When one thinks of household names in the Enduro and DH scene the immediate answers are Greg Minnaar, Loic Bruni, Aaron Gwin, Sam Hill, Danny Hart, Gee Atherton, and Remi Thirion. These riders are all at the top of their game and grace our screens during the DH and Enduro seasons as we cling to the edge of our seats watching them launch unfathomable gaps, blitz through rocks gardens, and navigate trails so steep that they seem flat on TV.

For many, racing at their level is something of a pipe dream. For Ethan Hunter, it’s the goal. Ethan Hunter is 17 years old and lives in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. His mission: Glory. Giant Bicycles South Africa has teamed up with Ethan for the 2024 season and beyond to go for Glory. After delivery of his brand new 2024 Giant Glory Advanced, we sat down with Ethan to discuss his goals and future, what it means to work with Giant, and what he wants to achieve on a personal and professional level.

GBSA: “Ethan, tell us a bit about yourself.”

EH: “Hi! Firstly, thank you so much for the opportunity to represent Giant Bicycles in SA; this is literally a dream come true!

I’m Ethan, and I’ve been riding bikes since I was three years old. As soon as I could balance and pedal, I knew that racing bikes was what I was going to do. I started off in XC and three years ago I dipped my toes in the DH and Enduro scene. I bought my first full suspension bike (a Giant Reign in 2017) by building websites for local businesses in our community to pay for the costs.

With riding and racing bikes being such an expensive sport, it’s encouraged me to become somewhat of a businessperson and I have been building ramps (Hunter Ramps) and running coaching clinics to assist in building up the funds to continue. Riding bikes has been keeping me fit and fast but also keeping me mentally sharp.”

GBSA: “Why did you initially start riding and how do you keep the passion alive?”

EH: “In short, I feel free when I’m riding. What started as a little hobby with my dad and brothers turned into a full-blown passion that drives me every single day. Every time I get onto my bike, I feel free, free yet full of drive and dedication to the sport and my goals. What keeps me going is pushing my limits and building relationships within the sport – mountain biking is such an incredible sport with so many disciplines and ways to improve. I think the moment I feel too comfortable or I’m not feeling a little nervous is when I’ll stop (but I don’t think that’ll happen any time soon.

Of course, this brand-new Giant Glory makes keeping the passion alive rather easy; just look at it!”

GBSA: “It’s clear you’re dedicated and full of drive; what’s your long-term goal for racing?”

EH: “Mountain biking such an awesome sport and for me, the goals I am setting for myself go way deeper than just racing bikes and going fast.

I would love to see other mountain bikers unlock their full potential and enjoy the sport as much as I do – that’s why I really enjoy coaching youngsters and I am going to set up an academy that provides opportunity to the youth. I owe so much of where I am now to people believing in me and I am going to do the same for others.

In terms of racing, I would like to win the overall SA Cup in 2024 and compete at an international level against the world’s best at a World Cup. An ambitious goal I have set myself is to win some of the Elite Men’s races here in SA next year even though I am still racing as a junior.

One day I plan to establish and run a full-blown bike park; think Whistler but right here in South Africa. I know that the level of the local riders here in SA will skyrocket when we get access to trails and features as janky and challenging as those found internationally.”

GBS: “Your goals blend personal dreams but also show off your desire to impact those around you; what impact do you plan to make on your peers and future generations?”

EH: “This sport is bigger than any one rider and keeping the community inspired and in line ensures we all have a long future ahead of us.

I plan to be part of growing and maintaining the clean image of mountain biking in SA and I want to foster the attitude of dedication and support amongst the youngsters who are coming up in the sport. It’s important to me to keep this sport free from negative influences and to make it accessible to more people in the future. I am going to achieve this!”

GBSA: “Why is Giant your brand of choice?”

EH: “I’ve always loved Giant and my first full suspension bike was a 2017 Giant Reign. I’ve owned several other bikes, but I never felt at home on them; the Giant frames and suspension design works for me and my style of riding.

Obviously, I also love the way they look too; aside from my Glory I also have a Trance X Advanced Pro in an aftermarket paintjob that never fails to turn heads.

But beyond the bikes, the people behind the scenes at Giant South Africa are awesome and understand my mindset and desired direction. They’re super supportive and give me the opportunity to do what I believe is right for myself, the brand and the sport. I don’t think I’d find that kind of trust anywhere else.”

GBSA: “Let’s talk about this new Glory… what are your favourite things about it?”

EH: “How long do you have? We could talk about this all day!

The standouts for me, aside from how AMAZING it looks, is the mullet setup. I love the 29er front 27.5 rear wheel setup – it’s fast through tight, technical rocky sections and flies through the straight section. It’s got the best of both worlds in one.

I also love to tinker with setups to get things dialed to exactly how I like my bike to feel. The Glory is amazing in that I can adjust almost everything to suit the terrain and conditions and how my body is feeling on the day. And I’ve only scraped the surface on what’s possible!”

GBSA: “Ethan, we’re stoked to have you on board! Where can the people stay up to date with what you’re up to?”

EH: “Thanks so much for this opportunity; it’s really hard to put into words what it means to me, but rest assured that I’ll do my best to represent Giant and the Constantia Bike Park as they’ve been supporting me from a young age, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

You can follow me on Instagram @ethan_.hunter, I’ve just bought a bunch of new GoPro gear and I’m on a mission to create some cool content with the Bike Park and other Giant Ambassadors; stay tuned!”

GBSA: “All the best Ethan! We’re going for Glory with you!”