BBN Posted December 9, 2014 Share So, correct me if I'm wrong, if I ride the cradle route I end up many kms away from where I started, Kloofzicht, and if I then go to heia I have to ride a long section of tar to get there? Is there no cradle 'loop'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtbsmurf Posted December 9, 2014 Share We managed a 'loop' with only a little tar on the downhill section where the trail ends near the Kromdraai turnoff. Swing right at the circle and nail it down the hill on the tar or the dirt shoulder. When you get to the bottom of the hill, just move onto the dirt on the right and there is plenty of walking path / jeep track all the way to the turnoff back to Kloofzicht, just keep left for about 4 or 5 kms. At the Kloofzicht turn off, if you keep left, there is an awesome little single track path taking you down the hill to the circle, then take the dirt on the right up the hill. 32km loop much much enjoyed. Edited December 9, 2014 by mtbsmurf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squier Posted December 9, 2014 Share So, correct me if I'm wrong, if I ride the cradle route I end up many kms away from where I started, Kloofzicht, and if I then go to heia I have to ride a long section of tar to get there? Is there no cradle 'loop'?No, at this stage there is no singletrack loop. The trail is built next to the road cycling lane loop. So, without doing Heia Safari you'll do a loop of roughly 30km of which 18km will be the trail and for the balance you'll be on the road cycling lanes. Heia safari sitts almost smack bang in the middle of the tar section. 5kms or so to the start @ Kloofzicht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoy10 Posted December 9, 2014 Share tanks must say trail is looking good, much improved from the past cycling in the tar right trough the cradle, tanks to the guys building and maintaining it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoy10 Posted December 9, 2014 Share wanted to ask, do we not have to pay to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptyB Posted December 9, 2014 Share wanted to ask, do we not have to pay to use? Nope... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ruinaard Posted December 9, 2014 Share Hmm just rode it this morning and i was rather underwhelmed by it all. i have done various bits of it over the months but i did the 18km loop this morning. Its not really anything to write home about. N Farms or the Spruit or 10 other venues eclipse it totally. The trail doesn't flow very well and is essentially straight and flat for most of its course. It kind of lacks imagination..... Sorry have to be real. The only reason to ride it is training and getting distance, but as a dedicated MTB trail IMHO it fails.... _David_ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odinson Posted December 9, 2014 Share Hmm just rode it this morning and i was rather underwhelmed by it all. i have done various bits of it over the months but i did the 18km loop this morning. Its not really anything to write home about. N Farms or the Spruit or 10 other venues eclipse it totally. The trail doesn't flow very well and is essentially straight and flat for most of its course. It kind of lacks imagination..... Sorry have to be real. The only reason to ride it is training and getting distance, but as a dedicated MTB trail IMHO it fails....Was planning on giving it a bash, but after reading the above, will rather give it a skip. Heia is anyway so close by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted December 9, 2014 Share I do not think it should be thought of as a "MTB Trail" in the traditional sense, and by extension be judged as such, but rather as an alternative Cradle ride for those who ride the Road Cradle Loops every weekend. Mojoman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojoman Posted December 9, 2014 Share Hmm just rode it this morning and i was rather underwhelmed by it all. i have done various bits of it over the months but i did the 18km loop this morning. Its not really anything to write home about. N Farms or the Spruit or 10 other venues eclipse it totally. The trail doesn't flow very well and is essentially straight and flat for most of its course. It kind of lacks imagination..... Sorry have to be real. The only reason to ride it is training and getting distance, but as a dedicated MTB trail IMHO it fails....Its a trail that hasnt cost you a cent. I wish we could get some support like this in Magalies. Renier82, EmptyB, dracs and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ruinaard Posted December 9, 2014 Share Its a trail that hasnt cost you a cent. I wish we could get some support like this in Magalies.Money - whats it got to do with Money? The Spruit doesn't cost a cent and its a lot better. Its cost a lot more than a cent BTW. The budget for the build from the taxpayer was some R2m. And they built something that is sub standard. Go figure. Go ask the people in the know why its only 18 Km - cause they blew the budget and cant complete it now. It will get progressively more overgrown as there is no maintenance on it and eventually will just cease to exist. Another great idea with piss poor execution that could have been something. I would rather pay R50 for a ride that is well thought out and built by an experienced trail builder. But you honestly need to get out and ride a bit more if you think that the trail in the cradle is anything to write home about..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted December 9, 2014 Share Money - whats it got to do with Money? The Spruit doesn't cost a cent and its a lot better. Its cost a lot more than a cent BTW. The budget for the build from the taxpayer was some R2m. And they built something that is sub standard. Go figure. Go ask the people in the know why its only 18 Km - cause they blew the budget and cant complete it now. It will get progressively more overgrown as there is no maintenance on it and eventually will just cease to exist. Another great idea with piss poor execution that could have been something. I would rather pay R50 for a ride that is well thought out and built by an experienced trail builder. But you honestly need to get out and ride a bit more if you think that the trail in the cradle is anything to write home about.....You have written quite a lot about it But on a serious note, yes the private trails will be better, just like most private services in SA are better than "free" (paid for by tax) ones. So if its a lekker MTB session you want, go and pay the R50 at Heia, thats what its there for. For those who just want a quick dash while out on the Cradle, this is perfect. It has also contributed slightly, to getting the Cradle a little less congested... a good thing. The fact that there is a free for all trail should be commended not slated. Its not like the trail is BAD, its just as good as private ones. Over all it adds to the Cradle riders, it does not take anything away. I for one am much happier if R2m is spent on more of these trails rather than Zumas chicken runs! dracs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odinson Posted April 2, 2015 Share THREAD REVIVAL! Anyway, just to get some confirmation from those in the know. I want to give this a bash, as part of a longer route. Can anyone confirm that I've got my directions right. I'm going to park at Avianto, head North along the R114 to the T-junction with the R374 at Kloofzicht. Then get on the trail and head east (left at the T-junction). The trail should then take me along the R374 towards the R540, where I'll head North (right) at the T-junction of the R374 and R540. I keep on the trail to where it ends at the circle (junction) of the R540 and M5 (Beyers). I then head down Beyers towards Randburg in the direction of Avianto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocknRolla Posted April 3, 2015 Share Sounds correct. Ecept for the east bit, which I think is actually west, but other than that all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByronH Posted April 9, 2015 Share THREAD REVIVAL! Anyway, just to get some confirmation from those in the know. I want to give this a bash, as part of a longer route. Can anyone confirm that I've got my directions right. I'm going to park at Avianto, head North along the R114 to the T-junction with the R374 at Kloofzicht. Then get on the trail and head east (left at the T-junction). The trail should then take me along the R374 towards the R540, where I'll head North (right) at the T-junction of the R374 and R540. I keep on the trail to where it ends at the circle (junction) of the R540 and M5 (Beyers). I then head down Beyers towards Randburg in the direction of Avianto. How did the ride go? Haven't done that route in a while... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watsonr Posted April 9, 2015 Share Parked at Heia last week Friday. Did the red then yellow route. Then headed out the gate onto the Cradle Loop. Found the single track on the right and side after a boring 15 minutes of road riding. Followed the single track around the loop and it ended 4km before Heia. Back into Heia and did the blue loop. Was a great ride. 75 km with about 1,100m climbing. Renier82 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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