georgev Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Hi guys. I have been trying to commute by bike from the Southern suburbs into Cape Town for a while now and it is absolutely insane - how do I complete this journey without getting taken out by a truck or a minibus or a mugger and without choking on carcinogenic diesel fumes? I have tried the contorted trail down the Liesbeek only to end up on lower main road in Woodstock dodging traffic en route to the Table View/City cycle lane. I have also tried going over Rhodes Mem - this takes over an hour and cycling alone up there just isn't safe. Tried the train with my fold-up bike but often I can't get on cos the train is so full. Has anyone worked out a relatively safe route yet? WTF is up with city council - I am trying to go green here but am going to end up in hospital at this rate. Why can't they just build a small lane along the Southern railway line - if there was such a route we could all beat the traffic easily! Even a dedicated fenced off lane along the freeways would be better!
gwhite Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Hi GeorgeV, there are a few groups of riders including myself who ride on a regular basis from Rhodes Memorial gate through to town in the mornings and back in the afternoon. The one group starts at 05:45am and cycle back to town at about 16:30pm, that would be on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Then there is another group from Table View who meet up with another group from SS at Rhodes Memorial gate at 06:30 then there is a few including myself who cylce back in the afternoons. People to contact would be Hairy and Meezo good luck and let me know as I am looking for riding partners in the afternoon from town at about 17:45 to Rhodes Memorial.
Lucky Luke. Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 How far South do you start? Try starting earlier and going Atlantic seaboard. If you're riding with knobblies I guess you'll have to start really early Also you may spend the fuel savings on tyres haha
Shebeen Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Hi guys. I have been trying to commute by bike from the Southern suburbs into Cape Town for a while now and it is absolutely insane - how do I complete this journey without getting taken out by a truck or a minibus or a mugger and without choking on carcinogenic diesel fumes? I have tried the contorted trail down the Liesbeek only to end up on lower main road in Woodstock dodging traffic en route to the Table View/City cycle lane. I have also tried going over Rhodes Mem - this takes over an hour and cycling alone up there just isn't safe. Tried the train with my fold-up bike but often I can't get on cos the train is so full. Has anyone worked out a relatively safe route yet? WTF is up with city council - I am trying to go green here but am going to end up in hospital at this rate. Why can't they just build a small lane along the Southern railway line - if there was such a route we could all beat the traffic easily! Even a dedicated fenced off lane along the freeways would be better!where are you coming from? i found the best is to use albert road through woodstock and just chill out when it's busy. just assume the worst and keep an eye out on every vehicle for this section. fold up bike, where d'ya get that from? trains are full only a small protion of the time, and there's always space for more!
Lucky Luke. Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 (edited) where are you coming from? i found the best is to use albert road through woodstock and just chill out when it's busy. just assume the worst and keep an eye out on every vehicle for this section. fold up bike, where d'ya get that from? trains are full only a small protion of the time, and there's always space for more! Yep, Albert Road is my pick as well, then right over the railway lines at Old Castle Brewery and on to the last bit of the N1 into town - or carry on up Albert Road and into Strand Street past the station if you like. Just keep your eyes open and expect the worst from peds and vehicles alike. Edited October 24, 2011 by Lucky Luke.
nuge Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 southern suburbs to town commute is a real bummer. the school traffic through newlands/rondebosch means every road in this area is clogged pretty much from 7-9am. the cycle lanes that are available for use in this area see you criss-crossing major roads all over the place and taking your chances with schoolkids in the mornings and joggers in the afternoons - becomes more of an xc course i guess with moving obstacles - not really my thing, you understand! the only cycle lane worth anything is the few km's from the park way into obs (where it randomly dies) but after trying it 5 times and puncturing 3 times (devil thorns after grass cutting), i'll stick to the road instead. i take main rd (i ride from lakeside) almost all the way and switch onto campground which becomes liesbeeck park way. main rd is not exactly ideal (gets a little hairy in wynberg!), but at least everyone is moving fairly slowly and not shooting past you like on, say, spaanschemat. good luck!
ROCKITRIDEIT Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 it seems i take a very similar route to you guys, i take main road from plumstantia to claremont, then i duck over to the wrong side of the tracks and head along palmyra to r'bosch common and then liesbeek pkway, albert rd and lower church street then N1 to my office at the waterfront. usually takes sub 40 mins, which on some days is quicker than the car
LeTurbo Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Is Albert Road the lower one, that continues from Liesbeek Parkway? That's my preferred route with fewer taxis. Just watch the circle at The Old Buscuit Mill. Then you can turn up towards the N! at Old Castle Brewery and, just over the robot, find the cycle track on your left that goes into town behind the station. On the other hand, riding in the traffic does have a fun and exciting edge to it. HTFU, as they say in the classics.
ROCKITRIDEIT Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Is Albert Road the lower one, that continues from Liesbeek Parkway? yep that's the one. and compltely agree with you on that circle, its a dog show every time!!
Shebeen Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 southern suburbs to town commute is a real bummer. the school traffic through newlands/rondebosch means every road in this area is clogged pretty much from 7-9am. the cycle lanes that are available for use in this area see you criss-crossing major roads all over the place and taking your chances with schoolkids in the mornings and joggers in the afternoons - you ever tried the liesbeek river path? it's quite windy but a lekker diversion from the traffic. not exactly road bike the whole way but you can always bunny hop 29inch wheels. dunno about this in the dusk, few bergies call it home.
jcmeyerSS Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 from the southern suburbs (alberton, gauteng) i'd say take the N1 south through bloem.
Lucky Luke. Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 it seems i take a very similar route to you guys, i take main road from plumstantia to claremont, then i duck over to the wrong side of the tracks and head along palmyra to r'bosch common and then liesbeek pkway, albert rd and lower church street then N1 to my office at the waterfront. usually takes sub 40 mins, which on some days is quicker than the car Same route but starting from Kalk Bay my best time is 47 minutes - 28km. During rush hour getting to town from here can take up to an hour and a half.
nuge Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 yep that's the one. and compltely agree with you on that circle, its a dog show every time!!came off round there in april landing heavily on my shoulder (completely my fault - foot slipped on pedal, very embarrasing). my bike, backpack, lights, various contents of my back pockets and i were spreadeagled all over the road. 8am in the morning (peak hour) and the traffic just drove around the scene without a care. amazing. like a friend of mine once told me that at the end of a telephone conversation with a local skateboarding shop assistant, the guy said: "ok, skate safe! (click)"
georgev Posted October 27, 2011 Author Posted October 27, 2011 Thanks for all the info guys. I been cruising google maps and have finally answered my own question and tested what I recon is the safest and flattest way into town though its MTB only and from the top of Kenilworth to the Mayors office takes 35 to 40 odd minutes. There is unfortunately a lot of rule breaking on this route but I still figure its safer than hanging around in the traffic. Take a look and let me know what you think. http://maps.google.co.za/maps/ms?msid=215290583496162019597.0004b04722a41c2417681&msa=0&ll=-33.96899,18.452568&spn=0.095243,0.105743
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