In August* 2024, Bike Hub celebrated its 20th anniversary, and we’re taking a nostalgic look back at how far we’ve come.
* We’re not entirely sure of the exact month, but it was around this time.
2004: How it all started
What began in 2004 as thehubsa.co.za was initially a simple discussion forum for cycling enthusiasts. It stemmed from an idea for “CyclingCT,” a website intended to serve as a directory of stores, clubs, trails, and road routes around Cape Town and the Western Cape, complete with a message board. This small community quickly gained momentum, becoming a hub for cyclists across the country.
How it’s evolved
In 2008, The Hub SA was featured in Bicycling Magazine (April 2008, Vol 6, No 2), marking a significant moment in our journey.
2009: Taking the Leap
By 2009, we had formalised our presence as a Closed Corporation, but it wasn’t until 2010 that our founder, head developer, and chief problem-solver, Matt Eagar, took the leap to work full-time on Bike Hub. The turning point was the realisation of a growing need for a dedicated Classifieds section—something that would transform the site.
March 2011 saw the launch of our custom-built Classifieds section, offering a space tailored to the needs of the cycling community.
2013: Growing pains and growth spurts
In May 2013, we faced a major setback with the “BIG crash”. Growth in the traffic and forced a move from basic shared hosting to dedicated servers. While the initial migration went well, a lapse in our backup processes and major outage at our web hosts meant we lost just over three months worth of data.
We bounced back and Hubbers were mostly just thankful to be back online after a days long outage. In September of that same year we’d hire our first full-time employee.
The following year, 2014, brought a series of enhancements to the Classifieds section, including the addition of dynamic search filters and a review system—making it easier for buyers and sellers to connect.
2015: A new identity
August 2015 marked a significant rebrand as we changed our name from The Hub SA to Bike Hub, aligning the platform more closely with our cycling-focused community.
2016–2017: More mobile
In 2016, Bike Hub converted from a Closed Corporation to a Pty Ltd. We also rolled out updates to both the Classifieds and our mobile site. That year, we introduced dealer listing fees for the first time.
Throughout 2017, we made further UI and UX updates to the Classifieds, including SnapScan integration and improved search and filtering capabilities.
2019: A leap forward
In 2019, we secured a minority investor to fund the modernisation of our platform. This allowed us to expand our development and operations team, bringing on three new developers in March. By December, we unveiled the new, enhanced platform, setting the stage for the next chapter.
2020: Meeting new challenges
A core element of Bike Hub’s success has always been the strong sense of community and the trust it fostered among users when buying and selling. However, as the platform expanded, we recognised the growing need to establish trust between users who may not have the long-standing relationships or forum history that early members enjoyed.
In response, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, we launched Bike Hub Pay in November 2020—a secure payment service designed to safeguard both buyers and sellers during transactions. From 2021 to 2024, the team has continuously refined and improved the service, as it steadily gains momentum and becomes an integral part of the platform.
Today
Fast-forward to 2024, and according to SimilarWeb, Bike Hub is now the number one ranked cycling website in South Africa, with over 649,099 monthly visits.
In 2023, Bike Hub recorded 38.5 million pageviews generated by 1.67 million unique users. The platform saw R237 million in confirmed sales alone—nearly R20 million a month. And that’s just the confirmed number; the actual total is likely much higher. For a deeper dive, check out our 2023 Year in Review.
Over R11 million in deals were completed through Bike Hub Pay in 2023, and we’re on track to well exceed that in 2024.
Looking ahead, we have exciting updates in our product pipeline, and we can’t wait to share the next chapter with you.
A big Thank You to the Bike Hub community
As we look back on the past 20 years, we recognise that Bike Hub’s journey wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our users. While we strive to build and maintain a world class platform and foster healthy activity, it is you—the community—who have helped make Bike Hub what it is today. Your passion for cycling, your trust in our platform, and your active participation have been fundamental to our success.
We are deeply grateful for every contribution, from the first post on the forums to the countless transactions that take place every day. Here’s to many more years of riding, buying, selling, and sharing the stoke of bicycles. Thank you for being part of our journey!
Share your Bike Hub story
There are countless threads we could have pulled on to reflect on all that’s gone into 20 years, and even more faded memories.
Do you have a favourite memory, story, or even screenshot from The Hub over the years? Feel free to share your stories, photos, or moments that stood out.
10 years for me, which pretty much coincides with when I decided to make cycling part my life a bit more seriously. The website has changed somewhat, but also not that much, which makes it comforting.
I just wish people would start selling their bikes for bargains again...