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We offer 5 riding groups

Each group has 3 rides per week which they can attend. Groups vary according to fitness and skill levels. 

ABC Riding Group

You’re brand new to mountain biking and you have limited fitness and skill. You can ride 15-20km of non-technical trails. Monday 9-10.30am, Thursday 8.30-10am

Slookie & Rookie Riding Groups

You’ve been riding for longer than 1 year. You can ride 20-30km of blue/green trails.
Monday 8.30am, Wednesday 8.30am, Friday 8.30am

Intermediate 1 Riding Group

You’ve been riding for longer than 2 years. You can ride 30-40km of blue/green trails.
Tuesday 8.30am, Wednesday 8.30am, Friday 8.30am

Intermediate 2 Riding Group

You’ve been riding for longer than 3 years. You can ride more than 50km of green/blue/red trails at an average pace of +/- 12km/hr
Tuesday 8.30am, Wednesday 8.30am, Friday 8.30am

Intermediate 3 Riding Group

You’ve been riding for longer than 3 years. You can ride more than 50km of green/blue/red and black trails at an average pace of +/- 15km/hr
Tuesday 8.30am, Wednesday 8.30am, Friday 8.30am

Our Coaches

Team of Experts

NIKKI HAYWOOD

Founder
Coach

I am the founder and owner of Trail Angels and coach the ABC and Intermediate 2 & 3 groups. I have been riding since my days as a Stellenbosch University student, where it was a means of transport. In 2006 I entered the Absa Cape Epic as a rookie rider and my passion for mountain biking began.

I have since gone on to complete four Cape Epics, four Wines2Whales, three Sani2C, the Imana Wild Ride and have cycled 2000km across South Africa with a friend for three weeks through the bush, unsupported.

I have a Human Movement Science degree and have been teaching Pilates for the last 17 years. I have recently qualified as a BICP certified level 1 skills instructor.

Our PROFESSIONAL coaches

LISA GOODE
instructor
EVIE MCLACHLAN
instructor
VIV SCHULZE
instructor
CAROLINE ELLEKE
instructor

About ILSE VAN DER MERWE

I cycled to school as a child but never really enjoyed it. Years later, I bought my first mountain bike in 2014 and quickly discovered that living with fibromyalgia made cycling more challenging than enjoyable.
Everything changed in 2022 when I tried an e-bike. The ability to access support when needed and push myself when I could transformed my experience. Cycling became a source of freedom, adventure, and wellbeing, improving both my physical and mental health while reconnecting me with nature.
As an accredited PMBIA Level 1 and GSMBC MTB Coach, I combine my engineering background with my life coaching certification to help others build confidence, develop skills, and achieve their cycling goals.
Whether you’re new to cycling or overcoming personal challenges, I believe every ride has the potential to improve your quality of life—just as it has mine.

About Viv Schulze

I love being a Trail Angel coach.
I have practised as a physiotherapist for over 30 years and previously ran a Pilates studio for 10 years. In 2014 I started mountain biking and joined the Trail Angels and discovered I enjoy riding through and over rocks.
Since then I have ridden three Wine to Whales, two XCO races, one CTCT, one Attakwas and one Absa Cape Epic. I have been a certified BICP mountain bike skills coach since 2022.
One of my core values is empowering women to feel more confident on and off the bike. I use my physiotherapy knowledge and passion for movement analysis and neuroscience when teaching bike skill clinics.
I strive to create an environment where women can experience ‘safety in me’ instead of ‘danger in me’ thoughts. This is when the magic happens – FUN replaces fear and upskilling happens.

About MJ Schoemaker

I have had a diverse career spanning education, international business leadership, and entrepreneurship.
After a 30-year international corporate executive career, I established a Supply Chain and Business Excellence consultancy, helping organizations improve performance and operational efficiency. This gave me time to join the amazing Trail Angels club.
As a passionate mountain biker and having a Physical Education qualification, I became a certified PMBIA Level 1 and GSMBC Mountain Bike Coach in 2025, combining a lifelong commitment to teaching, leadership, and personal development with a focus on rider skills, confidence, and safety.

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