Bike Museum

The bike museum in Grabouw showcases the history of pedal-powered transport. Visitors are taken on a journey back hundreds of years to the first cycle mode of transport. The museum has been devised and curated by the Franschhoek Motor Museum in partnership with The trail’s end hotel, and various sponsors.

On display is a life-size mock-up of the first known bicycle design,  generally believed to have been invented by Leonardi da Vinci in the 1500s.

You can also see a life-size model of Baron Karl van Drais’ “Draisine”, invented in 1817. This is considered to be the world’s first bicycle. Drais discovered that one could move very fast by placing wheels in a line on a frame and balancing through dynamic steering.

There are 24 pieces on display, many of which are South African creations, some not so serious such as the “bat-glider” and a specially designed surfboard-carrying bicycle. On the walls of the museum are some old cycling posters which track the development of cycling over the years. There are several penny farthings and some early racing bikes from the 1800s. Some of the old bicycles have wooden wheels and handlebars for a more lightweight bicycle.

There is a nominal entrance fee but hotel guests receive a complimentary tour of the museum

Worcester Road, Grabouw,