Spin city: Soweto teens show off their flashy bikes
“My girlfriend says I love this bicycle more than her”
Hloni Ramaila, a BMX rider, jumps over a spinning customised bike in the streets of Soweto during a meetup over the weekend. This cycling subculture was born out of the more commonly known car “stance” culture. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee
The streets of Soweto came alive at the weekend as scores of young people showed off their customised BMX bicycles.
This cycling subculture was born out of the more commonly known car “stance” culture, where vehicle owners spend a lot of time and money customising their cars with specialised paint jobs, flashy wheels and loud sound systems.
Many young people in townships like Soweto may not have the resources to buy and customise their own cars. Instead they focus their passion and creativity on their trusty two-wheeled bicycles.
Participants in the BMX subculture, most of whom are teenagers, are often seen cruising around Soweto on their unique and flashy bikes, the sound of the latest amapiano songs booming from the speakers attached to the rear of their bicycles.
Lesego Mathiane with his chromed-out BMX with speakers installed on the rear.
Many have completely stripped their original frame of the bicycles to rebuild it to suit their particular style. We spoke to Lungelo Hlongwane and his group of friends who were on their way to a bicycle meetup in Soweto’s Thokoza Park.
Hlongwane parks his bike alongside the row of customised bikes as they prepare for the judges to inspect them for a prize. His bike, bright pink with shiny rims and chrome handlebars, is given a final wipe down before the inspection.
“I have maybe spent thousands of rands on my bicycle. I saved up my spending money and even worked odd jobs to pay for all this. My girlfriend says I love this bicycle more than her,” says Hlongwane with a smile.
One of the cyclists shows off his skills on a custom bike and modified back wheel used for spinning.
Bicycle meetups often draw crowds with hundreds of people from different townships who come to compete to see who has the best-looking bicycle. Often prizes are on offer for winners.
Hloni Ramaila, a BMX rider who organised a recent meetup in Diepkloof, said that it was important for youth to have a healthy creative outlet. “Bicycles bring so much joy to so many people. To see this bicycle culture thriving in the township shows the high level of creativity of youth,” said Ramaila.
Some of the cyclists participate in the “spinning” competitions, a culture also born from the growing popularity of car spinning. Cyclists cover their rubber tyres with bits of plastic from coke bottles which allows their bike wheels to spin and drift across the road surface.
Those with the best technique, creativity and innovation grab the top prize and bragging rights for the week.
Bicycle meetups regularly draw crowds. Here these bikes are lined up waiting for judges to inspect them.
Njabulo Shongwe regularly competes in bicycle spinning competitions. His talent for drifting his bicycle has already secured him paid gigs in the entertainment and advertising industry.
Shongwe and his friends formed the Soweto Street Fighters bicycle crew, with members competing in the stance, spinning and racing competitions at bicycle meetups.
“Some of the guys are good at spinning and some are creative in making beautiful bicycles. We all come together as friends and try to keep growing the culture,” said Shongwe.
Siyabonga Mabuso accompanied his grandson to a recent bicycle meetup in Soweto. He was impressed by the creativity and originality of the bicycle creations on display. “We have many challenges here with youngsters who abuse drugs and get involved in criminality. So, to see them come together in such a positive way and having such fun makes me very happy,” said Mabuso.
Njabulo Shongwe drifts his bicycle during a ‘spinning’ competition at a bicycle meetup.
A bike’s wheel being modified with plastic bottle sheets. This allows the wheel to “spin”.
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