The rear double bridge and seat tube of an ONGUZA road bike in berry pink and purple. Highlights the fine brazing and filing workmanship. Attached is a ZIPP deepsection wheel with Ultradynamico tyres in an ultramarine green and tan sidewalls.

NAMIBIA IS A COUNTRY OF MAKERS

And our factory, located on the main street of Omaruru, a small town two hours North of the capital city, is testament to the talent and skilled craftsmanship of our tiny but mighty population. 

Master builders Sakeus Nkolo, Petrus Mufenge, and designer/engineer and former professional cyclist Dan Craven, are the three owners of the business. Employee equity is important, not only because it's the right thing to do, but also because it impacts the pride, care and integrity in everything we build. 

Every bicycle we build is rigorously engineered for both performance and rider comfort. Unlike most other bicycle manufacturers, every tube is meticulously measured and cut by hand, hand-filed and fillet brazed, a delicate welding technique that uses either brass or sterling silver to eliminate potential damage to the specialist tubing in the process. Our in-house paint booth and painter Elvis Presley Sakeus, and junior builder Sakeus Mufenge finish off every frame with obsessive care and quality control by Dan Craven. 

Built to win 

These aren't just pretty bikes with a massive impact on our community - with every single dollar going back into the local Namibian community - they win races. Since our earliest days, our prototype bicycles were being raced at the very highest levels of gravel competition, and winning. Even our 7th bike off the workshop floor was the racing winning machine Alex Miller would use to beat the then reigning Cape Epic champion Matt Beers. We've now made hundreds. 

Our Philosophy

Bikes should be tough, comfortable, fast, unique and beautiful. They should be built to withstand whatever adventure you want to throw at it. We believe the longer a bike lasts, the lower your environmental impact will be, and with steel, you're getting just that. All bikes are good bikes, but we're aiming a lot higher than that. 

Would you like to know more? Email us on hello@onguza.com

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Everything depends on the build queue, stock levels and your specification. We aim for 6 weeks, but it may take longer. If you're concerned, please submit your estimate and we can tell you more precisely. Global shipping from Namibia typically takes less than 2 weeks, however this depends on the destination. All of this can be confirmed before payment.

  • The cost of shipping, duties and taxes is included in the cost of your frameset/bike. Working with our global shipping partner, FedEx, we arrange for shipping to your chosen destination, and all the local duties and taxes are handled by us so you don't have any hassle. This is why pricing can only be confirmed once we know your specific destination. We have a video further explaining shipping, packing, and what to expect when you're expecting an Onguza. Watch it here.

  • Absolutely! If you're planning a trip to Namibia coinciding with your bicycle pick-up, we would love to welcome you as we have for many others. If you're picking up your bike in Namibia, please refer to the Namibian Dollar (NAD) estimates. Please tell us if this is your chosen delivery method when you confirm your order specification.

  • Onguza (Pangolin Bicycles CC) is independently owned by Dan Craven, Petrus Mufenge and Sakaria Nkolo.

  • We currently have bicycles at VIA Atelier in London and the Canyon Cafe in Stellenbosch, South Africa. If you're in Namibia and would like to borrow a bicycle, we can easily make arrangements.

  • Typically, an Onguza gravel frame weighs approximately 2kg. Yes, this is more than a carbon frame, but it will unlikely make any difference to your riding speed or experience.

  • There are many benefits to riding a steel bike. They are famously more comfortable than carbon on longer rides; they are significantly easier to fix should your bike experience a major crash (and thus making them more environmentally friendly); you can customize them and adapt them over time; but these are still race-worthy bicycles. Using ultra-lightweight Columbus tubing is never going to hold you back in your riding endeavors.

    Most important to us, steel is hand-crafted. We cut every tube by hand using precision tools and measurements to ensure absolute perfection, but like the maker's mark of a Swiss watch, a steel bicycle is likely going to be a bike for life, and even an heirloom to pass down.