2026 Karoo to Coast

[bradley.g.theron@gmail.com]

Attempting my first Karoo to Coast and will doing it on a Gravel Bike. Good idea? Any advice from the cyclist who have done a few.

[capediver]

5 hours ago, bradley.g.theron@gmail.com said:

Attempting my first Karoo to Coast and will doing it on a Gravel Bike. Good idea? Any advice from the cyclist who have done a few.

Did the majority of this in January on a fully loaded gravel bike as part of a Garden Route multiday tour.....you should be fine on a gravel bike! It's mostly downhill with a few shortish climbs thrown in for fun!

I have a series of videos of my trip starting here...

 

[michaelbiker]

Did a similar route to @capediver on gravel bikes we went from Uniondale to Knysna. Only bit I’d be wary of on a gravel bike is the off road section from Uniondale to Avontuur. I don’t think the race goes on the R339 (red line) but on the old wapad (blue line)  which looked quite rough going. The rest of the route was in good condition.  

[B20]

Watch your brakemarkers before the turns. With no suspension the gravel bikes tend to bounch over the corrigations, reducing the brake distance significantly. 

The result....you go to hot into a corner and risk hitting a wall or go over the edge.

In 2025 K2C a gravelbiker outbraked himself and smacked a rocky wall 10m in front of me and I had to dodge bits of bike (still connect together via cables) flying accross the racing line. 

Minimum tyres size I would suggest is 50mm.