Jump to content

Best DH/Freeride Trails for beginners (JHB)


BaltazarMarques

Recommended Posts

Hi All - Tried looking through the forums but didn't find what I was looking for so I'm hoping you all can give some input from personal experience.

 

I'm getting back into the gravity side of riding as not excited by doing 50km of jeep track just for the sake of riding. I'm looking to get my confidence up and enjoy a day out cruising down hills and trails.

 

I used to do a lot of this kind of riding so I'm prepared to put myself out there a little, but just not ready for 20 foot gaps and 3 meter drops if you know what I mean...

 

Places I've heard are good:

 

Thaba

Red Barn

Van Gaalens

 

Cheers,

 

Balt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ride the spruit and take the alternative options available

 

Between Tana Rd and Rustenburg Rd there are few small gaps/doubles

Cross the river behind Old parks and ride the line there also some smaller gaps/doubles

Scouthall jump line is a good place for some imtermediate gaps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the facebook group moubntainbikers do it downhill. Lots of keen guys there that frequently invite beginners to come ride more technical stuff with them. Last week they went to Helderkruin which is a DH track with trail bike friendly alternatives.

 

Places like van gaalens are really great for more technical trail riding. I especially enjoyed daggapad, revenge and greek church but it is definitely not a DH place. Just good awesome trail riding with some fun technical bits thrown in.

 

Hanakhana is also supposed to be really good for that sort of riding. I know sliiiick and a bunch of others have been helping build an enduro type course there but its not finished yet.

 

Finally, ride the spruit and look out for features to play on. Top end of delta park next to the school is great, Byron line is amazing at present, Area from fratellis to hurlingham has the bomb hole and a really sweet fast trail with a bunch of easy gap and table jumps. Hurlingham has some bigger stuff with drops and then after hurlingham on the way to william nicol there is the poplar line which is good fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ride the spruit and take the alternative options available

 

Between Tana Rd and Rustenburg Rd there are few small gaps/doubles

Cross the river behind Old parks and ride the line there also some smaller gaps/doubles

Scouthall jump line is a good place for some imtermediate gaps

 

Great - thanks Mileage - Will def give the spruit a go soon. Sounds like a good place to get into things!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please post reviews of the places that you try out. I've previously (more than 2 years ago) gone to the MTN bike park to hone some skills, but i'd love some variety!

 

Will do - Actually a good idea and nice for new hubbers to reference. I'll report back on each place I try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the facebook group moubntainbikers do it downhill. Lots of keen guys there that frequently invite beginners to come ride more technical stuff with them. Last week they went to Helderkruin which is a DH track with trail bike friendly alternatives.

 

Places like van gaalens are really great for more technical trail riding. I especially enjoyed daggapad, revenge and greek church but it is definitely not a DH place. Just good awesome trail riding with some fun technical bits thrown in.

 

Hanakhana is also supposed to be really good for that sort of riding. I know sliiiick and a bunch of others have been helping build an enduro type course there but its not finished yet.

 

Finally, ride the spruit and look out for features to play on. Top end of delta park next to the school is great, Byron line is amazing at present, Area from fratellis to hurlingham has the bomb hole and a really sweet fast trail with a bunch of easy gap and table jumps. Hurlingham has some bigger stuff with drops and then after hurlingham on the way to william nicol there is the poplar line which is good fun.

 

Rad - thanks Hayden. Just registered on the facebook group - Great find!!

 

Second person to recommend the spruit so def going to give it a go - Probably next weekend. Looks like it'll be Thaba or Red Barn this weekend as that's where our group is keen for.

 

Thanks for all the info guys... Will update as I try places.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the facebook group moubntainbikers do it downhill. Lots of keen guys there that frequently invite beginners to come ride more technical stuff with them. Last week they went to Helderkruin which is a DH track with trail bike friendly alternatives.

 

Places like van gaalens are really great for more technical trail riding. I especially enjoyed daggapad, revenge and greek church but it is definitely not a DH place. Just good awesome trail riding with some fun technical bits thrown in.

 

Hanakhana is also supposed to be really good for that sort of riding. I know sliiiick and a bunch of others have been helping build an enduro type course there but its not finished yet.

 

Finally, ride the spruit and look out for features to play on. Top end of delta park next to the school is great, Byron line is amazing at present, Area from fratellis to hurlingham has the bomb hole and a really sweet fast trail with a bunch of easy gap and table jumps. Hurlingham has some bigger stuff with drops and then after hurlingham on the way to william nicol there is the poplar line which is good fun.

 

Took all the words right off my keyboard ;)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Stumbled onto this thread and lots of mention of the spruit to practice jumps, drop off....etc

 

I used to ride the spruit alot with a bunch of mates years ago and we used to meet at Emmerentia dam, which was fairly close for me and the we cycled the whole route and back again.

 

Now that ive done some enduro lines, im keep to practice a bit, especially the jumps. Is it still a good place to start at Emmerentia side? Safe to ride alone? How far are the jumps, gaps from there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stumbled onto this thread and lots of mention of the spruit to practice jumps, drop off....etc

I used to ride the spruit alot with a bunch of mates years ago and we used to meet at Emmerentia dam, which was fairly close for me and the we cycled the whole route and back again.

Now that ive done some enduro lines, im keep to practice a bit, especially the jumps. Is it still a good place to start at Emmerentia side? Safe to ride alone? How far are the jumps, gaps from there?

Join the Dirt Merchant ride on Wednesdays / Fridays and Saturdays. It starts from Dirt Merchant in Craighall, and it's a chilled bunch of trail riders who likes to session jumps. If you're lucky you might even get a post ride beer at 8:30am....:) Edited by Samurai Pizza Cat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout