Adventure and Travel

Ride Routes: Western Cape’s famed Four Passes

Words and Pictures by Rae Trew-Browne

· By Bike Hub Features · 21 comments

If you have been around the Western Cape road riding scene for a while the chances are you have heard about the Four Passes route. Or perhaps you have already ridden it and experienced one of the Cape’s best road bike loops. If not, hopefully this article will give you some good insight into what is one of my favourite routes.

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This route feature is made possible by Toyota. We were lucky enough to take their Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR out for the trip, more on the car later.

The Route
As the name suggests, the route is made up of four passes, namely, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Viljoenspas, Franschhoek Pass, and Helshoogte Pass.

Where to start? There are a few options. Most riders start in Somerset West to get an early attack in on Sir Lowry’s Pass. I like to start at Specialized Stellenbosch since they have great coffee and snacks for after the ride. Plus those rollers between Stellenbosch and Somerset West aren’t much fun after 120km.

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Sir Lowry’s Pass
Sir Lowry’s Pass is by far the trickiest of the four climbs because it is not the most cycling-friendly road. Thankfully though it is the first pass so you can up and over pretty early in the morning before the traffic starts. A pre-sunrise climb on quiet roads gives you a chance to appreciate the beauty and difficulty of the climb. I find it the hardest of the four passes, mainly because it is so steep and the road is pretty much straight. At least with Franschhoek Pass, you get some switchbacks and corners to break up the mental fatigue of the climb.

The viewpoint at the top of Sir Lowry’s gives you a great perspective of where you have ridden from, it’s definitely worth a stop and a quick photo.

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The first decent food stop is the petrol station on your left as you turn into Grabouw, they have been known to have a DJ outside with pumping tunes over the weekend so you might enjoy some vibes there before heading off again.

It’s worth noting that the village on the left just before Grabouw can feel a bit sketchy, thankfully you are heading downhill and are at a proper speed so just keep your eye out for animals crossing the road. Riding the route the other way around (i.e Helshoogte and Franschhoek Pass first) can feel a lot more unsafe as you are climbing pretty slowly up the hill.

2-_OLM2315.jpgI’ve been looking forward to driving the new Toyota on the block for a good while, there is something about the Toyota brand that just gets me excited.

After Grabouw there is only one more feed stop before you hit Franschhoek. At the base of Viljoenspas after the climb and descent, there is a spaza shop on the lefthand side of the road. Pretty safe to stop at and enjoy a coke.

It can get cold on this route so pack some warm gear if the weather looks suspect. When we climbed out of Grabouw on this ride the Wahoo was reading a temperature of 1 whole degree.

Viljoenspas
Viljoenspas is pretty stunning, especially in winter when you have snow on the peaks in front of you. With Hans se Kop on your left and the upper Grabouw dam it makes for a great photo or just a quick breather while you enjoy the view. After the descent down the other side of Viljoenspas, the road rolls on through the farmlands which gives you some time to collect yourself for the next pass, Franschhoek Pass.

The Theewaterskloof Dam is also a great spot to stop and enjoy an energy bar or gel, the dam is full at the moment with all the rain so if the day is warm enough, a sneaky swim will be well worth the effort. If you have ridden in the area, you will know it can get pretty windy on this side of the mountain. Make sure you have someone with you who makes a nice big slipstream, if it’s a windy day the drag along the dam to the base of the pass can be hell.

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Franschhoek Pass
Franschhoek Pass is pretty exceptional, especially on the Villiersdorp side. I see so many cyclists climbing up the Franschhoek side and then turning around at the View Point. They really are missing out on one of the Cape’s (and possibly South Africa’s) most beautiful and rewarding climbs. If water is running low, don’t worry there are a couple of streams flowing most of the year along the pass.

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Franschhoek Pass is only 2km shorter than Sir Lowry’s Pass but it does feel longer because of all the switchbacks and corners. Watch out for the Valentino Rossi wannabes who think the pass is their personal race track on the weekends, it is an incredible road to drive as well so unfortunately, it does attract the fast and furious. Best to stick as far left as possible and try not to ride next to each other here.

Franschhoek is very well known for its wine and food so it makes for an amazing lunch stop, since most of the climbing is done you might even enjoy some beer or wine with lunch. If you are passing through on a Saturday the Farmers Market is a must. Great food that you won’t have to wait too long for.

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Toyota has done well to beef it up a little to give it that authentic Toyota offroad styling. It is called the Urban Crusier so don’t expect it to stick with its bigger brother the Land Cruiser. The 1.5 engine though is more than capable in an urban setting and on the open road.
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As cyclists we need space and the Urban Cruiser delivers on this well. The space inside the car is great, with plenty of room for kit bags and floor pumps. With the seats folded down, it swallows a road bike easily.

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After Franschhoek it’s basically a hop, skip, and a jump to the finish in Stellenbosch. If you have paced yourself well the drag to Pniel and the climb up Helshoogte should go by quickly unless the South Easter is blowing of course. That can make the road Franschhoek to the left turn at Boschndal very interesting. I don’t know why but Pniel is one of my favourite little towns in the Cape. It just feels like it has so much history and personality. If you have the time it is definitely worth exploring a little bit.

If Burgers and Beer is more your thing after a ride, Stellenbosch has plenty of that, another great reason to start and end in Stellies.

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9-_OLM2491.jpgThe extra lift in the suspension and higher body height than that of the Yaris for example gives you a lot of confidence on gravel roads. The ride is very comfortable with little to no body roll in tight corners. It may be called the Urban Cruiser but it will be comfortable in pretty much every terrain, apart from hardcore 4×4 tracks.

Route overview
The 130km route gives you about 1800m of climbing and the steepest gradient is 7.7%

GPX Route Download: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36969110
 

Ready for your own adventure?
For more info on the Toyota Urban Cruiser click here.

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Comments

Frederick87

Aug 5, 2021, 4:55 PM

When going through Somerset West I would recommend riding through somerset west main road / old sir lowry's road past Vergelegen Medi-clinic and then turning onto Mondeor road. This will allow you to miss a big part of the N2.
https://www.strava.com/routes/23657763

Ride in a big group and early with lights on at Sir Lowry's. Once you reach Grabouw turnoff you are home free.

Sid the Sloth

Aug 5, 2021, 5:39 PM

43 minutes ago, Frederick87 said:

When going through Somerset West I would recommend riding through somerset west main road / old sir lowry's road past Vergelegen Medi-clinic and then turning onto Mondeor road. This will allow you to miss a big part of the N2.
https://www.strava.com/routes/23657763

Ride in a big group and early with lights on at Sir Lowry's. Once you reach Grabouw turnoff you are home free.

And avoid the windy days, it’s crazy how the South Easter affects both the bike and the cars up there… 

Slowbee

Aug 5, 2021, 10:08 PM


Sheesh did this route a long time ago.

I think it is time for another ride report :)

 

Dicky DQ

Aug 6, 2021, 3:47 AM

Much better way of addressing the issue of the sponsor content. Well done, now we should at least all click on the link to make the sponsor happy. 

Tomik

Aug 6, 2021, 6:23 AM

17 minutes ago, copperhead said:

I see some of this route is on the N2. Not in my life would I ride that section. 

I rode it once. Also never again. Drove up Sir Lowry's last weekend at 6:45am and thought, hell this is madness on a bike.

Beautiful route otherwise.

BuffsVintageBikes

Aug 6, 2021, 7:06 AM

Iconic route amongst us older WC riders, used to always be our prep route for the D/C back in the day. Back then we could safely cycle through SLP Village and come out at the corner halfway up SLP. Always keep an eye on the wind when going over the top. We had a very bad experience on that pass where the wind actually blew our bikes out from under us, forcing us to walk hunched over pushing the bike to try reduce wind drag. It the first time I've actually been scared of wind ☠️

Other than that, it really is an amazing route and well worth a crack ????

Adriandup

Aug 6, 2021, 1:09 PM

Off topic but related to iconic passes. Is Bainskloof not allowing cyclists up & over at all? I would like to head out from Paarl via Tulbach out, & route back over Bains if possible.

Adriandup

Aug 6, 2021, 1:18 PM

5 minutes ago, copperhead said:

Closed as far as I know. Tried to go up there about 2 months ago. No go. No one allowed unless things have changed 

Tx. Will make it an out and back then bypassing Hermon

Butterbean

Aug 6, 2021, 2:49 PM

Did this ride earlier this year - as a normie, it was the longest ride done for me, but was brilliant. The motos coming up Franschoek Pass nearly deafened me, the asses, but otherwise a spectacular drive. We were sound of mind enough to get a friend to drive a support car behind us for the n2 stretch out of Somerset West and up SLP, to Grabouw. After that he played feeding station. Was perfect! Would i do it without the vehicle? Not likely unless in a big group... 

Butterbean

Aug 6, 2021, 2:51 PM

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Yyyy

Aug 6, 2021, 4:24 PM

flame suit on

I think this is a stupid route and puts cyclist in unnecessary danger (specifically the N2 section) 

i know this route is an icon and held in reverence among local riders but I can easily map out alternative and equally epic routes that are much safer.

We could argue that all routes should be made safe for cyclist yes but thats not the world we live in.

The Ouzo

Aug 6, 2021, 5:20 PM

The way you capetonians go on about safety on routes makes me think it’s safer to ride my bike up here in GP than down there. 

capediver

Aug 6, 2021, 5:36 PM

8 minutes ago, ouzo said:

The way you capetonians go on about safety on routes makes me think it’s safer to ride my bike up here in GP than down there. 

Sir Lowry's Pass "cycling lane" is predominantly occupied by the following groups:

  • 18 wheelers with no F*cks given
  • Slow cherries spewing smoke
  • Okes on their mobiles checking the latest WhatsApp group chat
  • Taxis taking the inside
  • NO CYCLIST in their right mind...ever....

So Ja I reckon any route in GP would be safer than this one....

Besides, not mentioned here, last I heard, cyclists are not allowed on freeways like the M3, M5, N1 and N2 in and near Cape Town...true/not true?

 

AB

Aug 7, 2021, 6:10 AM

The MTB Four Passes route is worth doing just for the trails by Grabouw. 
 

And you miss the dodgy part on the N2 ????

The Ouzo

Aug 7, 2021, 7:16 AM

13 hours ago, capediver said:

Sir Lowry's Pass "cycling lane" is predominantly occupied by the following groups:

  • 18 wheelers with no F*cks given
  • Slow cherries spewing smoke
  • Okes on their mobiles checking the latest WhatsApp group chat
  • Taxis taking the inside
  • NO CYCLIST in their right mind...ever....

So Ja I reckon any route in GP would be safer than this one....

Besides, not mentioned here, last I heard, cyclists are not allowed on freeways like the M3, M5, N1 and N2 in and near Cape Town...true/not true?

 

Its not just this thread though, it gets mentioned often enough in other threads to.

But, on your points above, no different to GP (if we look past the freeway argument)

Nick

Aug 7, 2021, 10:02 AM

16 hours ago, capediver said:

Besides, not mentioned here, last I heard, cyclists are not allowed on freeways like the M3, M5, N1 and N2 in and near Cape Town...true/not true?

True, many of these roads are off limits to pedal cycles, as they are designated as freeways in some parts. But it depends on the below signs indicating where the freeway restrictions begin and end, not just the name of the road.

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ChrisF

Aug 7, 2021, 12:34 PM

5 hours ago, ouzo said:

Its not just this thread though, it gets mentioned often enough in other threads to.

But, on your points above, no different to GP (if we look past the freeway argument)

Other roads in the Western Cape have its normal risks .... much the same as most busy cities...

 

Going up Sir Louwries Pass .... this is a different thing all together.  Host of sharp blind turns. Scary mix of boy-racers in cars and on motorcycles, all manner of vehicle drivers, and many large trucks idling up the pass ....

 

Few years back I came around one of those blind turns to find a broken down truck in the left lane .... I was slow enough to find a gap and join the right hand lane traffic.  Few minutes later another driver rear ended the truck, driver died on the scene.

 

Add some very strong gusts of wind at certain spots that move most cars about ....

 

Nope, Main Road on a Saturday morning may be a safer bet ....

 

 

As for using car to protect the cyclists .... coming around a blind turn to find a car crawling at 10km/h in a 80km/h lane .... ????

bleedToWin

Aug 11, 2021, 1:31 PM

Did the route this morning for the first time.
N2 wasn't quiet, but a lot better than it would be on most weekends.  Going up Sir Lowry's I was almost never passed by two cars at once so they all had the option to drift into the right hand lane if they were not there already. Don't think think I'd want a follow car crawling behind me around some of those left hand bends... Would also not want to do this in a group bigger than 4 or 5.
Didn't feel unsafe riding solo on any sections of the route, but this might just my perspective. I feel the need for vigilance when cycling through Stellies hijacking hotspots, but don't feel unsafe... ????‍♂️

All in all a good ride, and I can see why it's an icon of the Cape, but I wouldn't call it a must-do ride.
I actually think doing a four passes ride where you go over Helshoogte and Franschhoek pass both sides is more enjoyable. I know some people don't enjoy out-and-back routes though.

Jbr

Aug 11, 2021, 1:59 PM

not sure why you all moan about sir lawry's pass... we did it not so long ago and it was surprisingly chilled (except we had 4 punctures by the time we reached the top), and it wasn't even that early in the morning, I see we started 1:30 hour into the ride (after fixing all the punctures) and we started at 6:13 so say around 8 ish.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4523390859

The dodgiest part of this ride was the slum we went through right before... lots of broken glass there, wasn't great sitting in that neighbourhood...

Viljoenspas and all the McLaren's and Porsches owners racing was also probably more dangerous than Sir Lawry's.

Unfortunately riding on the road always is dangerous and will always be. I feel way more at risk between Paarden Eiland and the city on the N1 or even doing intervals on Kloof than when I did the 4 passes. I wish I could ride my MTB more often but I have to either drive (and waste riding time) or go through kaker areas that Sir Lawry's to get to the trails.

Tomik

Aug 11, 2021, 2:19 PM

45 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Did the route this morning for the first time.
N2 wasn't quiet, but a lot better than it would be on most weekends.  Going up Sir Lowry's I was almost never passed by two cars at once so they all had the option to drift into the right hand lane if they were not there already. Don't think think I'd want a follow car crawling behind me around some of those left hand bends... Would also not want to do this in a group bigger than 4 or 5.
Didn't feel unsafe riding solo on any sections of the route, but this might just my perspective. I feel the need for vigilance when cycling through Stellies hijacking hotspots, but don't feel unsafe... ????‍♂️

All in all a good ride, and I can see why it's an icon of the Cape, but I wouldn't call it a must-do ride.
I actually think doing a four passes ride where you go over Helshoogte and Franschhoek pass both sides is more enjoyable. I know some people don't enjoy out-and-back routes though.

What if they didn't have the option to drift into the other lane?

My point is that just because many survive the pass doesn't make it a good idea in general.

Speeds, even in the slow lane, are usually far higher than many other passes (like Bains or Du Toit's which I have no problem cycling on) and many of the corners are relatively blind corners. 

But to each their own. Be safe out there.

 

 

bleedToWin

Aug 11, 2021, 2:29 PM

7 minutes ago, Tomik said:

What if they didn't have the option to drift into the other lane?

I feel like there would have ample space to safely pass me nonetheless. The lanes are wide and I was on or to the left of the yellow. Point of including that tidbit was just to note that I did not get one single close pass.

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