We talk to the man who started Seven Summits on a bicycle.
Join me as I question its founder, fellow South African (albeit born Brit), Nigel Laver, in discovering what it takes to climb over 36,000 vertical meters and why he started this project. Bonus: now I know how those very prominent CHOC cows started. Which explains the featured image of Nigel trying to keep an udder under control while cornering on the 947!
On the udder hand…
Q1: Who is Nigel Laver?
Nigel, tell me about yourself, because I am trying to get into the mind of someone who conjures up something like an Everesting on steroids. Who are you and where did your passion for cycling originate from?
Born in Ilford, Essex, UK 1973. Moved to SA as a 3 year old. We lived in JHB Winsor for a short period then grew up in Edenvale – From someone in the WC, that’s probably like saying you grew up in Belville 😊 Bikes came early, BMX, 24” road bike. Rode to school and back. I even remember a Scout fundraiser where we did laps of Kyalami on bicycles to raise money.
It wasn’t till high-school where a mate introduced us to “Racing” road bikes and the training that went into that. He worked in a bike shop (in Edenvale) and was a triathlete (one that canoed). He showed us (us, there were 3 of us: R.N.C). Did my first Argus in ’92 (according to the records on Racetec BUT I’m convinced I did one while still in Matric ’90).
We even took our bikes to the Army and managed to get out on Sports Parade every Wednesday after basics and some weekends we’d ride from Base (Voortreker Hoogte) to town and get collected by my mother). It wasn’t till later, early 2000’s when a mate from Raving invited us over after a night out to “Chill” and I saw a bicycle in his spare room. He came from Motor Cross and found bicycles along the way. He introduced me to proper competition.
We joined Cycle Lab and entered races and did a fair bit of racing in our 30s in Open AL category. We avoided racing vets but had teams in AL. We almost managed to spliter and have an A+ cat but it all fizzled out before that happened.
It wasn’t till I got introduced to The Cows in 2014 and had to come up with fundraising ideas did I start doing “Stupid-Sh!t” on bicycles to raise money and awareness. I certainly wouldn’t do this kaak by choice, just for kicks? NO SIR!
Q2: Your own stints on a bike
Your own stints on a bike. What type of cycling do you do and how often do you ride? On/off-road, solo or in groups, do you prefer events or exploring, races or bikepacking? Etc etc.
MTB and Road 50/50. First road bikes, in the last 10+ years MTB. Marathon. In July I became a L1 PMBIA certified Skills instructor and realised I’d not been riding as efficiently as I could have been. I also realised I’d been showing friends and family “Style & Technique” and not the “How & Why” to riding bicycles with confidence – needless to say, we had to teach over.
This past winter, I only went outside to do events, all training (racing) happened indoors on Zwift. I LOVE racing on ZWIFT. I LOVE RACING FULL STOP. We have a week morning loop called the Engen2Engen which I am now riding solidly with my wife (Bron) most weekday mornings (up to 40km, 90mins, Road). I LOVE 100k road cycle challenges. I LOVE 50km mtb sprint races.
I would LOVE to compete in ALL the multi-day stage races our country offers. I’ve NOT done an Epic. I’ve done mechanic support for J2c. I’ve done Sani (of course, hasn’t everyone), Berg N Bush, Sabie, Magoba’s (never a WC stage race).
I LOVE ebikes. I don’t own one, but Bron and I have ridden together (her on one, me on a normal bike) – I think they are the GREAT leveller, no more compromise between wide ability riders. I can ride XCO (up here) but I wont call myself a gravity rider (just yet). I don’t have enough travel or balls at this point.
Q3: It’s Not about the bike
But tell us about yours. What do you ride, are brands important, and what are your favourite things about your bikes?
I do not have the luxury of money (at the moment) to be picky about BRANDS. In 2019 I started a side hustle called Concierge Bicycle Sales, which found bikes (mainly 2nd hand ones) for people who are looking. In doing that, it gave me access to bikes on sale/special deals and because I was looking for others, I very soon found better bikes for myself.
- I currently ride an old Santa Cruz Tall Boy C and a newer Scott Foil disc (mechanical).
- Previously I had an older Santa Cruz (Yellow, not by choice because it was R20k and it was a Santa Cruz) and an Eddy Merckx rim brake road bike.
- I have a Single Speed in the shed for the Critical Mass type rides which we host in our neighbourhood called Kidical Mass for special dates. The next one is Sunday Oct 30th, Halloween Cycle Party – We Ride4Candy!
- If I can afford to upgrade to a newer Santa Cruz every so often then I will and or get into Pyga because I’ve heard such great things.
- My first 29er was a Volcan, my first 26er was a loaned Trek.
- I rode a Raleigh Team Carbon for probably longer than I should.
- I was still riding a steel hyper market special when I started cycling again for real in the 2000’s. Very soon an Aluminium Scott (hey, I’m back on a Scott road bike again… maybe I do have a “brand” 😊
Q4: Your favourite climb?
Given the subject, I have to ask, what are your most cherished climbs? And why?
NONE OF THEM! 😊 In our S7 quest we learnt what type of hill we needed to find in order to create a short but doable hill repeat attempt. None of them were mythical or mysterious.
I guess the off-tar one for 7S up the south side of Breedts Nek was probably the maddest – but the “simple” (straight/suburban/no road furniture) Kilimanjaro attempt up and down Galena Ave in Roodepoort was probably the quickest and one I’d recommend for anyone up here trying for an Everesting.
The most stupidest was the 12% animal in Roodekrans (Maime) with a stop street T-Junction at the bottom were we could ONLY manage 5000m and 93km in a Cow Onsie in summer on the highveld before we threw in the towel. My riding mate and climbing companion killed a set of carbon rim brake wheels that day. Whoops!
Q5: What is #7summiting?
Tell me more about 7s. Where did the idea stem from and what prompted you to take action and start this new challenge?
Years of trying to find creative ways to raise money for thecows.co.za who raise that money for choc.org.za – in 2014 I was recruited to the Apocalypse Cows (a zany bunch who do two laps of 947 Cycle Challenge in some odd ball outfit to raise money for The Cows) – in order to be part of this prestigious bunch of halfwits you have to raise R15000.
Over the years I’ve tried many things: Just asking for money, riding from DRB to 947 over 5 days, riding from JHB to The Jock over 3 days, Riding up and down a hill for 25hrs, herding children around the neighbourhood on bicycles, organising a 300km group ride in one day (that actually has become the winning formula).
The process went as follows, after a few years we then arranged for myself and some mates to ride from DRB to 947 and do the race, for me, the goal was 1000km in 7 days (including two loops of 947 Cycle Challenge), the longest day on that tour in 2016 (Clarens to Deneysville 234km) gave me the confidence to attempt an Everesting the Jan of 2017.
After a 25hr and 291km sufferfest up and down Northcliff hill, I thought, surely we can do 300km quicker, flatter and in daylight. That December, Sparta was born. Somewhere between that we sat through a talk from a fellow cow about his actual 7Summits (mountains by foot). That got me thinking, I said to a friend, you may even know him, Guy Jennings (of double Munga and other idiotic endurance feats fame)? Hey Guy, how about a challenge where we do 7Summits (like an Everesting) in 1 year? I had recently been inspired by that talk and the Jack Black and Steve Martin Movie “A BIG Year” – he said “GREAT IDEA”.
I birthed 7S with some help of some friends who had done multiple Everstings, I pitched it to Andy as an official “bolt-on” challenge, different to multiple Everestings in a row. He loved the idea, but he was working on half Everesting and a new site so the collab fell flat… a year later (probably?), I thought we should take it back and not leave it up to the Ozzies to exploit first.
In July 2019 a bunch of us started our first of 7. In that 365 day stint we did two Everestings (we didn’t have too), 1 on Zwift for a Cows fund raiser during lockdown and the other in Dec 2020 when Georgie Died… so, ja… that story, you can read here in the first Paragraph strava.com/posts/21100939 Georgie was her sister, who fell foul of the same disease and died older than Jess but from the same complication – the two girls never knew each other. They both succeed a brother
Q6: Tips Tops to succeed
It’s obviously no walk in the park to complete a 7s. What would you say is vital to succeeding? Give us your top tips.
Gearing! Because you are no stranger to an Everesting I’d say you are good to go there. The fact that you want to do ALL 7 in 7 Days, I’d reckon start with the highest and work down – don’t waste your time with an Everesting as tempting as it may be if you find a Goldie Lox hill. Choose your hills and segments correctly (stead/as steep as you can musta). There may be glory in going all the way to the top of something but seldom is that a steady and consistent gradient which is the most efficient.
Also, records are made with STRAIGHT obstacle free downhills. Time is made up going down as much as it is going up. Plan, Prep, Don’t be a hero. Do it for something bigger than yourself so there is NO QUITTING. Tell people about what you are doing so you are accountable to completing (I think you’ve covered that) – its way too easy otherwise to threw in the towel at 5000m
Q7: About those cards…
I love the brevet card you send out to participants. Are you a Randonneur, or where did the idea come from?
I am NOT a Randonneur, I was just inspired by Audax (and maybe an orienteering experience as a Cub/Scout) and the history of explorers so I thought an “old style” looking something would be cool. The Brevet is close to cycling, the mountains are close to explorers. It’s a VIBE! In this “Online” world, having something you can hold (other than your phone) I thought would be something to cherish, do you agree?
Q8: For the record
I saw fellow cyclist Leonard Welthagen’s name on the finisher’s list. How many 7summiters are there to date and have they all done it in 365 days or less?
Your Brevet will be #20, Ernest is #19 (just started). I’ve had two riders who wanted to start another challenge (so count them as 4) and I’ve had one rider who lost his card, so I re-issued (2). There are 5 of us who have completed all 7 in the required number of days 7-summiting-legends/ – You do the math 😊 25%, yes?
Q9: Where to next?
Where to next? What is your vision for the future of the 7s. And what would you like each individual participant to experience while or after they tackle this monster challenge?
GREAT QUESTION! Who knows? If the last 2 years have taught us anything: a) anything is possible and b) nothing is guaranteed. I’d like to see more Mo-Fo’s like you to take up the challenge. Its hard AF, and you want to do it in 7 days? OMAF! Good Luck!
Currently I am reinventing myself as a coach, skills instructor, event organiser for Thepracticesa.co.za (from Music licensing industry of a decade and several decades of music industry before that). Plus the JHB/PTA representative for lynecomponents.com.
I’m 50 next year, I’d like to focus on some significant podiums as my first year of a new age cat (Road/MTB/XCO) BUT I also must figure out how to earn a living – potentially, however, I have just figured out how to get paid to ride my bike all day?? I AM grateful for the opportunities presented currently AND that I had cycling (as a hobby) to fall back on as a future career path.
Q10: Bonus round
What did I miss, or what is the one question (and answer) that you would like to be asked?
I think you covered everything… oh… wait, remember, with all the over 4424m 7S climbs you can (and should) claim your Half Everesting(s) – that should be 6 of 7 to add to your Hells 500 Trophy Case – and some bragging rights on that forum for 7 days of them – maybe try string the Halves consecutively (certainly if you are hell bent on going from highest to lowest.
Finally,
In the rules you mention participants “are heavily encouraged (it’s almost an unwritten rule) to create awareness and financial or any other support for a charity of your choosing”. What a noble idea. Can you give us examples of what summiters have achieved. And may I share my campaign with you (insert cheeky plug)?
It was really just Clinton, Vickus and Myself who did It for The Cows, simply because we’ve been involved with them previously. You are the first to do something outside of that – and yes, you’re welcome to share whatever you want. How did you end up doing what you’re gonna do for your chosen charity?
