Bottelary Hills MTB Trails

[Karakoram]

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.

 

That would be nice, but what are you going to do with all the wheels?

How about marking rogue cyclists' bikes with neon spray paint. No board, you and your bike gets sprayed. Eventually the marshals will only have to confiscate the wheels of the neon marked bicycles. : )

[covie]

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.

 

This we unfortunately get to deal with on a day to day basis. And you will love the excuses riders come up with. And no its 99% of the time not that they did not know they had to pay, etc etc etc. 99% its simply people trying to not pay and get away with it. Now what can be done about this. Well thats the million dollar question.

 

1. No club can confiscate or even lay a charge of trespassing only the landowner can do that. And the landowners really don't want to sit in court the whole day.

2. You can police the trails but yea you would need about 4 people for an avg network depending on the land and the trail network some places might require more. But you are looking at about R500 per person per day thats R2000 per day or R730 0000 a year just to police the trails. Most small clubs dont even get that in subs in a year.

[Eddy Gordo]

Pay booms at the entrance like what is at the malls when you exit. One for cars and one for bikes. Cost and maintenance gonna be an issue though

Edited November 19, 2013 by Eddy Gordo

[lerouc]

And i just read that wannabees lost access to a second farm...

[GLuvsMtb]

Pay booms at the entrance like what is at the malls when you exit. One for cars and one for bikes. Cost and maintenance gonna be an issue though

At about R80k per boom and R300k per pay station very few clubs/trails will be able to do this. Add another R500k to build some sort of 'gate' structure for good measure as well. Do you know how much singletrack you can build with this money?

[covie]

At about R80k per boom and R300k per pay station very few clubs/trails will be able to do this. Add another R500k to build some sort of 'gate' structure for good measure as well. Do you know how much singletrack you can build with this money?

 

And then they will just pop over a fence somewhere.

[Maniax]

This seems to be a human nature problem. If someone is a prick, he will be one on and off the bike.

 

Unless the cyclist community makes a united stand against this scourge, we might lose the priviledge of riding the farms all together.

 

Something has to be done.

[Hellwarp]

Please note that the 2013 permits will expire on 31 December 2013. There won't be any "switch-over" period in January, as the 2014 permits have been available at the selling points since the beginning of November From 1 January 2014 you will not be allowed to ride the trails without a 2014 permit.

2014 Permits are on sale at the usual outlets (most cycle shops in the Northern suburbs, Stellenbosch and Somerset-West – please see the website for details - http://bottelaryhillsmtb.co.za/ )

Please renew your annual permit before going away on holiday. Annual permits also make great Christmas presents. PERMITS BOUGHT NOW CAN BE USED IMMEDIATELY, MEANING NEW BUYERS CAN RIDE FOR FREE TILL THE END OF DECEMBER.

The cost of the permits for 2014 are as follows:

• Adults R450
  
• Spouse of adult permit holder R350
  
• Pensioners R250
  
• Students R250
  
• Under 18 yrs R150
  

Edited November 26, 2013 by Hellwarp

[dirtman]

BOTTELARY HILLS MTB DAY-PERMITS NOW AVAILABLE 24/7 AT THE SONEIKE ENGEN GARAGE, KUILS RIVER

 

Please note that as from this Saturday the 25th of January day-permits for the Bottelary Hills MTB routes will also be sold at the Soneike Engen Garage on the corner of Bottelary Road & Amandel Drive, Soneike, Kuils River. Permits can be bought 24 hours per day (just remember no night riding is allowed). A permit costs R50 and is in the form of a disposable bike-board. No deposit is required (the previous system of a returnable bike board for which a deposit was required, was scratched).

 

Day permits can now be bought at the following sales points:

• Engen Garage - Soneike - 24 hrs
  
• Radish Restaurant – Bottelary Road from 08h00-18h00 (Mon – Sat) and 08h00 – 15h00 (Sun)
  
• Devonvale Hotel (at the Devon Vale Golf course) – 24hrs
  
• Devon Valley Hotel – 24hrs
  
• Zevenwacht Country Inn – 24hrs
  

Edited January 22, 2014 by dirtman

[mulmi]

At what time must we be out if we ride late afternoon?

[AuctionLamb]

At what time must we be out if we ride late afternoon?

 

When it gets dark....

[dirtman]

At what time must we be out if we ride late afternoon?

 

If you need to switch on a light, you must be out.

[mulmi]

Ok thanks. Was afraid there is an after 7 = buckshot rule that i didn't know about

[leona]

masons in stellenbosch told me today i can get a day pass at the middlevei estate. cant find any mention of it on the website except that its possible to ride from there. don't want to get there and find i cant get a permit so wanted to check. planning to go tomorrow morning. il go up to the devon valley hotel if no one replys but id rather miss out on that road ride..

[dirtman]

masons in stellenbosch told me today i can get a day pass at the middlevei estate. cant find any mention of it on the website except that its possible to ride from there. don't want to get there and find i cant get a permit so wanted to check. planning to go tomorrow morning. il go up to the devon valley hotel if no one replys but id rather miss out on that road ride..

 

Middelvlei don't sell day permits anymore (you can however start your ride from there), so you will need to buy a permit at Devon Valley Hotel. We are busy talking to another wine estate bordering the route on the Stellenbosch side to sell permits 24 hours per day - hoping to have an answer within the next few weeks.

Edited January 22, 2014 by dirtman

[leona]

bummer. looks like the route from middelvlei goes right close to the hotel so it'd be nice to ride there partly off road rather than all on road but i don't want to be seen without a board even if i know I'm on my way to get one!

shame theres nowhere in stellenbosch selling day permits.. its a bit of a long road trek to the nearest place isn't it!