Bottelary Hills MTB Trails

[Maniax]

Baie jammer dat 'n groot deel van die bloekombos aan die einde van die groen roete afgesaag is. Dit neem heelwat weg van die bekoring van daardie stuk ST.

 

Ek stem... Daar was seker 'n goeie rede gewees hiervoor.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Maniax

[Hellwarp]

Bottelary Hills MTB permit holders and would be day visitors for this Saturday. Please take note that we are hosting the STBB event on Saturday morning so plan your ride for Saturday mid afternoon or Sunday.

[Hellwarp]

2014 Annual permits are now available and valid from the day of purchase until 31st December 2014. This means that you get the last 2 months of 2013 free. Visit the "permits and fees" section on our website for more info.

[Stumpmeister]

I do this route a couple of times a year and its sad to see how many people dont buy permits. Its good to see when they get stopped by your security. Two weeks ago I stopped next to a guy at golf course who just rocketed off while we paid at the lodge only to find him on the big climb later without a day permit. Next time I will take their reg number. Track is in good shape and I love the new section but pity about the trees been cut off on the green route.

[Hellwarp]

As a landowner I've run out of comment regarding arrogant, short-sighted, simple minded, selfish people who think the world owes them a place in the sun to ride for free when and wherever they like.

[deanbean]

As a landowner I've run out of comment regarding arrogant, short-sighted, simple minded, selfish people who think the world owes them a place in the sun to ride for free when and wherever they like.

Hopefully they are in the minority, but all the other users should be made aware of the fact that the trails could be shut down through the actions of arses like that, and maybe a lynch mob or two will sort them out

[Mr X]

As a landowner I've run out of comment regarding arrogant, short-sighted, simple minded, selfish people who think the world owes them a place in the sun to ride for free when and wherever they like.

 

Confiscate their bicycles or a wheel, prosecute them, charge them with trespassing, organize rogue rider busting rides, what can be done about rogue riders? This needs to stop!

[Rapunzel]

As a landowner I've run out of comment regarding arrogant, short-sighted, simple minded, selfish people who think the world owes them a place in the sun to ride for free when and wherever they like.

Sadly, they walk (ride) among us and they frequent the Tygerberg trails too. Thankfully they're a minority and a name and shame campaign would probably help.

[dirtman]

I have been working together with Hellwarp on the Bottelary Hills MTB trails since opening and the excuses for riding without a permit are never ending. Some of the standard and not so standard excuses given to me are:

- I did not know I need to pay to ride these trails (and this within 50 metres after riding past a VERY big sign stating that riders must pay to ride!)

- I did not see the sign stating that riders must pay to ride (I never realised that a large percentage of MTB riders are blind!)

- I am from Pretoria / Bloemfontein / wherever and don’t know this area (why then do you ride a bike with the branding of a local bike shop and how did you manage to find the trails?)

- It is the first time I ride these trails (so what, did you also not pay the first time you went to the dentist?)

- I want to ride the trails first to see if I like it and if I do like it, I will pay on my next ride (I assume you also eat for free in a restaurant to see if you like the food or not?)

- I have been riding here for free before you guys opened these trails – why must I pay now? (I you did ride here before the trails were opened, you were trespassing on private property!)

- I am only going to ride on the jeep tracks and farm roads and not the single track; since you guys did not build these roads, why must I pay? (such logic just boggles the mind)

- I am a member of XYZ club and thought I could ride for free here as well (so I assume you ride for free with your club bike board in Tokai. Jonkers , Welvanpas and all the other trails?)

And then the one from the guy on the R60 000+ bike: Jou p#@s, ek sal ry waar ek wil! (I don’t have a response to this one, other than “joune ook!” )

 

To all the riders out there who pay to ride - not only at Bottelary, but at all the other trails, thank you. To the freeloaders out there – I wish you all the bad luck that is possible on a bike.

[deanbean]

I was visiting CT and the first place i went to wouldn't sell me a permit, but i went to the hext place and rode from there, even though it added 30km and 2 hrs to my ride on a hot day. If I could do that so dould the locals. No excuses.

[Dicky DQ]

I was visiting CT and the first place i went to wouldn't sell me a permit, but i went to the hext place and rode from there, even though it added 30km and 2 hrs to my ride on a hot day. If I could do that so dould the locals. No excuses.

Hope you enjoyed it!

[deanbean]

 

Hope you enjoyed it!

I did enjoy it, need to teach locals not to drag their brakes through the corners though.

[Dicky DQ]

Ho Damn, don't get me going on this, but it is better than rebuilding the trails because there may be a stone in the track etc. Grrrr.

[Karakoram]

 

To all the riders out there who pay to ride - not only at Bottelary, but at all the other trails, thank you. To the freeloaders out there – I wish you all the bad luck that is possible on a bike.

 

Yes Dirtman, we have rogue riders out on the Wannabees Cycling Club's trails in Somerset West too. The attitude and behaviour of a few cycle tjops have already cost us the privilege to ride on one farm. Our club have about 650 members and perhaps this could be used to an advantage to pester/harass rogue riders. I've proposed that we implement a 'EACH ONE TO ASK ONE' campaign. Each club member aught to ask every 'anonymous' rider encountered on the trail (not displaying an appropriate bike board) why not. Hopefully the constant nagging will have an effect, like Chinese water torture.

 

The other idea is to have regular random checkpoints. At least two club members to wait a while at a spot on the trail and hand out club joining info to non-members. (We have club business cards with contact details printed on them). Take about 30 minutes out of your ride and wait for any rogues to stray your way, talk to them hand over the card and then continue with your ride. Perhaps talking to rogues will also provide an opportunity to 'evangelise' these brothers and sisters about the evil path of rogue riding they seem to be following.

 

Judging by the equipment they ride, I get the idea that it is not an affordability problem, but an attitude issue.

[Mr X]

Yes Dirtman, we have rogue riders out on the Wannabees Cycling Club's trails in Somerset West too. The attitude and behaviour of a few cycle tjops have already cost us the privilege to ride on one farm. Our club have about 650 members and perhaps this could be used to an advantage to pester/harass rogue riders. I've proposed that we implement a 'EACH ONE TO ASK ONE' campaign. Each club member aught to ask every 'anonymous' rider encountered on the trail (not displaying an appropriate bike board) why not. Hopefully the constant nagging will have an effect, like Chinese water torture.

 

The other idea is to have regular random checkpoints. At least two club members to wait a while at a spot on the trail and hand out club joining info to non-members. (We have club business cards with contact details printed on them). Take about 30 minutes out of your ride and wait for any rogues to stray your way, talk to them hand over the card and then continue with your ride. Perhaps talking to rogues will also provide an opportunity to 'evangelise' these brothers and sisters about the evil path of rogue riding they seem to be following.

 

Judging by the equipment they ride, I get the idea that it is not an affordability problem, but an attitude issue.

 

When I ride these trails there usually are more rogue riders than riders with number boards. I do not believe that talking to them will change anything. The most effective way to deal with this is to go on busting rides on non-club-riding-times and confiscate their bicycles or just a wheel.

[lerouc]

When I ride these trails there usually are more rogue riders than riders with number boards. I do not believe that talking to them will change anything. The most effective way to deal with this is to go on busting rides on non-club-riding-times and confiscate their bicycles or just a wheel.

 

First try and educate them. maybe they dont know its the clubs routes/private property as they can enter from a lot of different spots. Then if the same person gets caught again, with the land owners permission, get them arrested for trespassing.

 

I live on one of the farms on the route and even i am a member of the club.

 

If 1 or 2 people are used to make an example of then so be it. At least the word will spread to all the rogue riders and they will then become members.

 

Also check out strava who's riding a segment on the club routes and cross check with the members list. With today's internet you can find anything about anyone without too much peaty.