Looking for: MTB riders in Stellenbosch

[Rock Guy]

Hi Guys and Gals, there is a night ride group which rides every Thursday evening from 6pm up in Jonkers....some of these guys and guys are pretty good riders, so I wanted to find out if anyone was perhaps keep to ride "for the fun of it," and for more of a social ride rather than an actual training session ride, but in the form of a night ride as well....ie. do the circle route and this bunch can meet perhaps at around 6:30pm rather and then we might finish at around the same time as the more serious riders who start at 6pm?

 

I would be quite keen on this. Just started cycling again at the beginning of the year and I'm pretty sure the guys that cycle in the BMT group are going to be way faster than me. I work in the the city so I only get back to Stellies after 5:30, so 6:30 would be doable time for me. Jonkers is great, but so is Eden and Gspot.

I

[Jet A1]

Hi everyone, how is the riding going?

 

Would just like to find out how it is to ride in Jokershoek during the week? I have done plenty riding there over weekends, sometimes even solo but not sure about the week when there would probably be much less riders/hikers/trail runners etc...

[GroenHoender]

Would just like to find out how it is to ride in Jokershoek during the week? I have done plenty riding there over weekends, sometimes even solo but not sure about the week when there would probably be much less riders/hikers/trail runners etc...

 

Depends on the time you want to ride. Between 4pm to 6pm, on weekdays, you will find students riding there. But it is actually quiet on weekdays.

 

I don't recommend riding alone, for both safety and health purposes: for example, you have an accident, someone will have to take care of you and call for help.

 

Re safety, I have not heard of any crime stuff in Jonkershoek (hijacks, etc) so it is safe to assume it is safe to ride alone.

 

But like everyone says: always better with more numbers / riders in a group.

[Jet A1]

Depends on the time you want to ride. Between 4pm to 6pm, on weekdays, you will find students riding there. But it is actually quiet on weekdays.

 

I don't recommend riding alone, for both safety and health purposes: for example, you have an accident, someone will have to take care of you and call for help.

 

Re safety, I have not heard of any crime stuff in Jonkershoek (hijacks, etc) so it is safe to assume it is safe to ride alone.

 

But like everyone says: always better with more numbers / riders in a group.

 

Hi GH, thanks for the reply. I agree with all you say but as you sometimes no-one else you know is available to join to ride. I see you're from Stellenbosch, do you know of any riding clubs to join? I see the University has a club but I'm not sure if its open to anyone...

[Gunu]

Jet, I ride during the week when I am in Stellenbosch - normally around midday and only occasionally see other riders. I tend to stick to the circular route, a few forest roads or easy single track on my own. I leave info with my colleagues at the office in case I don't come back and they need to send someone to come looking and always have a cellphone with me (although the signal does not always reach parts of the valley). I think the only risk I worry about is a bad fall.

[Jet A1]

Jet, I ride during the week when I am in Stellenbosch - normally around midday and only occasionally see other riders. I tend to stick to the circular route, a few forest roads or easy single track on my own. I leave info with my colleagues at the office in case I don't come back and they need to send someone to come looking and always have a cellphone with me (although the signal does not always reach parts of the valley). I think the only risk I worry about is a bad fall.

 

Hi Gunu, thanks for your reply. I agree, when I ride alone I also try to stay on the main routes and also advise someone of my planned riding time and route etc...

[GroenHoender]

Hi JetA1,

 

Sorry for responding now - just now saw this post.

 

There are only one club in Stellenbosch, as far as I know, called the "Maties Cycle Club".

They have a MTB ride, every Monday and Thursday (if I recall correctly), at 17:15, starting at the Danie Craven statue (at Coetzenburg).

  

Web:  http://www0.sun.ac.za/cycling/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/MatieCycling/

 

Some of the bike shops in town also, occassionally, arrange for a group ride - best is to ask them or follow their FB pages.

 

I personally don't ride with the Maties club for personal reasons (my own time restrictments and fitness levels, as well as routes taken), so I either ride on my own, or with a friend. I know / have seen a lot of MTB riders in Stellenbosch going around on their own. Maybe arrange with a friend or with someone here?

 

So far, I have only found no rider of this forum (those that have contacted me are from surrounding areas, like Brackenfell or Strand / Somerset).

 

 

 

 

 

Hi GH, thanks for the reply. I agree with all you say but as you sometimes no-one else you know is available to join to ride. I see you're from Stellenbosch, do you know of any riding clubs to join? I see the University has a club but I'm not sure if its open to anyone...

[jiggy79]

re anyone keen to ride this afternoon in the Somerset West or Stellies area. Please let me know 

[J trailx]

Anybody riding jonkershoek or other trails in stellies tomorrow?

[Karman de Lange]

J trailx

 

Try post on http://www.facebook.com/groups/stellcycle , sure you will find someone there

[J trailx]

J trailx

 

Try post on http://www.facebook.com/groups/stellcycle , sure you will find someone there

Thanks

[GroenHoender]

Hi there - sorry for responding now - away from PC for a long while.

 

There are no "official" bicycle club in Stellenbosch...yet. Even I gave up when trying to find a dedicated club, not going to bother organizing one myself due to time limitations.

 

As far as I know, aside of the WannabeesTeam club (in Somerset-West, which have quite a lot Stellenbosch riders as members), there are the Maties Cycle Club (on FB = mentioned further up in this thread) but they are practically dead. Very few feedback or responses there.

Someone created a new FB group as mentioned by Karman which has far better responses - they also share their activities on the Wannabees FB group, for bigger reach.

So, in short, your best options is one of those two FB groups.

 

Wannabees:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/279283793200/

Stellenbosch (un-official):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/stellcycle/

 

 

Keep in mind that for various trails (outside Stellenbosch) you are required to have a day permit otherwise you will be branded as "rogue rider" and be banned from riding some trails.

 

For Stellenbosch, as far as I can recall, there are no such requirement. Just the usual fee to ride in a nature reserve (such as Jonkershoek).