[Event] The Freedom Ride

[kosmonooit]

Event Name: The Freedom Ride
When: 9 February 2014
Where: The ride will start and end in Braamfontein., Gauteng
Category: Road

The Freedom Ride Sunday 9th February 2014

 

The Freedom Ride is an approximately 35km route that links up Johannesburg's central business district with Soweto, a township in which Nelson Mandela lived and which has a long history of struggle against apartheid. On Sunday 9^th February we will ride this route as a tribute to Nelson Mandela's own efforts to eradicate apartheid and build national unity. Participants on the ride will aim to give back something to the community by raising funds and making a contribution to building a network of bicycle empowerment centres in Gauteng.

 

 

 

The Madiba Legacy

Nelson Mandela's selfless dedication to liberating South Africa, healing the nation and uplifting the most poor and downtrodden in our society is an example to us all. As the cycling community in Johannesburg we have been inspired by the example Madiba has set, and in our own small way would like emulate this and give something back to the community. The best way we can think of doing this is by making our city a bicycle friendly city, and getting more people riding bicycles, especially those who cannot afford it.

 

We are calling on all cyclists to join us in a historic Freedom Ride, which will honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, and seek to make our city a place in which all its residents have easy access to bicycles and are able to cycle freely and safely on our roads.

 

 

Create a bicycle friendly city

The Freedom Ride will follow the Corridors of Freedom that have been launched by Johannesburg city as a network of urban transport and development corridors. The city has planned to establish bicycle lanes along the Corridors of Freedom. The purpose of the Freedom Ride is to inaugurate some of these cycle lanes and support the city to put in place proper safe cycling infrastructure and signage, as well as better regulating cyclist safety.

 

Cyclists are calling on government, and the City of Johannesburg in particular, to:

 

• Create dedicated cycle paths that link up core parts of the city.
• Build public awareness of cyclists and their safety.
• Put up signage along cycling routes to protect the safety of cyclists.
• Pass by-laws to enforce the 1.5m safe passing distance for motorists.
• Establish bike sharing schemes so that cyclists can ride from one part of the city to another.
• Create space for cyclists to take their bikes on public transport.

 

Make a difference

 

We are asking participants in the Freedom Ride to make a contribution or raise sponsorship towards setting up bicycle empowerment centres in Gauteng. The Bicycle Empowerment Network distributes bicycles to low income areas, trains recipients of the bikes in safety and maintenance, helps set up SMEs that maintain and service bicycles known as Bicycle Empowerment Centre's and encourages cities to implement bicycle planning and infrastructure. There have also been successful bicycle distribution programmes run by groups such as MTN Qubeka and Shova Kalula.

 

The funds raised through the Freedom Ride will enable us to set up Bicycle Empowerment Centres in Orlando, Soweto, as a first step towards a network of centres in Gauteng. Please visit the web page http://www.benbikes....a/donations.php to make your contribution, and use the reference 'FreedomRide' together with your name.

 

A bicycle friendly city, with more cyclists using bicycles for commuting and enjoyment, will also be a cleaner, more climate friendly city. The Freedom Ride aims to contribute to the global effort to reduce emissions, protect our environment and save the climate.

 

 

Ride details

The Freedom Ride is open to everyone. Participants will need to register to ride, and are requested to raise sponsorship for their ride or make a contribution towards the bicycle empowerment network.

 

 

Date: Sunday 9th February 2014

Start: 8am from Jorissen Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Cyclists should arrive no later than 7.30 am for the ride.

 

The Freedom Ride is a commemoration ride, and is not a race. It will not be timed. Participants will need to complete the approximate 35km route.

 

The route will be closed to traffic along most of the route, except for a few areas in which there will be partial road closures.

 

 

The Route

 

The ride will start and end in Braamfontein.

 

From the start in Jorissen Street the route ravels west along a planned bicycle lane which goes through Brixton. The route then follows the route of the Rea Vaya bus and one of JHB's Corridors of Freedom. It goes past Newclare cemetery where Walter Sisulu, another struggle icon and one of Mandela's fellow freedom fighters, is buried.

 

The route carries on straight into Soweto, and passes the historic Orlando Stadium, then along Vilakazi St and the Tutu and Mandela houses and the Hector Peterson memorial, before returning up Klipspruit Valley Rd. It then returns to the JHB CBD via the N17, NASREC Rd, Mayfair and Fordsburg.

 

The ride ends on the Nelson Mandela bridge.

 

Go to Event Page

Edited December 20, 2013 by Guest

[kosmonooit]

Total road closures! And water points, tech support, sweepers have apparently been lined up.

 

 

 

Jhb City behind it all the way

 

 

 

It's not a race, but a fun ride same ethos as Critical Mass.

 

 

 

 

 

@FreedomRideJozi Registration is not compulsory but we encourage you to register for the ride, to gauge how many people are riding... http://fb.me/3hgOtiGSn

 

 

[kosmonooit]

Chippy on 702 this am

 

 

[kosmonooit]

35.4km Distance, 375m ascent

Edited January 31, 2014 by kosmonooit

[kosmonooit]

Web site is up

 

 

 

www.freedomride.org.za

 

 

[Guest notmyname]

Sweet! I've got some non cyclists to join lady and I, Should be a rad morning out! Is this to be an annual event?

[kosmonooit]

Sweet! I've got some non cyclists to join lady and I, Should be a rad morning out! Is this to be an annual event?

 

That's what they are hoping - should be good fun.

[kosmonooit]

@CrispianOlver "Our four mobile bike mechanics who will be supporting the @FreedomRideJozi on Sunday 9th Feb"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Uni]

looking forward to it

+3000 pts for discovery and momentum ppl

[Guest notmyname]

Hey Uni. How do you get the points? I have registered with the event organisers. what is the procedure with Disco? I'm new to the disco scene. Lol!

[Uni]

Hey Uni. How do you get the points? I have registered with the event organisers. what is the procedure with Disco? I'm new to the disco scene. Lol!

Welcome to the disco :-)

just email them your vitality number and the name you registered with.

 

freedomridejozi@gmail.com

[Guest notmyname]

Shot dot.

[eddy]

What is the road surface likely to be like?

 

Smooth tar i.e. thin wheels, or better on a dikwiel ?

[kosmonooit]

What is the road surface likely to be like?

 

Smooth tar i.e. thin wheels, or better on a dikwiel ?

 

Generally I think it will be okay, typical Joburg roads so expect some pot holes and messy bits. I am riding mtb only because I am lending out the road bike and my commuter mtb bike to friends, which leave to enjoy my hard tail carbon mtb.

 

But I will try confirm that tomorrow with the geezas that did the pre-ride.

Edited February 6, 2014 by kosmonooit

[kosmonooit]

The Freedom Ride Joburg 2014: Final Information Pack

 

 

 

It's the final countdown to the Freedom Ride taking place on Sunday 9th February 2014. As the organisers we are as excited as I am sure you are about this historic event.

 

You will be riding through suburbs of Joburg that are rich in heritage and which have a very special place in our history. The heritage booklet attached to this email describes the significance of the sites we will be riding through. Please read it before you set off on this ride, and share it with your friends and family.

 

 

This ride is very much our 'Madiba moment'; as the cycling community. In order to mark its significance for each of us individually, we will be handing out ribbons to each cyclist at the start of the ride. We would like you to carry this ribbon with you as you ride, and tie it onto the railings at the Hector Peterson memorial in Soweto, together with your wishes for our country and our city.

 

 

 

We also hope to be leaving a more permanent memento of the ride, in the form of a Bicycle Empowerment Centre in Orlando, Soweto. In the build up to this ride the Shova Kulula programme has been distributing bikes to high schools in Orlando, and we want to leave these learners with a support facility that can repair and maintain their bikes and promote cycling in all its forms in the community. If you have not already done so, read more about how these centres work and make a donation via the BEN website www.benbikes.org.za. Please choose the EFT option when making payment and use the reference ‘Freedom Ride’ and your name.

 

The Weather

At this stage it's looking good. The last few days have been ideal cycling weather, overcast and cool. We are hoping it remains that way. Do bring hydration with you although there will be 3 water points.

 

 

 

At the start of the ride

Please aim to be in place on the Nelson Mandela Bridge by 7.30 am. We have attached a map showing the two City of Joburg (free of charge from the City) and one pay parking facility that you can use for parking in Braamfontein. There are also a number of other commercial parking facilities in Braamfontein that you can use. The map also shows the roads that will be closed for the ride. Cyclists should make their way towards the Nelson Mandela Bridge, where you will be directed onto the off-ramp to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and round onto the other side of the Nelson Mandela Bridge. There will be a short opening ceremony before the ride starts, at which the Mayor will welcome all of you and talk about how we can make Joburg more friendly for cyclists. We will then set off on our ride. Best to enter from the north on Jan Smuts, west along Jorissen, east along Wolmarans and if you're coming from the south, best come on the M1 north and take the Braamfontein offramp and then up Eendracht to Jorissen. Do not come up to the Nelson Mandela or Queen Elizabeth Bridges, they will be closed to traffic.

 

 

A couple of cafes will be open for coffee and a rider breakfast, including Post on the corner of Juta and de Beer streets.

 

Parking

Thuso House 66 Stiemens Street, no charge

Metro Centre, Loveday Street, no charge

Arbour Square Parking, 86 Juta Street, R12.00 per vehicle. Better positioned but may be tricky with cyclists around.

Parking on the street has proved to be generally safe.

To get to the start, either come down Biccard Street or down de Korte, left into Bertha, left onto Queen Elizabeth Bridge, right into Carr Street, right onto the Nelson Mandela Bridge.

The route

The ride will start and end in Braamfontein and is approximately 35km. From the start in Jorissen Street the route ravels west along a planned bicycle lane which goes through Brixton. The route then follows the route of the Rea Vaya bus and one of JHB's Corridors of Freedom. It goes past Newclare Cemetery where Walter Sisulu, another struggle icon and one of Mandela’s fellow freedom fighters, is buried. The route carries on straight into Soweto, and passes the historic Orlando Stadium, then along Vilakazi St and the Tutu and Mandela houses and the Hector Pieterson memorial, before returning up Klipspruit Valley Rd. It then returns to the JHB CBD via the N17, Nasrec Rd, Mayfair and Fordsburg. The ride ends on the Nelson Mandela Bridge.

 

 

 

Safety on the ride

This is a social ride, not a race, but we still need to take some basic precautions. For your own safety, we insist that all riders wear helmets. Also, in case of emergency, please make sure that you are carrying some form of identification on you. Please also put an ICE (in case of emergency) number in your cell phone contacts so that we know who to contact. If you have a cell phone that automatically locks, please put an ICE number on a sticker and put it on your phone or bike. You could also put identification on your bicycle.

 

Support facilities

 

There will be a full road closure along the route of the ride, and there are roving bike mechanics that can help with any breakdowns along the way. Their services are free, but you will need to pay them for any parts that are used, so please carry some money with you. There are water points approximately every 8 km, where you can get refreshments and revitalise your spirits. We have put banners up at each of the water points that describe the history of the area; please pause for a moment and read these.

 

Cut off times and alternative travel arrangements have been organised at these water points:

 

Newclare 09:00

Hector Pieterson 10:00

Langlaagte 11:00

 

There will be a sweeper vehicle at the back of the ride that will collect anyone before the road closure is lifted. The sweeper vehicle will be following the back of the ride, so will only arrive back in Braamfontein at about 12h00.

 

 

If you only want to go half way, there are Metrorail trains travelling from Phefeni station (very close to Hector Peterson memorial) back to Braamfontein. PRASA has given us permission to take bikes on the trains for this ride, and the cost is R20.00. Trains will be departing from Phefeni station for Braamfontein at the following times:

 

08:40/ 09:20/ 09:35/ 09:50/ 10:00/ 10:40/ 11:20/ 12:00

 

Marshals at the Hector Pieterson memorial will be able to direct you to the station. You may also use any Rea Vaya bus along the route with your bicycle for R25.00. This is also an option to get to and from the start.

 

 

At the end of the ride

At the end of the ride there will be some refreshments and a few mementos of the ride. Cyclists will be directed towards De Korte and De Beer streets, which will be closed to traffic and where there will be food and goodies on sale. The Bannister Hotel will be offering light meals and there will be some food trailers as well. Please use the opportunity to hang out with your friends and the rest of Joburg’s cycling community. The following shops in the vicinity will be open: Hunter Cycling, Kitcheners, The Banister, Post, father coffee etc. Bicycle Park - a closed off and secure area where cyclists can leave their bicycles at Arbour Square Parking. There will also be a Food market with various licensed food trucks setup in designated areas.

 

The Heritage Brochure can be downloaded here

http://freedomride.org.za/history/

Edited February 7, 2014 by kosmonooit

[kosmonooit]

Word on the road surfaces of the route has arrived - good for skinny tyres, bar a few pot holes.