ORGANISED GROUP RIDES IN HILLCREST/DRUMMOND AREA

[swoosh1973]

Hi There

 

I have moved from the Cape to Drummond,KZN (please dont ask why!)

Now that I am here I am told the following by work people.

1) I have been warned not to do long rides on my own in the area both off road and onroad! Everyone I know from work (mostly runners)carries some or other pepper spray!

2)For MTB it looks like if you want to do training rides you need a permit from the sugar caine company..not a problem but they only issue limmitted permits and there are NO MORE PERMITS LEFT! WTF. I can just as well go and pay to ride at GIBA every weekend. So unless I load my bike and drive to PMB I will have to pay for a training ride for MTB every time or ride my MTB on the road! Common guys thats B*ll Sh$t. This is a training ride not a race or dedicated bike park I am looking for.

I can understand and except having to pay to ride at dedicated parks like Giba or for races. But for general training rides...I WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS RIGHT! I cant imagine locals who train and pay for training rides.

 

Any suggestions would help or groups that I could join?( YES I ALSO PROMISE TO SUPPORT THE SHARKS TOO)

 

Regards

 

MTBiker doing road riding on tar!

[Caerus]

Get a yearly membership at Giba, R800 and then you can train there as much as you like, kinda pays for itself. I know its not exactly what you want, but is a part solution. There are groups that ride, one of the groups leave from Cyclelab. Go see some of the LBS in the area.

[camerons]

I ride extensively on the roads in that area, always on my own and have never had a problem or heard of anyone else having a problem. On the weekends there are normally hundreds or people out on bikes.

 

With regards to offroad, there are plenty of tracks around there that you can ride on without issue or a permit. Just stay out of the valley if you are on your own or you will have problems.

[swoosh1973]

Thanks!

[EigerSA]

i've often ridden from hillcrest up to drummond and never had a problem. same as camerons, don't go into the valley by yourself. there's are rides that leave from cyclelab on friday and saturdays, just give them a call.

[ShaughnK]

The Giba annual licence is good value for money as already suggested and why dont you go in and see the guys at Mavericks cycle shop in central Hillcrest. They are exclusively MTB and generally have group rides a couple times a week. If you join their Mavericks club they will might also be able to get you a cane licence in the new year.

[Grebel]

The Giba annual licence is good value for money as already suggested and why dont you go in and see the guys at Mavericks cycle shop in central Hillcrest. They are exclusively MTB and generally have group rides a couple times a week. If you join their Mavericks club they will might also be able to get you a cane licence in the new year.

 

+1. Mavericks used to ride from the BP garage in Cato ridge for a while. Go and speak to Mike or Conrad. After chatting to them, the comment was "I don't know why guys spend R200 odd to ride in the cane when there are kilometres of single track just up the road in Cato Ridge for free!"

Edited May 16, 2011 by Grebel

[Caerus]

+1. Mavericks used to ride from the BP garage in Cato ridge for a while. Go and speak to Mike or Conrad. After chatting to them, the comment was "I don't know why guys spend R200 odd to ride in the cane when there are kilometres of single track just up the road in Cato Ridge for free!"

 

 

Not so sure about that, nothings for free - I'm sure land owners wont be too happy with a lot of people just riding where they like

 

I have had the same thought though, so much riding around Durban, yet we still go to Giba & Holla all the time. Unfortunately you need a guide to show you the routes first, and then you always need to ride these routes witha group of 2 or more.

 

I'm sure we could get a Hub group together to go and explore some more - It does help that everyone is about the same fitness.

[Joe Low]

PM Bobbie - she knows a lot about groups going out in that area road and mtb.

 

Andrew Bell is also v helpful.

 

Interesting fixation with capitals and mix of plea for help with rant mode.

[Grebel]

Not so sure about that, nothings for free - I'm sure land owners wont be too happy with a lot of people just riding where they like

 

I have had the same thought though, so much riding around Durban, yet we still go to Giba & Holla all the time. Unfortunately you need a guide to show you the routes first, and then you always need to ride these routes witha group of 2 or more.

 

I'm sure we could get a Hub group together to go and explore some more - It does help that everyone is about the same fitness.

 

Absolutely free! There local people that are using these paths everyday to get to and from work... A whole network of trails. If you ride with somebody that has a GPS, getting lost isn't an issue. Go speak to Mike at Mavericks. He has the info on the trails up there.

 

I like the idea of an exploratory ride! You don't need to be a racing snake though as we would go ride and stop to see where the trails go. You would just need to be able to ride for a few hours... We could map with a GPS and go back and put some trails together and maybe go back again and mark them or distribute the GPS data here on the Hub...

 

On a different note, does anybody know what is happening with the Green Corridor initiative that was started by Ethekwini? You can apparently ride from Inanda Dam down to Blue Lagoon (Day 2 of the Dusi Mfuls I think)

[Outriding]

Hi there.We ride every saturday from Burry,s new shop in Waterfall(specialised concept store) at 6am. We also do road rides from the shop on on wednesdays at 5am. In addition we are developing a cross country track between waterfall shopping centre and cotswold downs golf course, off inanda road(up to 4km so far)no charge and safe. From time to time we also ride down into Inanda valley around the dam,we know most of the routes from years of offroad biking in the valley.Give me a call if you keen to join in on a ride or two.

[swoosh1973]

Hooraaah, thats what I am talking about! Trust me theres always a hubber that knows a thing or two. I love this website for info. You guys have been very very helpfull! I will do a quick circuit with my MTB on the road this morning, go vote then will head off to Mavericks.

 

Yep dont want to be breaking laws and riding where land owners dont want you. However in the Cape there are many places to ride off road without upsetting anyone and there should be no reason why it cant be the same here too!

 

Sure pay your dues for dedicated MTB parks and trust me I do make use of them because the trails are so purpose built and flowing you get your thrills in. Considering the costs to build such trails, I have no kwarm paying. But paying for the ususal 3-4 times a week training rides or taking out an anual membership is not the way I am use to doing things. I have been doing training rides for free for years.

[swoosh1973]

Shaun thanks man.

 

Soo many options. I will visit the Specialised concept store as well and go on one some of their rides as well.

 

Suddenly It feels like I am in a candy store whoohoo!

[BushGoblin]

Hey Swoosh,

 

I have ridden the new XC course that the guys from the specialized store have setup... 4KM and it is awesome. But i would suggest that you get a EMBA license next year and then you can ride all over the show. Otherwise you can always drive up to PMB and park at the Cascade mall, there is a ton of single track there. We( 2 of us) have ridden a few time from Hillcrest to the top of Inchanga on the road, and then rode back on single/jeep track back (H2H ride) and never had any issues.

 

Drop me a message if you keen to hook up for a ride.

 

Cheers.

[Outriding]

Group organised fun ride at Concept X-Country track Saturday morning 6.30am, approx 5km per lap with 100m of climbing per lap. No charge park at the shop in Waterfall shopping centre and ride.