Suikerbosrand - cycling rates

[Joe Low]

Weekend before last I met a group of Koreans/chinese folk spread out over a lonnnnng distance in the reserve. One looked quite a pukka roadie but his four friends were all shades of noobness. They hadnt ridden anywhere before and one guy was on a makro bike in clothes you'd wash the car in and no helemet. Really felt sorry for them as they were walking and stopping all kinds of places.

 

The one guy says "i thought it was left for short and right for long" this about 25kms in. Another one - am I halfway yet, after about 8kms.

 

And the pukka roadie is going backwards and forwards to check on them, probably 10km from front to back by the time I got to the rear gate.

 

I reckon they would be in there 6hrs+

 

Rule of thumb - if you have to walk on the 1st hill, turn right at the top, you can always go round that loop again if you want to.

[BDF]

I have ridden this route a few times. Awesome but I must agree - not for beginners. I did 110km on the circuit (long + short) and total ascent was about 2500m according to Garmin!!

[Blokman]

Can you leave your vehicle at the entrance gate and is it safe to do so? Don't want to drive all the way to centre of the reserve to leave vehicle as I will be coming from Meyerton's side.. Hope to do my 1st one this weekend.

Often see cars parked there.The car park on the other side is nicer. If you start there (Meyerton )you have a choice of turning right just after the big hill, but then you miss out on 7 or so kms of downhill and the "first" climb. About 11 kms in total.

[Tayyib]

Weekend before last I met a group of Koreans/chinese folk spread out over a lonnnnng distance in the reserve. One looked quite a pukka roadie but his four friends were all shades of noobness. They hadnt ridden anywhere before and one guy was on a makro bike in clothes you'd wash the car in and no helemet. Really felt sorry for them as they were walking and stopping all kinds of places.

 

The one guy says "i thought it was left for short and right for long" this about 25kms in. Another one - am I halfway yet, after about 8kms.

 

And the pukka roadie is going backwards and forwards to check on them, probably 10km from front to back by the time I got to the rear gate.

 

I reckon they would be in there 6hrs+

 

Rule of thumb - if you have to walk on the 1st hill, turn right at the top, you can always go round that loop again if you want to.

hey joe,I must have seen you at some point then.I started my ride with two other roadies(indian guys)before leaving them behind,I was on a a black and red ghost dual susser mtb.passed those asian guys on way up first hill,the guy with no helmet looked finished already and I suggested he turned right at the top...the one who was reasonably fit had a comical crash at the back gate according to my friends....any chance we crossed paths?

[Little Fish]

Your friend is a pussy.

 

We leave from Rivonia, and ride through to Suikerbosrand, do the loop through the reserve and then head home. About 230 when we're done. Nice Saturday outing.

Pull yourself together man!!!

Drink some cement and harden up!

This is a cycling forum, not a knitting forum!

 

Shew, OK, I will get my mate to rather knit you a new cycling jersey!!!

[scubes]

I rode the 58km loop for the first time on Sunday on my Mtb without slicks. Lovely beautiful ride with awesome downhills. Was hot and stopped at the Dam for a mini swim. We were to turn back then but decided to do the loop. The little hill at 45km I think it was, got me. Had way too little fluids for a very hot sunny day. Then that almost final long 4km hill stretch up the valley knocked me out. It's a hard ride and requires good preparation as one should do. And not only two water bottles one small. That was silly. But I finished it and will do it again with better prep. Pity no off road trails there and no longer hiking trail to the dam.