to enjoy the achievement.

Bicycle down record, border post to border post, back in the day, was 9 minutes by a Pmb madman (not GM) but I'm guessing this has been beaten by now.

[JarradVZ]

What's the thinking on gravel vs MTB for this one? I thought a gravel bike would be fastest, but some say the top is unrideable on one.
Any news on the condition of the road?

[ajnkzn]

Personally I’d go MTB or gravel with 2.2 tires min. 
 

The top is very, very steep and generally super loose as well. 
 

And I assume one needs to get down - will be sketchy as on a gravel bike.