Groenkloof safety during the week

[SPARTA-cus]

Hi guys

 

How's Groenkloof during the week in terms of safety? Always been there on weekends.

[Ysterperd]

Have been riding there (Groenkloof not Fountains) twice a week in the late afternoon for the past 5 years and have never encountered any problems.

[RABUBI]

Apparently the issue during the week is more the parking area and break-ins

[NotShatterProof]

Hi,

 

I know this is a bit of an old thread. Does anyone have any updated information on Groenkloof safety. I'm keen to ride there in the afternoons, I will not be parking my car so that is not an issue but I will (unfortunately) be riding alone. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Cheers.

[Rudi Pollard]

Hi,

 

I know this is a bit of an old thread. Does anyone have any updated information on Groenkloof safety. I'm keen to ride there in the afternoons, I will not be parking my car so that is not an issue but I will (unfortunately) be riding alone. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Cheers.

I haven't heard anything lately but riding alone in the afternoon with very few people in the reserve is probably the highest risk time to ride there. Personally I wouldn't ride in Groenkloof alone on a week afternoon. 

[NotShatterProof]

Thanks Lapa, I was afraid you would say that, to be honest that is my feeling as well. Seems such a shame that such a great venue (just down the road from me) is not available. I really need to get some more technical riding done and was hoping that it might be OK. Any other suggestions or comments out there?

[dirtrider]

Most people moved back to Klapperkop for morning and afternoon rides . There is a Klapperkop Whatsup group to keep you up to date on riders and how many people are out there everyday . Lots of patrols by SAP and other groups .

[River Rat]

Most of Groenkloof is actually safe but the parked cars and the triangle between the R21, Christiana de Witt and Fountains circle are where I would be concerned regardless of whether it is during the week or even weekends. If you stick to the Southern two thirds of Groenkloof you should be fine.

 

As for an alternative, give Klapperkop a go and the safest times are between 6:30 and 8:30 in the mornings and from 16:30 till sunset. Do not hang around there after dark as this is when the majority of incidents have taken place at lookout point 1 and the radio tower. Having said that we have not had any incidents for the last 8 weeks thanks to police and Hi Risk security patrols we have not had n attack on cyclists for more than 6 months with mots of the attacks perpetrated against sightseers and visitors with carnal intent!. It is recommended that you try to ride in groups if possible. But if you stick to Van Hunks and the Red Route you should not have any issues and I ride these at least once a week on my own.

 

But be warned Klapperkop is way more technical than Groenkloof so be sharp!

[Belgarath]

Thanks Lapa, I was afraid you would say that, to be honest that is my feeling as well. Seems such a shame that such a great venue (just down the road from me) is not available. I really need to get some more technical riding done and was hoping that it might be OK. Any other suggestions or comments out there?

 

If Groenkloof is just down the road from you, meaning that you live in the Lyttleton area, Big Red is also not far. Still my favourite place to ride.

[NotShatterProof]

Most of Groenkloof is actually safe but the parked cars and the triangle between the R21, Christiana de Witt and Fountains circle are where I would be concerned regardless of whether it is during the week or even weekends. If you stick to the Southern two thirds of Groenkloof you should be fine.

 

As for an alternative, give Klapperkop a go and the safest times are between 6:30 and 8:30 in the mornings and from 16:30 till sunset. Do not hang around there after dark as this is when the majority of incidents have taken place at lookout point 1 and the radio tower. Having said that we have not had any incidents for the last 8 weeks thanks to police and Hi Risk security patrols we have not had n attack on cyclists for more than 6 months with mots of the attacks perpetrated against sightseers and visitors with carnal intent!. It is recommended that you try to ride in groups if possible. But if you stick to Van Hunks and the Red Route you should not have any issues and I ride these at least once a week on my own.

 

But be warned Klapperkop is way more technical than Groenkloof so be sharp!

OK. Thank you for that. Pardon my ignorance but I was under the impression Klapperkop has only downhill trails. Where do I go to get to the start of the routes, it sounds like it might be interesting (although scary, because parts of Groenkloof are fairly technical to me at least).

[NotShatterProof]

If Groenkloof is just down the road from you, meaning that you live in the Lyttleton area, Big Red is also not far. Still my favourite place to ride.

You're absolutely right and it is definitely an option (is it safe during the afternoons?), but I'm looking for a little more rocky stuff after my eyes were opened at Hakahana and I realised how much I had let my technical skills slip.

[dirtrider]

Go through gate on R21 . Just after guard house turn left (there is a mtb  sign ) Follow fence until next sign to right . Go up and then down to the fence at bottom (fountains circle side) . Follow fence again all the way up to close to water reservoir , look for dirt road to left , follow all the way up to cell tower , go across tar road at lookout point point , follow single track all the way to tar again , cross tar road again , select any single track down to the gate where it all started . Repeat as many times as needed , but once works for most people . 

[River Rat]

OK. Thank you for that. Pardon my ignorance but I was under the impression Klapperkop has only downhill trails. Where do I go to get to the start of the routes, it sounds like it might be interesting (although scary, because parts of Groenkloof are fairly technical to me at least).

Klapperkop was used by a group from PEMBI to prepare for Hakahana so it definitely not downhill trail but some of them are closer to Enduro than Cross Country.

 

Go through gate on R21 . Just after guard house turn left (there is a mtb  sign ) Follow fence until next sign to right . Go up and then down to the fence at bottom (fountains circle side) . Follow fence again all the way up to close to water reservoir , look for dirt road to left , follow all the way up to cell tower , go across tar road at lookout point point , follow single track all the way to tar again , cross tar road again , select any single track down to the gate where it all started . Repeat as many times as needed , but once works for most people . 

 

Dirt Rider has given you a nice but challenging route so It might help to use the Map at the start (which is just past the guard house at the R21) to orientate yourself and if Groenkloof is a challenge at this stage of your cycling I would suggest that you start with the Blue Route before trying the Red or Black routes. There is also a nice long gravel road next to the southern border with the golf course which might be a good starting point. I have a firm view that if you can master the trails at Klapperkop you are ready to handle almost everything that Hakahana and even Mankele can throw at you.

 

Important to note that if you drive to Klapperkop, park on the grass opposite the Military Intelligence Guardhouse which is near the Pikkewyn St and Johan Rissik Drive intersection. You can ride to the reserve from there which is less than a 1 km away and all downhill!

[Belgarath]

You're absolutely right and it is definitely an option (is it safe during the afternoons?), but I'm looking for a little more rocky stuff after my eyes were opened at Hakahana and I realised how much I had let my technical skills slip.

 

We take our school mtb team there two afternoons a week. Lucky that we are only a 10min cycle away. Granted, not so many rocky areas, but really technical all the same if you stick to the black routes. Quite a few new trails as well.

[River Rat]

For a map of Klapperkop Trails

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/154748-klapperkop-trail-map/

[Speeltyd]

Also, don't forget Wolwespruit - Rigel offramp next to Kloof Hospital. As technical as they come - only 14 km's, but not many people do it under an hour. Also, on Tuesdays they have a nightride - GREAT!