When Prince Kaybee crashed his motorcycle in 2024, his life changed instantly. The award-winning DJ, producer and entrepreneur suffered multiple fractures that required surgery and left him facing a long and uncertain recovery. For someone who identified strongly as a runner and fitness enthusiast, the possibility that he might never return to the activities he loved was difficult to accept.
Now, less than two years later, he is preparing for the biggest physical challenge of his life: cycling more than 600 kilometres from Johannesburg to Durban over three days as part of the inaugural HiPace Cycle Challenge. The ride, which averages roughly 200 kilometres per day, will take him well beyond his previous longest ride of 158 kilometres. But for Prince Kaybee, born Kabelo Motsamai, the challenge is about much more than distance. “It’s about proving that setbacks don’t have to define you,” he says.
Learning Patience the Hard Way
Recovery was neither quick nor straightforward. Prince Kaybee says the physical healing process took more than a year, with some injuries still not fully recovered. “It taught me how to be patient,” he tells Men’s Health. “It takes a while for the body to recover from injury. Mentally, you’re waiting for your body to give you results and it taught me a lot of patience.”
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The most difficult moments came after leaving hospital. “There was a period after getting back home where I couldn’t wash myself,” he recalls. “I had to give someone that I really trust that task to do and it was not easy because I don’t like not being able to do things myself.” The loss of independence weighed heavily on him. “Mentally, I was stuck somewhere in my head. I was thinking about the same things over and over. The main thing was, ‘When is this going to end?’ Enduring that was very difficult.”
Why He Refused to Be Average
Cycling initially became part of his rehabilitation programme but Prince Kaybee insists there was never a gradual transition from recovery to performance. Instead, he decided from the start. “For myself and my life, the metric is success,” he says. “I don’t want to be average. I took a decision even before I started that I’m going to do this in the highest possible way.”
That mindset now fuels his preparation for a challenge that many experienced cyclists would find intimidating. While most people might fear the distance itself, Prince Kaybee has another concern. “What scares me most is the headwind,” he says with a laugh.
For endurance cyclists, riding into a strong headwind can feel like climbing an invisible hill for hours. “The way I’m so competitive, I’m going to want to show the wind who I am. But it’s an endurance thing. That’s not how you treat it.” His coaching team has repeatedly reminded him of the importance of restraint. “They’ve told me, ‘You need to really calm down because it’s an endurance ride.’ I need to master the art of pacing myself.”
Discipline Over Motivation
When asked what rebuilding looks like on days when motivation disappears, Prince Kaybee doesn’t hesitate. For him, discipline matters far more than inspiration. “I think discipline is the one metric that we use as people,” he says.
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He compares it to attending church. “A lot of people go to church when they are inspired to go to church, which is the wrong thing to do. To be disciplined to do it whether it’s raining or not, whether you feel like it, that’s the important thing.” The same principle applies to work, training and life. “Sometimes maybe you’ve lost a loved one that morning and you feel like staying at home, but you’re here. People are very easy to persuade away from the vision. It’s very simple to deter someone from doing what they need to do.”
Alone With Your Thoughts
Unlike performing on stage, endurance cycling offers no audience, applause or instant feedback. Preparation happens largely in isolation. “It’s more challenging,” he says. “You are alone most of the time in preparation. You rely solely on yourself.” When he sets off from Midrand, there will be no crowd carrying him through difficult moments. “It’s my legs that are going to take me to Durban. There’s no audience cheering me on, where I can get strength. It’s just my legs, my mental state and the wind.”
That solitude has taught him valuable lessons about suffering and perseverance. “Cycling has taught me to be patient with the pain and tap into something that will make you endure it.” He struggles to define exactly what that “something” is. “I think I’m able to curate myself mentally into that little bubble where you are numb, you are tired, but you still go.”
A Message Bigger Than Cycling
The HiPace Cycle Challenge is intentionally public. Every kilometre will be shared across social media, allowing supporters to follow the journey in real time. Prince Kaybee believes South Africans need to see examples of perseverance more often. “I feel like we are going through a pandemic in South Africa where resilience is not celebrated,” he says.
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“People just want to be soft. I want people to see that when there’s a flat tyre, we don’t stop. When it’s raining, we don’t stop. Whatever happens, we don’t stop.” Interestingly, he isn’t chasing personal validation at the finish line. Asked what completing the challenge would prove to himself, he shrugs off the idea. “Nothing really.” Instead, he sees difficult challenges as opportunities to strengthen mental toughness. “Your mental state is like a muscle. You train it enough and the heavier the weight becomes, the stronger the muscle becomes.”
Ultimately, the message he hopes people take away is simple. “Despite any challenges in your life, you are capable of achieving whatever you want.” Then he pauses before delivering the central theme behind every kilometre he will pedal between Johannesburg and Durban. “Be resilient in your life. Nothing can stop you.”
