Did I just see 20 lights in Cecelia??

[mazambaan]

Whew guys, I'm sure my thought is not new to guys like PoP and Knadui but surely there is precedent from Canada and NZ for access to public land by MTB?

 

My understanding from a friend in NZ is that plenty of towns put in and maintain MTB tracks to promote tourism. There's a thought!

[Headshot]

Thats a good point but even there they are not allowed to ride wherever they like. Many SA towns have MTB routes - look at Knysna and Wellington et al. TM just happens to be smack bang in a major urban area and thatb doesn't automatically mean bikes should be allowed everywhere. There is also the ecology aspect - we have more than 3000 species of flora in the Cape alone - NZ has about 1000 in total.

 

That said, night riding up to the dams is an amazing experience - I did it once a few years back - and it would be great if it was permitted. Its also not an easy ride so you have to be quite a serious fit cyclist to do it and the numbers are not massive.

 

I hope a solution can be found...

[Kranky]

Same sighting?

[DJR]

Personally, I think the time for talking about this specific issue, riding in Cecilia and up to the dams on top of Table Mountain at night, is long passed. The guys doing it knows it is wrong, they know the reasons why it is wrong, but they will continue to ride there. No talking will change that.

 

It is time for action:

 

Us, law abiding mountainbikers, PPA, AMARider, Tokai Mtb, Table Mountain Bikers, should encourage, even help SANParks to get the cops to apprehend the illegal riders for trespassing, confiscate some very expensive bikes and let them sleep cold and miserable until their overpriced lawyers can arrange bail. The riding there will stop dead.

 

I'm gatvol of this and I will squeal on you if I know who you are!

Edited June 21, 2013 by DJR

[kandui]

I don't recall T&T being present on any rides that were in question. You could be referring to the the regular ride where a rep from the shop was not present, the riders rode anyway but strayed from the regular ride route and ended up in conservation land.. that was in Tokai, different circumstance.

 

The previous incident was.. I'll find it.

The Night Ride to the reservoirs has links to Revolution Cycles

[kandui]

Same sighting? https://twitter.com/...808172033064960

That's the one.

[kandui]

A quick thought on this issue. Stirling Senior from Revolution Cycles has been night riding to the reservoirs for years. This night ride is common knowledge, to us as cyclists and to San Parks.

I won't join the ride, because it would undo whatever relationship I have built with San Parks.

But, to a point, I can't take the side of San Parks on this one.

They have known about this ride for years. They pull in from time to time and chase the riders, but as far as I know, nobody has lost a bike or been fined. Even if fines have been issued, the point is that San Parks are selective in their policing and only have themselves to blame for letting this ride entrench itself.

 

I am not condoning the ride, I think it is counterproductive to our cause. However , I would encourage San Parks to follow a strict line and clamp down on illegal riding. That would change the status quo and send a clear signal that we can negotiate privileges (with responsibilities ), but that there are clear and consistently enforced consequences.

 

Consistency, that will go a long way towards creating a well balanced relationship between us and Parks.

Edited June 21, 2013 by kandui

[Pappa Bear]

A quick thought on this issue. Stirling Senior from Revolution Cycles has been night riding to the reservoirs for years. This night ride is common knowledge, to us as cyclists and to San Parks.

I won't join the ride, because it would undo whatever relationship I have built with San Parks.

But, to a point, I can't take the side of San Parks on this one.

They have known about this ride for years. They pull in from time to time and chase the riders, but as far as I know, nobody has lost a bike or been fined. Even if fines have been issued, the point is that San Parks are selective in their policing and only have themselves to blame for letting this ride entrench itself.

 

I am not condoning the ride, I think it is counterproductive to our cause. However , I would encourage San Parks to follow a strict line and clamp down on illegal riding. That would change the status quo and send a clear signal that we can negotiate privileges (with responsibilities ), but that there are clear and consistently enforced consequences.

 

Consistency, that will go a long way towards creating a well balanced relationship between us and Parks.

 

We want them to protect us on Table mountain.......but then give them the finger as soon as we can?!?

[marko35s]

"Thursday night riders, whatever you do, don't **** up the negotiations!"

 

When exactly or these negotiations comming to a conclusion as far i know its years in the talking already.

We are riding there at night!!!

no harm to any hiker!!!

we dont **** on the trail like there dogs!!!

we dont littre on the trail like there kids!!!

 

so guess what!!!

we will continue riding there. its not a government restricled area

My ten year old has less of an 'entitlement' attitude than this.

It's an awful attitude. Me, me ,me and sod how hard the rest of you work to try and do things correctly.

In the end it is down to people like this that negotiations may never bear fruit.

[TopFuel]

Is this the route that goes up that really steep section of concreted road, and eventually past the dams on top of Table Mountain?

[DJR]

Is this the route that goes up that really steep section of concreted road, and eventually past the dams on top of Table Mountain?

Yup, totally off limits to bikes, horses and cars. You are allowed to walk up there though.

[DJR]

I often wonder what the people that ride there would say if some 4x4 cowboys started going up there as well. In terms of not obeying the law, it is exactly the same thing - trespassing! The fact that they can, for now, get away with it, doesn't make it any less illegal. I really wish some of them get busted and made a proper example of.

[Kranswurm]

Yup, totally off limits to bikes, horses and cars. You are allowed to walk up there though.

 

There must be consistency.If bikes are not allowed,stop and arrest them.

This was my favourite route for a run.Up from Constantia Nek and down Skeleton or Nursery.Reverse next time

Last thing we need is bikes up there.

Next thing we will be seeing bikes up at the Kalk Bay Caves as well stuffing up the paths

[PhilipV]

Pretty much the same attitude I saw wrt MTBers on signal hill and the trail in The Glen.

They know it is illegal, but they don't care. "Just don't get caught."

 

Guys, you don't know how blessed you are in that area with free access to the mountain on the CBD side.

I now live in Somerset West and all the trails are on private land. No night riding, no quick spin after work and even a quick trail run is on private land if you don't want to go into the Nature Reserve.

 

I used to think riding in Deer Park gets overrated quickly, but now I know better. I'd kill for a Deer Park like facility here in Somerset West.

[PhilipV]

Pretty much the same attitude I saw wrt MTBers on signal hill and the trail in The Glen.

They know it is illegal, but they don't care. "Just don't get caught."

 

Guys, you don't know how blessed you are in that area with free access to the mountain on the CBD side.

I now live in Somerset West and all the trails are on private land. No night riding, no quick spin after work and even a quick trail run is on private land if you don't want to go into the Nature Reserve.

 

I used to think riding in Deer Park gets overrated quickly, but now I know better. I'd kill for a Deer Park like facility here in Somerset West.

 

I realise this has very little bearing on the Cecilia forest side of things. Just trying to throw light on the fact that riding on Table Mountain is a privilege.

[Meezo]

Pretty much the same attitude I saw wrt MTBers on signal hill and the trail in The Glen.

They know it is illegal, but they don't care. "Just don't get caught."

 

Guys, you don't know how blessed you are in that area with free access to the mountain on the CBD side.

I now live in Somerset West and all the trails are on private land. No night riding, no quick spin after work and even a quick trail run is on private land if you don't want to go into the Nature Reserve.

 

I used to think riding in Deer Park gets overrated quickly, but now I know better. I'd kill for a Deer Park like facility here in Somerset West.

 

Probably a topic for another discussion, but isn't there a certain section at signal hill and the glen that was cleared to ride.?

 

I know the section at the kramats were off limits. The section that takes you into bokaap was this note made open for riding?